ECE 531 - Microwave Engineering II

Nonlinear and active microwave devices including diodes, mixers, transistors, and negative resistance devices; compressed Smith Chart; balanced and double-balanced mixer design; transistor amplifier theory and design for best gain, stability, and noise performance. Oscillator theory and design using transistors, tunnel diodes, IMPATTs, and Gunn diodes. PIN diode switching circuits and phase shifters. Survey of design and performance of microwave systems and auxiliary components; antennas, signal modulation and multiplexing, transceiver and radar systems, signal-to-noise ratios, atmospheric effects, microwave heating, biological effects and safety. Course includes biweekly laboratory assignments using microstrip-integrated circuits with professional-level design and test equipment. Demonstrations of other active components such as traveling wave tubes, klystrons, and backward oscillators are also provided.