Thousands of members of the high-frequency industry will gather in Atlanta, GA this June to catch up on the latest technology, product developments, and tall tales.
MICROWAVE WEEK has become a true meeting place for members of the highfrequency industry. Part continuing education, part product showcase, and part social networking, this week-long series of events is scheduled for the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA from June 15-20, 2008. Organized by members of the IEEE's Microwave Theory & Techniques Society (MTT-S), it includes the 2008 International Microwave Symposium (IMS), the 2008 radio-frequency-integrated-circuit (RFIC) Symposium, the 71st Automatic RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) Microwave Measurement Conference, and, of course, the MTT-S Exhibition with more than 400 companies representing product levels from devices through complete test systems and software. For the latest information on attending Microwave Week, visit www.ims2008.org and download the Program Book. For a quick look at the key technical events and products on display, read on.
The IMS technical program features 279 oral presentations covering everything from device technologies to measurement techniques, selected from a total of 762 submitted papers. A sum of 132 of those papers were also chosen for the Interactive Forum (formerly known as poster sessions). The technical program includes 38 workshops. In addition, the 2008 RFIC Symposium, scheduled for June 15-17, offers a focus on IC fabrication and design using commercial computeraided- engineering (CAE) tools, while the 71st ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference, set for Friday June 20, is an important event for the industry's test and measurement professionals. The ARFTG conference theme for Atlanta is "Network Analysis50 Years On."
The MTT-S Exhibition is as much a social gathering as an opportunity for industry companies to showcase their latest products. For specifiers, it is an opportunity to make invaluable contacts at each company of interest and for hands-on examination of the latest hardware, software, and test equipment with product managers nearby to explain details. The exhibitor list is impressive and includes companies from the smallest component manufacturers through the latest test-and-measurement equipment suppliers.
Among a number of new-product announcements in the component area, RFMD (www.rfmd.com), usually associated with RFICs, will be spotlighting its five single-junction circulators for wireless-infrastructure applications. The new circulator product family includes the models PC0882AG-21H, PC0940AG-21H, PC1843AG-21H, PC1960AG-21H, and PC2140AG-21H. To provide improvements in reliability and performance over existing circulators, these single-junction circulators are manufactured with samarium-cobalt (SmCo) magnets packaged in aluminum housings. For example, the PCxxxAG- 21H line of single-junction circulators is specifically designed to cover the five major cellular frequency bands from 869 to 2170 MHz. At the same time, it exhibits superior intermodulation distortion (IMD) performance ranging from 65 to 75 dBc at 2T x 37.5 W. Insertion loss is less than 0.2 dB for the family while isolation is more than 23 dB.
Analog Devices (www.analog.com) is debuting direct digital synthesizers (DDSs) and clocks and a phase-locked loop (PLL) with an integrated voltage- controlled oscillator (VCO). The AD9913, which targets portable and handheld equipment, integrates a lowpower DDS core that generates analog outputs to 100 MHz. The company also will be showing the ADF4360-9 PLL synthesizer, which is ideally suited for applications like system clock generation, test equipment, wireless LANs, and CATV equipment. Operating from 65 to 400 MHz with power-supply requirements from 3.0 to 3.4 V, the ADF4360-9 is an integrated integer-N synthesizer and VCO. It is fully pincompatible with the company's other integer-N PLL synthesizers and is supported by the ADIsimPLL design and simulation software.
Using a high-Q surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) design, a new oscillator from Vectron International (www.vectron.com) results in spurious-free phase jitter of less than 125 fs-rms. The VS-705 voltage- controlled SAW oscillator (VCSO) offers an expanded frequency range of 120 to 850 MHz in a 5.0 x 7.5 x 2.5 mm LCC package. It operates from a +3.3-V power supply. A +2.5-V power supply is slated to be available in the third quarter. The VCSO boasts 90 dBc of spurious suppression. It is available with differential LVDS or LVPECL outputs. The VS-705 is optimized for use in PLL circuits that require superior jitter filtering and a wider tuning range of 100 ppm APR. Examples include highspeed data-transmission applications like Synchronous Ethernet, Fibre Channel, traditional SONET/SDH optical networking, and high-clock-rate base stations. In addition, the new VSCO meets the needs of the latest generation of DACs and ADCs.
