New Products on Display at MTTS IMS 2010 in Anaheim

Test and Measurement

Agilent Technologies will be showing tools for circuit-level modeling through system verification for General RF/uW, 4G Comms, and Aero/Defense applications including:

One of the more notable product launches has been Agilent Technologies Inc. introduction of the Infiniium 90000 X-Series oscilloscope family with industry-leading, real-time bandwidth of 32 GHz. The company is offering ten new models which range from 16 to 32 GHz and are bandwidth upgradable. These new scopes deliver the lowest noise and jitter measurement floor in the industry for excellent measurement accuracy.

In addition, Agilent will be displaying the following products:
PXA signal analyzer: This analyzer is Agilent’s highest-performance member of the X-Series. In combination with the X-Series advanced measurement applications, the PXA delivers an excellent high-performance test solution set for cellular communications and digital video standards such at LTE-FDD and –TDD, W-CDMA/HSPA/HSPA+, DVB-T/H and ISDB-T. N9000A CXA signal analyzers: This analyzer offers frequency coverage up to 7.5 GHz and outstanding flexibility. With a variety of built-in and optional measurement capabilities, the analyzer can easily be configured and reconfigured to meet present and future requirements. 89600 Vector Signal Analysis (VSA) software: The VSA software is used by cellular communications and wireless networking R&D engineers around the world. Version 12 of the 89600 VSA software features enhancements in LTE, HSPA+ MIMO and EDGE-Evo analysis; hardware connectivity and support for a new operating system. PNA-X Series microwave network analyzers: The PNA-X Series offers the industry’s most accurate noise figure measurements up to 50 GHz and provides the industry’s only source-corrected noise-figure measurements. N5106A PXB baseband generator and channel emulator: These products are designed for use across the R&D lifecycle. From design to pre-conformance, PXB offers multi-channel baseband generation (BBG), real-time fading, and signal capture in a single, multi-purpose instrument. V3500A Handheld RF Power Meter: The V3500A is a palm-sized meter that includes a built-in display and integrated power sensor. The meter is an ideal and affordable power measurement solution for installation and maintenance environments, as well as for the R&D lab. N9923A FieldFox RF Vector Network Analyzer (VNA): The N9923A is the world’s most accurate handheld VNA. The FieldFox RF VNA provides the best measurement stability in the industry, 0.01 dB/degree Celsius, and offers the world’s first integrated QuickCal calibration capability available in a handheld VNA.

Rohde & Schwarz has expanded its extensive range of power sensors by adding two new models to the R&S NRP family. The new sensors are the first on the market to measure thermal power from DC up to 50 GHz and 67 GHz, respectively. They are also the only thermal power sensors that can be used even without a base unit. Connection to a PC takes place via USB. In addition to saving cost and space, the sensors offer outstanding performance for calibration labs as well as for manufacturers of microwave transmission systems and RF/microwave components. A standing wave ratio (SWR) of 1.35 is achieved from 50 to 67 GHz. This is so far unparalleled and results in exceptionally high precision. Linearity surpasses that of commercial products by a factor of ten across the entire frequency range and allows accurate relative power measurements.

In the R&S booth, NMDG will demonstrate that accurate source- and load-pull characterisation of active components or circuits is speeded up and simplified with the new NM600 Fast Source- and Load-pull (FSLP) application. Using a vector network analyser (VNA) with two internal RF sources at its full power, the new NMDG FSLP application enables the characterisation of active components under various input and output mismatch conditions. Within the power capabilities of the VNA, one does not need to invest in a dedicated and costly source- and load-pull setup, based on either passive or active tuning techniques.

Sensitivity has been improved by minimizing zero drift and noise. The resulting increase in dynamic range (55 dB) enables thermal power measurements for powers as low as -35 dBm. In addition, measurement speed exceeds that of conventional instruments by a factor of three. This is especially beneficial in production applications, where short cycle times are just as important as maximum precision. Measurement uncertainty in power measurements is largely attributable to mismatching. This effect is aggravated if the sensor is improperly connected to the DUT. To solve this problem, Rohde & Schwarz has developed a new type of connector that incorporates a ball bearing, which greatly simplifies correct attachment of the sensor to the DUT.

