After a couple of re-scheduled dates, EuMW 2021 was finally able to take place April 2-7 at London’s ExCeL convention center. It was only by the great efforts of the organizing committees that it was an in-person event with more than 900 delegates and more than 1000 visitors. While this is down significantly from a normal pre-COVID year, it was still a very respectable event size with more than 150 exhibitors.

The moto for this year’s EuMW is “United in Microwaves,” reflecting the traditional feeling of unity in our community and demonstrates how we can use this conference to re-establish and further develop this feeling within our community of colleagues and fellow professionals. EuMW 2021, as usual, was comprised of three co-located conferences: European Microwave Conference, European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference and European Radar Conference. There were also special forums for 5G, automotive and defense/space/security along with special sessions and workshops.

View Microwave Journal's photo gallery here.
View Microwave Journal's video coverage here, including demos, interviews and Industry Defense, Space and Security Forum sessions.

Microwave Journal again organized the Industry Sessions at the Defense, Space and Security Forum with a focus on space sensing. There were talks by Rohde & Schwarz, “Toward a Quantum Advantage in Radar,” Analog Devices, “Technology Advancements Enable Next Generation SATCOM and Space-Based Radar,” and Qorvo, “Addressing RF Front-End Challenges for Next Generation Space Applications.”

Microwave Journal visited the following companies at the exhibition and found these featured products on display:

AFT Microwave, based in Backnang, provides microwave components manufactured with its own thin film technology using AlO₂, AlN, quartz and ferrite ceramic materials. AFT is well known for circulators, isolators and ferrite loads, offered in configurations from surface-mount to waveguide. As an example of its high power capabilities, a four-port waveguide circulator for linear accelerators handles 35 MW peak, 15 kW average power at 3 GHz. For satellite applications, AFT is developing Ku- and Ka-Band circulators using sintered bulk ferrites integrated in LTCC modules. To achieve the target and reproducible performance, AFT combines precise machining of the ferrite material with electromagnetic (EM) simulation.

Altum RF announced three new GaAs pHEMT MMIC amplifiers targeting applications covering Q-, V- and E-Bands using WIN Semiconductors’ 0.1 micron GaAs pHEMT technology. Their low noise amplifier operating from 37 to 59 GHz has 2.5 dB noise figure and 26.5 dB linear gain at 50 GHz: their linear amplifier operates from 57 to 71 GHz with 25 dB gain and 22 dBm P1dB output power and the other low noise amplifier operate from 71 to 86 GHz with 22 dB gain and 4 dB noise figure. Greg Baker at Altum RF said they achieve first pass success with these designs which is impressive.

Analog Devices featured live demonstrations across the broad RF spectrum from component selection through basic circuit block integration to full system level platforms. Demonstrations included:

• Full integration of multiple technologies in complex microwave modules and packages at the die level for use up to 60 GHz
• Multi-channel development platforms including a 16 x 16 phased array prototyping platform for radar, satellite communications and electronic countermeasures
• Hybrid beamforming radar development platform for X-Band
• 5G mmWave, instrumentation-grade signal chain products.

AR Worldwide multi-tone systems are designed to test RF radiated and conducted immunity faster than ever before. Both the MT2IEC10V3M and MT4IEC10V3M fully comply with IEC 61000-4-3:2020 Edition 4, allowing for multiple tone testing, reducing test time by up to 74 percent. Commercial, aviation and automotive industries, will perform RF radiated and conducted immunity testing faster, more accurately, more efficiently and more closely to a real-world environment. With the inclusion of instrumentation hardware and AR’s emcware® software, the MT2IEC10V3M and MT4IEC10V3M are full turnkey systems in one rack, capable of producing 10 V/m CW (18 V/m AM). The MT2IEC10V3M reduces test time by up to 50 percent and the MT4IEC10V3M reduces test time by up to 74 percent. Customized systems achieving higher field strengths are also available, using this approach.

