pSemi Corp. (formerly Peregrine Semiconductor), a Murata company, announced it is offering the industry free beta software for viewing S-parameters. The pSemi sNpViewer allows for in-depth S-parameter viewing graphically. This comprehensive viewer includes Smith, polar, magnitude, phase and phase vs. amplitude charting. Time-domain analysis is also available.
S-parameters (Scattering Parameters) describe the input-output relationships between ports in a linear RF system. Specifically, at high frequency it becomes essential to describe a given network in terms of phase and amplitude of a wave rather than voltage or current.
"As the inventors of RFSOI, we have been dealing with the challenges of S-parameters for years. In RF, it is easiest to use S-parameters for analysis because an RF signal is a complex waveform," says Colin Hunt, vice president of sales at pSemi Corp. "5G developments have massively increased the number of S-parameter files needed to be analyzed. We developed the sNpViewer to assist us with the analysis of the large number of measurements. We are now offering it as our gift to the industry."
As an example of 5G complexity, in order to select the best combination of phase and amplitude settings for a given RF channel in a multi-element array, an engineer must analyze thousands of distinct S-parameter data sets to ensure the best performance. To do this over multiple frequencies makes it even more laborious. Trying to visualize the results is complicated. Trying to isolate the best setting is even more demanding. The pSemi sNpViewer allows you to perform this search through thousands of S-parameter files to determine and record optimal performance.
This LUT feature can be especially useful for 5G beamforming or for any other device where a phase and/or amplitude LUT is required.