Tektronix and its partners will be showcasing new solutions ranging from components, instruments, and systems. Mesuro will be introducing the extension of active load pull to UHF applications to 200 MHz and demonstrating its 150 W high power system with a 45W GaN device from Cree. SenarioTek enables wideband microwave up/down conversion and system integration for radar and satellite communications applications such as the widest bandwidth signal generation and analysis commercially available utilizing the Tektronix AWG7122B and DPO/DSA/MSO 70000 Series oscilloscopes (the ability to generate signals to 9.6 GHz in bandwidth with the AWG, analyze signals to 20 GHz in bandwidth). X-COM will showcase its RF capture and playback solution integrated with the Tektronix RSA6000 Series Spectrum Analyzers. The combined solution offers seamless capture and recording of up to 50 minutes of all data across the 110 GHz acquisition bandwidth up to 20 GHz. Maxtek enables next-generation military, medical and communications systems by providing quality design, assembly and test services for applications requiring high-reliability and performance devices.

Ladybug Technologies will be showing the industry's first true USB microwave power sensors for pulse/peak envelope power and pulse envelope profiling measurements that offer an optional wideband, real-time video detector output signal. The LadyBug LB679A, LB680A measures average, pulse and peak envelope power over a 60 dB measurement range from 50 MHz to 20 GHz.

RF Industries now offers a line of 18 GHz precision test cables in standard or custom lengths, suitable for production or lab environments. Featuring high-grade, passivated, stainless steel SMA males with PTFE insulators, this unique cable is configured for low loss and low VSWR. With triple shielding for optimum EMI protection, they are very phase-stable during mechanical and environmental stresses. The cable is also manufactured in accordance with MIL-DTL-17, type IX specification. Other features include high velocity of propagation, wide operating temperature and blue FEP jacket. Armored versions for rugged field applications are also available. RF Industries created these test cables to meet a growing need for test grade cable assemblies.

Delta Electronics Manufacturing announced that they were offering a broad range of coaxial cable assemblies and other connector-related, value-added component subassemblies through a tool on the company’s website. Customers may now visually build cable assembly drawings, specify markers, testing and other requirements, and send the drawing and specs to Delta via e-mail for quotation. The customer receives an e-mail confirmation including the drawing and specifications as well. The Cable Assembly Designer works completely within the visitor’s browser, with no plug-ins or other special software required.

Software

Agilent Technologies will be showing tools for circuit-level modeling through system verification for General RF/uW, 4G Comms, and Aero/Defense applications including:

SystemVue 2010.01 and Genesys 2010.05: These software platforms add X-parameter support and move X-parameters beyond RF into system-level design. The nonlinear model support provides convenient and reliable design flow closure between wireless circuit designers, RF system architects, and non-analog colleagues doing communications PHY algorithms and baseband signal processing.

Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) application software option for the Agilent E5071C ENA network analyzer: This one-box solution is ideal for high-speed serial interconnect analysis and can be used by signal integrity engineers who require efficient design and verification in R&D, quality assurance and manufacturing.

AWR will be showing the new features coming in the 2010 release of Microwave Office®, AXIEM™, Visual System Simulator™, and Analog Office® design suites. Demos will include new technologies such as iFilter™ lumped and distributed filter synthesis software, antenna analysis and visualization in AXIEM 3D planar EM software, and support for nonlinear behavioral models from many of the test equipment manufacturers exhibiting at the symposium.

CST will be hosting 30 minute technical presentations at their booth. Topics will include phased arrays, metamaterials, RCS, sensitivity analysis, heating and mechanical stress.

Microwave Innovation Group (MiG) recently annouced a demo at the show for its WASP-NET® version 8.0 which features convenient 3D data file import and 3D structure editors, by which users can create arbitrary, user-defined geometries. WASP-NET’s unique hybrid MM/FE/MoM/FD CAD engine yields EM CAD precision in seconds for general 3D microwave components and antennas, including arbitrarily shaped waveguide and coaxial components, combline/interdigital and dielectric resonator filters, feed systems, corrugated horn antennas, shaped reflector antennas, large slot arrays, dielectric loaded antennas, lenses, radomes, etc.

IMST's EMPIRE XCcel 3D EM field solver will be presented at at the MicroApps. A new Multi-PC FDTD algorithm that can parallelize problems very efficiently on multiple computers has been implemented. It minimizes the latency caused by network traffic and data exchange while keeping the advantages, like memory efficiency and multi-core performance optimization capabilities. Several large scale application examples, where this algorithm was used.

