Microwave Week Makes A Splash In Tampa Bay

To create a dialogue around the IoT and its enabling technologies, a special session will be held as part of this year’s conference. Of particular interest are the different machine-to-machine, peer-to-peer, and peer-to-machine interactions as well as their potential applications. Interest in the IoT topic stems from the increased technological and information-based abilities of modern devices—specifically, enhanced processing power, increased context awareness, and the hope of energy independence.

Another new session this year is a pilot aimed at attracting contributions and participation from professionals working on the RF/microwave side of complex, multi-disciplinary applications and systems. The focus will be tunable antennas and system front ends. Among the concepts that will be explored are advances in cellular communications using reconfigurable front ends and tunable antennas. The discussion also will cover analog/digital interference schemes as part of innovative RF interference-mitigation techniques.

Filling out the conference will be several workshops, panel sessions, and short courses. In addition, the focus topic sessions will dive into emerging technical topics that have ignited interest in the field. Among those topics are fifth-generation (5G) wireless, terahertz circuits, silicon solutions for biomedical applications, and phase-transition microwave switches.

The lunchtime panel sessions focus on tunable RF’s ability to meet data needs, social topics with engineering education, and graphene’s material potential. For compact learning at the short courses on Sunday and Friday, experts will cover subjects including multi-technology RF design flow, near-field probe tools, nonlinear circuit device modeling, and frequency-synthesizer design techniques. On Sunday, Monday, and Friday of Microwave Week, workshops will cover aspects ranging from inkjet printing to the next generation of multi-layer fabrication and techniques for handling interference.

Student Designs & Paper Competitions

Every year, the student design and paper competitions are among the highlights of the IMS educational program. Those competitions will take place on Tuesday of Microwave Week with the student-paper finalists giving poster presentations during the sessions. The finalists include student representatives from universities in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Taiwan, Germany, China, Israel, Sweden, Canada, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands, and Portugal. The topics covered range from power combiners and switches to 3D circuit extraction, baluns, and RF/microwave semiconductors.

This year marks the tenth year of the student design competitions. To celebrate, 11 different competitions will take place. Each student design competition is managed by a Technical Committee (TC) of the IEEE MTT. The TCs sponsoring the competitions range from high-sensitivity radar to wireless energy harvesting with a special education feature called, “Apps for MTT.”

These apps, which target smart handheld and mobile devices, will facilitate education involving key microwave principles and phenomena. By using the advanced visual interfaces of mobile devices and their enhanced computing power, the goal is to help promote computer-aided analysis and its role in the design of microwave circuits and components. This featured competition anticipates 10 to 15 teams from universities in the U.S. and Canada.

After RFIC and IMS conclude, ARFTG and WAMICON launch to provide an enhanced focus for the microwave community. ARFTG is an in-depth technical organization geared toward the RF/microwave test and measurement community. The conference encourages peer interaction between experts in test and measurement technology, who can collaborate on the latest industry challenges. In recent years, the ARFTG conference has expanded its offerings as the industry’s interests have grown. It now encompasses computer-aided design (CAD), metrology measurement, connector repeatability, nonlinear measurements, multi-port network analysis, and many other cutting-edge aspects of the field. In addition, the conference features a microwave measurement conference, measurement short course, and a free service for S-parameter measurement comparisons among different laboratories.

In response to the advanced multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary R&D aspects of RF/microwave wireless technology, WAMICON 2014 promises to address the latest cross-discipline challenges. This year, emerging RF/microwave technologies and wireless communications will be the main focuses. Researchers working with emerging technologies in the fields of biomedical applications, wireless sensing, energy harvesting, wireless power transfer, terahertz technologies, nano-devices, and circuits are specifically encouraged to contribute. For its part, the wireless-communications portions will spotlight developers on the bleeding edge in cognitive radio, advanced data networks, ultrawideband, multiple input multiple output (MIMO), multicarrier approaches, spread spectrum, channel characterization/modeling, and software-defined radios.

Taking A Peak With Test And Measurement

At IMS, the main attractions outside of the conference are the cutting-edge technology products showcased on the exhibition floor. Almost 600 companies from all over the globe will be featuring their latest products at this year’s show, including test and measurement equipment, design/simulation software, components, devices, and semiconductor products to meet every demand in the field.

The test and measurement industry, for example, will welcome a wealth of new releases and testing capabilities from companies like Aeroflex, Agilent, Anritsu, National Instruments, and Rohde & Schwarz. The new TM500 LTE-A Test Mobile and E500 Capacity Test System from Aeroflex, for example, support the aggregation of three component carriers (3 CC). Carrier aggregation of 3 CC allows mobile network operators to achieve data rates to 450 Mbit/s on their LTE-A networks. “The TM500 Test Mobile is the first commercial infrastructure test platform to offer 3 CC,” says Shusina Ngwa, product manager at Aeroflex. “Offering this capability at such an early stage is crucial to enable network performance to be tested and validated ahead of the availability of end-user terminals and handsets.”