Anatech Electronics (www.anatechelectronics.com) will be showing its diverse lines of RF/microwave filters including bandpass, band-reject, lowpass, and highpass types. For example, one of the firm's latest developments is the model B9506 cavity bandpass filter for INMARSAT applications. With a center frequency of 1542 MHz and passband of 1524 to 1560 MHz, the filter has 0.7 dB or less insertion loss with less than 2.0:1 voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR). It measures just 3.7 x 2.5 x 2.3 in. with SMA female connectors and provides more than 90 dB rejection of out-of-band signals.
Mimix Broadband (www.mimixbroadband.com) will be highlighting products like the XL1010-QT low-noise amplifier (LNA), which offers highfrequency, broadband performance in a fully molded QFN package. This GaAs MMIC LNA, which covers 20 to 38 GHz, comes in a standard 3-x-3-mm QFN plastic package. The XL1010- QT delivers 3-dB noise figure and 17 dB small-signal gain. It is well suited for receiver applications that require broadband performance with simple bias requirements. The XL1010-QT also includes on-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structures and directcurrent (DC) bypass capacitors to ease implementation.
Endwave (www.endwave.com) recently announced two power amplifiers for Ku-band VSAT networks and Ks-band satellite communications (satcom) systems. The Ku-band amplifier provides at least 40 dB gain with 0.5 dB gain flatness and +37 dBm typical output power at 1-dB compression. It runs on 2.6 A at +15 VDC and has an output third-order intercept point of +47 dBm. The Ka-band amplifier offers at least 27 dB gain with +36 dBm typical output power at 1-dB compression and typical third-order intercept of +43 dBm. Although designed for transmit operation, the amplifiers feature noise figures of 4.5 dB maximum at Ku-band frequencies and 6 dB maximum at Ka-band frequencies. All units have a maximum VSWR of 2.0:1 without the use of RF input or RF output isolators.
MITEQ (www.miteq.com) will be showing its diverse lines of components and subassemblies for microwave and satcom systems including its new UWB and MOS lines of frequency synthesizers. The UWB series offers step sizes as small as 1 kHz across a total frequency range of 4.5 to 13.0 GHz with at least +13 dBm output power. The MOS line of multi-octave, low-noise synthesizers measures 5.0 x 8.0 x 1.25 in. with 1-kHz steps from 100 MHz to 20 GHz.
In addition to its extensive lines of passive components, Synergy Microwave Corp. (www.synergymwave.com) will offer insights into its low-noise tunable oscillators and frequency synthesizers including the MTS3000DS series of frequency synthesizers. Available with 1-Hz frequency resolution from 5 MHz to 6 GHz, programming is made simple by flexible interface options including I2C, SPI, RS232, andoptionally Ethernet interfaces.
Voltronics Corp. (www.voltronicscorp.com) will be showing its many lines of tuning components and trimmer capacitors including the chip-sized J series trimmer capacitors. Available with capacitance ranges as wide as 10 to 120 pF in a single component and self-resonant frequencies (SRFs) as high as 6 GHz, they are ideal for a wide range of frequency-tuning applications. For all models, the DC working voltage is 100 V and the DC withstanding voltage is 220 V. The temperature coefficients are as tight as 0 200 PPM/C.
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Passive Plus, Inc. (www.passiveplus.com) will be exhibiting both non-magnetic high-Q capacitors and design kits. The capacitors are available in six case sizes. The new 0.614-x-0.433- in. capacitor is operational to 9000 W VDC while the 0.760-x-0.760-in. version is operational to 10,000 W VDC. The company also will have on hand the 0.055-x-0.055-in. capacitor, which is operational to 300 W VDC; the 0.110-x-0.110-in. version operational to 1000 W VDC; a 0.225-x-0.225- in. operational to 5000 WVDC; and a 0.390-x-0.390-in. version operational to 7200 WVDC. This non-magnetic series is available in two dielectric styles: the P90 10 series or NPO 70 series. In addition, the company has introduced 18 high-Q capacitor design kits. They are available in two case sizes: the A case at 0.055 x 0.055 in. and the B case at 0.110 x 0.110 in. For the A-case kits, the DKDLC10A01 contains 16 values ranging from 0.1 through 2.0 pF. The DKDLC10A02 offers 16 values ranging from 1.0 through 10 pF while the DKDLC10A03 contains 16 values ranging from 10 through 100 pF. Among the B-case kits is the DKDLC10B01, which contains 16 values ranging from 0.1 through 2.0 pF. The DKDLC10B01 provides 16 values ranging from 1.0 through 10 pF. Lastly, the DKDLC10B02 offers 16 values ranging from 10 through 100 pF. All six kits also are available in non-magnetic and NPO versions.
