For most architectures, the RF Front End consists of:
- An RF Filter (which is actually a band-pass filter) receives the Electromagnetic wave from the Antenna. His role is to remove the image frequency and to prevent strong out-of-band signals from saturating the input stages.
- An RF amplifier which is used to amplify weak signals without adding noise
- A local oscillator which generates a stable radio frequency signal close to the input signal
- A Mixer which produces a signal at a certain wanted frequency by “Mixing” the E-M Wave signal from the Antenna with the Local Oscillator Signal.
In a traditional radio receiver, the RF front end plays a crucial role. It typically consists of several components that work together to process the incoming radio frequency signals.
Firstly, an antenna receives the radio waves. Then, a low-noise amplifier (LNA) amplifies the weak signal while minimizing noise introduction. Filters are used to select the desired frequency band and remove unwanted signals.
After that, mixers downconvert the RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) for further processing. Amplifiers may be employed at various stages to boost the signal strength.
Finally, the processed signal is ready for demodulation and subsequent decoding to extract the intended information.