Remcom will feature Fdtd, their 3D EM simulation software:
XACT Accurate Cell Technology: Accurately resolve even the most intricate designs with fewer computational resources. The benefits include faster run times and the power to simulate very complex geometries.

XTend Script Library: Use the pre-loaded scripts in XF7 to automate your modeling and design, customize them as you wish, or request additional scripts from our team at no cost.

Multiphysics Toolset: Use XFdtd and Wireless InSite together to achieve a more complete, real-world antenna analysis.

Synopsys will highlight their latest technology enhancements to Galaxy Custom Designer and HSPICE including a demo that will highlight; Phase noise and jitter analysis of VCOs and PLLs, RFIC simulation using the advanced Harmonic Balance and Shooting Newton algorithms, Signal Integrity analysis with the most accurate nonlinear buffer models available, combined with powerful StatEye (with AMI), S-parameter, and transmission line analysis capabilities.

Devices, Components and Materials

ADI will be showcasing its broad range of RFICs across the entire RF signal chain including high-performance RF function blocks to highly integrated single chip transceiver solutions: PLL, PLL/VCO and DDS synthesizers; power detectors; amplifiers; mixers, modulator and demodulators; ADC drivers; clocks and data converters.

Barry Industries introduced its new flange-mounted line of power resistors and terminations for the show. These terminations and resistors range in power from 400 to 1,500 W and are specifically designed for the industrial equipment market, i.e. amplifiers, MRIs, etc. These devices have been developed on copper flanges, and are highly reliable for dissipating large amounts of power while maintaining excellent RF characteristics.

Cree will the displaying a 25 W, GaN MMIC power amplifier from DC-6 GHz in a 0.5" square package that makes broadband PA design easier, a SPDT switch from 300 to 3000 MHz which is the first commercial 25 W GaN MMIC SPDT switch with 25 watts at fast switching speeds and low current consumption, a 240 W GaN HEMT that is internally matched to provide a 50-ohm solution from 3.1-3.5 GHz in a 0.9" x 0.7" footprint, and a 75 W, 2.7-3.5 GHz, GaN MMIC optimized for S-band radar applications and comes in a convenient 0.5" square package.

CTT Inc announced a new, compact, LNA for the 1 to 18 GHz frequency range for a wide variety of RF and microwave applications. It offers noise figures of less than 2.5 dB (typical) over an instantaneous bandwidth of more than four octaves. This new LNA will find use in a wide range of applications, including radar imaging, spread-spectrum and a myriad of ultra-wide bandwidth applications including the related instrumentation for each.

Florida RF Labs is introducing its new LTCC couplers, complementing the current multi-layer PTFE offering. These new couplers offer high power handling, high isolation and low insertion loss in small package sizes. These SMT couplers are available in a myriad of different package sizes that are footprint compatible with current industry standards and offer performance advantages for applications up to 6 GHz. This new line is available in 3 dB hybrids, directionals up to 30 dB and wideband designs.

Giga-tronics will be demonstrating new tunable YIG-filters and compact low phase noise synthesizer modules at the show. Giga-tronics offers best in class microwave and millimeter wave designs proving smaller, more compact and custom tailored versions with guaranteed performance in the shortest time.

Hittite Microwave announced the HMC1010LP4E and the HMC909LP4E, two new low cost, highly flexible RMS Power Detectors for RF power measurement/control in Cellular/3G, LTE/WiMAX/4G, broadband, test equipment and military applications between DC and 5.8 GHz. The HMC1010LP4E offers 60 dB dynamic range over DC to 3.9 GHz and is priced $1.99 each at 10,000 piece volumes. The HMC909LP4E offers a broadband single-ended RF input with 40 dB dynamic range over DC to 5.8 GHz and is priced $1.49 each at 10,000 piece volumes. Both products have improved modulation performance and power dissipation coupled with an industry-first 4-bit programmable integration bandwidth control interface eliminating the need for cumbersome analog control voltages.