Merrimac Industries (www.merrimacind.com) will be presenting a blend of traditional circuit technologies, such as stripline and microstrip, as well as components fabricated with its novel multilayer Multi-Mix Microtechnology solution. For example, the firm's new CRM-20-105 SMA coupler is a lumped-element design that operates from 10 to 200 MHz with 20-dB coupling, 0.4 dB maximum insertion loss, and 1.30:1 maximum VSWR. The company will also display several examples of filters and higher assemblies fabricated with Multi-Mix, an approach that can stack multiple layers of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrates, including with embedded active and passive components between layers, to create compact, three-dimensional designs in which the layers also serve as the package.
SCANNING SOFTWARE
Over the last decade, software announcements have become increasingly prevalent on the MTT-S exhibition floor. This year, CST (www.cst.com) will be using the venue to preview CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (MWS) 2009 (Fig. 1). CST MWS, which is integrated in CST STUDIO SUITE, is used for the simulation of high-frequency (HF) devices like antennas, filters, couplers, planar and multi-layer structures, and signal-integrity and EMC effects. Highlights of version 2009, which will be released in the last quarter of this year, include transient EM/circuit co-simulation using the recently acquired Linmic circuit-simulation technology, a Message Passing Interface (MPI) implementation for the fast solution of large problems on clusters, and the porting of the user interface to 64 b in order to handle the increasing complexity of imported models. The company also will be demonstrating the functionality and workflow options that will be implemented in CST STUDIO SUITE 2009. It will be enhanced by two new members: CST PCB STUDIO and CST CABLE STUDIO.
Applied Wave Research (www.awrcorp.com) will be showing its wide range of CAE tools including its Microwave Office 2007 design suite and Virtual System Simulator (VSS) software suite. Microwave Office features a single, object-oriented database that is inherently synchronized with schematic, simulation, and layout data so that a designer can take an idea from concept through simulation, and directly into physical implementation, all in one platform. The VSS suite simplifies the end-to-end design of communications systems. In addition, the firm recently announced design support within Microwave Office for the WIN PP15-10 high-frequency and high-power GaAs pHEMT MMIC process from foundry WIN Semiconductor (www.winfoundry.com).
Zeland Software (www.zeland.com) will be displaying its many EM simulation tools including IE3D, a full-wave, method-of-moments-based EM simulator that solves for the current distribution on three-dimensional (3D) and multilayer structures of general shape. The software is useful for the design and analysis of a wide range of high-frequency devices and structures including radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), monolithic-microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), and multilayer circuits based on low-temperaturecofired- ceramic (LTCC) technology.
Agilent Technologies (www.agilent.com) also will be touting software news that hails from its EEsof division. The company recently debuted the latest version of its RFIC simulation software, GoldenGate (Fig. 2). In RFIC design, transient (SPICE) simulations provide time-domain results. GoldenGate 4.2 features improvements to transient simulations, which result in faster speeds of 2x to 4x on single-core computers and typically 5x for quad-core computers. The transient improvements also help speed up the frequency-domain simulation process. Faster simulations allow for more extensive use of statistical design throughout the RFIC design cycle. Digital State Sweeping (DSS), a new GoldenGate 4.2 feature, provides an automated solution to the problem of sweeping an RF design through its many digital control states. DSS automates operational verification of the control states while providing interface and connectivity testing as well as digital-RF connectivity debugging. As a result, digital and RF teams can work concurrently. GoldenGate 4.2 also includes the ability to perform mixed-signal simulations on a combination of RF and digital circuits represented by Verilog-AMS blocks; new wireless sources from the Agilent Ptolemy simulator including transmit/receive waveforms for IEEE 802.11(WiFi) and 802.16 (WiMAX); and improved Monte Carlo algorithms.
