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Radio-frequency (RF) engineering is a subset of electrical engineering involving the application of transmission line, waveguide, antenna, radar, and electromagnetic field principles to the design and application of devices that produce or use signals within the radio band, the frequency range of about 20 kHz up to 300 GHz.
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Radio-frequency engineer
|
Occupation type | Profession |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Technical knowledge, management skills |
Education required | Mathematics, physics, electronics, information technology |
Fields of employment | Radio, television, military |
Related jobs | Technologist, broadcast engineer, engineering technician, technical operator |
It is incorporated into almost everything that transmits or receives a radio wave, which includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, radios, Wi-Fi, and two-way radios. RF engineering is a highly specialized field that typically includes the following areas of expertise:
- Design of antenna systems to provide radiative coverage of a specified geographical area by an electromagnetic field or to provide specified sensitivity to an electromagnetic field impinging on the antenna.
- Design of coupling and transmission line structures to transport RF energy without radiation.
- Application of circuit elements and transmission line structures in the design of oscillators, amplifiers, mixers, detectors, combiners, filters, impedance transforming networks and other devices.
- Verification and measurement of performance of radio frequency devices and systems.
To produce quality results, the RF engineer needs to have an in-depth knowledge of mathematics, physics and general electronics theory as well as specialized training in areas such as wave propagation, impedance transformations, filters and microstrip printed circuit board design.[citation needed]
Radio electronics
Radio electronics is concerned with electronic circuits which receive or transmit radio signals.
Typically, such circuits must operate at radio frequency and power levels, which imposes special constraints on their design. These constraints increase in their importance with higher frequencies. At microwave frequencies, the reactance of signal traces becomes a crucial part of the physical layout of the circuit.
List of radio electronics topics:
- RF oscillators: Phase-locked loop, voltage-controlled oscillator
- Transmitters, transmission lines, transmission line tuners, RF connectors
- Antennas, antenna theory
- Receivers, tuners
- Amplifiers
- Modulators, demodulators, detectors
- RF filters
- RF shielding, ground plane
- Direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), noise power
- Digital radio
- RF power amplifiers
- Metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)s: Power MOSFET, Laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS)
- Bipolar junction transistors
- Baseband processors (Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS))
- RF CMOS (mixed-signal integrated circuits)
Duties
Radio-frequency engineers are specialists in their respective field and can take on many different roles, such as design, installation, and maintenance. Radio-frequency engineers require many years of extensive experience in the area of study. This type of engineer has experience with transmission systems, device design, and placement of antennas for optimum performance. The RF engineer job description at a broadcast facility can include maintenance of the station's high-power broadcast transmitters and associated systems. This includes transmitter site emergency power, remote control, main transmission line and antenna adjustments, microwave radio relay STL/TSL links, and more.
In addition, a radio-frequency design engineer must be able to understand electronic hardware design, circuit board material, antenna radiation, and the effect of interfering frequencies that prevent optimum performance within the piece of equipment being developed.
Mathematics
There are many applications of electromagnetic theory to radio-frequency engineering, using conceptual tools such as vector calculus and complex analysis. Topics studied in this area include waveguides and transmission lines, the behavior of radio antennas, and the propagation of radio waves through the Earth's atmosphere. Historically, the subject played a significant role in the development of nonlinear dynamics.
See also
- Broadcast engineering
- Information theory
- Microwave engineering
- Overlap zone
- Radar engineering
- Radio resource management
- Radio-frequency current
- SPLAT! (software)
- List of textbooks in electromagnetism
References
- A. A. Ghirardi, Radio Physics Course, 2nd ed. New York: Rinehart Books, 1932, p. 249
- Signal Corps U.S. Army, The Principles Underlying Radio Communication, 2nd ed. Washington, DC: U.S.G.P.O., 1922, p. 191
- Technical Manual TM 11-665: C-W and A-M Radio Transmitters and Receivers. Dept. of the Army, US Government Printing Office. 1952. p. 2.
- "How to Measure Requirement for RF Equipments". 30 January 2018.
- Blaunstein, Nathan; Christodoulou, Christos; Sergeev, Mikhail (2016-10-14). Introduction to Radio Engineering. CRC Press. ISBN 9781315350080.
- Räisänen, Antti V.; Lehto, Arto (2003). Radio Engineering for Wireless Communication and Sensor Applications. Artech House. ISBN 9781580536691.
- Israel, Giorgio (2004). "Technological Innovation and New Mathematics: van der Pol and the Birth of Nonlinear Dynamics". Technological Concepts and Mathematical Models in the Evolution of Modern Engineering Systems (PDF). Birkhäuser, Basel. pp. 52–77. doi:10.1007/978-3-0348-7951-4_3. ISBN 9783034896337.
