Images from the 2006 IMS show.
Ten years ago IMS 1996 set records as the largest IMS Symposium and Exhibition to date. San Francisco once again proved a great draw for our industry and its many engineers. IMS 2006 was indeed another record breaker, with over 12,000 total attendees and almost 3000 conference delegates registered. In addition, the characteristic San Francisco fog was a no-show. All in all, Microwave Week was a huge success and a rewarding week for all that attended.
Much of the credit for that success goes to this year’s general chairman, John Barr, and his very capable staff, including Elsie Cabrera and the staff from IEEE headquarters in New Jersey. They are to be congratulated for their dedicated efforts and attention to detail that makes this event such a well run and rewarding experience. Thanks must also go to the Moscone Center and SFCVB staffs. They and their superb facility were gracious hosts and enabled our week’s program to run smooth and efficient.
Thanks also to the general chairman of the 2006 RFIC Symposium, Stefan Heinen, and to Ken Wong, the conference chair of the 66th ARFTG Measurement Conference, and their able staffs. Both the RFIC and ARFTG conferences were equally successful and well attended.
The Technical Program
This year’s technical program was comprised of 246 oral presentations and 166 interactive forums. There were 55 separate program sessions and 42 workshops, with five panel sessions and an interesting rump session presentation by James Rautio celebrating the 175th anniversary of the birth of James Clerk Maxwell, attended by 600 individuals.
The program kicked off with two inspiring Plenary Session talks: “WiMAX and the Future of Mobile Wireless Broadband” by Ron Resnick, president and chairman of the WiMAX Forum; and Professor Richard White of the University of California at Berkeley, who spoke of “Nanotechnology: Hype or New Horizons.”
As mentioned before, there were just under 3000 registered delegates attending over 1000 various technical presentations. The IMS Technical Program was co-chaired by APS (Paul) Khanna and Roger D. Pollard. By all accounts this year’s comprehensive technical program was the most well attended and successful of any to date and remains the backbone of Microwave Week.
The Social Program
Kicking off the social side of the week was the RFIC Symposium Reception Sunday evening at the Moscone Convention Center Esplanade Ballroom and the traditional Microwave Journal / MTT-S Reception Monday evening, held this year outside in the Yerba Buena Gardens on top of the convention center’s south side. An earlier threat of rain gave way to an absolutely beautiful San Francisco evening and a good time was had by all.
Other prominent social gatherings included the IEEE MTT Women in Engineering Reception, the Ham Radio Social and the Student Reception, all held at the Marriott hotel. A reception was held prior to the Maxwell Rump Session, also at the Marriott.
Wednesday evening was the traditional Industry-hosted Cocktail Reception and the IEEE MTT-S Awards Banquet. Among the individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions were Peter Staecker, who received Honorary ADCOM Life Member Recognition for his continuing leadership in society affairs, and Roger Pollard, who received the 2006 Distinguished Service Award for his significant and outstanding contributions to MTT-S and the microwave profession. Other awards included Eikichi Yamashita, the 2006 Microwave Career Award, Wolfgang Hoefer and Peter Russer, the 2006 Distinguished Educator Award, Peter R. Herczfeld, the 2006 Microwave Pioneer Award, Marian W. Pospieszalski, the 2006 Microwave Application Award, Ian Gresham and Emmanouil Tentzeris, the 2006 Outstanding Young Engineer Award, Timothy T. Lee, the N. Walter Cox Award, and Joseph A. Hagerty, Florian Helmbrecht, William McCalpin, Regan A. Zane and Zoya Popovic, the 2006 Microwave Prize.
For those attendees and their families that wished to see some of the area’s better known tourist attractions, there were scheduled trips to Muir Woods, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park and a San Francisco city tour, as well as a tour to the Carmel, Monterey area.