Ansoft Corp. (www.ansoft.com) will be showing its wide array of CAE tools including the industry-standard, highfrequency- structure-simulator (HFSS) full-wave, EM simulation tool for analyzing arbitrary 3-D high-frequency structures. The firm also will offer demonstrations of its Ansoft Design suite of tools for RFIC design, Nexxim circuit simulation tool, and SIwave software for modeling the signal-integrity (SI) performance of high-speed digital circuits.
Sonnet Software (www.sonnetusa.com), which is celebrating its 25th year in the industry, will be highlighting EM analysis tools like its Sonnet Suites of planar EM tools. The Sonnet Suites can be used to create precision models of planar circuits and antennas based on S-, Y-, and Z-parameters or extracted SPICE models. The software uses an exacting method-of-moments (MoM) approach based on Maxwell's equations to analyze a circuit or structure by including all coupling, parasitic, and package resonance effects. The Sonnet booth is usually a big draw on the exhibition floor for its free copies of Sonnet Lite, which is a feature-limited version of the Sonnet Suites. A free copy can also be downloaded from the company's website.
MAKING MEASUREMENTS
The instruments on display at Rohde & Schwarz's booth (www.rohde-schwarz.com) will include the company's recently announced network analyzer with a four-port architecture up to 50 GHz. With two integrated sources, the R&S ZVA50 makes it possible to perform measurements on multiport and balanced components in this frequency range using a single instrument. The four-port architecture allows users to perform tests on balanced components, which are increasingly used for wired signal transmission at high data rates. The integrated coherent sources make it possible to measure linear and nonlinear devices under test (DUTs) using differential stimulus signals. The phase offset between the two signals can be selected by the user, thereby allowing active components to be analyzed under real conditions.
In addition, the second integrated source of the R&S ZVA50 eliminates the external generator that is usually required for intermodulation and mixer measurements. The R&S ZVA50 supports all conventional methods required for pulsed measurements in radar and satellite applications. A measurement bandwidth of 15 MHz combined with high sampling rates allows pulse profile measurements with a resolution of 12.5 ns. Other features include optimum values for dynamic range (130 dB), output power (+13 dBm), and measurement speed (3.5 s/point).
The radio communications analyzers from Anritsu Co. (www.anritsu.com) now test HSDPA high data rate and W-CDMA band XI. The HSDPA High Data Rate and W-CDMA Band XI test options for the MT8820B/MT8815B Radio Communication Analyzers help to create single-instrument solutions for testing next-generation high data rates and transmit/receive characteristics. Specifically, the HSDPA High Data Rate option (MX882000C-013) is designed to test the throughput of HSDPA terminals supporting the 3.6-Mb/s (category 6), 7.2-Mb/s (categories 7 and 8), and 14-Mb/s (category 10) classes. Both 3GPP W-CDMA Band XI options (MX882050C-008 and MX882030C-008) support W-CDMA Band XI in the call-processing mode. Designed for R&D environments, the MX882050C-008 is compatible with the company's W-CDMA Developer Test Suite (DTS) to conduct highly accurate RF tests. The MX882030C-008 works with Anritsu's applicable Manufacturer Test Suite (MTS), which can be used to make RF adjustments and RF parametric tests on mobile-terminal production lines. Covering 30 MHz to 2.7 GHz, a single MT8820B also can measure the major transmit and receive characteristics of 1xEV-DO, GSM/GPRS/ EGPRS, CDMA2000 1X (IS-2000), TDSCDMA, and PHS/ADVANCED PHS terminals. In addition, dual independent RF, AF, GPIB, and Ethernet connectors can be controlled separately.
Agilent Technologies (www.agilent.com) will offer a sampling of its extensive product lines including nonlinearvector- network-analyzer (NVNA) capability for its PNA-X microwave network analyzer from 10 MHz to 26.5 GHz. The Agilent NVNA software effectively converts a four-port PNA-X into a highperformance, nonlinear analyzer. The capability employs nonlinear scattering parameters called X-parameters and nonlinear pulse envelope domain capabilities. These features make it ideal for design and research work on active RF components. Data can be displayed in time, frequency, power, or user-defined custom domains, providing additional insight into the nonlinear behavior of components. The PNA-X microwave network analyzer is also available for traditional linear vector network analysis.
