Microwave engineers usually mark their calendars for at least one key event each year: the IEEE's Microwave Theory & Techniques Symposium (MTT-S). Also known as the International Microwave Symposium (IMS), the high-frequency meeting is scheduled for June 8-13, 2003 in the Philadelphia Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA). As part of a full week of technical sessions, the event also includes a three-day Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RF IC) Symposium (June 8-10) and a two-day Automatic RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) meeting (June 12-13) devoted to improved microwave measurement and calibration methods.

The theme of this year's event is "Liberty Through Microwaves." The IMS technical sessions run from June 10th through June 12th, with workshops and tutorial sessions scheduled for June 8th, 9th, and 13th. Tuesday's (June 10th) technical sessions include discussions on linearization techniques for high-power amplifiers, advances in high-power transistor technologies, novel modeling and computer-aided-design (CAD) techniques (including the use of neural networks and fuzzy logic), millimeter-wave monolithic IC technologies, microwave photonic devices, and the biological effects of microwaves and medical applications for RF technology.

Wednesday's (June 11th) technical sessions is strong on presentations for passive-component researchers, including discussions on planar technologies for filters and multiplexers, novel wave-guide structures, leakage effects in planar structures, and techniques for designing cavity filters and multiplexers. Additional sessions cover nonlinear device modeling techniques, power amplifiers (PAs) and devices for wireless applications, behavioral modeling for nonlinear devices and components, millimeter-wave signal generation and amplification software radios, Terahertz technologies, ICs for optical communications, and time-domain techniques.

Finally, Thursday wraps up the main technical sessions with several presentations of interest for those studying microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). For example, separate sessions explore MEMS techniques for tunable filters and resonators, future material technologies for RF MEMS, RF MEMS phase shifters and micromachined inductors, and modeling and packaging of RF MEMS components. Additional technical sessions detail microwave filter-synthesis techniques, superconducting filters, microwave and millimeter-wave sensor applications, low-noise components based on silicon (Si), gallium-arsenide (GaAs), and indium-phosphide (InP) technologies, advances in beam-steering and beam-forming arrays, spatial power-combining techniques, advanced millimeter-wave transceiver and source technology, ferroelectric and acoustic devices, and high-speed sampling circuits and techniques.

Philadelphia's MTT-S event features several workshops (on microwave filter design and microwave oscillator design) and a wide array of workshops. For example, Ferdo Ivanek has organized a Monday workshop on fixed broadband wireless applications entitled "Bridging the Last Mile: Technology Push Versus Market Pull in Fixed Broadband Wireless Access (BWA)," while that same day Sam Horowitz of Dupont (Wilmington, DE) offers views on ceramic packaging technologies with "Latest Advances in Ceramic Interconnect Technologies." Sunday workshops include an update on ultrawideband technology, "Ultrawideband: Theory and Implementation" by David Lovelace, "Recent Developments in Oscillator Design," organized by Steve Maas of Applied Wave Research (El Segundo, CA), and "Next Generation Transmitter Architecture and Design," organized by Ed Niehenke, formerly of Westinghouse (Baltimore, MD). More information on the MTT-S meeting in Philadelphia is available by visiting the IEEE's website at www.IEEE.org. In addition, what follows is a brief look at some of the new products expected to be on display from key MTT-S exhibitors.

Demodulator Enables IF-To-Baseband Conversion From 50 MHz To 1 GHz
The AD8348 high-performance broadband quadrature demodulator is designed to enable IF-to-baseband conversion from 50 MHz to 1 GHz. In addition to the demodulator, which includes a dual mixer core conversion and local-oscillator (LO) phase splitter, the AD8348 integrates a 45-dB linear-in-dB variable-gain amplifier (VGA) and single-ended to differential amplifiers for driving baseband ADCs. The AD8348 is optimized and suited for driving dual-channel, low-cost CMOS ADCs, such as ADI's AD9218.

With high linearity, good amplitude/phase balance, and 60-MHz demodulation bandwidth, the AD8348 enables most high-order modulation formats, including QAM, QPSK, and 8-PSK. This combination of performance, broadband operating frequency, and flexible device architecture makes the AD8348 suitable for a variety of wireless networking applications, including cellular infrastructure CDMA/WCDMA/GSM EDGE and high-capacity, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio links, WLAN, and wireless-local-loop equipment.

P&A: The AD8348 is available in a 28-lead TSSOP and is fully specified for use over the 40°C to +85°C temperature range. Samples are pre-production quantities are available for immediate shipment. The AD8348 is priced at $4.95 per unit in 10,000-piece quantities.

Analog Devices, Inc., 804 Woburn St., Wilmington, MA 01887; (800) 262-5643, FAX: (781) 937-1021, Internet: www.analog.com.