The Industry Exhibition
In addition to the impressive technical program offering during IMS 2006, there was the Industry Exhibition, held Tuesday through Thursday in the Moscone Convention Center. This year provided record-breaking numbers with 523 companies displaying their latest new products and services in 917 booths on the show floor. A sampling of some of the exhibitors and their offerings follows:
ABF Elettronica featured both passband filters and duplexers at three different frequency ranges (2150, 2600 and 3500 MHz) for WiMAX applications. The first features a frequency shift (for DPXs) of 175 MHz and a 20 dB return loss bandwidth of 84 MHz. For the 2600 MHz version the frequency shift (for DPXs) is 74 MHz, with a 20 dB return loss bandwidth of 42 MHz, while the 3500 MHz version exhibits a 20 dB return loss bandwidth of 14 MHz. Also on show was the latest range of passive duplexer filters ranging from 4 to 38 GHz.
Aeroflex announced the new 3280 series, a line of 3 Hz to 26.5 GHz spectrum analyzers that are designed to provide performance far beyond the price tag, offering impressive RF and microwave specifications, exceptional connectivity and many ease-of-use features at an affordable price. This series offers a high level of accuracy, ±0.15 dB up to 3 GHz and other performance features that include good local oscillator phase noise < –115 dBm/Hz at 10 kHz offset from 1 GHz and +18 dBm third-order intermodulation performance.
Agilent Technologies had several new design and measurement solutions for advanced microwave, wireless research and development on display. Among them included several new capabilities for its PNA series network analyzer to simplify complex measurements for multiport and active device test. The new capabilities enable RF and microwave engineers to characterize components faster and increase production throughput while enhancing accuracy.
Agilent also announced the availability of an IEEE 802.11n MIMO modulation analysis capability for its 89600 series vector signal analysis software. Featuring a broad set of measurements, this capability is an ideal R&D tool for developers of MIMO-based IEEE 802.11n components, subsystems and systems, using general-purpose measurement tools.
The Agilent N4010A wireless connectivity test set (with option 107) supports Bluetooth EDR test mode, ensuring devices adhere to the Bluetooth 2.0 standard by enabling loop-back testing of EDR transmitters and receivers.
Also on display was the Agilent 3D electromagnetic design and verification software, EMDS, which is based on the Finite Element Method. EMDS delivers a full-wave electromagnetic modeling capability needed for characterizing 3D design geometries.
Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) extended its portfolio of RFICs with a dual detector/controller that precisely measures and controls the gain across the transmitter and receiver signal path within wireless infrastructure equipment. The ADL5519 integrates two matched detectors on a single chip, thus offering considerable savings in board area and component cost.
Also on showcase was a quadrature modulator that operates from 50 to 2200 MHz, making it well suited for low intermediate frequency and RF applications. Furthering its commitment to innovation in wireless and RFIC design, ADI announced an 8 GHz phase-locked loop synthesizer. The ADF4108 is targeted at high frequency wireless systems, such as those used for broadband wireless access, satellite communications, instrumentation, wireless LANs and base stations for wireless radio.
Anritsu Co. introduced the MT8222A BTS Master, a lightweight, handheld base station analyzer that provides wireless field technicians with a single test solution for installing, deploying and maintaining today’s complex wireless networks. Weighing only eight pounds, the MT8222A BTS Master packs a complete set of tools that eliminates the need for technicians to carry several instruments in the field. Also featured in the Anritsu booth was the MS2781B Signature high performance signal analyzer, which integrates a full suite of physical layer measurements of both fixed and mobile WiMAX signals.
United Monolithic Semiconductor and Ansoft Corp. announced the implementation of a GaAs IC design methodology for millimeter-wave frequencies that utilizes on-chip electromagnetic extraction and a new Ansoft Designer®/Nexxim® RF design kit for the PH15 PHEMT process.
Applied Wave Research Inc. (AWR®) and Vector Fields Ltd. announced that they have integrated Vector Fields’ Concerto™ three-dimensional electromagnetic modeling software into AWR’s Microwave Office® circuit design platform. Vector Fields, experts in the field of EM modeling, offers a complete range of 2D and 3D EM modeling, analysis and simulation software that covers high frequency applications using modeling techniques.
Cree Inc. and AWR collaborated and announced the availability of a process design kit that supports Cree’s high power silicon carbide process. The kit, announced during the show, enables MMIC designers to utilize Cree’s MMIC process within AWR’s Microwave Office software environment. Designers can now improve productivity by applying AWR’s open and integrated design platform to Cree’s wide bandgap SiC MMIC foundry services and discrete products.
