Creating perfect simulation for wireless receiver test
Nov 1, 2007
By David A. Hall This article explains the importance of receiver simulation and validation by illustrating how wireless impairments can affect a communications channel. It also describes how RF record and playback systems can be used as tools to validate receiver design....
Automated circuit extraction dramatically speeds complex interconnect modeling
Sep 1, 2007
By Michael Heimlich Traditional RF/microwave design approaches no longer meet the challenges of next-generation communication products. An alternative methodology has been developed. Besides describing the new automated circuit extraction (ACE) technology, this article discusses real-world design examples to demonstrate its accuracy and efficiency....
Reducing RF design cycles through improved design methodologies
May 1, 2007
By Per Viklund The evolution of RF design methodologies has not kept pace with advances
in RF technology, resulting in delays in the deployment of advanced RF
capabilities caused by protracted design cycles. New practices based on the
use of design tools working together in highly integrated environments can
resolve this dilemma by considering system-level RF effects at the beginning
of the design process....
CAD implementation of DR-based oscillator using non-linear analysis
Mar 1, 2007
By Kamaljeet Singh and Surendra Pal The concept of modeling along with the simple design equations, characterization and implementation of the dielectric resonator puck model in oscillator simulation, are presented....
Partnership develops RF noise modeling for 90 nm process
Oct 1, 2006
Hsinchu, Taiwan-based semiconductor foundry service provider UMC and Singapore's Institute of Microelectronics have inked a deal to jointly develop radio frequency modeling solutions for 90 nm technologies....
Bluetooth transceiver design using EDA software
Oct 1, 2006
By Emanuele Stavagna The RF portion of a transceiver designed by Dialog Seminconductor was designed using the EDA software package, Advanced Design System....
How to best marry time-domain system-level verification with frequency-domain RF circuit simulations
Sep 1, 2006
By Ashok Bindra, Editorial Director This article is a discussion based on a panel presented at the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium in San Francisco, Calif. RF Design posed six questions to six panelists on the topic
of system-level verification of RF circuits and compiled their responses. The panel discusses the pros and cons of various methods that enable system-level verification of RF circuits....
A closer look at RFIC design and verification
Jul 1, 2006
By Lawrence Williams and Albert Yen High-frequency, high-switching speed circuits such as for UWB radio transceivers require and improved RFIC design flow to ensure first pass silicon....
Designing digital downconverters
May 1, 2006
By Brian Ogilvie and Paul Pacheco A key problem with traditional RF design methods is that errors are frequently not detected until modules can be physically tested at the prototype stage. Model-based design can address this problem by providing an environment for creating executable specifications that provide a high-level view of the design....
Designing Filters Efficiently Using Simulation Tools
Sep 1, 2005
By Anurag Bhargava Filters are an integral part of any RF/microwave system. Designing one efficiently
and accurately can be a challenge, even when sophisticated simulation tools are
available. Electromagnetic simulation, which is more or less an integral part of
any commercial RF/microwave simulation software, can help designers meet this
challenge. As an example, this article gives two bandpass filter (BPF) examples
that were simulated using circuit and electromagnetic (EM) simulators and
compares the simulated and measured results....
The need for advanced silicon modeling in RF nanometer designs
May 1, 2005
By Karen Chow Nanometer technologies, while enabling functionality on a chip, bring a host of additional physical effects for the designer to consider. This is particularly the case with the latest standards in design, such as GSM/GPS/Bluetooth. The physical effects, in addition to re-spin costs in the million-dollar range, make verification indispensable to the mixed-signal generator....
Using behavioral models to drive RF design and verify system performance
Mar 1, 2005
By Colin Warwick and Mike Mulligan A new generation of software tools for model-based design is enabling
the creation of system-level models that system architects can use to
evaluate the RF design specification. These flexible design environments
allow information to flow top down and bottom up. Before, during and
after the circuitry for the components and modules is being designed,
the same system-level model can incorporate ever more refined
performance information in order to determine the impact on systemlevel
performance....