Figure 1 An ARFTG conference technical session (courtesy of Lyle Photos).
Figure 2 A combined vendor exhibit and interactive forum session allows for discussions on many relevant measurement topics (courtesy of Lyle Photos).
Disclaimer: Since going to print, ARFTG has announced that their event will be fully virtual for IMS2021.
ARFTG, the microwave measurements conference, once again joins IMS and RFIC for an instructive and interesting Microwave Week. ARFTG also participates in a number of co-sponsored and other activities during the event to further cover the area of high frequency measurements. ARFTG will be held virtually in 2021.
For the in-person event, ARFTG’s more relaxed schedule gives attendees more opportunities to interact directly with colleagues, experts and vendors from the RF and microwave test and measurement community. Whether your interests include high-throughput production or specialized metrology, complex systems or simple circuit modeling, small-signal S-parameter or large signal nonlinear measurements, simpler passive measurements or complex integrated converter analysis, DC or near-optical frequencies, you will find colleagues interested in similar areas and there is often an expert attending the ARFTG conference (see Figure 1).
The extended breaks at every ARFTG conference allow for detailed technical discussions with others facing similar test and measurement challenges. On Thursday, 10 June, ARFTG plans to host a separate, supplier exhibit focused on the measurement industry in a more congenial setting (see Figure 2). Given the informal and friendly atmosphere, ARFTG attendees often find these interactions to be an excellent source of ideas and information for their projects. Often, someone at ARFTG has already worked through and solved the same problem you are having.
Among the other ARFTG-related events, ARFTG is co-sponsoring a workshop with IMS2021 entitled “Calibrated Testbeds for the Characterization, Optimization and Linearization of Multi-Input Power Amplifiers,” which is scheduled to be held on Monday, 7 June and with online availability of the content. There will also be a joint IMS/ARFTG technical session that covers additional important results. See the full IMS technical program for more details. As with IMS and RFIC, the majority of the technical program, including all of the conference talks, will be available in a virtual form two weeks after the in-person event.
Additionally, ARFTG hosts several users’ forums that are open to all. For IMS2021, there will be a nonlinear VNA users’ forum that discusses the latest techniques and advances in nonlinear measurements and large signal network analysis and an on-wafer users’ forum that deals with issues related to high frequency on-wafer measurement techniques, calibration and theory. Both events are planned to be held on the afternoon of Thursday, 10 June and, at this time, are planned on being available virtually.
The main one-day ARFTG conference, where four oral technical sessions take place in a single-track format, is planned for Thursday, 10 June. The theme of the conference is “Conducted and OTA Measurement Challenges for Urban, Rural & SatCom Connectivity.” Papers on topics related to a number of connectivity-related activities will be presented. Also included will be papers in other areas such as nonlinear studies, calibration and de-embedding, on-wafer analysis and mmWave/THz characterization. A series of invited talks will highlight areas related to the theme and will open many of the sessions.
Integrated within the technical program is a student paper competition to recognize outstanding work in the measurement arena. As last year, ARFTG is a part of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition along with IMS and RFIC. 3MT® finalists are selected from eligible students and young professionals following acceptance of their papers and subsequent video submissions.
If you are interested in measurements from kHz to THz and beyond, be sure to add the 2021 ARFTG conference to your plans in Atlanta, or virtually thereafter, in June. You will find our atmosphere informal and friendly, which enhances interactions and provides opportunities for you to learn new ideas and discuss your own ideas with colleagues. For more information about these programs, see the ARFTG website (www.arftg.org).