A 300-800MHz Tunable Filter and Linearized LNA applied in a Low-Noise Harmonic-Rejection RF-Sampling Receiver

A multiband flexible RF-sampling receiver aimed at software-defined radio is presented. The wideband RF sampling function is enabled by a recently proposed discrete-time mixing downconverter. This work exploits a voltage-sensing LNA preceded by a tunable LC pre-filter with one external coil to demonstrate an RF-sampling receiver with low noise figure (NF) and high harmonic rejection (HR). The second-order LC filter provides voltage pre-gain and attenuates the source noise aliasing, and it also improves the HR ratio of the sampling downconverter. The LNA consists of a simple amplifier topology built from inverters and resistors to improve the third-order nonlinearity via an enhanced voltage mirror technique. The RF-sampling receiver employs 8 times oversampling covering 300 to 800 MHz in two RF sub-bands. The chip is realized in 65 nm CMOS and the measured gain across the band is between 22 and 28 dB, while achieving a NF between 0.8 to 4.3 dB. The IIP2 varies between +38 and +49 dBm and the IIP3 between -14 dBm and -9 dBm, and the third and fifth order HR ratios are more than 60 dB. The LNA and downconverter consumes 6 mW, and the clock generator takes 12 mW at 800 MHz RF.\ud \u

Advanced digital modulation: Communication techniques and monolithic GaAs technology

Communications theory and practice are merged with state-of-the-art technology in IC fabrication, especially monolithic GaAs technology, to examine the general feasibility of a number of advanced technology digital transmission systems. Satellite-channel models with (1) superior throughput, perhaps 2 Gbps; (2) attractive weight and cost; and (3) high RF power and spectrum efficiency are discussed. Transmission techniques possessing reasonably simple architectures capable of monolithic fabrication at high speeds were surveyed. This included a review of amplitude/phase shift keying (APSK) techniques and the continuous-phase-modulation (CPM) methods, of which MSK represents the simplest case

Continuous variable entanglement of phase locked light beams

We explore in detail the possibility of intracavity generation of continuous-variable (CV) entangled states of light beams under mode phase-locked conditions. We show that such quantum states can be generated in self-phase locked nondegenerate optical parametric oscillator (NOPO) based on a type-II phase-matched down-conversion combined with linear mixer of two orthogonally polarized modes of the subharmonics in a cavity. A quantum theory of this device, recently realized in the experiment, is developed for both sub-threshold and above-threshold operational regimes. We show that the system providing high level phase coherence between two generated modes, unlike to the ordinary NOPO, also exhibits different types of quantum correlations between photon numbers and phases of these modes. We quantify the CV entanglement as two-mode squeezing and show that the maximal degree of the integral two-mode squeezing(that is 50% relative to the level of vacuum fluctuations) is achieved at the pump field intensity close to the generation threshold of self-phase locked NOPO, provided that the constant of linear coupling between the two polarizations is much less than the mode detunings. The peculiarities of CV entanglement for the case of unitary, non-dissipative dynamics of the system under consideration is also cleared up

Approaches to control of the large angle magnetic suspension test fixture

The Large Angle Magnetic Suspension Test Fixture is a five degree-of-freedom system, developed and built at NASA Langley Research Center. It is intended for study of control techniques in magnetic suspension systems with large angular capabilities. In this study, steps have been taken to prove the system in practice, using the existing hardware. A classical control approach, using dual phase advance compensators, is applied in simulation and hardware. A single decoupled degree-of-freedom of the system is stabilized and controlled in simulation. The procedure is then employed for all five degrees-of-freedom. The design and implementation of an analog and a digital controller are described. Results from simulation and the actual system are compared and analyzed. The ability to the system to sustain suspension over a large angular range has been proven in hardware

Linearization techniques to suppress optical nonlinearity

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This thesis is shown the implementation of the linearization techniques such as feedforward and pre-distortion feedback linearization to suppress the optical components nonlinearities caused by the fibre and semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The simulation verified these two linearization techniques for single tone direct modulation, two tone indirect modulation and ultra wideband input to the optical fibre. These techniques uses the amplified spontaneously emission (ASE) noise reduction in two loops of SOA by a feed-forward and predistortion linearizer and is shown more than 6dB improvement. Also it investigates linearization for the SOA amplifier to cancel out the third order harmonics or inter-modulation distortion (IMD) or four waves mixing. In this project, more than 20 dB reductions is seen in the spectral re-growth caused by the SOA. Amplifier non-linearity becomes more severe with two strong input channels leading to inter-channel distortion which can completely mask a third adjacent channel. The simulations detailed above were performed utilizing optimum settings for the variable gain, phase and delay components in the error correction loop of the feed forward and Predistortion systems and hence represent the ideal situation of a perfect feed-forward and Predistortion system. Therefore it should be consider that complexity of circuit will increase due to amplitude, phase and delay mismatches in practical design. Also it has describe the compatibility of Software Defined Radio with Hybrid Fibre Radio with simulation model of wired optical networks to be used for future research investigation, based on the star and ring topologies for different modulation schemes, and providing the performance for these configurations

IF impedance and mixer gain of NbN hot electron bolometers

The intermediate frequency (IF) characteristics, the frequency dependent IF impedance, and the mixer conversion gain of a small area hot electron bolometer (HEB) have been measured and modeled. The device used is a twin slot antenna coupled NbN HEB mixer with a bridge area of 1×0.15 µm^2, and a critical temperature of 8.3 K. In the experiment the local oscillator frequency was 1.300 THz, and the (IF) 0.05–10 GHz. We find that the measured data can be described in a self-consistent manner with a thin film model presented by Nebosis et al. [Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Space Terahertz Technology, Charlottesville, VA, 1996 (unpublished), pp. 601–613], that is based on the two temperature electron-phonon heat balance equations of Perrin-Vanneste [J. Phys. (Paris) 48, 1311 (1987)]. From these results the thermal time constant, governing the gain bandwidth of HEB mixers, is observed to be a function of the electron-phonon scattering time, phonon escape time, and the electron temperature. From the developed theory the maximum predicted gain bandwidth for a NbN HEB is found to be 5.5–6 GHz. In contrast, the gain bandwidth of the device under discussion was measured to be ~2.3 GHz which, consistent with the outlined theory, is attributed to a somewhat low critical temperature and nonoptimal film thickness (6 nm)

Mixed Linearity Improvement Techniques for Ultra-wideband Low Noise Amplifier

We present the linearization of an ultra-wideband low noise amplifier (UWB-LNA) operating from 2GHz to 11GHz through combining two linearization methods. The used linearization techniques are the combination of post-distortion cancellation and derivative-superposition linearization methods. The linearized UWB-LNA shows an improved linearity (IIP3) of +12dBm, a minimum noise figure (NFmin.) of 3.6dB, input and output insertion losses (S11 and S22)  below -9dB over the entire working bandwidth, midband gain of 6dB at 5.8GHz, and overall circuit power consumption of 24mW supplied from a 1.5V voltage source. Both UWB-LNA and linearized UWB-LNA designs are verified and simulated with ADS2016.01 software using BSIM3v3 TSMC 180nm CMOS model files. In addition, the linearized UWB-LNA performance is compared with other recent state-of-the-art LNAs