In addition, Agilent will offer demonstrations of new analysis capabilities for its PSA high-performance spectrum analyzer and mid-range model N9020A MXA signal analyzer. For example, analysis bandwidth for the 44- and 50-GHz PSA models will be extended to 80 MHz using a 14-b, 80-MHz-bandwidth digitizer. By using the PSA's builtin flexible digital modulation analysis or connecting to Agilent's 89600 series vector-signal-analysis (VSA) software, engineers should be able to easily analyze and troubleshoot a wider variety of complex digital-modulation formats. The added two-channel analog baseband analysis for the N9020A MXA signal analyzer will allow operators to use a single instrument for both baseband and RF analysis to 26.5 GHz.
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Using Tektronix, Inc.'s (www.tektronix.com) DPX waveform processor technology, the company's Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers (RTSAs) produce a Live RF spectrum display. This display vows to enable the discovery of transient events over the entire real-time bandwidth with a very high probability of intercept for transients. In addition, engineers can selectively trigger on timeand frequency-domain anomalies and acquire a time record of a span of RF frequencies into memory. To help engineers test digital RF devices during development, the company's RFXpress software delivers advanced capabilities to synthesize digitally modulated baseband, IF, and RF signals. Rounding out these offerings are the real-time oscilloscopes with ultrawideband (UWB) analysis software.
Giga-tronics, Inc. (www.gigatronics.com) will focus on three main product lines at this year's show: power meters, synthesizers, and switching. The company will be conducting live demonstration of the 2500 GTA with an electronic step attenuator from 10 MHz to 8 GHz. This signal generator boasts a highspeed frequency switching time of more than 200 s for 100-MHz steps as well as phase-noise performance below -110 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset at 10 GHz. It covers 100 kHz to 8, 20, 26.5, and 40 GHz. The company also will debut a 4-to-10-GHz wideband, low-noise synthesizer module.
WiMAX is a market of interest for many companies at this year's MTT-S including M/A-COM (www.macom.com). The company's low-cost, RoHScompliant, dual single-pole doublethrow (SPDT) switch die targets broadband applications that require high linearity, low insertion loss, and high isolation. With a 3.0-V bias, the MASW- 008206-000DIE switch is well suited for IEEE 802.11b/g applications. In addition, it was designed to have a low typical insertion loss of 0.7 dB at 2.4 GHz while achieving isolation of 28 dB and output power of 28 dBm at 1-dB compression. At 5.8 GHz, typical insertion loss is 0.9 dB with isolation of 25 dB and output power of +28 dBm at 1-dB compression. The MASW-008206- 000DIE is fabricated on a low-cost, 0.5-m gate-length, gallium-arsenide (GaAs) process. It features full passivity for increased reliability.
Another WiMAX-focused switch hails from Aeroflex Metelics, Inc.(www.aeroflex-metelics.com). Specifically, the company's new series of low-cost, surface- mount, PIN-diode switch elements target WiMAX, WiBro, WLAN, TDSCDMA, and other wireless-infrastructure markets. The MSWSS-020-040, MSWSH-020-030, and MSWSE-040-10 plastic devices are positioned for medium power levels up to 20 or 40 W. At 2.4 to 2.7 GHz, typical insertion loss for these switches ranges from 0.20 to 0.30 dB. Input return loss is typically 15 dB while isolation ranges from 11 to 50 dB. Where higher RF power handling is required, the MSWSH-100-30 with a metal heatsink can support up to 300 W. At 2.4 to 2.7 GHz, it typically offers 0.15-dB insertion loss, 20-dB input return loss, and 31-dB isolation.
Peregrine Semiconductor (www.psemi.com) will be exhibiting its PE42641 SP4T antenna tuning switch, which vows to enable tuning in mobile devices. The 50-O, 2.75-V RF switch operates from 100 to 3000 MHz. It delivers intermodulation-distortion (IMD) performance of 110 dBm or a third-order intercept point of +68 dBm. Harmonics are better than 80 dBc. The UltraCMOS silicon-on-sapphirebased switch offers typical insertion loss of 0.5 dB and 35 dB of isolation. In addition, the PE42641 incorporates the company's HaRP technology. It boasts Class 2 ESD (2 kV HBM) on all pins and Class 3 (4 kV HBM) at the antenna. On-board CMOS logic facilitates 1.8 or 2.75 V control. It also flaunts 4.5-O series ON resistance, no blocking capacitors, and fast switch settling time.