External links
- Practical Guide to Radio-Frequency Analysis and Design
This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Radio frequency engineering news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Radio frequency RF engineering is a subset of electrical engineering involving the application of transmission line waveguide antenna radar and electromagnetic field principles to the design and application of devices that produce or use signals within the radio band the frequency range of about 20 kHz up to 300 GHz Radio frequency engineeringOccupationNamesRadio frequency engineer Outside broadcast radio frequency engineerOccupation typeProfessionDescriptionCompetenciesTechnical knowledge management skillsEducation requiredMathematics physics electronics information technologyFields of employmentRadio television militaryRelated jobsTechnologist broadcast engineer engineering technician technical operator It is incorporated into almost everything that transmits or receives a radio wave which includes but is not limited to mobile phones radios Wi Fi and two way radios RF engineering is a highly specialized field that typically includes the following areas of expertise Design of antenna systems to provide radiative coverage of a specified geographical area by an electromagnetic field or to provide specified sensitivity to an electromagnetic field impinging on the antenna Design of coupling and transmission line structures to transport RF energy without radiation Application of circuit elements and transmission line structures in the design of oscillators amplifiers mixers detectors combiners filters impedance transforming networks and other devices Verification and measurement of performance of radio frequency devices and systems To produce quality results the RF engineer needs to have an in depth knowledge of mathematics physics and general electronics theory as well as specialized training in areas such as wave propagation impedance transformations filters and microstrip printed circuit board design citation needed Radio electronicsRadio electronics is concerned with electronic circuits which receive or transmit radio signals Typically such circuits must operate at radio frequency and power levels which imposes special constraints on their design These constraints increase in their importance with higher frequencies At microwave frequencies the reactance of signal traces becomes a crucial part of the physical layout of the circuit List of radio electronics topics RF oscillators Phase locked loop voltage controlled oscillator Transmitters transmission lines transmission line tuners RF connectors Antennas antenna theory Receivers tuners Amplifiers Modulators demodulators detectors RF filters RF shielding ground plane Direct sequence spread spectrum DSSS noise power Digital radio RF power amplifiers Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor MOSFET s Power MOSFET Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor LDMOS Bipolar junction transistors Baseband processors Complementary metal oxide semiconductor CMOS RF CMOS mixed signal integrated circuits DutiesDiagram of the electric fields blue and magnetic fields red radiated by a dipole antenna black rods during transmission Radio frequency engineers are specialists in their respective field and can take on many different roles such as design installation and maintenance Radio frequency engineers require many years of extensive experience in the area of study This type of engineer has experience with transmission systems device design and placement of antennas for optimum performance The RF engineer job description at a broadcast facility can include maintenance of the station s high power broadcast transmitters and associated systems This includes transmitter site emergency power remote control main transmission line and antenna adjustments microwave radio relay STL TSL links and more In addition a radio frequency design engineer must be able to understand electronic hardware design circuit board material antenna radiation and the effect of interfering frequencies that prevent optimum performance within the piece of equipment being developed MathematicsThere are many applications of electromagnetic theory to radio frequency engineering using conceptual tools such as vector calculus and complex analysis Topics studied in this area include waveguides and transmission lines the behavior of radio antennas and the propagation of radio waves through the Earth s atmosphere Historically the subject played a significant role in the development of nonlinear dynamics See alsoTelevision portalEngineering portalTechnology and applied sciences portal Broadcast engineering Information theory Microwave engineering Overlap zone Radar engineering Radio resource management Radio frequency current SPLAT software List of textbooks in electromagnetismReferencesA A Ghirardi Radio Physics Course 2nd ed New York Rinehart Books 1932 p 249 Signal Corps U S Army The Principles Underlying Radio Communication 2nd ed Washington DC U S G P O 1922 p 191 Technical Manual TM 11 665 C W and A M Radio Transmitters and Receivers Dept of the Army US Government Printing Office 1952 p 2 How to Measure Requirement for RF Equipments 30 January 2018 Blaunstein Nathan Christodoulou Christos Sergeev Mikhail 2016 10 14 Introduction to Radio Engineering CRC Press ISBN 9781315350080 Raisanen Antti V Lehto Arto 2003 Radio Engineering for Wireless Communication and Sensor Applications Artech House ISBN 9781580536691 Israel Giorgio 2004 Technological Innovation and New Mathematics van der Pol and the Birth of Nonlinear Dynamics Technological Concepts and Mathematical Models in the Evolution of Modern Engineering Systems PDF Birkhauser Basel pp 52 77 doi 10 1007 978 3 0348 7951 4 3 ISBN 9783034896337 External linksPractical Guide to Radio Frequency Analysis and Design
