EE 433 PLANAR MICROWAVE CIRCUIT DESIGN Instructor: Andy Olson 632 Cobleigh Hall 994-5967 andyo@ece.montana.edu Office hours: TBD Prerequisite: EE 334 or equivalent Course Website: http://www.coe.montana.edu/ee/andyo/ee433/ee433hpg.htm Course Description (from the MSU Catalog): An introductory course on microwave circuits emphasizing the design, fabrication and measurement of planar circuits (matching networks, filters, couplers, mixers, etc.) for frequencies above 1 GHz. Students will learn to use state-of-the-art CAD tools and a vector network analyzer. Text: Microwave Engineering 3 rd Edition, David Pozar (Wiley, 2005) ISBN 978-0471448785 Software and Other Tools: The industry-standard CAD package, Advanced Design System from Agilent Technologies will be used to design various planar circuits. Some of these circuits will be built and characterized using a 20 GHz vector network analyzer (VNA). Supplemental References (not required): Practical RF Circuit Design For Modern Wireless System Volume 1 Passive Circuit and Systems, 1 st Edition, Les Besser and Rowan Gilmore (Artech House, 2003) ISBN 1-58053- 521-6. Other reference texts and materials will be listed in class as material dictates Class Meetings: Lecture: Tuesday / Thursday 10:00-10:50 am Lab: Tuesday 12:00 2 pm Room: 113 Roberts Hall See below ** Five of the 12-2 lab periods will be devoted to laboratory measurements and two of the lab periods will be devoted toward software tutorials. The remaining lab periods will consist of one-hour (not 50 minute) lectures. Measurement Labs will be held in 532 Cobleigh Software Tutorials will be held in 624/625 Cobleigh Additional Tuesday lectures (12 pm -1 pm) will be held in 632 Cobleigh
Grading: Homework: 25% Homework will be used to help students gain design and analysis skills and will require a significant time investment on the part of the student. Students are encouraged to develop team skills by discussing homework with their colleagues. To draw the most from this course it is important however, that each individual spend significant time working on homework privately, before engaging in collaborative efforts. Neatness and clarity are important and will form a portion of the homework grade. THERE WILL LIKELY BE ONLY FIVE HW ASSIGNMENTS, THUS EACH ASSIGNMENT MAY MAKE UP 5% OF YOUR TOTAL GRADE! Laboratory/Design Projects: 40% You will be required to write formal lab reports that detail design and measured results. Attendance at each lab session is mandatory. Most of your reports will be done with a lab partner(s). Keep meticulous notes documenting your design procedures. It is useful to think about and comment on why certain designs may be more desirable than others. Exam I: 15% (Evening Exam to allow more time on the problems) Exam II: 15 % (Take home exam with computer design problem ) This exam is a take home exam to allow you to utilize the compute to solve more advanced problems than can be given in class. You are to do your own work with no discussion of the problems with others. You may ask me questions. Final Exam: 5 % (20 minute oral exam) This will be a 20 minute individual oral exam on one of the design problems you have done during the semester. Times will be during scheduled the last week of class.
A quote from Microwave Engineering by David Pozar: the majority of practicing microwave engineers now design planar components and monolithic integrated circuits with no direct resource to field theory analysis. Microwave computer-aided design (CAD) software and the network analyzer are the essential tools of today s microwave engineer. Topical List for EE 433: After completing this course, each student should be familiar with the following, and be able to apply/design them as appropriate: Transmission line theory Microstrip and coplanar transmission lines Transmission line discontinuities RF grounding The Smith chart Matrix representation of two-port networks (S-,Z-,Y- and ABCD parameters) Impedance matching (Lumped and Distributed) Microwave CAD Calibration of coaxial and in-fixture VNA measurements Microstrip filter design Power dividers, combiners (Tee and Wilkinson) and couplers (Branch line) Microwave amplifier design for maximum transducer gain Coupled Lines - Even and Odd Mode Analysis Mixed mode scattering parameters Friss transmission formula Microwave systems: SNR, dynamic range, noise figure, sensitivity, Intercept Point Planar antenna concepts Lab experiments: (1) Introduction to the Vector Network Analyzer and SOLT Calibration (2) Device Modeling and TRL Calibration (3) RF/Microwave Amplifier Characterization (4) Coupled Lines and Mixed-Mode Measurements (5) Simple Receiver and subcircuit testing
Course Policies Turning in homework: Homework is due by 5 pm on the due date. No late homework will be accepted unless approved prior to the due date. Attendance/Absence Policy: Attendance at each laboratory session is required for gaining a passing grade. Any non-emergency absence from a laboratory session or a test must be excused prior to the absence. Academic Integrity Policy: I expect that each student will act with the highest degree of honesty as laid out in the University s Student Policies Guidelines (www2.montana.edu/policy/student_conduct). As I feel that the learning process is greatly aided with interaction among students, I find it most appropriate for students to discuss homework with each other. Each student is to turn in a solution set to the homework however. In some cases, computer simulations and accompanying printouts will be a part of these solution sets. I will not accept identical printouts from students. In such cases, the corresponding problem(s) will be marked as incorrect on the assignments of all involved. Please help one another, but do your own work! Additional Comments: Course Software You are required to use The Advanced Design System (ADS) from Agilent Technologies for many of the assignments and laboratory exercises. You will find that ADS is a very powerful and comprehensive microwave design tool. As ADS will be used extensively throughout the course, take the software tutorials seriously! It should be stated that in some cases, a simulation tool can become a crutch and impede learning. Make certain to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. The