In this course, students will develop the following skills and knowledge: Understanding of various types of mixers and amplifier stages, with reference mainly to high frequency applications, and the ability to analyze and design related circuits. This includes device selection and evaluating design choices. Proficiency in analyzing and designing amplifiers (power and low noise) and other circuits based on Operational Amplifiers (Op Amps). Knowledge and application of parameters and selection criteria for integrated Op Amps and other complex integrated functional units. Quantitative evaluation of the effects of sampling and quantization in Analog to Digital (A/D) conversion. Designing A/D systems with error budget allocation. Understanding of parameters and circuits for A/D and Digital to Analog (D/A) converters. Ability to select active and passive devices and integrate them into complex designs. Knowledge of differential converters, including oversampling and noise shaping effects. Understanding of radio system architectures for receivers and transmitters, including Zero-Intermediate Frequency (ZIF) digital architectures and Software-Defined Radio (SDR). Knowledge of operation, parameters, and basic circuits for radio system units. Ability to define characteristics and design certain functional units within radio systems. Understanding the behavior, models, and applications of Phase Lock Loops (PLLs). Proficiency in analyzing PLL systems, selecting integrated devices, and designing circuits for PLL functional units and simple PLL-based applications. By acquiring these skills and knowledge, students will be well-equipped to analyze, design, and select components for various analog electronic circuits, particularly those used in telecommunications applications.

In this course, students will develop the following knowledge and skills: Understanding of basic electronics principles and concepts. Proficiency in analyzing electric networks and circuits, including the application of techniques such as Kirchhoff's laws and network theorems. Knowledge of linear and large signal models of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) and Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs), and the ability to use these models in the analysis and design of basic amplifier circuits. Familiarity with the characteristics and behavior of various amplifiers and the ability to design circuits incorporating Op Amps in configurations with negative and positive feedback. Knowledge and design skills related to commonly used functional units, such as filters, voltage regulators, and signal generators. This includes understanding their operating principles, selecting appropriate components, and designing circuits that meet specific requirements. By acquiring these competencies, students will be equipped with the necessary foundation in basic electronics to analyze, design, and implement a variety of electronic circuits and systems.

Radio systems. Heterodyne receivers and transmitters, ZIF (3 CFU) - Basic architectures for receiving and transmitting radio systems; heterodyne architecture - Image signals, I/Q mixer, image rejection techniques; - Digital radio systems, SDR ; - Basic modules : LNA, PA, mixer, oscillators; intermodulation and IPs. Review of amplifier stages, amplifier and filter circuits, (including SC); operating limits (2.5 CFU) - basic amplifier stages; nonlinearity, distortion, harmonics, gain compression - tuned amplifier, large signal analysis - sine signal generators - review of time-continuos filters - basic SC circuits; parameters and nonidealities, - amplifiers and filters with SC circuits. Phase lock loops (PLL) (2 CFU) - PLL linear analysis. Loop filter, phase error, capture and lock ranges - Phase detector and VCO circuits - PPL synthesizers and direct digital synthesizers (DDS) - Examples of integrated PLL and ADPLL - Applications for synchronous demodulation of analog and digital signals, and clock re-synchronization. A/D/A conversion, parameters, errors, ADC and DAC circuits (2.5 CFU) - Review of analog and digital signal parameters, sampling, aliasing, SNRq; - Parameters and errors in DAC and ADC, taxonomy based on complexity and speed; residue and pipeline circuits. - Differential converters (delta and sigma-delta), oversampling and noise shaping; decimation and interpolation filters; - Nonlinear converters, logarithmic circuits, voice signal encoding techniques; - Signal conditioning, anti-aliasing filters, errors in multiplexers and S/H circuits; definition and evaluation of ENOB.

In the practice classes of this course, students will work on limited-complexity circuit designs that are directly related to the topics covered in the lectures. These design exercises may involve numerical evaluation and analysis, for which students are required to have hand-held scientific calculators for their personal use. The course also includes experimental labs aimed at verifying and validating the circuits designed in the practice classes. During these lab sessions, students will have the opportunity to perform measurements on the circuits they have designed. The labs are conducted in teams of 3 to 4 students, encouraging collaboration and teamwork. In total, there are 7 lab sessions scheduled throughout the course, providing hands-on experience with circuit implementation, measurement techniques, and data analysis. These practical activities complement the theoretical knowledge gained in lectures and help reinforce understanding and practical skills in electronics. They will be part of the oral exam.

A textbook in English is available (Telecommunication electronics, Del Corso et al, Artech House). Other textbook which includes most of the addressed subject is: Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits (III Edition), McGraw-Hill, 2002. Radio systems and PLLs are however described in: D. Del Corso, Elettronica per Telecomunicazioni, McGraw-Hill, 2000 (in Italian, available as print-on-demand in the publisher’s website). Copies of slides used in the lectures, examples of written tests, instruction manuals for the lab are available from the course website.

Lecture slides; Exercises; Lab exercises; Multimedia materials;

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam; Practical lab skills test;

The final assessment for this course consists of a written test and an oral discussion. The written test focuses on numerical design exercises related to the main subjects covered in the course, including analog circuits, A/D/A conversion systems and circuits, radio systems, and PLLs. Each exercise may contain 4-6 questions, and in order to pass the exam, students must provide correct answers for at least the first 3 questions of each problem. The total time allocated for the written test is 1.5 hours. The oral discussion takes place after the written test and typically lasts around 20-30 minutes. During this discussion, students will be evaluated on their understanding of the course topics, as well as their ability to apply the knowledge in practical scenarios. There is also a short assessment of the student's capabilities in working in an electronic lab, which could involve discussing their experiences or performing a simple lab-related experiment. The final mark for the course is determined based on the oral discussion, which includes the lab-related experimental part. Students have the opportunity to improve their final marks by undertaking mini-projects, which are agreed upon with the professor. These projects allow students to delve deeper into specific topics of interest and demonstrate their skills and understanding in a more comprehensive manner. Overall, the assessment approach combines both written and practical components to evaluate students' knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and practical skills in the field of electronics.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.