ISSUE DATE: NOVEMBER 2009  OPTIONS
Microwave Software

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November 2009 - In This Issue

[Cover Story]
Measure Group Delay Without Direct LO Access
Group delay that is well controlled in frequency-conversion components, such as mixers, is essential for many high-speed, highfrequency systems. It is critical for achieving low bit-error-rate (BER) performance in wireless and satellite communications receivers and for high target resolution in phased-array radar systems. The typical approach for measuring group delay requires access to the converter’s local oscillator (LO) signal. However, the LO is often...  — Gregory M. Bonaguide

[News]
Cables and Connectors Make Vital System Links
Cables and connectors work best when noticed least. Ideally, they should remain electrically invisible with minimal impact on system performance. Understanding a few simple performance parameters for each type of interconnection can help when searching for cables and connectors. Coaxial cables come in many forms, including flexible, semi-rigid, and handformable varieties. Many suppliers, such as ...  — Jack Browne

[News]
Microwave Software Covers More Of The Design Flow
High-frequency designs once were created with the help of many different computer-aided-design (CAD) tools—many lacking interfaces between them. Over the past decade, however, it has become possible for a microwave designer to step through design, layout, fabrication, and more as part of a continuous design flow. If that flow lacks any specialty, such as three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic (EM) simulation, it generally will offer an easy interface ...  — Nancy Friedrich

[News]
Making The Most Of Microwave Materials
Microwave materials provide the foundations for highfrequency circuits and packaging. Dielectric circuit materials, often referred to as laminates because of the added copper for etching transmission lines, have made progress in recent years in terms of consistency and stability as well as flexibility, with many suppliers offering a wide range of materials in support of designs from RF through millimeter-wave frequencies. High-frequency...  — Jack Browne

[News]
An Interview With Bob Van Buskirk
MWRF: RFMD is widely recognized as a manufacturer of gallium-arsenide (GaAs) compound semiconductors. At this year’s International Microwave Symposium (IMS) in Boston, MA, the company announced the availability of GaN foundry services. Why the move toward GaN? BV: Gallium nitride (GaN) is a revolutionary high-power compound-semiconductor technology that has been in development at RFMD for several years. GaN offers performance advantages not achievable with...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Design Features]
Simulating RF Tuned Stages
Assessing post-production- tuning (PPT) elements should be part of any RF worstcase circuit analysis (WCCA). Unfortunately, PPT elements are often omitted or incorrectly incorporated into an analysis, even though including such tuning elements into a computer-aidedengineering (CAE) model is often a simple task. Correctly accounting for PPT elements depends on the ability to define the PPT procedure and to mathematically define the relationships ...  — Steven M. Sandler

[Design Features]
Examine Balanced Twisted Bifilar Lines
Balanced twisted bifilar transmission lines have broad applications for any circuits in which impedance transformations are required. By using a vector network analyzer (VNA), it is possible to measure the characteristic impedance of these balanced transmission lines in order to design desired impedance transformations. Measurements with a VNA can be made by using a balancedunbalanced (balun) transformer that converts a balanced network to an unbalanced network. In...  — Antonio Alves Ferreira, Jr. , et al.

[Design Features]
Analyze BER Performance Of Wireless FSK Systems
Modern communication systems employ digital modulation for a variety of reasons, including improved immunity to noise and channel impairments as well as enhanced security compared to analog modulation. In addition, advances in very large-scale integration (VLSI) and digital signal processing (DSP) technology have made digital modulation more cost effective than analog transmission systems. Digital transmissions accommodate digital error-control...  — Hamood Shehab Hamid , et al.