Agilent Technologies is expected to be putting forth a lot of effort into rebranding its Electronic Measurement Group as Keysight Technologies. In terms of products, the firm is expanding its lower-profile product offerings by introducing the M9393A. This 27-GHz, PXIe vector signal analyzer delivers microwave measurement technology in a PXI form factor. It is suited to the manufacturing and design validation of transmitters and components for radar, military, satellite, and commercial wireless communications. Also on hand at the show will be Agilent’s’ FieldFox Handheld Analyzers, which have received an upgrade for radar installation and maintenance (I&M). As a result, the firm claims there is finally a viable alternative to expensive, lab-grade instruments that make time-consuming measurements.

To serve a wider audience, Anritsu is releasing a 70-kHz-to-145-GHz broadband vector network analyzer (VNA) system with a single-coax connection. Called the VectorStar ME7838D, it promises to give design engineers greater confidence when performing on-wafer device characterization at 70 GHz and beyond. By conducting a single sweep on a device over multiple RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave waveguide bands, it claims to enable engineers to more accurately characterize devices. As a result, engineers can create more accurate models and enjoy fewer design turns when devices are used in applications. Sample applications include 77-GHz car radar, E-band wireless communications, 94-GHz remote sensing and airport radar, and emerging applications beyond 110 GHz.

National Instruments will be showcasing capabilities ranging from power-amplifier (PA) design through test. A wide range of PA technologies will be demonstrated including envelope tracking and digital predistortion. The booth will feature solutions from AWR’s software environment as well as NI’s PXI measurement technology. Much of the attendee attention will likely go to the USRP RIO 2×2 MIMO software-defined radio (SDR), which will make its debut at the show. According to Farris Alhorr, SDR product manager at National Instruments, “Together, the NI LabVIEW software and NI USRP RIO compose an ideal platform for rapidly prototyping high-performance, multichannel wireless-communication systems like the 5G massive MIMO testbed being developed by Lund University in Sweden."

Attendees also should be sure to stop by the Rohde & Schwarz booth. It will be demonstrating how test and measurement instruments have evolved—from the world’s first vector network analyzer, which was introduced in 1950, to the new, at-this-point unannounced product launches slated for IMS. The firm also will offer demonstrations of group delay, envelope tracking, PA measurements, and other radar, satellite, and transmit-receive measurement setups.

When HFSS is combined with the new ANSYS SI Option, the company claims that it is possible to analyze the signal-integrity, power-integrity, and EMI issues caused by shrinking timing and noise margins in PCBs, electronic packages, connectors, and other complex electronic interconnects. The SI option was created to help HFSS handle the complexity of modern interconnect design from die to die across ICs, packages, connectors, and PCBs. As is always the goal with such software, the objective is for engineers to be able to understand the performance of high-speed electronic products long before building a prototype in hardware. According to Matt Commens, product manager at ANSYS, “It’s becoming increasingly important for our customers to be able to quickly analyze their full electromagnetic system and to be able to include in their simulations both circuit-level components and the highly accurate models simulated by HFSS.

For its part, AWR Corp.—a National Instruments Company—is highlighting release V11 of its NI AWR Design Environment. With this release, the Analyst 3D front-end-module (FEM) EM simulator introduces new antenna measurement capabilities as well as a ready-built 3D parts library of microwave connectors, coils, packages, antennas, and more. It also provides user-configurable 3D PCells for custom-parts library creation. According to Sherry Hess, VP marketing at AWR, “AWR’s V11 release of the NI AWR Design Environment emphasizes our commitment to enabling our customers to spend more time focused on their design challenges and less time on driving the software. The Analyst ready-built 3D parts library is a prime example of this commitment.”

At the CST booth, the focus will be on the release of the 2014 version of the EM simulation tool, CST Studio Suite. This edition promises to raise solver performance while increasing hybrid simulation capabilities without compromising usability. Improving meshing also was a major focus during this release’s development. Both the hexahedral and tetrahedral mesh have been enhanced to reduce cell count and help to discretize complex or low-quality CAD data. The simulation of complex systems also has been improved.