BlueShift’s AeroZero® is a polyimide aerogel film manufactured in a roll-to-roll process. AeroZero is a mechanically durable insulating film that is tolerant to very high heat and cryogenic temperatures. Comprised of 80 to 85 percent air an ultra-low density (0.27g/cm³), AeroZero is nicknamed Structured Air. The film thus has high porosity, ultra-low dielectric loss properties and extremely low thermal conductivity. Being a polyimide, AeroZero retains many key properties such as wide operating temperature range (-200°C to +260°C), inherent flame retardancy and chemically resistant. AeroZero® Thermal Barriers provide excellent protection from the increasingly drastic environmental conditions that antennas and radomes experience. The combination of lightweight, thermal insulation and RF transparency makes AeroZero a superior insulator for RF equipment including antenna substrates and radomes. It will be interesting to see how this material can be used for RF applications.

Cadence and Rohde & Schwarz collaborated to provide R&S VSESIM-VSS signal creation and analysis tool which combines EDA simulation with RF testing, aimed at simplifying the engineering process from RF design to implementation and enhancing accuracy by using realistic signals for testing both design simulations and hardware implementations. The VSESIM-VSS speeds up the development process for RF components and is particularly useful for customers in the wireless, automotive and aerospace and defense industries as well as for manufacturers of active components and systems. Just prior to the event, Modelithics announced version 21.8 of the Modelithics Library for Cadence Spectre RF Option. Version 21.8 adds 22 new complex equivalent circuit models to the library. The Modelithics Library for Cadence Spectre RF Option offers a large selection of highly scalable Microwave Global Models™ for passive components.

Copper Mountain was featuring their S5180B, a 2-Port 18 GHz vector network analyzer (VNA) offering improved performance and functionality compared to its predecessor S5180 Compact VNA. S5180B is the first CMT VNA with built-in pulse modulation generation/measurement capabilities. The pulse modulation feature is a paid software option sold separately from the VNA and is only compatible with the S5180B VNA due to hardware requirements. The pulse modulation option can be added at any time during or after the initial VNA purchase. S5180B has a built-in pulse modulator, synchronizer and a set of logical generators supporting various pulse generation options and corresponding measurement modes. Pulses can be generated synchronously or asynchronously with respect to VNA measurement timing. The VNA can be integrated into a production test system via manufacturing test plug-in.

CPI was featuring their 2 to 6 GHz 100 W SSPA employs GaN high power transistors in its output and driver stages, giving a compact and lightweight product with state-of-the-art power performance and a power to volume ratio we believe to be among the highest in the microwave industry for such products. It is well suited to electronic warfare (EW) applications, particularly electronic attack (jamming) enabling defense customers to use wideband SSPA technology. Its small size, weight and power of < 0.75 kg means it is also particularly suited for use in radar or EW applications installed in UAVs, drones or man portable systems.

dSpace was showing a full line of automotive radar sensor testing from their Essential 2D Radar Test Bench to Compact 3D Radar Test Bench to the Advanced 6D Radar Test Bench. They also have developed they dSpace Automotive Radar Test Systems (DARTS) the enable easy to use but very realistic over-the-air (OTA) tests. This is done by simulating radar echoes of objects in road traffic with programmable distance, speed and size. Each has one transmit and one receive channel but can be stacked on top and beside each other to create more objects. They come in both 24 and 77 GHz bands with up to 5 GHz of bandwidth. They have best in class performance providing great flexibility.

Erzia is known for its high reliability amplifiers and other components but also was featuring its satcom converters, both block up-converter and low noise block (LNB) down-converter assemblies. They have X-, Ka- and V-Band block up-converters with power levels from 37 to 46 dBm saturated output power and gain from 45 to 75 dB (adjustable on many products). The LNB down-converter products include a Ka- and Q-Band products with power out of 12 (Q-Band) and 15 dBm (Ka-Band).

Farran demonstrated its recently released frequency extender, developed to enable lower frequency test equipment to work in the mmWave 5G bands between 24.5 and 52.6 GHz. The FCE-V-TR-0001 up-converts an I/Q input between 4 and 6 GHz to the desired mmWave band, determined by the local oscillator frequency, and provides a typical output power of 8 dBm. The unit is compliant with 3GPP release 17.

Filtronic extended its portfolio of E-Band power amplifiers The four- and eight-way models have an integral temperature sensor with an analog output for monitoring thermal performance. The models also have optional control circuitry for gain, muting and alarms. Designed for long-range commercial or military telecommunications applications, including low Earth orbit and high-altitude platform systems, the amplifiers cover the 71 to 76 and 81 to 86 GHz bands. The power amplifiers (PA) have saturated output power to at least +36 dBm, with a 1 dB compression power of +31 dBm and transmit power control range of 10 dB. The small signal gain is 24 dB typical.

