eBooks

Qorvo has long been known for its RF capabilities, particularly its strength in power amplifiers based on GaN technology, which provides higher power density with high efficiency. Traditionally, RFIC companies haven’t worried about how their semiconductor components are biased, specifying a voltage and current in the data sheet and leaving procurement of the power supply to their customers. Yet the performance of the power supply affects the overall performance of the system: size, weight, efficiency, noise. So, it was logical that Qorvo expanded its product strategy to include power management. This eBook surveys Qorvo’s expanded portfolio for high performance analog applications.

This eBook explores the innovative automotive systems that use RF, microwave and mmWave technology and addresses some of the challenges testing them. Topics covered include UWB, C-V2X testing, radar development, integrated radar-bumper assembly test, 3D waveguide antennas for radar, target simulation, production testing of automotive radar, and new 4D imaging radars with the performance required to enable autonomous vehicles.

Ultra-wideband (UWB) is the latest wireless standard moving to mass market adoption, some 20 years after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission authorized low power, unlicensed use of the band from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. UWB, defined by IEEE standard 802.15.4z, can accurately determine distance and location, even in the presence of noise and multipath. This eBook provides an overview of the technology and explores several of its applications.

This eBook explores advancements in the design of filters and resonator technologies. The first article illustrates how EM simulation has significantly improved the development of complex filters. The article illustrates the process with the design of a 75 Ω filter covering 564 to 1200 MHz for a cable TV distribution system. The second article continues the design discussion using a bandpass filter for 5G band n257. The next article describes an innovative evolution of YIG resonators — reducing power consumption, size and cost — and its application to tunable filters. The article discusses the evolution of the YIG and how one company is applying this improved capability to tunable filters operating above 2 GHz. Read this to learn more about these topics.

This eBook contains five articles describing aspects of EMC testing, which is the means used to validate EMC among the near infinite possibility of co-located systems. The first article reviews the characteristics of mmWave propagation, how mmWave signals are generated, their applications and the measurement challenges when identifying and characterizing potential interferers. The next addresses one of the core challenges faced by companies offering EMC testing: long test times reduce the availability of the test facility and limit the number of devices that can be certified, reducing testing revenue. The article describes an approach to accelerate testing without reducing the accuracy of the measurement, known as time domain scanning. An application note from AR covers the important factors when selecting a power amplifier for EMC testing, including the type of amplifier for the required power level (e.g., solid-state or tube), modulation capabilities and other requirements such as linearity and the ability to withstand mismatches. The next article assesses the ROI from establishing an in-house EMC test capability using representative costs. The final article presents the rationale and benefits for multi-tone testing. Read this eBook to learn more about these topics.

The adoption of mmWave frequencies to provide the bandwidth for the high data rates envisioned for 5G — “enhanced mobile broadband” or eMBB — unveiled a stream of measurement challenges. They begin with the greater sensitivity of the cable assemblies interconnecting mmWave components and extend to the need for over the air measurements where there are no wired connections. To address the challenges making accurate and repeatable measurements, from the semiconductor to the system, this eBook collates several Rohde & Schwarz articles and focuses on the mmWave frequencies in the FR2 (frequency range) bands. The eBook concludes with an example of a test system for characterizing and testing a Sivers Semiconductors transceiver and antenna module that operate over the 57 to 71 GHz unlicensed band.

This eBook explores 5G and mMIMO trends, beginning with an overview of the market gathered by 5G Americas, Omida and GlobalComm. The next article provides a tutorial on O-RAN and its approach to standardizing the interfaces among the radio unit, distributed unit and centralized unit. The next article shifts the focus to private 5G networks, discussing the steps to ensure success.  An O-RAN compliant mMIMO base station was the focus of the next article; however, mMIMO is not the only type of base station used in a 5G network. Small cells are equally important, particularly for indoor settings and high data demand areas, whether indoors or outdoors. “Anatomy of the 5G Small Cell,” condensed from a Small Cell Forum report. Turning to testing, the next article discusses the challenges testing deployed 5G networks. The concluding article in the eBook addresses test challenges unique to TDD networks, stemming from the rapid switching among the subframes transporting the data. The test equipment used to evaluate these TDD systems, such as power meters, must have better performance than the radio, including fast rise time and measurement speed, wide video bandwidth and short time resolution.

This eBook explores GaN applications and highlights the capabilities of the technology. The first few articles describe applications where GaN’s high power, high temperature and radiation tolerance may prove useful: LEO satellites, EW, and hypersonic weapons while the remaining articles cover “hands on” topics covering GaN technology.

To aid designers of GaN power amplifiers (PA), Wolfspeed has selected several recent articles published by Microwave Journal, creating this handy eBook reference. We begin with a survey of the RF GaN market written by the consulting firm Yole Développement. “The RF GaN Device Market: A Roller-Coaster Ride.” Then “A Dive into Integrated PA Topologies for 5G mMIMO,” written by Wolfspeed, discusses the benefit of using GaN rather than LDMOS and how best to design the GaN PA. The article “Broadband, High Efficiency, Class J Power Amplifier Design Method with Compensating Drain-Source Capacitance,” written by authors from Hangzhou University and the University of Kent, describes a single-ended GaN PA design covering the cellular bands from 1.4 to 3.6 GHz that achieves approximately 10 W output power, between 60 and 68 percent drain efficiency and an adjacent channel power ratio better than −30 dBc. The next article, “Doherty Power Amplifiers Move to mmWave,” written by PRFI, describes the design of an asymmetric Doherty PA MMIC for the 28 GHz 5G band. The design was processed using Wolfspeed’s 0.15 μm GaN on SiC foundry process. The next article, “The Maximally Efficient Amplifier,” written by Rohde & Schwarz, explores the theoretical circuit approaches for maximizing a PA’s efficiency: waveform engineering, supply modulation and load modulation. The eBook concludes with “Choosing the Right Signal Source for Reliable Measurements,” a cautionary reminder from Rohde & Schwarz that the quality of the signal source causes measurement uncertainty and error.

GaN has become the dominant RF power technology in Defense applications and higher high performance commercial applications. Strategy Analytics forecasts GaN component revenue to approach $1.5 billion for Defense applications alone by 2030. Its performance characteristics support evolving battle philosophies that rely on higher operating frequencies, wider instantaneous bandwidths, better efficiency and higher linearity. This eBook takes a look at several new applications for GaN technology and some examples of optimizing GaN amplifier performance.