In addition, field-source coupling and multiphysics simulations can be set up automatically using the new System Assembly and Modeling (SAM) wizards. SAM allows different solvers to be combined in a single simulation project. Alternatively, it can be used to model complex systems one component at a time. CST software also plays a role in the new offering from Delcross Technologies, Savant Version 4.0. Savant is a high-frequency electromagnetic (EM) software aimed at analyzing the performance of antennas when they are installed on electrically large vehicles and platforms. In Savant Version 4, Delcross has teamed with CST to provide integration between the full-wave 3D EM solvers in CST Microwave Studio 2014 and the asymptotic EM solver in Savant V4. As a result, antenna designers can model and optimize an isolated antenna in CST MWS. They can then use the full-wave result in Savant to efficiently analyze the antenna’s performance when mounted on a vehicle, which may be thousands of wavelengths in size.

In addition, Delcross has added a uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) edge-diffraction ray capability to the Savant solver. It enhances the far-field analysis accuracy in directions that are shaded from direct illumination by the antenna. Multiple, complex platform CAD models also can be imported into Savant V4 or combined into subassemblies, which may be independently rotated or translated.

Another software partnership can be seen in Sonnet Software’s Blink. This multi-solver passive-device modeling suite operates entirely from within the Cadence Virtuoso environment. The multi-solver uses Sonnet’s traditional shielded Method of Moments (MoM) solver as well as a new fast solver. The new solver uses advanced algorithms to accelerate the device modeling process. As a result, the company claims that users can quickly characterize spiral inductors, baluns, transformers, MIM capacitors, interdigitated capacitors, and transmission lines for RF-integrated-circuit (RFIC) and mixed-signal-IC design.

Both solvers also operate with PDK-specific stackups, which can be customized for a specific implementation.

At the Empower RF booth, attendees can see live demonstrations of the firm’s 1-kW and 500-W high-power amplifiers. The new PAs come in reduced chassis sizes: 5U for the 1-kW unit and 3U for the 500-W unit. For its latest PA systems, the firm also is offering software for the real-time reporting of PA diagnostics as well as remote monitoring/control. Because the latest PA modules are packaged as building blocks, they can be combined to scale for different applications.

The most recent debut from JFW is an RF low-passive-intermodulation (low-PIM) attenuator. The 50FLP-XXX-100 fixed attenuator boasts a maximum PIM reading of -155 dBc (-165 dBc typical). It covers 698 to 2700 MHz and is available in values of 5, 6, 10, 20, and 30 dB. The 50FLP series handles average RF power to 100 W while maintaining accuracy of ±0.75 dB and a typical voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of 1.3:1. According to the firm, it expects this attenuator line to impact the LTE/DAS and cellular test markets, where there has been a lack of competition for several years.

At the Lake Shore Cryotronics booth, the company will be showing a 7-in. magnet version of its AC/DC Hall measurement system as well as an integrated system for terahertz materials characterization. The Model 8407 Hall effect measurement system features a 7-in. magnet for measuring mobilities at the low end of the DC-field measurement range (from 1 to 10⁶ cm²/V s). With the AC-field measurement added, the system is capable of measuring materials with extremely low mobilities (down to 10^-3/V s). Examples include photovoltaic (solar cell), thermoelectric, and organic electronic materials, which have electronic properties that can be difficult to measure with DC-field Hall methods.

The firm’s 8500 Series terahertz system is a fully integrated hardware/software platform for the characterization of electronic, magnetic, and chemical materials. The system uses non-contact, terahertz-frequency energy and an integrated low-temperature, high-field cryostat to measure material spectroscopic responses across a wide range of frequencies, temperatures, and field strengths. The system performs continuous-wave spectroscopic response measurements to derive key material properties, such as dielectric constant, dynamic conductivity, carrier scattering times and mobilities, vibrational resonances, and magnetic resonances.

Marki Microwave will display a host of mixers and other RF/microwave parts including the 300-kHz-to-36-GHz isolation balun. That balun provides conversions between balanced and unbalanced signals—primarily for device and system testing. It flaunts ±0.5 dB amplitude and ±3-deg. phase balance across the entire operating band. In addition, the two output ports are isolated from each other, making it insensitive to balanced-port termination and crosstalk between balanced ports. This new device nearly doubles the frequency range of available instrumentation baluns without increasing the low-end cutoff, which is so important for baseband data. In other words, it can operate with up to 40 Gb/s data streams. Additionally, its isolation makes it usable to extend a two port VNA to differential testing capabilities without additional attenuation.

At the TMD booth, a full set of power modules, amplifiers, power supplies, and fast-warm traveling wave tubs (TWTs) will be on display. The new solid-state microwave power module, PTS6900, covers 2 to 6 GHz while putting out 150 W. Leveraging the latest 0.25-µm GaN MMIC technology and low-loss power combiners, it is optimized for EW/ECM systems.