Focus Microwaves was featuring their DELTA series of electromechanical tuners is designed specifically for high frequency on-wafer measurements. The tuner’s low profile allows it to be placed within the wafer perimeter and allows for a direct connection between the probe tip and the tuner, eliminating all possible insertion loss between the device under test (DUT) and the tuner. This new tuner design enables the engineer to achieve optimum tuning range, with a tuner whose footprint and weight has been dramatically reduced. It enables fundamental and harmonic load-pull plus noise parameter extraction from 20 to 120 GHz.

FormFactor was featuring a collaboration of companies that came together for assemble a 220 GHz probing station that can be extended to 1.1 THz. The FormFactor Cascade 150 mm, 200 mm, or 300 mm manual, semi-automated, or fully-automated probe systems use DMPI/FormFactor T-Wave or Infinity ‘S’ type waveguide probes on manual or programmable probe positioners, FormFactor WinCal XE calibration software, and ISS calibration standards; Keysight Technologies PNA or PNA-X, WaferPro-XP, and IC-CAP software; and Virginia Diodes Mini VNA extenders to accomplish this task. The system can also measure over temperature in a sealed chamber. The systems are now available as an Integrated Measurement System; comprehensive, turn-key, all-in-one FormFactor + Keysight solutions at no additional cost. 

HUBER+SUHNER has developed a 3D antenna for 77 GHz automotive radar fabricated with a metallized polymer. Product manager Francesco Merli says the integrated chip-to-antenna design eliminates the need for mmWave substrates in the RF front-end. HUBER+SUHNER began development of the technology in 2012, initially envisioning it for communications systems and demonstrating a 32-channel array. In 2019, the company applied the technology to automotive radar.

Isola was featuring its Astra MT77 laminate materials that exhibit exceptional electrical properties which are very stable over a broad frequency and temperature range. It is suitable for many of today’s commercial RF/microwave printed circuit designs and features a dielectric constant that is stable between -40°C and +140°C at up to W-Band frequencies. In addition, Astra MT77 offers an ultra-low dissipation factor of 0.0017, making it a cost-effective alternative to PTFE and other commercial microwave laminate materials. Key applications include long antennas and radar applications for automobiles, such as adaptive cruise control, pre-crash, blind spot detection, lane departure warning and stop and go systems.

Junkosha awarded Creo Medical’s Chris Hancock as the winner of its inaugural Technology Innovator of the Year Awards. The ceremony, which took place on Monday in their booth and saw Chairperson of the Awards Joe Rowan present Hancock with the award and the $25,000 prize. Creo Medical’s innovation is the first advanced energy multimodality instrument developed for flexible endoscopy. It is designed to take endoscopic resection to new levels, by combining the benefits of bipolar RF and super high frequency microwave energy to provide the ability to dissect, resect, coagulate and inject in a single device. This will enable more physicians to be comfortable adopting advanced endoscopic techniques and will reduce the recurrence of cancer, as well as lower healthcare costs and improve patient experience. On the product side, Junkosha was featuring their 7 Series phase stable, multi-purpose E-Type operating up to 67 GHz. Junkosha’s ePTFE tape wrapping technology provide phase and amplitude stability in both flexure and temperature changes.

Keysight Technologies was a Platinum Sponsor of EuMW 2021 for the 18th consecutive year, with a large booth to demonstrate many of the company’s test and measurement offerings for 5G, automotive and defense markets. Among them:

• mmWave testbed that enables measurements compliant to the latest 5G standards and supporting research of new modulation
• Compact, portable VNA for mmWave component and materials measurements
• OTA signal analysis that displays metrics from multiple base stations that can identify frequency drifting, power issues and other performance problems
• Phase noise test system that uses cross-correlation techniques to measure down to the thermal limits, i.e., kT
• Automotive radar test system that uses an analog radar targey simulator to validate the performance and reliability of E-Band automotive radar modules.

Watch Microwave Journal’s interview of Marie Hattar, Keysight's VP and chief marketing offices. 

