Seikoh Giken USA, subsidiary of Seikoh Giken Co. Ltd., announced the release of what it calls the industry’s most accurate antenna pattern and parameter measurement solution. The Optical, Electric Field Sensor System (OEFS), provides antenna engineers with a means of obtaining precise antenna characteristics literally, with pinpoint, laser accuracy.

Although the OEFS can be used in multiple applications, this version of the solution was developed in response to the growing demand for tight tolerance testing requirements on mobile, wireless devices. As consumers inhale more data on mobile devices and demand faster speeds, the need for multiple (MIMO), more efficient and complex antennas is now required, thus increasing the necessity for faster, more accurate, testing solutions.

Seikoh Giken’s fiber optic, laser based solution uses proprietary Lithium Niobate (man-made crystals with optimal photo-electric effects) technology inside of the sensor heads for EO conversion. This technology requires no power or metal at the point of measurement, which means that the unpowered sensors do not interfere with the radiation pattern ultimately resulting in true 2D and 3D measurements to compare with simulated results. The fiber that carries the modulated RF signal replaces the traditional coaxial feeder cable typically used inside of the anechoic test chamber from the antenna to the measuring equipment. But, unlike coaxial cable, fiber is not susceptible to spurious radiation (common mode currents) because it is non-conducive to EMI. To engineers, the benefits of using fiber include; true analysis of signal to noise ratio, antenna pattern measurements, and therefore, accurate results of numerical calculations deriving from the antenna pattern. This includes antenna efficiency and spatial correlation coefficients, which are vital in MIMO applications. The system is versatile and dynamic meaning that it is configurable for optimal performance in frequency ranges from 100 MHz to 10 GHz and it integrates with any measurement equipment with a 50Ω impedance input. This includes; spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, and scopes for high speed pulse analysis. Additional accessories include wavelength division multiplexers and optical rotary joints which accommodate for multiple, simultaneous, antenna measurements inside of the chamber. A feat that was never before possible.

The official release date of the OEFS in North America is August 1, 2011. The Seikoh Giken team anxiously awaits the launch of the OEFS system as a source inside of the E-Project teams states “Given the great successes and high demand from the Japanese market, we’re very excited to leverage our core in-house technologies to elevate standards and to provide valuable resources to engineers in the Americas. We also look forward to exploring new applications with the latest advancements of our O/E technology.”