AR Worldwide Modular RF’s model KMW1031 booster amplifier was on display. It was recently field tested by the US Army at Fort Bragg and performed flawlessly. The amplifier was tested in a wide range of terrestrial and satellite system configurations. It was compatibility tested with various Thales, Harris and Raytheon transceivers, and commercial Motorola repeaters. The KMW1031 is a 20 W, portable, lightweight, waterproof, fully automatic band switching RF booster amplifier that covers 30 to 512 MHz and uses filters to assure acceptable harmonic distortion levels.
Atmel® Corp. announced a collaboration with Wavesat to offer a WiMAX mini-PCI reference design that provides low cost WiMAX-compliant customer premise equipment. Developed to provide OEMs with a quickly deployable WiMAX end-product, the reference design will include Atmel’s MAX-Link™ AT86RF535A 3.5 GHz WiMAX-specific transceiver, Wavesat’s DM256 baseband, interfaces, all external filters and components, and software in a mini-PCI module. With an expected BOM of under $100, this design is projected to save OEMs 25 percent in cost and will be available in July.
Avago Technologies, a privately-held semiconductor company, featured a low cost solution for handsets that improves GPS receiver sensitivity to assure reliable satellite location of mobile phones. Avago’s MGA-635T6 low noise amplifier module is designed for handsets for carriers that offer location-based services, and for meeting the US FCC Wireless Enhanced 911 mandate for handsets. This device also offers size and performance benefits throughout today’s growing range of portable and mobile GPS- based applications.
Crane Aerospace & Electronics had on display satellite up- and down-converters for C-, X-, Ku- and K-bands. This satellite up- and down-converter family is designed to meet the demanding requirements of high speed data, TV and other analog and digital satellite communications needs. This series is developed to provide a flexible manufacturing configuration that allows the units to be rapidly customized for each client’s specific application.
Computer Simulation Technology (CST) previewed a major new release of CST STUDIO SUITE™ 2006B including the 3D EM Time Domain tool, CST MICROWAVE STUDIO.® Research and development engineers involved in the design of high frequency components, wireless communications, EMC and signal integrity will now benefit from the augmented functionality and interoperability of the latest release of CST STUDIO SUITE 2006B. CST also previewed a new tool for the 3D EM simulation of electrically large structures at this year’s
MTT-S. The new Integral Equation Solver, based on the Multilevel Fast Multipole Method, joins CST MICROWAVE STUDIO’s Transient and Frequency Domain solvers for high frequency applications and will be available in Q3 of 2006.
Dow-Key Microwave Corp., part of Dover Corp.’s Microwave Products Group,® now offers a complete line of 40 GHz RF switches. Designed to operate with high repeatability for both military and ATE applications, the newly introduced family of products provides users with a wide selection of 40 GHz RF switch options. The 40 GHz line includes SP6T multi-position coaxial switches, DPDT coaxial switches and SPDT coaxial switches. Dow-Key also showcased a compact SPDT PCB mount switch. The new 409 series unit, which can be mounted directly on an electronic board, is ideal for military, ATE and commercial applications that require higher power handling and greater resistance to severe environmental conditions. Its compact packaging occupies only 310 mm2 of printed circuit board area to meet high density mounting requirements.
Building upon its industry-leading portfolio of WLAN power amplifiers, Fairchild Semiconductor introduced the FMPA2151, a highly integrated dual-band WLAN power amplifier module optimized to increase performance and reduce PCB board footprint in the latest 802.11a/bg WLAN applications. The high performance FMPA2151 offers 3.5 percent error vector measurement at 20 dBm output power, which helps to extend the wireless range in computing applications for worldwide Internet connectivity. This model saves designers up to 22 percent board space by combining 2.4 and 5 GHz power amplifiers into a single compact 4×4 mm package.