Knowles Precision Devices manufactures passive components including microwave and mmWave filters, splitters and couplers. It is known for high performance components for systems requiring high reliability, such as military systems. To support the commercial adoption of mmWave frequencies, Knowles has focused its capabilities to design catalog and custom products for the arrays and other systems developed for 5G and satellite communications. Tim Brauner, director of business development, was at EuMW and updated Microwave Journal on the Knowles’ activities.

LPKF provides pulsed laser systems that tailor the metallization patterns on printed circuits. The technique is well suited for rapid prototyping and small production volumes. The precision of the laser supports the small geometries of RF/microwave circuits. LPKF’s ProtoLaser U4 is compatible with most substrates used for RF/microwave applications, including FR4, PTFE, LTCC and ceramic. LPKF is developing a new system, which it plans to announce later this year, that will handle both surface processing and through-substrate vias.

Maury Microwave was featuring many characterization systems and modeling software but a couple to mention. One is the Nano5G, an automated impedance tuner optimized for load-pull measurements at 5G FR2 frequencies. It features a high VSWR, high tuning accuracy and repeatability with direct probe connection with no vibration. Nano5G's industry-leading size and weight allows the tuner to be mounted directly to the probe tip for on-wafer measurements, thereby ensuring the highest tuning range (VSWR, lowest impedance) at the DUT reference plane. The direct connection also reduces the phase skew resulting in a minimize signal distortion and more accurate vector measurements when using wideband modulated signals. Nano5G is the ideal tuner for measurements in the 18 to 50 GHz band, on-wafer and connectorized. Another is the MT1000 and MT2000 mixed-signal active load-pull systems are commercially proven solutions capable of performing load-pull at high speeds of up to 1000 impedance/power states per minute with no limitation on Smith Chart coverage and operating to 67 GHz. The systems are turnkey, one-box load-pull solutions that replace the functions typically performed by passive fundamental and/or harmonic impedance tuners, VNAs and/or NVNAs, analog signal generators, vector signal generators, vector signal analyzers and oscilloscopes and add the capabilities of high speed load-pull measurements and wideband impedance control for modulated signals. AMCAD shared the Maury booth and demonstrated a fully automated test bench, driving digital and RF circuits used in base stations.  Customers will be able to evaluate the performance of their power amplifiers under conditions identical to those of the final application, at an affordable cost while maintaining a qualitative measurement experience.

Menlo Micro demonstrated its MM5120 SP4T MEMS RF switch, which was released in January. The switch was designed to replace large RF electromechanical relays and solid-state switches where linearity and insertion loss are important. The MM5120 has frequency coverage from DC to 20 GHz, an input IP3 greater than 90 dBm, 0.4 dB insertion loss at 6 GHz and 25 W CW power handling. The switch has an integrated driver with SPI and GPIO control options and an integrated charge pump to drive the gate.

Mician discussed the capabilities of version 9.1 of its µWave Wizard 3D EM design automation software, while company developers are finishing version 10, planned for release later this year. µWave Wizard is a hybrid solver that combines the flexibility of the finite-element method with the faster mode-matching technique. It’s tailored for developing passive microwave systems and components, including antennas.

MPI Corporation was showing off their TS2000-IFE THZ-Selection based on their versatile 200 mm platform TS2000-IFE converting it into a RF, mmWave, THz and load-pull probe station with accuracy and wider temperature range of -60°C to +300°C. Automated testing is enabled by elimination of additional S-Band waveguides, minimizing the signal path for load-pull applications and offering the widest tuning range and highest gamma with easy and convenient operation while changing frequency bands.

Nano Dimension announced late last year that it closed an agreement to acquire Essemtec AG. ESSEMTEC’s product portfolio is comprised of production equipment for placing and assembling electronic components on printed circuit boards (PCB). Essemtec is a leader in adaptive highly flexible surface-mount technology pick-and-place equipment, sophisticated dispenser suitable for both high speed and micro-dispensing and intelligent production material storage and logistic system. Its products are equipped with a sophisticated software package which makes extensive and efficient material management possible. ESSEMTEC’s equipment and software have been having impact with customers since their first machine was introduced. Nano Dimension was demonstrating their DragonFly IV in their booth and its capabilities to print PCB circuits. The company has teamed with Hensoldt to form Jetted Additively Manufactured Electronics Sources (J.A.M.E.S.) to create a community around additive manufacturing electronics to make is accessible and usable for the whole industry. They will be doing supporting activities to form the community and develop ways for companies to adopt the technology.

