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September 2007 [Test & Measurement] Making Source-Corrected Noise-Figure Measurements Noise limits the sensitivity of a receiver and degrades the performance of a transmitter.Both R&D and production environments rely on several time-honored approaches to evaluate component noise in terms of noise figure. They now have an additional option in the form of single-connection, source-corrected noise-figure measurements through 26.5 GHz using the Agilent PNA-X vector network analyzer (VNA) from Agilent Technologies (... — David Ballo August 2007 [Commercial] Perfecting Pulsed RF Radar Measurements Pulsed RF radar signals must be accurately characterized to evaluate a radar system's performance,therefore using the right test tools is vital. Modern radar test instruments,with advances in DSP measurement technology, are able to provide even greater insight than their analog counterparts.The increased performance, flexibility, and functionality of modern instruments are especially useful when evaluating radars that use advanced pulse compression techniques and pulse... — John Barfuss August 9, 2007 [Test & Measurement] Perfecting Pulsed RF Radar Measurements — John Barfuss May 2007 [Devices & ICs] The RF Power Behind Design Innovation Power density in active devices is increasing according to the demands of transistor users. Applications in commercial wireless, avionics, broadcast, industrial, and medical systems are pushing the envelope for solid-state power, with growing requirements for higher output power levels from fewer output-stage devices. At Freescale Semiconductor, supplying high-performance radio frequency (RF) and microwave transistors for these applications is only part of the... — Peter Aaen , et al. November 2006 [Test & Measurement] Measure And Troubleshoot Digitally Modulated Signals The Agilent MXA signal analyzer (Fig. 1) combines the capabilities of a traditional swept-tuned spectrum analyzer and a vector signal analyzer. The midrange family of signal analyzers currently offers four versions spanning 20 Hz to 3.6 GHz, 8.4 GHz, 13.6 GHz, and 26.5 GHz. Its fast tuning speed and standards-based measurement applications might land it on the production line, but it is also a powerful research and design... — Ben Zarlingo October 2006 [Test & Measurement] Improve The Accuracy Of Amplifier ACLR And ACPR Measurements The Agilent MXG vector signal generator (Fig. 1) produces the type of complex modulated signals found in modern digital wireless-communications systems, but without adding distortion of its own. The instrument is intuitive to use, allowing operators to modify key signal parameters "on the fly" locally or remotely. Ideally, the power amplifier in a wireless base transceiver station (BTS) would boost output... — Paul Schmitz September 2006 [Commercial] White Paper: Achieve Improved Spectrum Analyzer Amplitude Accuracy A swept-tuned superheterodyne spectrum analyzer (Fig. 1) mixes input signals with a local oscillator (LO) with signal amplification, filtering, and detection performed at intermediate frequencies (IFs). The preselector filter (sometimes a lowpass filter) prevents high-frequency signals from reaching the mixer and mixing with the LO. The reference level shown on the spectrum analyzer's display is adjusted by the level of... — Pablo Estrada July 2006 [Devices & ICs] White Paper: RF Power Devices Meet Wireless Challenges Head On RF Power Devices Meet Wireless Challenges Head On? The number and types of commercial wireless-communications technologies have exploded in the last 15 years, from comparatively simple systems using FDMA to the higher-order modulation schemes employed in GSM and CDMA and new standards and services such as WiMAX and ZigBee?. For semiconductor manufacturers serving these applications, they represent immense opportunities. For... — John McCaffrey , et al. July 2006 [Devices & ICs] Will WiMAX Hit The Road? Will WiMAX Hit The Road? Few people close to the development of WiMAX would aƒrgue that the technology will be a winner in fixed environments, such as cellular backhaul, rural broadband, and providing high-speed data over a vastly greater footprint than WiFi hot spots. It may even be the first wireless technology to successfully deliver high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses, taking over where the previous attempts—MMDS and... — John McCaffrey July 2006 [Devices & ICs] Defining ISM Defining ISM Frequency bands allocated internationally for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications are centered at various frequencies between 13 and 5700 MHz. They're unregulated, but before ISM equipment can be marketed in the US, it still must comply with the technical standards and equipment authorization procedures specified in the FCC's Part 18. Since they operate in the same spectral neighborhood as systems used... — Pierre Piel July 2006 [Devices & ICs] The Polar Plus Advantage The Polar Plus Advantage GSM/EDGE/WCDMA and CDMA2000 employ complex modulation schemes that require RF power amplifiers to be extremely efficient and linear. To achieve the necessary performance, polar modulation is often employed. In polar modulation, the modulation is broken down into amplitude and phase components that are processed separately. Further down the transmit lineup, the AM and PM signals are recombined to form a fully... — Keith Tilley January 2006 [Components] White Paper: Low-Noise Amplifiers Drop Below 1-dB Noise-Figure Mark Sponsored by Richardson Electronics Low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) can be found in the front end of virtually all communications receiver designs, especially those where signal sensitivity is critical. The first-stage LNA in a receiver is a critical component since it essentially sets the limit for how low the system noise figure can reach. While LNA noise figures approaching as low as 1 dB have been available commercially, few devices ever reach noise... — Chris Marshall November 2005 [Components] White Paper: "Disruptive" Ceramic Technology Stabilizes Spectrum Management (Part 2) Advanced ceramic materials and a high-resolution circuit fabrication process can combine to provide excellent electrical performance in small sizes. As demonstrated in Part 1 of this white paper, the combination has been applied at Dielectric Laboratories, Inc. (DLI) to the production of XTREME-Q? high quality-factor (Q) resonators at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. This concluding part of the article series will show that the high-Q nature of these materials can also... — Michael P. Busse October 2005 [Components] White Paper: "Disruptive" Ceramic Technology Enables Spectrum Management (Part 1) Frequency management is an essential goal of modern high-frequency design, whether for avoiding interference in cellular communications systems or ensuring security in military electronic systems. But generating and maintaining stable signals, especially at RF and microwave frequencies, is not a trivial task. Time alone can cause the designed frequencies of some circuit materials to drift, not to mention the deleterious effects of temperature, vibration, environmental... — Michael P. Busse October 2005 [Commercial] When Specifying Capacitors Dielectric Laboratories, Inc. (DLI) invented the ceramic Single-Layer Capacitor in 1974 and today is the world's largest supplier of high-frequency, high Q ceramic SLCs. The DiCap® is the world standard for reliable, high-performance ceramic Single-Layer Capacitors and heads a family of SLCs, including Border Caps, Gap Caps, Bar Caps, and more. DLI's family of Broadband Blocking solutions is the most comprehensive in the world, and includes... — Michael P. Busse |
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