Plumbing as a metaphor for microwaves Lou Frenzel summarizes some of what he saw and heard from the many semiconductor vendors that were represented at this year's event.
June 21, 2012 by Louis E. Frenzel
IMS 2012, Day 2: Image GalleryTake a look at more images from booths and exhibits at IMS 2012.
June 21, 2012 by Staff
IMS 2012, Day 1: Image GalleryImages from the show floor during the first day of IMS 2012.
June 20, 2012 by Staff
IMS 2012, Day 2: Closing the Microwave GapOur IMS "guest blogger", Lou Frenzel, on closing the gap between microwaves and optical parts of the spectrum, more agile microwave systems, and other trends discussed at the event.
June 19, 2012 by Louis E. Frenzel
Systems Enable Rapid PrototypingRapid prototyping is a growing trend in the RF/microwave industry, where companies can more quickly turn concepts into real circuit prototypes via the investment of an in-house laser or mechanical circuit-board milling machine. One supplier of such machines is LPKF Laser & Electronics, with several examples on display at the 2012 IMS (booth No. 2409).
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
Test Instruments Set New Accuracy LevelsAs in years past, the 2012 IMS exhibition provides an effective means of quickly assessing current industry test and measurement capabilities. One booth worth a visit is Agilent Technologies (No. 1015), with 25 different instrument and simulation software demonstrations.
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
Cables Minimize Phase DistortionFor those applications that absolutely cannot tolerate phase distortion, Times Microwave Systems will be showing examples of its Phase Critical cable assemblies, with an expanded range of PhaseTrack cable assemblies based on the firm's high-performance microwave cables. The PhaseTrack-210 series of assemblies operate from DC to 30 GHz with velocity of propagation of 83% with typical VSWR of 1.35:1 across the frequency range and better than 100 dB shielding effectiveness (SE).
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
Tuners Help With Load-Pull/Noise TestingVisitors to the 2012 Montreal IMS have an opportunity to visit one of the area's more interesting local companies, Focus Microwaves, at booth No. 1007. With its extensive lines of load-pull and broadband noise measurement systems, the company is a key supplier for those involved in analysis and development of active devices and amplifiers.
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
GaAs and Silicon ICs Serve MM-Wave RadiosMillimeter-wave frequencies offer the wide bandwidths needed to support fast wireless data rates, and Hittite Microwave Corp. has made their share of contributions for millimeter-wave radio designers. The firm, showing some of its integrated circuits (ICs) at the 2012 IMS (booth No. 1701), recently developed a highly integrated silicon transceiver chipset.
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
GaN Pallet Amp Drives 350 W At S-BandM/A-COM Technology Solutions is coming north to Montreal to unveil several new products at the 2012 IMS, including solutions for wireless backhaul, cable-television (CATV), optical communications, and aerospace/defense applications. Visitors to booth No. 815 can examine a compact "smart" pallet amplifier with control and monitoring functions for enhanced reliability.
June 20, 2012 by Jack Browne
IMS 2012, Day One: 60 Years of MicrowavesIn his first guest "blog" from IMS in Montreal for Microwaves & RF this week, editor Lou Frenzel reflects on the event's rich history and the opening plenary session.