NSI-MI Technologies exhibited at EuMW for the first time, aiming to gain more visibility for its antenna, radar cross section and radome measurement capabilities. NSE-MI is the combination of two companies, beginning at Scientific Atlanta in 1956 with the development of the first antenna pattern recorder. The group was subsequently spun out as MI Technologies, which specialized in far-field and compact antenna test range measurements. In 1988, Nearfield Systems Incorporated (NSI) formed to develop near-field antenna measurement systems. The two companies merged in 2016, subsequently acquired by AMETEK in 2021. The NSI-MI combination specializes in antenna and related measurements, from antenna products to antenna measurement systems to antenna, radome and radar cross section measurement services.

OMMIC marketed its III-V semiconductor products and services, including standard products, custom MMIC design and foundry services which run on 75 or 150 mm wafers. The foundry processes comprise GaAs pHEMT, GaAs mHEMT and GaN on Si. OMMIC is arguably the loudest global proponent for the GaN on Si RF process. In production and being space qualified, a 100 nm gate length device has a frequency of 110 GHz and achieves 4 W/mm power density CW, 5.9 W/mm pulsed. A 60 nm process is under development and specified to have an frequency of 150 GHz and a power density of 2.9 W/mm CW, 4 W/mm pulsed. OMMIC says its GaN process has been designed to minimize traps and memory effects.

Res-Net Microwave was showing off their very small (the size of the letters on a dime), CVD diamond series of resistors and terminations offering excellent power handling capabilities and frequency response to 30 GHz. The high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion properties make them ideal for high pulsed power applications. Power handling to 100 W with DC to 30 GHz operating frequency with resistance of 50 and 100 Ohms.

RF Lambda was featuring new rugged amplifiers including 8 W, 42 to 47 GHz, 20 W, 18 to 40 GHz and wideband.5 to 80 GHz compact units. They also highlighted their EMC broadband power amplifier operating to 90 GHz and power up to 2 kW CW. One unit is a 6 to 18 GHz, 300 W product with automatic built-in self-calibration and bias adjustment; over temperature, current and input power protection; VSWR measurement and open circuit protection and more.

Like it did at IMS in Atlanta, RFMW had a large booth with display cases arranged around the perimeter, featuring the companies and product families RFMW represents. Joel Levine, president and CEO, and Steve Takaki, executive VP, made the trip to London, a show of force and commitment to EuMW and the industry. Levine gave a tour of the booth to Microwave Journal, which you can watch here.

Rogers was featuring its MAGTREX 555 high impedance laminates that are the first commercially available low loss laminate with controlled permeability and permittivity. These laminates enable antenna designers to expand the trade-space of their antenna design enabling design flexibility and optimization. MAGTREX 555 materials are constructed from a proprietary, low loss, high resistivity ceramic filler and a high temperature thermoplastic matrix. This yields a system which is conformable, through hole via capable and mechanically and electrically stable. These laminates feature a closely matched X/Y axis permeability and permittivity of 6 and 6.5, respectively, along with low magnetic and dielectric loss below 500 MHz. MAGTREX 555 high impedance laminates feature a low X, Y, Z CTE closely matched to copper for thermal reliability and are available in thicknesses from 40 to 260 mils. They are offered with or without copper cladding.