Freescale Semiconductor showcased its 2 GHz high power RF transistors that are housed in over-molded plastic packages and deliver performance comparable to air-cavity flange packages. The advanced devices will be based on the company’s high voltage, seventh-generation RF laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor technology. This advanced RF technology is designed to give designers of cellular infrastructure the ability to significantly reduce the cost of base station amplifiers, which are the most expensive elements of wireless systems, while maintaining stringent performance requirements.
Using newly developed high voltage RF power technology combined with over-molded plastic packaging, Freescale announced an expansion into the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) market. Freescale is extending its technology and packaging leadership into the ISM market with transistors designed for both the HF/VHF frequency space (10 to 450 MHz) and the 2.45 GHz ISM band.
Hittite Microwave Corp. introduced an impressive 36 new products at this year’s MTT-S, including three new leading performance product lines. The three new product lines included synthesizers, data converters and power detectors. The initial product from the synthesizer product line is the HMC-T1000A 10 MHz to 8 GHz dual synthesized signal generator. The HMC-T1000A is comprised of two independently controllable/programmable synthesizers, and combines ultra low SSB phase noise of –135 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset, with fast 10 microsecond switching in a standard 19" rack-mountable 3U chassis.
The HMC660LC4B wideband track-and-hold amplifier is the first product within the data converter product line. Fabricated in a SiGe BiCMOS process, the HMC660LC4B is designed for direct sampling of full scale 1 Vpp signals with up to 4.5 GHz input bandwidth with a maximum 3 GHz clock rate. The HMC600LP4(E) is the first of a family of power detectors to be introduced within the new power detector product line. This logarithmic detector/ controller is fabricated in a SiGe BiCMOS process, and delivers a high ±3 dB dynamic range of up to 75 dB, with good accuracy and temperature stability from 50 to 4000 MHz.
Huber+Suhner featured small, reliable, powerful, easy to handle RF power switches that require little maintenance and therefore are cost effective to use. The “plug and play” concept chosen by the company perfectly sums up this particular switch, which is quick, easy and convenient to install and operate.
K&L Microwave Inc., part of Dover Corp.’s Microwave Products Group,® introduced the bandpass/ bandstop diplexer, which efficiently and accurately assists the out-of-band emission level measurements of wireless base stations. These measurements are conducted during the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification process. K&L also announced the availability of a family of microwave filters designed specifically to support original equipment manufacturers compliance with the FCC mandate to relocate incumbent BAS, CARS, LTTS licensees operating within the frequency range of 1990 to 2110 MHz. The company also highlighted high quality, innovative filter solutions that address evolving customer and regulatory requirements.
M/A-COM had several new items on display including two new 28 V LDMOS transistors ideally suited for commercial and INMARSAT applications. The MAPL-000817-015 is designed for commercial applications up to 1.7 GHz and provides 15 W, +28 dBm average power output at –39 dBc ACPR. The MAPLST1617-030CF is specifically designed for INMARSAT applications at 1.62 to 1.67 GHz, and is designed to provide 30 W, with 14 dB gain and 50 percent efficiency at 1.67 GHz and is housed in a ceramic package with a mounting flange. The company expanded its “RFID by M/A-COM” offerings announcing two new RoHS-compliant power amplifiers, the MAAPSS0095 and the MAAP-007649-000100, for applications requiring high power and high efficiency. M/A-COM also featured a RoHS-compliant SP3T diversity switch for applications requiring cross-modulation performance in the cellular and PCS bands while maintaining good insertion loss and isolation. The MASWSS0191 is a high power switch with low control current, thus maximizing system linearity performance while simultaneously minimizing the Tx and Rx path loss. This switch is ideally suited for CDMA handsets as well as other applications that require switching to take place on a single antenna.
Mician GmbH introduced Version 6.0 of the company’s EM-software tool μWave Wizard.™ The new release provides the seamless integration of 3D FEM simulation technology into the existing mode-matching and 2D FEM framework. This includes optimization, full 3D visualization of the electromagnetic fields, calculation of material and finite wall conductivity losses. The consideration of draft angles for die-casting technology and the modeling of arbitrarily shaped probes in cavities will be possible with new, flexible library elements.