Among what will undoubtedly be a number of product launches from Dow-Key Microwave (www.dowkey.com), the company will be showing its latching lightweight waveguide switches. These switches are equipped with both indicator circuitry and transient-suppression diodes. Compared to previous generations, the WR62 weighs 46 percent less while the WR75 and WR90 weight 55 percent less. Overall dimensions also are slightly smaller while current draw has been slashed by 65 percent.
Aside from its usual run of NEC products, California Eastern Laboratories (www.cel.com) will be highlighting the fact that it has added another transceiver platform to its family of ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 radio modules. The Matrix module is based on the Texas Instruments' CC2430 transceiver platform. It is offered with two transmitter output-power options: 10 or 100 mW. These options provide enhanced range performance over standard IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee implementations with the integrated power amplifier. Long range is up to 2000 feet for the 10-mW option and up to 4000 feet for the 100-mW option.
A broadband power module will be announced by Polyfet RF Devices (www.polyfet.com). The MHCV01 was designed to fill the gap between discrete devices and power amplifiers in the market for amplified RF power. The resulting power modules essentially operate as voltage-controlled gain blocks that can be blanked on/off within 5 s. Specifically, the MHCV01 puts out more than 20 W saturated output power with over 30 dB gain across 20 to 1000 MHz with a nominal operating voltage of +28 VDC.
ETS-Lindgren (www.ets-lindgren.com) is announcing its LaserPro Field Probe for E-field measurements between 10 kHz and 1 GHz (Fig. 3). This probe's features include auto-ranging, a dynamic range of 2.0 to 800 V/m, and a small physical profile for minimal field perturbation with improved isotropy. The probe is available in either laser-powered or rechargeable-battery-powered versions. The model HI-6122 is the laser-powered probe while the model HI-6022 is the battery-powered probe supplied with rechargeable NiMH batteries. According to the company, these probe units are suitable for testing to the lower-frequency test requirements of MIL-STD-461E, DO160E, and EN/SAE automotive immunity requirements.
Infineon (www.infineon.com) will debut a family of LDMOS RF power transistors for GSM/EDGE applications in the 920-to-960- and 1805-to-1880- MHz frequency bands (Fig. 4). These transistors boast average output power of 50 W at 920 to 960 MHz and 45 W at 1805 to 1880 MHz. Their thermally enhanced, open-cavity plastic package has copper flanges with less than 10 microinches of gold plating. The transistors therefore simplify the soldering process. By eliminating the costly de-golding step from the PCB assembly process, they vow to provide significant savings.
A major LDMOS-transistor announcement also will be coming from NXP Semiconductors. (www.nxp.com) At MTT-S, the company will unveil the first prototypes of a base-station power transistor. This transistor will be the first of the company's products to feature the company's Gen7 LDMOS technology. That technology is optimized for high-power use and Doherty-amplifier applications. (Further advances in LDMOS technology from Freescale Semiconductor can be found in this issue on p. 142.)
Integra Technologies (www.integratech.com) will be showing recent additions to its product line including devices for avionics and both L-band and S-band radar. Recently, the company has been putting increased emphasis on the use of palletized amplifier modules. The availability of these 50-ohm matched pallets has increased threefold within the last year. It also is highlighting its LDMOS-based, 50-ohm miniature power-amplifier (MPAL) product line. Integra has committed to an internal GaN development program to augment the existing bipolar, VDMOS, and LDMOS chip technologies that it is already fabricating.
Continued on page 4Ciao Wireless (www.ciaowireless.com) will be featuring its gain slopedequalized amplifiers. These amplifiers target TWT drivers and subassemblies that require gain equalization/sloping to help offset cable loss-variation. Positive or negative gain equalization/sloping is available over the ultra-broadband ranges of 2.0 to 18.0 GHz, 6.0 to 18.0 GHz, and the typical tri-band frequencies that are common for satcom applications. The company offers from 2 to 20 dB of gain sloping/ equalization range with customized gain, output power up to +24 dBm, and noise-figure values.
Z-Communications, Inc. (www.zcomm.com) plans to launch its leadfree, RoHS-compliant oscillator in the 2496-to-2690-MHz band. Dubbed the CLV2593A-LF, it features phase-noise of 105 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz offset. The design offers harmonic suppression of -24 dBc with typical tuning sensitivity of 20 MHz/V. It is designed to operate at an 8-VDC supply while typically drawing 22 mA. The CLV2593A-LF measures 0.50 x 0.50 x 0.13 in.