[Design Features]
Configuring Software For WiMAX Testing
Manufacturing test requirements for Wi- MAX and wirelesslocal- area-net-work (WLAN) devices must be comprehensive yet flexible. Traditional test solutions consist of three independent elements: chipset control software from the integrated-circuit (IC) vendor, test equipment, and the test software (or test executive), which allows the execution of an automated test plan. To save test engineers time and effort, test equipment vendors have combined...  — Robin Irwin

[Product Technology]
Economy Analyzers Extend To 7.5 GHz
Signal analysis need not be expensive, as evidenced by the new CXA economy analyzers from Agilent Technologies. With two models offering frequency coverage of 9 kHz to 3.0 GHz (model N9000A-503) and 9 kHz to 7.5 GHz (model N9000A-507) for under $17,000, the CXA signal analyzers don’t scrimp on performance. They can be upgraded via software options for phase-noise, noise-figure, and vectorsignal- ...  — Jack Browne

[Product Technology]
MMICs Serve MM-Wave Systems
Microwave and millimeter- wave radios require a number of functions, including amplifiers, filters, and attenuators. To fuel those radio designs, Endwave Corp. has developed a line of monolithic-microwave-integrated- circuit (MMIC) components covering 7 to 38 GHz as well as 71 to 86 GHz. Based on the firm’s extensive design library, these MMIC components are available for a variety of functions, ...  — Jack Browne

[Product Technology]
DSA Attenuates 50 To 3000 MHz
Digital step attenuators (DSAs) are useful in applications where power levels must be adjusted precisely and quickly, such as in cellular communications base stations. Applying its unique silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology, Peregrine Semiconductor (www. psemi.com) has added to its high-performance line of DSAs with the model PE43204 2-b attenuator that is usable to 3 GHz. The DSA leverages the technology for outstanding linearity and wide ...  — Jack Browne

[Editorial]
Flexible Software For Hard Times
Many designs within these pages begin in software. More specifically, high-frequency designers now rely on software simulation tools to predict the performance of a design, or calculate the dimensions of transmission lines in a microstrip matching network, or create a high-quality-factor (Q) notch in a bandreject filter. Their software tools have evolved from home-grown code to more complex software “environments” combining circuit, system, electromagnetic (EM) ...  — Jack Browne

[Feedback]
Feedback
A Legends Nominee I would like to nominate Dr. Robert Page of the Naval Research Laboratory who made major contributions toward the initial invention of radar and the monopulse radar tracking technique. The invention patent No. 1,981,884, “System for Detecting Objects by Radio,” by Taylor, A. H., Hyland, L., and Young, L. C., of the Naval Research Laboratory was successful with a contribution by Page with his invention No. 2,512,673,...  — Various Readers

[The Front End]
Active RFIDs Are On The Rise
A (RFID) is responsible for an increasing percentage of the money spent in the RFID market. It will rise from 10 percent of the total RFID market this year to 24 percent in 2019, which translates into a $6.74-billion market. The term Active RFID incorporates many technologies including Real Time Locating Systems (RTLSs) and wireless (or ubiquitous) sensor networks. At the heart of such systems are ZigBee, RuBee, Ultra Wide Band (UWB), WiFi, and other...  — Dawn Hightower

[The Front End]
Scientists Demonstrate Wafer-Scale Graphene-On-Silicon Technology
MALIBU, CA HRL scientists have fabricated and demonstrated graphene- on-silicon field-effect transistors (FETs) at full wafer scale. This work is part of the Carbon Electronics for RF Applications (CERA) program, which is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and under the management of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center. CERA’s goal is to exploit the unique physical characteristics of graphene to create electronic...  — Dawn Hightower

[The Front End]
Bluetooth Low-Energy Data Transfer Takes Place
WINSTON-SALEM, NC—At ARM Techcon3 in Santa Clara, CA last month, Triad Semiconductor and Z-Focus Technology Group demonstrated the world’s first software-based, real-time Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data transfer. This demonstration was based on the BLE v0.9 prototyping specification. The firms wirelessly streamed real-time digitized signals from Triad’s Mocha development system to a PC display. The system consists of the Z-Focus BLE-ZTM single-mode BLE stack ...  — Dawn Hightower