Microsemi Corp. announced the addition of a high power, high gain medium pulse transistor to its line of products for S-band radar applications. Designated the 2731-100M, this transistor is a high performance, common base, class C, output stage offering 100 W of peak power, 40 percent collector efficiency, good 8 dB power gain flatness, and a hermetically-sealed high reliability package for air traffic control and military radar applications. Microsemi also featured a next generation wideband gap silicon carbide technology demonstration within its booth. The demonstration allowed users a first look at the silicon carbide RF power transistors for pulsed applications.
In addition, the company also announced a high power Mode-S, extended length messaging transistor designed for avionics applications. Designated the MDS 500L, the pulsed power transistor was designed at Microsemi’s new RF Power Products division to provide 500 W output power with a high 55 percent collector efficiency and a 3:1 load mismatch tolerance for Mode-S applications in the 1030 to 1090 MHz frequency range.
Microwave Innovation Group (MiG) previewed the new version of WASP-NET prior to its release in July. In particular it now offers the capability for the accurate and efficient modeling of large slot arrays, including arrays up to 1000 slots, which makes it particularly suitable for defense applications. The new dielectric resonator library is based on the flexible Method of Moments (MoM) and is significant for the industry. Other new features include: 64-bit capability, microprocessor capability, an extended combline element library, a shaped subreflector antenna element, flexible 3D MoM elements, flexible 3D FEM elements, an extended number of subcircuits, a multi-frequency range option and a server version with new file handling capabilities, circumventing OP system dependent limitations.
Mimix Broadband Inc. showcased a GaAs chipset for X-band radar applications. This chipset includes a digital attenuator, phase shifter, driver and power amplifier. The XP1006 is a 10 W+ power amplifier that is offered in both bare die and packaged form. The XP1014 is a 1 W buffer amplifier that drives the XP1006. The digital attenuator and phase shifter, XA1000 and XS1000, respectively, provide good linearity performance with low phase and attenuation errors.
Mini-Circuits featured a series of frequency mixers that provide wide RF and IF bandwidths with high performance, small size and an equally small price. These SMA mixers cover broadband and multiband RF applications from 750 MHz to 15 GHz with an IF from DC to 4 GHz.
MITEQ Inc. introduced a new low noise block converter with a broadband fiber optic link, model LNBF-2440-05. The LNBF-2440-05 offers RF frequency coverage of 24 to 40 GHz and the internal local oscillator is set at 42 GHz. Applications include aircraft, shipboard, vehicle and antenna towers where reduced size, increased remote reliability and extreme environments are required. Also introduced was a new 18 GHz fiber optic link product, model SCM-18G. The SCM-18G Fiber Optic Link is a high dynamic range fiber optic link intended primarily for analog applications. This small size (< 1 cubic inch volume) product is fully integrated and requires no external support circuitry. It is successfully used in applications such as antenna remoting, EMC testing, RF on fiber, local oscillator remoting and others.
Pascall featured a new range of high performance OCXOs. The oscillators are housed in an SMA connectorized package as standard, with dimensions of 2" × 2" × 0.75". The standard range covers spot frequencies from 50 to 130 MHz with options on phase noise performance specifications. Pascall has developed its expertise of high performance oscillators and have new STALO designs for RADAR applications. These units are designed and constructed to meet the increasing demand for high performance oscillators. Excellent temperature stability combined with very low phase noise are key performance parameters.
Pascall also introduced the dual-loop PLDRO to the BP range. The Pascall BP2 PLDRO has been developed to offer a 5 or 10 MHz reference phase-locked source. This latest model offers exceptional performance and reliability in the range of 3 to 13 GHz with a DC power consumption of less than 2 W. These units are designed and constructed to meet the demand for high performance oscillators. All of the product introductions will be manufactured at the company’s Isle of Wight facility in the south of England, UK.
Peregrine Semiconductor Corp. exhibited and promoted the launch of new RFICs. The PE42555 50 Ω broadband RF switch operates to 6 GHz and offers the fastest time to a fully settled state by eliminating the gate-lag. Also featured was the PE42742 75 Ω broadband RF switch that operates powered or unpowered and far exceeds the isolation requirement for the FCC 15.115 specification.