RF Industries, Inc. (www.rfindustries.com) will be debuting a right-angle, N-male connector for limited-space installations. With standard connectors, the termination of high-performance/ low-loss RF cable in tight spaces can be a problem. To alleviate this problem, the company's RF Connectors division is providing a compact, right-angle, N-male connector for termination onto Times Microwave LMR-400, Andrew CNT- 400, Belden RF400, and Commscope WBC-400 cables.
Krytar (www.krytar.com) will be showing its 2-to-50-GHz and 1-to-40- GHz directional couplers. In the 2-to- 50-GHz range, the company offers the models 102050010 and 102050013 with coupling of 101.0 dB as well as the model 102050016 with coupling of 16 1.0 dB. Directivity is minimally 13 dB from 2.0 to 26.5 GHz and 10 dB from 26.5 to 50 GHz. The maximum VSWR at any port is 1.5:1 for 2.0 to 26.5 GHz and 1.8:1 for 26.5 to 50 GHz. Maximum insertion loss is 2.0/1.8/1.7 dB.
RFMW (www.rfmw.com) plans to showcase Sangshin Elecom's line-up of radiofrequencyidentification (RFID) filters. Sangshin has developed a complete line of monoblock filters for RFID applications. The filters are designed for US, European, Japanese, and Korean RFID applications. Because they have the same package size and footprint for all four frequencies, the filters allow for a single-board layout. Part number MBP33R912S06A, for example, has its center frequency at 912 MHz. Maximum insertion loss is 3.0 dB over its 3-MHz passband.
CTT, Inc. (www.cttinc.com) is targeting both commercial and electronicdefense applications with a digitally controlled, two-channel, intermediatefrequency (IF) conditioner subsystem (Fig. 5). As the first product in a family of VME-bus-compatible subsystem designs, the IF conditioner offers RF input power up to +5 dBm and maximum gain flatness of 1.0 dB at 775 to 1225 MHz and 3.0 dB at 750 to 1250 MHz. The subsystem flaunts a maximum noise figure of 10 dB and 0 to 40 dB attenuation control.
Package-specialist StratEdge (www.stratedge.com) will highlight its new family of small-outline, thermally enhanced molded ceramic packages for power semiconductors. These packages can be used for silicon, siliconcarbide, gallium-nitride, and other compound semiconductors in power-IC applications. Packages are available in various shapes, sizes, and lead counts. The G1010M-2C, for example, has a 0.100-in. 2 outline with a 0.030-x-0.055- in. die-attach area.
Teledyne Relays (www.teledyne.com) has released a series of DPDT ultra-miniature relays that deliver RF performance over a bandwidth from DC to 8 GHz. The RF312 exhibits high repeatability and is capable of transmitting signal integrity at up to 12-Gb/s data rates. The RF312 family also exhibits superior isolation between pole to pole. The new relays are available as through-hole (RF312) or surface-mount (GRF312).
K & L Microwave (www.klmicrowave.com) will be displaying a new line of digital tuners in addition to showcasing its extensive lines of microwave filters. The digital tuners include models with coverage of 30 to 76 MHz, 63 to 125 MHz, 125 to 250 MHz, and 250 to 500 MHz with less than 1.3-dB insertion loss within the operating bands and power-handling capability of 50 W CW. The bandpass-filter-based tuners feature 30/3-dB shape factors of 2.2:1 and 50/3-dB shape factors of 3.5:1.
American Technical Ceramics (www.atceramics.com) will be offering its 530L series of multilayer broadband capacitors with low insertion loss and low return loss for applications through 18 GHz. Ideal for broadband DC blocking, coupling, bypassing, and feedback applications, the multilayer capacitors are compatible with high-speed pickand- place machines. They are suitable for use from 16 kHz to 18 GHz.
Wireless Telecom Group Company Boonton Electronics (www.boonton.com) will be showing its new PIM 20 portable test system for passive-intermodulation- distortion measurements. The PIM 20, which is battery-powered and self-calibrating, generates two RF test signals at custom frequencies that can be set between +20 and +33 dBm to measure distortion products. It offers a sensitivity range of -80 to -155 dBc at 850 MHz and is built for outdoor use. It measures a mere 13.5 x 12.9 x 6.0 in. and weighs just 17.6 lbs.