Course syllabus for Design of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC)

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-02 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameKonstruktion av monolitiska integrerade mikrovågskretsar (MMIC)
  • CodeEME110
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPWPS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyElectrical Engineering, Engineering Physics
  • DepartmentMICROTECHNOLOGY AND NANOSCIENCE
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 29138
  • Maximum participants20 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0103 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH		7.5 c0 c0 c0 c0 c0 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Students are expected to have a fundamental understanding of electronic circuit components (Transistors, Diodes, etc.) as well as some microwave electronics which is demonstrated by previous successful participation in Microwave engineering (MCC121) and Active microwave circuits (EME102) or equivalent courses (contact examiner before course for accepting other equivalent courses as prerequisite).

Aim

This course aims to give an understanding how monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are designed and built including several techniques for analyzing non-linear circuits and basic understanding of different technologies.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • analyze the basic radio frequency circuit building blocks (low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, frequency mixers, frequency multipliers and oscillators) for wireless communications systems.
  • design and layout a MMIC by using professional CAD-tools.
  • describe the research field and the present state-of-the-art for wireless transceiver designs up to the frequency limit of today's technology which is of the order 300GHz.
  • write a manuscript for a scientific journal or conference.
  • present the designed MMIC orally.

Content

  • Fundamental IC processing flow
  • Transmitter / Transceiver architectures.
  • Circuit building blocks such as oscillators, mixers, frequency multipliers and dividers, low noise and power amplifiers of different classes.
  • MMIC/RFIC-technologies based on silicon, GaAs, InP and widebandgap semiconductors.
  • Practical circuit design steps from initial idea to implemented circuit – including a design rule compliant layout.

Organisation

The course's learning activies are based on three pillars: lectures, five CAD lab sessions, and a MMIC design project. The goal of the lectures is to prepare students to design their own integrated circuit in a state-of-the-art GaAs MMIC process. In the lab sessions students will learn how use a commercial CAD tool (Keysight's Advanced Design System - ADS) in combination with a process design kit (PDK) to practically design a circuit. Finally, each student will work on a design project involving circuit design, layout, electromagnetic simulation, design rule check (DRC), and delivery of a complete design by the end of the course. Student designs with promising simulation results will be fabricated through WIN Semiconductors University program!

Communication in this course will be during lectures, and through Canvas announcements.

Required student resources: Access to a reasonably modern computer which allows installation of Chalmers student software - particularly Keysight ADS. In the lab sessions computers are provided but bringing your own laptop might be preferable.

Deadlines in this class will be announced early and are finite. Missing single lab sessions can be compensated by practicing the material at home by yourself and demonstrating the learning outcomes of this lab in a short chat with the examiner.

Literature

The course will provide the lecture notes as main reading material. Additional material will be provided through Canvas. The following list of books is non-mandatory course material:
  • I.D. Robertson and S. Lucyszyn: "RFIC and MMIC design and technology", IEEE 2001, ISBN 0 85296786 1
  • S. Marsh: "Practical MMIC Design", Artech House 2006, ISBN-10: 1-59693-036-5
  • R. Caverly: "CMOS RFIC Design Principles", Artech House 2007, ISBN-13: 978-1-59693-132-9
  • M. Steer: "Microwave and RF Design", Scitech 2010, ISBN: 9781891121883
  • J.Rogers and C. Plett: "Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design", Artech House 2003, ISBN: 1-58053-502-x

Examination including compulsory elements

Grading will be based on lab exams, a short presentation at the mini course conference where students present their design work and a 4-page conference style paper that describes the designed final circuit and layout. Weighting is 15% on the lab sessions, 15% on the presentation, 70% on the technical paper. Here both form (figure quality, text, references) as well as the technical quality of the design and discussion are graded.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.