log amps get used for RSSI because for small signals you get a lot of gain and for big signals you get little gain. They are cascades of multiple limited gain range amplifiers.

Consequently they are useful when dealing with a wide dynamic range signal. Accuracy is dependent on the number of cascaded gains stages. Fewer stages makes for less accuracy, more stages get you a better log gain transfer curve.

There are papers in the IEEE JSSC but they are probably over 20 years back. Start digging.