Royal Philips Electronics announced its next-generation LDMOS WiMAX line-up for base station solutions that delivers up to 3.8 GHz of performance over an 802.16e mobile WiMAX platform. Available immediately, the Philips Gen6 LDMOS solution enables the highest efficiency WiMAX in an LDMOS platform, offering users access to broadband communication anytime, anywhere.
RFMD® featured a family of GaN HEMT high power transistors and is currently sampling to top-tier cellular infrastructure and WiMAX base station customers. The sampling of these transistors represents the achievement of a baseline 0.5 μm GaN high power transistor process by RFMD.
RFMD announced that it has started pre-production sampling of five new GaAs PHEMT low noise amplifiers for GSM, CDMA, UMTS, EDGE and WiMAX air interface standards. These LNA products are currently sampling to key cellular infrastructure and WiMAX base station OEM customers and are targeted for production release in September 2006.
Rohde & Schwarz introduced several products including the R&S FSUP, the company’s first instrument designed exclusively for measuring phase noise and characterizing RF signal sources. The instrument incorporates the company’s many years of experience in developing high quality spectrum analyzers and low noise oscillators and synthesizers. This instrument combines a spectrum analyzer and phase noise tester that covers 8, 26.5 or 50 GHz.
The company introduced two options for the R&S FSL spectrum analyzer that expand its capabilities for Bluetooth and RF measurements in cable television systems. These included the R&S FSL-K8 option and R&S FSL-K20 option. Also introduced was the R&S AFQ100A I/Q modulation generator, which generates the complex digital modulation waveforms required to evaluate the performance of current and future wireless broadband communication systems. The instrument is an excellent choice for both R&D and production environments. Also featured was the FSH-K4 firmware option for its R&S FHS3 handheld spectrum analyzer that allows the instrument to perform standards-compliant 3GPP frequency-division duplex code domain power measurements on base stations. Also on display was the R&S SMA100A analog signal generator that provides good signal quality and short level and frequency-setting times in a compact footprint that requires only two 19" rack units.
Rohde & Schwarz also announced the R&S SMx-K49 option for its R&S SMU200A, R&S SMATE200A and R&S SMJ100A signal generators that allows them to generate signals in accordance with the WiMAX IEEE 802.16-2004 and 802.16e standards as well as the WiBro standards. The firmware also provides functions for receiver and component tests of WiMAX equipment. Also featured was the sixth and latest addition to the ZVA family of network analyzers, the R&S ZVA40. It is a 10 MHz to 40 GHz instrument and its operation at high frequencies means that it is suitable for applications requiring demanding RF performance, enabling the complete characterization of active devices, on wafer measurements and the measurement of harmonics and spurious. Performance characteristics include a dynamic range of > 130 dB/typical 140 dB (10 Hz IFBW, at test port) and > 150 dB (typical, 10 Hz IFBW, with direct receiver access).
Skyworks Solutions Inc. introduced a direct quadrature demodulator with integrated low noise amplifier for the 5 GHz band, delivering new levels of integration and performance for standard products in this spectrum. Given its simplified design, this solution facilitates access to various broadband applications in a low cost approach. The demodulator provides the flexibility to design receivers for various licensed and unlicensed broadband wireless data systems using low cost and low power direct conversion architecture. Skyworks unveiled a new ground-breaking ceramic packaging process that allows many of the company’s existing linear products to operate at higher frequencies and with a smaller footprint. This ceramic solution is ideal for high volume, hermetically-sealed devices such as diodes that are used in WiMAX, military, space and a variety of other applications that require higher frequency operation.
Sonnet Software Inc. showcased its new Sonnet® Suites Professional™ Release 11 (slated for this fall). This release introduces a new type of calibrated internal port, which exhibits exceptional dynamic range. These ports can be used as accurate attachment points for transistors, diodes or other active components enabling full co-simulation of surface-mount parts and packages with planar EM analysis. Release 11 also introduces a redesigned seamless interface to the Agilent ADS Suite. The re-design, including an intuitive, easy-to-use GUI interface, runs in the ADS environment, which greatly simplifies the translation process. One can produce layout look-alike schematic symbols for using and sharing Sonnet models in ADS schematics.