[Financial News]
Alliance Transfers NXP’s T&D Team to Virage
NXP Semiconductors and Virage Logic Corp. have announced a strategic agreement that accelerates NXP’s move to high-performance mixed signal leadership and will broaden Virage Logic’s semiconductor IP portfolio. NXP will transfer a part of its advanced CMOS intellectual property rights and certain engineering talent and equipment to Virage Logic. This arrangement includes a long-term licensing and IP development relationship between the two companies,...  — Dawn Hightower

[Company News]
Company News
CONTRACTS AWR—Has announced that its Simulation Technology and Applied Research (STAAR) division has been awarded three grants for US government-sponsored research projects through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Two of the grants for FEM EM software development are from the US Department of Energy. One is focused on RF cavity design and the other on current modeling to enable the more rapid evaluation and...  — Dawn Hightower

[People]
People
Endwave Names Mikulsky President and CEO JOHN MIKULSKY has been named President and CEO by Endwave Corp.’s board of directors. He also has been appointed to the board of directors effective December 21. In his career at Endwave, which began in 1996, Mikulsky has held positions in marketing, business development, and product development. In 2005, he assumed the position as Chief Operating Officer. This past July, Mikulsky was appointed President and...  — Dawn Hightower

[Educational Meetings]
Educational Meetings
MEETINGS IEEE GLOBECOM 2009: Riding the Wave to Global Connectivity Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2009 (Honolulu, HI) Hilton, Hawaiian Village Hotel Contact: Heather Ann Sweeey, IEEE Communications Society, 3 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016 Phone: (212) 705-8938 E-mail: h.sweeney@comsoc.org For more information, visit: ...  — Dawn Hightower

[R&D Roundup]
Implantable Microsystem Records Neural Activity
To both understand neural functions and realize practical neural prostheses, most experts have concentrated on high-density arrays of silicon-based microelectrodes for recording neural activity in the central nervous system using a single channel. Recently, an implantable wireless microsystem that can simultaneously record neural activity on 64 channels was developed by Amir M. Sodagar, Gayatri E. Perlin, Ying Yao, Khalil Najafi, and Kensall D. Wise from the...  — Nancy Friedrich

[R&D Roundup]
Inkjet Printing Produces RFID Antenna
Desptie its popularity, radio-frequency identification’s (RFID’s) progress could be hampered by cost, reliability, the need for environmentally friendly materials, and the requirements put on tags by worldwide regulatory efforts. Such challenges could be easily conquered by the inkjet printing of antennas and matching networks on low-cost, paper-based materials. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Amin Rida, Li Yang, Rushi Vyas, and Manos M. Tentzeris have...  — Nancy Friedrich

[R&D Roundup]
Two-Sided Contacting Reduces RC Parasitics
At delft institute of Microsystems and Nanoelectronics (DIMES), RF/microwave silicon devices have been implemented in a process that allows two-sided contacting of the devices. Dubbed the back-wafer-contacted Silicon On Glass (SOG) Substrate Transfer Technology (STT), that process was developed at DIMES. Those implementations were reviewed by Lis K. Nanver, Hugo Schellevis, Tom L.M. Scholtes, Luigi La Spina, Gianpaolo Lorito, Francesco Sarubbi, Victor Gonda,...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Application Notes]
Wireless ICs Improve Communication
A wireless communication system’s performance is directly impacted by noise and the signal-tonoise ratio (SNR). As distance increases and the RF signal grows weaker, the SNR may become too small to allow effective communications. Compared to the solutions that are currently implemented in IEEE 802.11x wireless-localarea- networking (WLAN), Bluetooth, and ZigBee systems, RFaxis has developed a technology that promises to significantly improve the system noise ...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Application Notes]
Remove Jitter From Oscilloscope Measurements
DigitAl sAmpling oscilloscopes (DSOs) are used to perform picosecond pulse measurements. For these oscilloscopes, three major uncertainties exist: impulse response, vertical noise, and timing jitter. In an application note titled, “Removing Jitter From Picosecond Pulse Measurements,” Picosecond Pulse Labs discusses jitter in detail. It also describes a couple of methods that may be used to remove jitter from oscilloscope measurements. The note begins by...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Editor's Choice]
VNA Test Sets Measure 30 µs/point
With the low-end frequency of the MN469xB VectorStar 4-port test sets extended, these microwave multiport vector-network-analyzer (VNA) solutions can measure down to 70 kHz. They combine DC coverage and the wide-dynamic-range time-domain capability of a VNA, which makes them well suited for digital engineers who need to conduct signal-integrity measurements on passive, high-speed balanced transmission lines and connections. Two models are available in the MN469xB series....  — Nancy Friedrich