Rohde & Schwarz recently introduced R&S FSPN As a pure phase noise analyzer and VCO tester. They designed the new instrument to meet the requirements for both production test and design engineers who perform high speed, real-time phase noise measurements using sources that require high phase stability in demanding applications, such as synthesizers, VCOs, OCXOs and DROs. The R&S FSPN expands the Rohde & Schwarz phase noise product portfolio which already contains the successful, market-leading ultra-high performance R&S FSWP phase noise, spectrum and signal analyzer. Another demo showcases the R&S VSESIM-VSS signal creation and analysis tool which combines EDA simulation with RF testing. Rohde & Schwarz and Cadence have collaborated to provide this solution, aimed at simplifying the engineering process from RF design to implementation and enhancing accuracy by using realistic signals for testing both design simulations and hardware implementations. The R&S VSESIM-VSS speeds up the development process for RF components and is particularly useful for customers in the wireless, automotive and aerospace and defense industries as well as for manufacturers of active components and systems. Also, Rohde & Schwarz recently launched a new portable benchtop VNA providing a complete set of S-parameters for 2-port devices up to 20 GHz. Plus, there are new additions to the signal and spectrum analyzer portfolio. A new base model for the portable benchtop R&S FPL1000 signal and spectrum analyzer up to 26.5 GHz is on display that combines the functions of a benchtop instrument with the portability of a handheld instrument, with intuitive features to make high performance spectrum analysis on the go fast and simple. Moreover, Rohde & Schwarz has extended its popular R&S Spectrum Rider FPH family with new base models offering measurement frequencies up to 44 GHz. The new models of the rugged R&S Spectrum Rider FPH deliver solid RF performance for measurements in the field and in the lab for applications like verification of 5G, broadcast, radar, defense and satcom links. With the R&S FSMR3000, Rohde & Schwarz exhibits a new microwave measurement receiver to calibrate signal generators and attenuators with one single instrument. Most important features provided are tuned RF level measurements, level measurements, analog modulation and spectrum analysis. For automotive customers, Rohde & Schwarz displays the RTS radar test system. It allows driving scenarios to be generated entirely OTA interface for testing radar sensors essential for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving vehicles capable of monitoring cross traffic. The solution consists of the R&S AREG800A automotive radar echo generator as a backend and the R&S QAT100 antenna array as a front-end.

Samtec exhibited the Precision RF portfolio of cable assemblies, connectors and other interconnect products for microwave and mmWave applications through 110 GHz. With the industry focused on mmWave for 5G infrastructure and automotive radar, Samtec highlighted its family of 1.35 mm cable assemblies, with low insertion loss and VSWR through 90 GHz. To help designers quickly specify and order an interconnect, Samtec offers a cable builder tool called the RF Solutionator. The user first selects the connectors and cable, then specifies the length and other parameters. Only defined, the cable assembly can be ordered. Watch Microwave Journal’s interview with Steve McGeary, Samtec’s director of business development and product management, at EuMW.

SIAE is known as a telecommunications equipment supplier, particularly point-to-point radios for cellular backhaul. Largely vertically integrated, SIAE has the expertise to design the GaAs, GaN and SiGe RFICs used in its radios and builds the RF assemblies. It also offers these microelectronics services to outside companies. Services include thin film network design and fabrication, chip-and-wire assembly of multi-chip modules and RF testing. As SIAE’s radios operate through E-Band, its thin film fabrication and assembly capabilities support small geometries and tight tolerances.

SIGLENT Technologies, formed in 2002 and based in Shenzhen, is growing its share of the RF/microwave test and measurement market by pursuing a strategy of value. Its portfolio has expanded from digital oscilloscopes to RF/microwave equipment, including families of spectrum analyzers, with frequency coverage to 7.5 GHz; VNAs, with coverage to 8.5 GHz; and RF generators, with coverage to 3.2 GHz.

Sonnet was featuring version 18 of their software adding groundbreaking new technologies, enhancements and robustness to their platform. Some features include TrueVolume that allows the use of 3D, full-volumetric subsections within the context of a 3D planar framework so that volumetric behavior in all three dimensions can improve circuit modeling. The Sonnet Technology File editor is a new and separate utility where users can create and edit technology stack files directly without opening a Sonnet Layout Window. 3D Antenna Pattern product enables users to plot, view, rotate and zoom antenna patterns in 3D.

SPEAG, based in Zurich, develops instrumentation and computer simulation tools to predict and measure electromagnetic (EM) fields. Its expertise is assessing EM fields in complex environments, such as close to or within the human body, capabilities in demand to ensure the safe performance of mobile phones, MRI systems and medical implants. SPEAG’s products are extensive: DASY8 is a robotic scanning platform that measures near-fields from 4 MHz to 10 GHz is used to assess that EM levels meet national EM exposure standards. SPEAG’s EM Phantoms are anthropomorphically shaped models of the human body for OTA, SAR and MRI performance measurements. The POPEYE10 is a whole body phantom for testing handheld and body-to-body transmission scenarios.