June 19, 2012 by Louis E. Frenzel
Drop-In Circulator Passes 420 To 450 MHzCirculators and isolators are critical components in many high-power RF/microwave systems. VidaRF will be on hand at the 2012 IMS (booth No. 1521) to showcase its various lines of passive componentsincluding its compact model VDC-04200450-3 drop-in circulator, designed for applications from 420 to 450 MHz.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Products Range To MM WavesFor the first time, API Technologies Corp. has assembled its full line of RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave products on one exhibit floor: the 2012 IMS exhibition. API will showcase its extensive lines of components and subsystems, including amplifiers and filters from suppliers that include Spectrum Microwave, CMT, National Hybrid, C-MAC Aerospace, and Cobham MAL.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Amp Module Manages Multiple Cell BandsVisitors to the ANADIGICS booth (No. 3514) at the 2012 IMS can learn more about the model ALT6181. This multimode, multiband power amplifier (MMPA) module features separate single-ended amplifier chains for GSM/EDGE and WCDMA/LTE/CDMA2000 applications.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Visit IMS Booths And Win PrizesFor most visitors to the 2012 International Microwave Symposium (IMS), a passport is needed to enter Canada. But a different kind of passport can be used on the IMS exhibition floor to qualify for prize drawings.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Laird Offers EMI "Stoppers"Plagued by electromagnetic-interference (EMI) shielding issues? You can solve them with a visit to IMS booth No. 2308 and Emerson & Cuming Microwave Products. Recently acquired by Laird Technologies, Emerson & Cuming will be showcasing a trio of their most popular shielding solutions: ECCOSORB, ECCOSTOCK, and ECCOSHIELD.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Freescale Launches First GaN DeviceOne of the leading suppliers of high-power RF/microwave transistors and amplifiers based on silicon LDMOS technology, Freescale Semiconductor, has announced its first power amplifier based on gallium-nitride (GaN) device technology. Model AFG25HW355S is a 350-W device that delivers +56-dBm peak output power from 2.3 to 2.7 GHz with 50% efficiency.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Materials Solutions Form Multilayer CircuitsSubstrate materials are the foundations for RF/microwave circuits. Long-time supplier Rogers Corp. will be on hand at the 2012 IMS (booth No. 2902) with several high-performance materials, including their new 2929 bondply.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Connectors/Adapters Tolerate MisalignmentsMolex will be at the 2012 IMS displaying the fruits of its collaboration with Radiall, Inc.: its cost-effective SMP-MAX series of RF interconnections and adapters for board-to-board, module-to-module and panel-to-panel telecommunications applications. Visitors to booth No. 515 can see why these are among the fastest-growing connectors and adapters: because of their tolerance of misalignments.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
GaN Power Amplifier Boosts 225 To 1215 MHzIn an IMS exhibition floor noteworthy for its number of new GaN product announcements, RFMD showed its model RFHA1006 GaN power amplifier with high efficiency and flat gain across an instantaneous bandwidth of 225 to 1215 MHz. Suitable for continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed use, it is a good match for radar, wireless infrastructure, and two-way radios.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
GaN Transistors Power Satcom, RadarA new family of X-band power transistors from Cree, based on GaN high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) technology, promises to provide new levels of RF/microwave power density in radar and satellite-communications (satcom) systems. On display at the 2012 IMS, these are impedance-matched 50- and 100-W GaN power transistors, one of each for satcom and commercial radar applications.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Models Include Nonlinear EffectsDesigners working with the Advanced Design System (ADS) suite of software simulation tools from Agilent Technologies now can have a new set of device models at their fingertips, with the release of Modelithics COMPLETE Library 9.0 for ADS. This new release introduces more than 30 new scalable Global Models for surface-mount resistive-inductive-capacitive (RLC) components from leading suppliers, including products from American Technical Ceramics, AVX, Coilcraft, Murata, Temex Ceramics, Taiyo-Yuden, and TDK.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Smart Amp Monitors Operating ConditionsEngineers in search of small-volume power amplifiers may want to take a look at the model 1163 from Empower RF Systems. Based on silicon LDMOS technology, this is an example of a new generation of "smart" power amplifiers capable of maintaining constant bias current over temperature and other operating conditions by using microprocessor control.
June 19, 2012 by Jack Browne
Q&A: Inside TrackEditor-in-Chief Nancy Friedrich speaks to Raafat R. Mansour, 2012 Technical Program Chairperson for the International Microwave Symposium, about this year's Montreal venue, the student-paper competition, and other conference highlights.
May 1, 2012 by Nancy Friedrich
Show preview: Montreal Welcomes A Week Of MicrowavesThis year, the International Microwave Symposium will be celebrating the 60th year of the IEEE's Microwave Theory & Techniques Society (MTT-S). Aside from the IMS conference and exhibition, "Microwave Week" includes the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) Symposium and the Automatic RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) Conference. Find out more about the speakers, papers, and more that will drive this year's conferencesas well as some of the key product announcements from the show floor.
May 1, 2012 by Jack Browne
Feature: Surveying Significant New Products At IMSFor the US microwave and RF industry, many product releases and major announcements are timed for the International Microwave Symposium. Here is a sampling of some of the companies and product offerings that will be seen on this year's exhibit floor.
May 1, 2012 by Jack Browne
Editor's column: Montreal Not Ideal For All ExhibitorsIt's been a long time since IMS was held outside US borders. Technical Contributor Jack Browne looks forward to this year's IMS in Montreal, Canada, while wondering how the international location may affect the conference and exhibit.
May 1, 2012 by Jack Browne