Vectron International will be spotlighting a microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) product, which incorporates a single-crystal silicon resonator that is Epi-sealed in a vacuum. The resonator is 1/3000th the mass of a comparable quartz resonator. Due to its size, it boasts high shock tolerance and low aging, making the device well suited for military munitions and harsh environmental applications. Vectron’s HT-MM900A Military Temperature MEMS oscillator can operate as a reference clock for demanding applications while withstanding shock of 30,000g, providing vibration resistance of 70g, and offering g-sensitivity of 0.1 ppb/g.

In addition, this MEMS oscillator can scale to smaller footprints and function with different supply voltages while operating from  -55° to 125°C with a low-g-sensitivity, 5-×-7-mm temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO). The TX-707 TCXO boasts g-sensitivity beyond 0.2 ppb/g standard with a 0.1-ppb/g option. It maintains ±1 ppm stability from -40° to +85°C.

From the student paper competition to a hospitality suite, transportation, and refreshments, Mini-Circuits is a very active IMS sponsor this year. At its booth, the firm will be highlighting a wide array of products including a programmable attenuator, RF switches, and a microwave amplifier. The RCDAT-6000-90 attenuator, for example, is either USB or Ethernet controlled with attenuation to 90 dB. With a step size of 0.25 dB, it can be switched at a rate of 650 ns while covering 1 MHz to 6 GHz. Leading the firm’s switch line is the JFW series of single-pull double-throw (SPDT) and single-pull six-throw (SP6T) RF switches. These switches have a single positive supply voltage with a medium power requirement to 35 dBmover a range of 10 MHz to 6 GHz.

Also on hand at Mini-Circuits will be the AVM-273HP+ three-stage balanced, wideband monolithic amplifier delivering power to 0.5 W. Operating from 13.0 to 26.5 GHz, it is designed using PHEMT technology and is unconditionally stable. The amplifier’s isolation enables it to be used as a wideband isolation amplifier or buffer amplifier in a variety of microwave systems including point-to-point radios, military EW and radar, Dr oppler beam sharpening, and VSAT.

Peregrine Semiconductor is debuting power limiters that it claims may replace GaAs-based PIN diodes. These 50-W UltraCMOS RF power limiters are the PE45140 (20 MHz to 2 GHz) and PE45450 (9 kHz to 6 GHz). By providing a monolithic alternative to discrete, PIN-diode limiters, they promise to serve test-and-measurement, land-mobile-radio, wireless-infrastructure, military, and radar systems. On a chip that is 8× smaller than the board space required by discrete, PIN-diode solutions, Peregrine claims that its new power limiters provide a 10× to 100× improvement in response and recovery time. In addition, they supposedly deliver an improvement in linearity (IP3) greater than 40 dB while offering a 20× improvement in electrostatic-discharge (ESD) protection. “Poised to replace GaAs-based PIN diodes, our new UltraCMOS RF power limiters will prove to be another example of UltraCMOS technology displacing GaAs in the marketplace,” says Duncan Pilgrim, Peregrine’s VP of marketing.

Among other components being highlighted at this year’s show will be the higher-frequency band-reject and cavity-comb line/interdigital bandpass filters from RLC Electronics. RLC’s notch filters, which cover 0.01 to 28 GHz, are characterized by having the reverse properties of bandpass filters.They boast typical insertion loss under 1.0 dB with VSWR below 1.5:1. For their part, the fixed-tuned bandpass filters are centered in the Ka band (26.5 to 40.0 GHz). They provide rejection carrying to 50 GHz. Both filter types are constructed to operate over the most severe military environmental conditions. 

Taking pride in its latest low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), Skyworks Inc. is featuring the SKY67150-396LF (300 to 2200 MHz) and SKY67153-396LF (700 to 3800 MHz) GaAs LNAs. The devices use Skyworks’ pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) enhancement-mode process in a compact 2-×-2-mm, 8-pin, dual flat no-lead package. The internal active-bias circuitry vows to provide stable performance over temperature and process variations. These LNAs also can externally adjust supply current.

Proof of the recent joining of RFMD and TriQuint can be seen in the joint design and sales support for a 5-GHz, IEEE 802.11a/n/ac-compliant wireless-local-area-network (WLAN) FEM from TriQuint. The TQP8080 combines an LNA with bypass mode and a PA with an integrated power detector through an SPDT transmit/receive (T/R) switch. The internally matched input and output work to ease design together with the CMOS-compatible control voltages. According to John Hamilton, director of Marketing of RFMW, “With all of the competition for front-end modules, TriQuint has raised the bar with their TPQ8080 WLAN FEM. The inclusion of a power detector for the 5-GHz PA, bypass mode for the LNA, and an SPDT switch is an 802.11ac FEM integrator’s dream come true.”