simulator will allow you to make calculations quickly, calculations that would be impractical with paper and pencil. Office Hours Many of the assignments will require significant time to properly complete. Do not wait until the night before to begin an assignment, even if you allot several hours to complete it. There is little doubt that you will get stuck at various parts of an assignment / lab exercise. When you do, see me. Open-ended Problems By the end of the term, I want you to be comfortable with the basics of planar microwave design, with a distinct emphasis on distributed techniques. I also want you to develop problem-solving skills and learn to become more comfortable with open-ended problems. Open-ended problems may be defined as those that have more than one answer, that the problems are designed in such a manner that they do not close-in on a particular or unique solution. In the process of solving an open-ended problem, the problem solver makes assumptions, explicitly filling in the blanks by assuming specific values from problem variables and parameters. Then, by substituting these values into a system of well-defined modeling equations, the problem solver analyzes whether a solution has been obtained. (From: Re-Engineering Open-ended Problems and Computer Simulations For Effective Development of Student Design Skills, R.J. Eggert and S.A. Tennyson, Session 2525, ASEE Conference 1998)
ABET Outcomes Engineering programs throughout the USA periodically undergo certification by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Toward this end, ABET provides engineering programs with a list of outcomes and assessments that are to be addressed. Below is a list of program outcomes/assessments as per ABET s Engineering Criteria 2000 that apply to the current rendition of EE 433. Please feel free to contact me to offer your thoughts on how this course addresses, or fails to address, the items below. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems An ability to communicate effectively Knowledge of contemporary issues (in microwave engineering) An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice Course Outcomes Tentative List Of Technical Competencies Outcome Statement I can use The Advanced Design System to analyze and design microstrip circuits. I can use the Smith Chart to design lumped element matching networks. I can use the Smith Chart to design distributed (e.g. shunt stub) matching networks. I can describe the behavior/properties of two- three- and four-port networks based on the network s scattering parameters. I can describe the behavior/properties of a differential component based on its mixed mode scattering parameters. I am able to utilize the [ABCD] matrix in cascaded system analysis. I can identify important discontinuities and their influence (e.g. open-end effect) on microstrip circuit performance. I can utilize the transmission line equation to determine the input impedance of a terminated transmission line. I understand and can apply the concepts of relative dielectric constant, effective dielectric constant and guided wavelength. I understand the concepts of lumped and distributed elements and how each relates to operating wavelength. I have an appreciation of the advantages / disadvantages / limitations of both lumped and distributed elements. I am able to design lowpass and bandpass microstrip filters to meet a desired bandwidth/attenuation specification. I am able to utilize even and odd mode concepts in the analysis of a power divider. I am able to design a two-way microstrip divider for a 3 db power splitting ratio. I understand the importance of calibration in microwave measurements. I am familiar with SOLT and TRL calibration techniques. Given a transistor s scattering parameters, I can design a microwave amplifier for maximum transducer gain with the transistor. I can describe the characteristics of antennas and can list advantages and disadvantages of planar antennas as compared to non-planar antennas. I understand the concept of noise figure. I understand the concept of dynamic range. I am comfortable using a vector network analyzer.
TENTATIVE LECTURE AND LAB OUTLINE (Note: This outline is subject to change as needed.) Topic Lecture 1: Course Introduction: Syllabus, Intro Handout Lecture 2: Transmission Line Theory Lecture 3: Transmission Line Theory Lecture 4: Transmission Line Theory Lecture 5: Microstrip and CPW, intro to lab 1 Lecture 6: Terminated TLs and Reflected Waves Lecture 7: The TL Impedance Equation Lab 1: Introduction to the Vector Network Analyzer Lecture 8: Smith Chart Lecture 9: Smith Chart, Discussion of Lab 1 Software Tutorial I: Intro to ADS Lecture 10: Microwave Network Analysis Lecture 11: Microwave Network Analysis Lecture 12: Lumped Elements At RF, Via Modeling and Grounding Issues Lecture 13: The Diode For RF/Microwave Applications Lecture 14: Generator and Load Mismatches, Lumped Element Matching Lab 2: TRL and Device Modeling Lecture 15: Shunt Stub Matching Lecture 16: Shunt Stub Matching, Balanced Stubs, Microstrip Discontinuities. Lecture 17: Quarterwave Transformer (ADS Optimization Handout) Lecture 18: Complex-To-Real Load Conversion Lecture 19: Microwave Resonators Software Tutorial II: Optimization & Layout Lecture 20: Microstrip Filters (Insertion Loss Method) Lecture 21: Microstrip Filter Transformations Lecture 22: Microstrip Filter Example Lecture 23: Dividers, Combiners and Couplers Lecture 24: Dividers, Combiners and Couplers Lecture 25: Dividers, Combiners and Couplers Lecture 26: S-Parameter Design of Amplifiers The Transistor At Microwave Frequencies Lecture 27: S-Parameter Design of Amplifiers Lab 3: Amplifier Characterization Lecture 28: S-Parameter Design of Amplifiers Lecture 29: S-Parameter Design of Amplifiers Basics of Biasing At Microwave Frequencies Lab 4: Coupled Lines & Mixed-Mode Measurements Lecture 30: Microwave System Concepts **** Lecture 31: Noise Figure and Cascaded Systems Lecture 32: Dynamic Range, Gain Compression, Intermodulation Distortion THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY Lecture 33: Antennas Lecture 34: Planar Antenna Case Study Lecture 35: open topic Lecture 36: Open Topic Lab 5: Component and Receiver Evaluation