35 |
Where RF Meets Digital
Signal Processing
While some RF applications remain
analog due to legacy requirements
or specific use cases, digital RF
applications are rapidly expanding.
Advances in digital electronics
and a push toward greater levels
of miniaturization and integration
have heralded advancements
that allow for RF systems that are
almost entirely digital. In many
modern designs, the only analog
RF hardware in a communication,
sensing, or directed energy system
is the RF front end (RFFE). This
means that some RF devices and
systems rely on digital hardware
and software to perform the
frequency translation and signal
conditioning that would have
traditionally been built using
discrete RF components and
devices or monolithic microwave
integrated circuits (MMICs).
This chapter discusses the basic
concepts of digital RF systems
and provides insight into where
Image Source: Iryna/stock.adobe.com
