Key facts

Overview

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Programme details

• The challenges of modern RF PCB design.

• Overview of blocks and components found in analogue section of RF systems.
• Case study: A modern radio receiver.
• • Operation, susceptibility to degradation.

• Overview of blocks and components found in digital section of RF systems.
• Case study: A modern radio receiver (continued).
• • Operation, sources and characteristics of digital noise.
  • Impact of digital noise on radio performance.
  • How impact of digital noise varies from system to system.

• Cross coupling by conduction and radiation.
• Minimising cross coupling, separation and screening techniques.

• Origins of supply noise in digital CMOS circuits and its impact on circuit operation.
• Techniques to achieve optimum supply decoupling.
• Digital power plane - localised versus total board coverage.
• High speed digital signal routing techniques.

• Lumped circuits, Ls, Rs, Cs, transistors, self resonance, Q, parasitics.
• Distributed circuits - microstrip, stripline, co-planar.
• Interconnect - ground and power planes, transmission lines, vias.
• Examples of simulated vs. real implementation.

• PCB technology capabilities (track, gap, vias).
• Substrate materials, PTH, blind vias, buried vias.
• PCB stack-ups.
• Layer routing and component connections.
• Design tolerances and cost implications.
• Component assembly considerations.
• Testability.

• Decoupling.
• RF ground plane.
• Star earth configuration.
• Current loops.

• Case study: A modern radio receiver (continued).
• • Labelling of schematics.
  • Design partitioning prior to layout.
  • Routing, order of doing it, guidelines.

First day registration from 8.30am when course materials will be distributed.
Refreshments from 8.30am on the first day plus two 30 minute breaks during the day and a one-hour lunch break.
The course will begin at 9.00am and end at approximately 5.00pm on each day.

Staff

Mr Tony Richards

Role: Speaker

Senior Consultant Engineer,
Plextek RF Integration, Plextek Limited

Tony Richards is a Senior Consultant Engineer, Plextek RF Integration, which is part of the Plextek Group. He was recruited for his experience in analogue and ...moreRF IC design and has since worked on several single chip radio system developments for multinational silicon vendors such as National Semiconductors, Sony Semiconductors and Frontier Silicon. Tony has also worked on the development of wireless meter readings systems, WLAN PC cards, Bluetooth hands-free car-kits and inductive tagging systems for livestock. Most recently he has been developing a short-range proximity detection system based on inductive coupling.

Prior to joining Plextek Tony was technical project leader with Philips Consumer Communications, responsible for developing highly integrated digital receiver ICs. In 1989 he helped design Philips' first commercially available single chip direct conversion digital paging receiver. He also worked for Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven and for Philips Radio Communications Systems of Cambridge. Tony graduated from Loughborough University of Technology in 1977 with a BSc in Electrical & Electronic Engineering in 1977.

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Mr Steve Williamson

Role: Speaker

VP Engineering,
CRFS Ltd

Steve Williamson has extensive experience in RF and microwave design. Prior to his current role at...more CRFS Ltd he was the Principal Engineer in the Radio Sensing Group at Cambridge Consulting Ltd.

Steve's work covers the whole range of the RF and microwave design spectrum, with particular involvement in the design of VCOs and synthesisers. Whilst working as a Senior Technical Consultant in the RF Integration Group at Plextek Ltd, he also worked on the development of various custom communication systems, several RFIC and MMIC designs and other projects including a multi-band GSM test set.

After graduating from Southampton University with a BEng(Hons) in Electronic Engineering, where he was sponsored by Marconi Radar Systems (Chelmsford), Steve returned to Marconi to become a member of their Microwave Design Team. Subsequent to this, Steve joined the RF Design Group at Philips - PMR (Cambridge) in 1995. Here he was involved in the design of the frequency generation used in the first TETRA handsets and base stations.

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Certification

Participants who satisfy the course requirements will receive a Certificate of Attendance. The pdf sample above is an illustration only, and the wording will reflect the course and dates attended.

Level and demands

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the Rewley House Residential Centre, within the Department for Continuing Education, in central Oxford. The comfortable, en-suite, study-bedrooms are rated 3-star, and come with free high-speed internet access and TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

Payment

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Fee options

Programme Fee

Standard course fee: £445.00

Reduced fee if attended Practical RF/Microwave Design: £345.00

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Programmes including this module

This module can be studied as part of these programmes:

• Electronics