Digital Communications, RF, and Propagation
(ComRF)
- Coefficient : 6^
- Hourly Volume: 150.0h (including 72.0h supervised)
- CM : 4.5h supervised
- CTD : 37.5h supervised
- Labo : 30h supervised (and 12h unsupervised)
- Out-of-schedule personal work : 66h
AATs Lists
Description
This module provides training in the fundamentals of radio frequency systems and digital communications. It enables students to understand guided propagation, use RF tools, and design digital transmission chains tailored to noise and bandwidth constraints. This course covers the fundamentals of electromagnetic wave propagation in transmission lines and waveguides, including the study of radio frequency components and devices. Students will learn to analyze, design, and characterize RF components and systems using standard tools (Smith chart, S-parameters) as well as simulation with ADS software and measurement with a vector network analyzer. This course also covers the fundamentals and advanced tools necessary for analyzing and designing wireless communication systems. Students will learn to design a digital transmission chain and evaluate its performance in a noisy channel, as well as understand spread-spectrum techniques and their role in robustness and security. Students will be able to apply tools for processing multidimensional random signals, whether for implementing radar/sonar algorithms (arrival direction estimation) or for optimizing MIMO communication systems. This module provides useful knowledge for those interested in pursuing a career in engineering within the field of information transmission. It also prepares students for further study in the Radio Frequency Electronics and Telecommunications track of the Master’s program in Electronics, Electrical Power, and Automation.
Learning Outcomes AAv (AAv)
AAv1 [heures: 22, B2, B3]: Study of transmission lines and RF tools. By the end of the course/semester, students will be able to apply the basic concepts of propagation on transmission lines (telegraph equation, characteristic impedance, propagation parameters, reflection coefficient, SWR) as well as the tools (Smith chart, S-parameters) typically used.
AAv2 [heures: 23, B1, B2, B3, B4]: Introduction to digital communications. By the end of this part of the module, students will be able to analyse and design a simple digital transmission chain, taking into account a noisy channel (AWGN) and bandwidth constraints, and to evaluate its performance in terms of bit error rate (BER).
AAv3 [heures: 30, B3, C1, C3]: Study, simulation, measurement and design of radio-frequency devices. By the end of the course/semester, students will be able to characterise the operation of a radio-frequency component or device through simulations using Keysight’s ADS software and measurements taken with a vector network analyser (VNA). They will be able to design matching systems using lines or localised elements for radio frequency systems. They will have a thorough understanding of the main properties of S-matrices through the study of several passive multipoles and will be familiar with the fundamental concepts relating to antennas.
AAv4 [heures: 10, B2, B3, C1]: Analysis of guided waves: modes, dispersion and resonant cavities. By the end of the course/semester, students will be able to calculate the spatial distribution of fields in a guided wave, analyse the behaviour of propagation modes in rectangular and coaxial waveguides (dispersion diagram, EM field expressions), assess the impact of dispersion, particularly on phase and group velocities, determine the electromagnetic power carried by a propagation mode, and understand the operation of a resonant cavity.
AAv5 [heures: 23, B1, B2, B3, B4]: Spectrum spreading and physical layer security. By the end of this section, students will be able to analyse spectrum spreading techniques and assess their role in the physical layer security of wireless communication systems.
AAv6 [heures: 23, B1, B2, B3, B4]: Multidimensional random signal processing and MIMO/DOA applications. By the end of this section, students will be able to apply the tools of multidimensional random signal processing to direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation and the analysis of MIMO systems.
Assessment methods
average of several short formative assessments