[Editor's Choice]
Compact PLL/Synthesizer Runs At 4240 MHz
Essentially, a new phase-locked loop (PLL)/synthesizer combines a voltagecontrolled oscillator (VCO) and a PLL in a package that is only slightly larger than a VCO alone. Dubbed the CPLL58- 4240-4240, this PLL/ synthesizer typically offers phase noise of -95 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from the carrier while delivering at least +3 dBm output power. The VCO draws 5 VDC while the PLL requires 3 VDC. The PLL/synthesizer usually provides second...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Editor's Choice]
Surface-Mount Switches Span 2 To 26 GHz
By leveraging a patented heterolithic microwave integrated circuit (HMIC) process, a family of broadband surface-mount switches promises to perform well even to 26 GHz. For example, the 1.5-x-2.2-mm chip-scale-packaged single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch, labeled the MASW-002103, achieves greater than 27 dB of isolation and exhibits less than 1 dB of insertion loss from 2 to 20 GHz. Its sibling, the single-pole, three-throw (SP3T) model MASW-003103, comes in a...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Editor's Choice]
125-W Power-Amplifier Module Endures Harsh Conditions
A new rugged RF amplifier module labeled the BBM2E4ALP covers 20 to 1000 MHz. To guarantee use in very extreme conditions, the 125-W amplifier is built within a ruggedized CNC-machined housing. At 1-dB gain compression, it delivers at least 80 W of output power with a minimum of 51 dB of gain. The BBM2E4ALP typically delivers 125 W of continuous-wave (CW) output power. It exhibits input return loss of 10 dB with a 10-dB noise figure. The amplifier features ...  — Nancy Friedrich

[Focus]
Power Amps Boost Multimode, Multiband Signals
 — Ashok Bindra

[Focus]
LVPECL Version Joins Miniature 2.5-V VCXO Series
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
2-GHz PA Targets WiFi And WiMAX Designs
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
TCXOs Cover 10 To 40 MHz
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Amplifier Keeps Noise To 0.75 dB
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
GPS Frequency-Reference Module Consumes Less Than 4 W
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
VNAs Characterize Supercomputer Cable Assemblies
 — Mike Resso

[Focus]
Data-Bus Connector Targets Satcom
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Microminiature-Packaged SSMC Connectors Perform To 12.4 GHz
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Lightweight Hermetic Connector Serves Mil/Aero Tasks
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
SFP+ Copper Cable Assemblies Extend To 10 m
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Surface-Mount Isolators/Circulators Shave Size And Insertion Loss
 — Ashok Bindra

[Focus]
Gain Horn Antennas Cover Bands To 40 GHz
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Inductors Boast 50 Q Rating At 250 MHz
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Bandpass Filter Tackles 7100-To-7300-MHz Passband
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Power Divider Covers EW Bands From 2 To 18 GHz
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Focus]
Antenna Reflector Boosts Satellite Signals
 — The Editors of Microwaves & RF

[Microwaves in Europe]
Wireless Chip And Test Breakthroughs Gather Pace
Technology joint ventures, distribution deals, and developments in test and measurement technology are strongly evident in Europe. In Hampshire, England, wireless test specialist Anite and mobile communications company LG Electronics jointly announced the successful verification of what they say is the industry’s first Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol-conformance test cases. The companies have made the results from their work available to the members of the ...  — Paul Whytock