A New Industrial Approach Compatible With Microelectronics Education :

Application to an RF System Design

J. TOMAS, Y. DEVAL, J.B. BEGUERET, P. FOUILLAT and J.L. AUCOUTURIER

Centre Commun d'Enseignement Supérieur de Microélectronique Avancée Aquitaine (CCESMAA)
IXL (CNRS URA 846) ENSERB - Université Bordeaux 1
351, Cours de la Libération 33404 TALENCE Cedex FRANCE
Tel : 33 556 84 65 50 Fax : 33 556 64 28 00 Email : tomas@ixl.u-bordeaux.fr

Abstract "symbol 1"

Teaching analog electronics leads us to set up a RF
"symbol 0"
analog integrated circuit design flow to allow students
to detail the main aspects of designer’s tasks. In our
case we propose the study of .a 433 MHz transceiver for
voice transmission. The whole design methodology relies
upon the COCISPER approach to improve the quality of 0 T 0 T
the electronic architecture.
Figure 1 : Symbol coding.

The architecture of the system is fixed as shown in

1. Introduction
This paper describes a final year course in
Microelectronics whose aim is to merge the technical
and management aspects of a mixed signal design flow.
Our pedagogic objective is to provide students a
concrete example of circuit integration [1] to bring into
play their theoretical electronics knowledge, but also to
make them following the steps defined by an industrial
methodology. In this paper, we detail the actual project
proposed in the Microelectronics DESS training courses
: a 433 MHz RF transceiver
2. Project-oriented course
Dedicated to microelectronics education, we propose
a training course which merges the main aspects of
analog IC designer’s tasks, i.e. circuit analysis, design
improvement, layout and test but also project
management.
The application exercise we propose to the 16
students is to design a RF transceiver at 433 MHz for
voice transmission for short distances.
A voice band limited to 4kHz is digitized by a 10
bits Σ∆ ADC at a sampling frequency of 10 kHz. The
binary digits are represented by the NRZ code of Fig. 1 .
Fig 2 and the chosen modulation is a FSK one
Before the practical training, we give these
specifications to the students. They have to finalize the
technical requirements document, detailing all the study
parameters and choices (supply voltage, power
consumption, test environment ….) according to the
COCISPER guide [2]. They are divided in several
groups, dealing each with a specific task : one is the
project leader, another the Tx group, another the Rx
group, another PA group, another the LNA group and
the last the frequency synthesizer group. After some
extra hours of “brain storming”, we operate a design
review, looking at the hierarchy of each block and
discussing their choice. A VHDL AMS description of
each block is also required to verify the integrity of the
system.
For the moment only the analog part, i.e.
Emitter/Receiver, PA, LNA and Frequency synthesizer
is studied, developed and integrated. The second phase
of this project will be held in two years and will concern
the channel coding by the implementation of VHDL
algorithms. The AD and DA converters will also be
included in this phase.
The theoretical background brought into play
concerns the following topics : integrated circuit design,
optimization and simulation of analog cells, layout
drawing. The practical part on CAD tools of the training
lasts a full week. The required and used materials are : a
workstation, HSPICE electrical simulator, Design
Σ∆ ADC Channel coding FSK Modulator
Freq. Synthesis
DAC Channel decoding FSK Demodulator
Figure 2 : system configuration for laser writing.
3. RF performances
In baseband, the worst case input signal frequency is
100 kHz, so we decide to take a 400 kHz channel width
to transmit most of the signal power.
A theoretical RF link study yields a –94 dBm
minimum detectable signal. Assuming a 6 dB Signal to
Noise ratio, it leads to a –100 dBm LNA sensitivity. As
a maximum detectable signal of –40 dBm is expected,
the LNA dynamic is thus about 60 dB, associated with a
–20 dBm IIP3 [2,3].
The PA output power is fixed at 0 dBm. An off-chip
PIN diode antenna switch allows the half-duplex
approach.
4 COCISPER Methodology
The COCISPER (Conception Circuits Intégrés
Spécifiques et PERennité - ASIC Design Methodology
for the Durability of Systems) group is a consortium
including Aerospatiale, Thomson CSF, Matra BAe
Dynamics, Matra Marconi Space, Sagem, Sextant
Avionique [4].
The aim of this consortium is to provide guidelines
to guaranty the quality and durability of electronic
systems integrating specific circuits whose process life
time is shorter than the one of the system itself.
We focus one point of this guide : the definition of
the technical requirements.
Framework II (Cadence), components library of the
imposed technology AMS BiCMOS 0.8 µm.
PA
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LNA
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5. Conclusion
This training course has been designed to provide a
concrete application example, involving both
theoretical, practical and management knowledge. It
introduces the different steps from the definition of the
requirements to the design and integration. Moreover, it
is easy to modulate the training level depending on the
students microelectronics background, even if they do
not complete all the steps. All the parts of the system
have their own behavioral description.
6. References
[1] J. Tomas, Y. Deval, P. Fouillat, E. Ragbi, J-P. Dom and J-
L. Aucouturier, 'Design, Integration and Characterization of
Analogue Integrated Circuits – A Complete Design Flow
Dedicated to Microelectronics , MSE 97 Arlington USA July
21-23 1997
[2] Behzad Razavi ‘RF microelectronics’ Prentice Hall PTR
1998
[3] Thomas H. Lee ‘The design of CMOS radio-frequency
integrated circuits’ Cambridge University Press1998
[4] COCISPER ‘Guide méthodologique de conception des
ASIC’ 1998