SPINNER is well known for manufacturing precision passive interconnects, both waveguide and coaxial. The performance and quality of its products are highly regarded for test and measurement applications, which it supports with calibration kits, verification kits and adapters. SPINNER’s portfolio extends to the manufacturing environment, including self-aligning quick connectors for automated production testing. To address the need for rugged interconnects for 77 GHz automotive applications, SPINNER co-developed the 1.35 mm connector, which extends the cutoff frequency of the 1.85 mm connector to 90 GHz. SPINNER also offers 1.0 mm connectors, the current highest frequency coaxial standard, and is developing an 0.8 mm connector to extend coaxial frequency coverage above 110 GHz.

SynMatrix had a kiosk in the Rohde & Schwarz booth to demonstrate its RF filter design platform. SynMatrix software can be linked with Ansys HFSS to design cavity filters in a single integrated workflow. After the design is complete, the platform can be integrated with a Rohde & Schwarz VNA to provide a real-time test and tuning workflow, controlled through the SynMatrix graphical interface. This capability, from design through production, simplifies the complexity of cavity filter design and manufacturing.

Teledyne e2v recently introduced a series of short videos about how to program and design with the first 12-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to feature a Cross Point Switch. The Teledyne e2v EV12AQ600 can operate its four cores simultaneously, independently or paired, to assign its 6.4 GSPS sampling speed across the user’s desired channel count. The video series covers serial interface programming, how to cancel time interleaving mismatches effects, how to take advantage of the flexibility provided by the integrated RF switch and how to use a multi-ADC synchronization technique. Check out the videos here.

Times Microwave Systems was showing off their Clarity Series 18, 26.5 and 40 GHz test cables. They also have 70 GHz and 110 GHz Clarity Series test cables with abrasion resistance without compromising flexibility. The all have excellent phase and amplitude stability while being flexed. In addition, they have the SilverLine test cables that are cost-effective, durable, high performance cable assemblies designed for a broad range of test and interconnect applications.

VDI was featuring their noise sources offering high excessive noise ratio performance across full waveguide bands up to 220 GHz. VDI’s noise sources include waveguide isolators to improve the match between the noise source and the DUT and are configured with a +28 V voltage bias port, compatible with many spectrum analyzers or noise figure analyzers. Additional noise sources are under development. VDI noise sources can be used to measure the noise figure of amplifiers using a Keysight EXA or similar spectrum analyzer with the noise figure measurement software, VDI down-converter (VDI SAX) and an external LO signal generator.

Wavepia is a Korean fabless semiconductor company formed in 2014 that manufactures RF GaN products. It taps the UMS, WIN Semiconductors and Wolfspeed foundry processes to develop its varied product portfolio, which includes discrete transistors and MMICs, covering frequencies from L- through Ka-Band. Depending on the product, its products are available as bare die or packaged. One of Wavepia’s most interesting products is a GaN PA covering 34 to 39 GHz, achieving a saturated output power of 40.8 dBm at 35.5 GHz, with 20 percent power-added efficiency and 10.8 dB power gain. The MMIC is assembled in a 20 x 10 mm flange package.

Although WIN Semiconductors did not have a booth at the exhibition, David Danzilio and Russ Wagner were meeting with customers and WIN participated in a new product announcement with Altum RF at EuMW. Altum announced three new MMIC amplifiers, covering Q-, V- and E-Band, that were designed and fabricated on WIN’s new PP10-20 GaAs pHEMT process, a frequency extension of its production PP10-10 platform. To support growth, WIN has two fab expansions underway: the equipment for Fab C is being installed, with capacity planned to be online during the second half of this year. It is also building a new fab in the Southern Taiwan Science Park, planning to ramp it for mass production before the end of 2024.

Wolfspeed’s team marketed its GaN on SiC capabilities for the defense and aerospace markets. Its portfolio encompasses die and packaged discrete devices and MMICs for avionics, radar and EW applications. Frequency coverage extends to 40 GHz with output power to 2.5 kW. To simplify the design of power amplifier lineups, Wolfspeed is developing pallet amplifiers: circuit boards containing the driver and output stage of a power amplifier, easing the integration into the next higher assembly. The pallet approach enables Wolfspeed to tailor the output powers and gains of the devices in the lineup to optimize the overall performance, i.e., output power, efficiency and gain.

Watch all of Microwave Journal’s video demos and interviews from EuMW 2021 here.