Behavioral and hardware prototyping of an all digital transmitter

• Main Author: Αποστολίδης, Παναγιώτης
• Other Authors: Apostolidis, Panagiotis
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Behavioral modeling; All digital transmitter; Direct frequency modulation; Ενισχυτές ισχύος; Πομποί; Μετάδοση σήματος

With the expansion of telecommunications and the arrival of new technologies such as 5G and IoT (Internet of Things) as well as the use of SBCs (Single-board Computers), it has become apparent that small computing nodes need to interact with each other over short distances wirelessly and with low-power consumption. Radio frequencies have been used extensively in many types of wireless communications like mobile communication, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to name a few. At first, the RF transceiver chain was very analog-intensive. The development of digital communications, allows for some stages to be replaced with their digital implementation. Therefore, the digital baseband signal has superseded its analog counterpart. By introducing this signal to a DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter), it can be translated in analog baseband, then modulated and amplified to RF frequency bands before being driven to an antenna. Moreover, the merge of digital-to-analog conversion and RF translation in direct digital-to-RF schemes, further reduces the analog components of the transmitter circuitry. Finally, the power amplifier is a high energy consumption component, sometimes adding up to 80\% of the static power consumption of the circuit. Latest designs include switching amplifiers (Class-D amplifiers) that operate as electronic switches rather than linear gain devices in order to reduce the working (ΟΝ) time of the amplifier as much as possible. All the aforementioned design techniques are employed in order to reach a new communication standard with low area, low-power consumption and low noise interference: the all-digital transmitter. This thesis will formulate a behavioral simulation and hardware prototyping for a direct frequency modulation all digital transmitter. The goal is to get performance results pertaining the digital signal output spectrum and phase noise as well as spurious activity. A receiver will also be implemented in order tο have a reference in proper transmission. Ultimately, the transmitter will be synthesized and tested in hardware in an attempt to have a working demo.