SUSS MicroTec AG announced the newest member of its |Z| Probe® family, the |Z| Probe Card. This new solution integrates the unique |Z| Probe technology into an RF probe card specifically designed for production test. As RF and microwave devices become more complex and their operating frequencies increase, there is a significant need to extract scattering parameters on the production floor. These S-parameters describe the performance of the device under test and provide critical feedback for the manufacturing process.
SUSS also announced the release of the newest version of its wafer-level, high frequency calibration software. SussCal Professional simplifies the wafer-level calibration process and significantly increases the accuracy of on-wafer measurements.
Synergy Microwave Corp. announced the new DCYR and DCYS series of voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) that make ideal YIG oscillator replacements. These VCOs are based on the company’s proprietary patented and patents pending technology, which increases bandwidth, lowers phase noise and also highly improves immunity to phase hits. Also featured was the SGM series of wide bandwidth, surface-mount double-balanced mixers designed for up/down frequency conversion applications. The series is designed with multi-layer technology using embedded planar transformer structures, offering excellent phase and amplitude tracking for superior performance and low cost.
Times Microwave Systems has developed a DC to 18 GHz coaxial replaceable end connector for its Miltech® ultra low loss, lightweight cable assemblies, which can rotate 360 degrees continuously. This unique innovation solves many of the traditional problems of cable assembly fatigue failures due to constant flexing of high performance coaxial cable assemblies and also provides a viable alternative to using additional coaxial broadband rotating joints with their inherent poor electrical performances and high cost.
TriQuint Semiconductor introduced numerous new products during this year’s IMS MTT-S exhibition. The model TGA4040-SM is a packaged wideband, medium power amplifier for 17 to 35 GHz applications including point-to-point radio, electronic warfare, instrumentation and frequency multipliers. The model TGA4525-SM is a packaged compact high power amplifier MMIC for K-band applications including point-to-point radio, SATCOM and point-to-multipoint communications that can also address the needs of emerging, cost sensitive markets. The model TGA2520 is a HPA MMIC ideally suited for Ku-band satellite ground terminal applications and point-to-point radios. The model TGA2602-SM is a packaged high IP3 dual PHEMT discrete low noise amplifier device designed for wireless communications network base station and WiMAX applications, operating from DC to 3000 MHz. In addition, TriQuint also introduced two new GaAs switches that offer designers high reliability switching in either double- or triple-throw configuration for use in multi-chip modules. The model TGS2302 is a SPDT GaAs switch built for operation in the 4 to 20 GHz range. The model TGS2313 offers performance similar to its SPDT counterpart, but in a SP3T configuration.
WJ Communications Inc. announced that it has developed a 28 V InGaP HBT technology for mobile infrastructure power amplifier applications. This technology provides significant advantages in power output and efficiency. Look for more detail on this WJ technology in our September issue.
This has been only a small sample of the new products and technologies that were showcased during the Industry Exhibition. We wish we could mention each and every one of them. However, space is always at a premium so please accept our apologies to the companies and products that have not been mentioned.
Hawaii in 2007
Many of you have expressed concerns about Honolulu as the site of IMS 2007. If you attended the exhibitor’s breakfast on the last day of this year’s show you are aware that many of the concerns are either not well founded or being addressed by the IMS 2007 chairman and his committee, and the Horizon House and Champion teams. Although travel and shipping costs are going to be somewhat higher for some, there are offsetting benefits in having this great symposium on the doorstep of Asia and its rapidly expanding marketplace. Much of today’s RF and microwave technology is generated and utilized in Asia, and many of the industry’s talented engineers reside in this region of the world. IMS 2007 will be an opportunity to more fully engage that segment of our industry in their backyard, so to speak. The Hawaii Convention Center staff and their facility are one of the best we have encountered and will be an excellent host to us. In addition, the hotel accommodations are superb and reasonably priced. For those of you that have never been to Hawaii, it’s an opportunity to see a truly unique part of the world. For those that have been there, you know there is nothing to compare to the Hawaiian hospitality. It’s going to be a great time and a very successful symposium and exhibition. Don’t miss it. Aloha!