M/A-COM Technology Solutions will be showing various components including a family of VCOs with low phase noise and low DC current covering 5.7 GHz to 14.2 GHz for the point-to-point radio market. The VCOs include a divide-by-two output and are housed in 5x5 mm, RoHS-compliant QFN packages. Depending on frequency, these VCOs provide exceptionally low phase noise performance as low as -117 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset and exhibit low performance variation over temperature.

Mimix Broadband recently introduced a 3.5 to 6 GHz 3 W power amplifier module (PAM) housed in an RoHS-compliant, 7x7 mm package. This highly linear two-stage amplifier delivers 18.5 dB of gain and 34 dBm of power at 1 dB compression point. Identified as XP1044-QL, this PAM provides less than 2.5 percent EVM at 26 dBm output power with 802.16 OFDM signal and peak to average ratio of 9.17 dB.

Nujira will be demonstrating its latest broadband PA reference designs for cellular handsets and base stations, delivering 3G/4G amplifier efficiencies of more than 50 percent. Nujira's Coolteq.L for handsets is inherently broadband, enabling the creation of a 4G/LTE RF front end that covers three to five times the bandwidth of a standard design with up to double the efficiency. Only two power amplifiers are required to cover the 23 frequency bands defined in the 3GPP for LTE and all of the operating modes compared with seven or more without Nujira's solution.

Rogers Advanced Circuit Materials (ACM) Division and Thermal Management Solutions (TMS) Division will detail optimum use of their high-performance materials, including RT/duroid® 5880LZ, RT/duroid 6202PR, RO4360™ laminate, and HEATWAVE™ metal matrix composites, an innovative thermal-management solution.

RF Micro Devices will host in-booth demonstrations of the company’s high-power gallium nitride (GaN) products as well as the company’s smart energy/advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) Zigbee® products. RFMD’s GaN in-booth demonstration will feature the RFG1M09180, a high power, high efficiency GaN Doherty amplifier for 3G/4G cellular base stations. The RFG1M09180 achieves 180 W peak power at 50 V operation while maintaining over 70 percent peak efficiency; a single RFG1M09180 amplifier can cover a frequency range of 700 to 1000 MHz. RFMD’s smart energy/AMI demonstration will feature RFMD’s Zigbee® products developed in collaboration with Ember Corp. for the RF6525/EM357 reference design.

Visit Reactel at the show to receive a copy of the company's latest full line catalog and data sheets featuring LTE filters, switched filter banks and notch filters among others (including a unique food giveaway). Some of the products on display include: Monoblock and resonator designs suitable for tape and reel packaging, notch filters in a variety of package sizes with power handling capabilities exceeding 1 kW, and miniature discrete component filters in low pass, high pass, bandpass, notch and diplexer configurations operating in a frequency range of 10 to 5000 MHz.

Renaissance/HXI will be showing cost effective and timely solutions from components to sub-systems featuring HDTV Radio, medium and high power MM wave amplifiers, broadband frequency multipliers, LTE Circulator, multi-band combiner and redundant switch matrices.

SPINNER has developed two new rotary joint product families: Single channel waveguide rotary joints for Ku-band; and dual-channel coaxial rotary joints, which are suitable for Ku-band and intermediate frequency applications. Both product lines follow a common design philosophy that is characterized by well-thought-out modularity that allows a large variety of solutions with a minimum number of different piece parts and excellent electrical and mechanical performance, allied to a simple and highly reliable design.

Thales will be featuring their TWTs including a 18-40 GHz for scientific instrumentation and electronic countermeasures applications and their 500 W Ka-band TWT for earth-station uplinks.

Scintera will be showcasing our single chip power amplifier linearization solution, the SC1887. Scintera’s unique RFin/RFout SoC for power amplifier linearization enables users to both increase the efficiency of power amplifiers by up to 4 times, while at the same time reduce the cost of implementation.

TotalTemp Technologies will be introducing their new Next Generation Thermal Platforms at the show. TotalTemp has actually developed a cooling system uniquely different from the other cooling channel design. This other cooling channel design is more expensive to manufacture and results in a higher system price. The TotalTemp platform uses an embedded copper tube cooling channel that is an engineered upgrade on performance with a vast improvement on price.

A.T. Wall will feature a range of precision-drawn, high-quality waveguide tubing including Invar waveguide, thin wall aluminum waveguide, seamless flexible waveguide, flexible twistable waveguide, flexible waveguide, semi flexible waveguide and components from all types of flex waveguide.