IC Design for Wireless Systems Course | RF & Analog CMOS IC | IIT Hyderabad
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 190 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, VLSI design |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 17 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Unlock the Future of Wireless Communication with Advanced IC Design
The world is increasingly wireless. From 5G and Wi-Fi to IoT sensors and satellite communication, the demand for efficient, high-performance wireless systems is skyrocketing. At the heart of every modern wireless device lies a complex Integrated Circuit (IC) that orchestrates the entire process of transmitting and receiving signals. Mastering the design of these critical circuits is a coveted skill in the semiconductor industry.
This detailed blog introduces a premier 12-week course, "IC Design for Wireless Systems," offered by the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad). Designed and taught by an expert with industry and academic prowess, this course is your gateway to understanding and designing the core building blocks of wireless transceivers.
Meet Your Instructor: Prof. Abhishek Kumar
The course is led by Prof. Abhishek Kumar, an Assistant Professor at IIT Hyderabad. Prof. Kumar brings a rare blend of deep academic research and practical industry experience to the classroom.
- Academic Credentials: He holds an M.E. in Microelectronics from IISc Bangalore and a Ph.D. from IIT Madras, specializing in radio frequency circuit design.
- Industry Experience: He completed a key internship at Qualcomm India, where he worked on designing Voltage-Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) for cellular transceiver ICs—a direct application of the course's concepts.
- Research Focus: His ongoing research in RF circuit design ensures the course content is cutting-edge and relevant to current technological challenges.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is meticulously structured to benefit a specific audience, ensuring participants have the foundational knowledge to succeed.
- Intended Audience: Final year Undergraduate (UG) and first-year Postgraduate (PG) students.
- Prerequisites: A solid understanding of Analog Circuits and Signals & Systems is required to fully grasp the advanced concepts.
- Industry Support: The curriculum is highly valued by companies working in analog, mixed-signal, and RF IC design, making it an excellent career-building step for aspiring engineers.
What Will You Learn? Course Objectives & Outcomes
The primary goal of this course is to move beyond textbook theory and develop an intuitive, practical understanding of designing high-frequency circuits at the transistor level on a CMOS chip.
By the end of 12 weeks, you will:
- Understand complete wireless transceiver architectures and their design trade-offs.
- Gain proficiency in analyzing and designing critical RF blocks like LNAs, Mixers, Power Amplifiers, and Oscillators.
- Develop mental models for tackling challenges related to noise, linearity, impedance matching, and efficiency.
- Learn modern circuit techniques such as N-path filtering, noise-cancellation, and digital power amplifiers.
- Apply all learned concepts through a practical case study of a WiFi transceiver design in a generic CMOS technology.
Detailed 12-Week Course Layout
The course is systematically divided into modules, each building upon the previous to form a comprehensive knowledge base.
| Week | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Transceiver architecture: frequency translation, filtering, image rejection |
| Week 2 | Distributed circuits: transmission-lines basics, S-parameters, matching |
| Week 3 | Electrical noise, noise-figure, linearity, compression, inter-modulation |
| Week 4 | Receiver design: LNA; input matching, low noise, gain |
| Week 5 | Receiver design: mixer, channel-selection |
| Week 6 | Receiver design: embedding N-path filtering, noise cancellation |
| Week 7 | Transmitter design: power amplifier, efficiency, spectral leakage |
| Week 8 | Transmitter design: driver amplifier, power mixer |
| Week 9 | Transmitter design: RF DAC, digital power amplifier, out-phasing |
| Week 10 | Local oscillator: oscillators, phase noise |
| Week 11 | Local oscillator: VCO design |
| Week 12 | Case-study: Practical WiFi transceiver example |
Essential Reference Books & Materials
To supplement the lectures and provide in-depth knowledge, the course references seminal texts in the field and recent research papers.
- Razavi, B., RF Microelectronics (2nd Ed.) – A classic textbook for intuitive understanding.
- Lee, T.H., The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits (2nd Ed.) – Focuses on CMOS-specific implementations.
- Voinigescu, S., High-Frequency Integrated Circuits – Covers advanced, high-speed circuit design.
- Pozar, D.M., Microwave Engineering (4th Ed.) – Foundational text for transmission lines and S-parameters.
- Recent Research Papers – To stay updated with the latest techniques like N-path filters and digital PAs.
Why This Course is a Must for Aspiring IC Designers
In a competitive landscape, this course offers distinct advantages:
- Structured Learning Path: Goes from fundamental concepts (architecture, noise) to advanced block design (LNAs, PAs, VCOs) and culminates in a system-level case study.
- Industry-Relevant Skills: Covers modern techniques (e.g., digital PA, noise-cancellation) that are directly applicable in companies like Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, and MediaTek.
- Expert Instruction: Learn from a professor who has successfully bridged the gap between academic research and real-world product design.
- Strong Foundation: Provides the core knowledge required for roles in RF/Analog/Mixed-Signal IC design, one of the most specialized and high-demand fields in electronics.
Whether you aim to pursue higher studies in RFIC design or launch a career in the semiconductor industry, "IC Design for Wireless Systems" from IIT Hyderabad provides the rigorous, practical foundation you need to excel. Enroll today and take the first step towards building the invisible engines that power our connected world.
Enroll Now →