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December 2008 |
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Electro-Mechanical Broadband RF Switch.
• Single-Stage Driver Amplifier
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Quad-Band EDGE Radio Solution
• Modeling
3G / WCDMA / HSDPA
• Composite Filters
• Integration of Waveguide
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Coaxial Components
• Antennas Needed
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 Frequency Synthesizer
The LX-2400 Series operates at fixed frequencies between 2400 and 2480 MHz, supporting RF Ablation Probes for use in minimally-invasive cancer treatment systems inside hospital operating rooms. It is available with outputs of 0 to +10 dBm.
 Ultra Low Noise Amplifier
Model ZX60-0916LN+ boasts a noise figure of only 0.55 dB while delivering 18 dB gain and a high output power of up to 16.5 dBm. Ultra reliable and packaged in a rugged patented Unibody housing using SMA connectors, it covers the frequency range of 824 to 960 MHz.
 Custom Switch Matrix
This DC to 6 GHz multifunctional WiMAX custom matrix is compact and designed with instrumentation to the DUT ports that are synthesized to customers’ RF configuration. It has a total of two DUT ports, six instrument ports, and six auxiliary ports.
 Transmit/Receive Modules
The new R5764TX-10d transmitter and R5764RX receiver modules enable super wide band, high speed data links including uncompressed HDTV transmission, and works over a short distance (10M). They are housed in a fully integrated miniature 81 pin BGA package smaller than a U.S. dime (10 x 10 x 4mm).
 Dual Directional Coupler
This patented design provides continuous 10 to 500 MHz bandwidth, 100W CW power handling, at 40 dB coupling. Available with all SMA connectors, this low loss design (Model C8155-102) provides superior performance throughout the entire bandwidth.
 Thermocouple Power Sensors
New thermocouple power sensors offer industry-leading dynamic range in average-power measurements. As a replacement for the 8480 Series, they cover a power range of –35 to +20 dBm and span a frequency range of 100 kHz to 33 GHz (model dependent).
 Ultra Low Phase Noise VCO
New model CRO3544A-LF in S-band operates at 3539 to 3549 MHz with a tuning voltage range of 0.5 to 4.5 Vdc. This VCO features a typical phase noise of -111 dBc/Hz @ 10 KHz offset and a typical tuning sensitivity of 7 MHz/V.
 WiMAX Amplifier
A new 3.3 to 3.8 GHz 20W average power doherty amplifier using GaN technology and designed for use in WiMAX applications has been released. It features a typical gain of 32 dB (+/-1.5 dB) over this range and achieves <2.5% EVM when operating up to rated power with >20% DC efficiency.
 Reference Oscillators
The Phase-Locked Crystal Oscillator (PLXO) Series is a great companion to high frequency synthesizers requiring reference oscillators from 5 to 420 MHz. The units are ideal for VSAT radios, test equipment, military, and other applications.
 Broadband Solid-State Switch
This solid-state non-reflective RF switch features a frequency range of 1 MHz to 4.2 GHz. Model PS-4.2/2S-5V-TTL-R has a switching speed of <100 nS and the isolation is >50 dB at 4.2 GHz. Insertion loss is 4.0 dB maximum. Temperature range is 0 to +70ºC.
 QFN Packaged Receiver
A new 10 to 16 GHz GaAs pHEMT SMT packaged receiver integrates a low noise amplifier, image reject mixer and LO buffer amplifier within a fully molded 4x4mm QFN package. This RoHS compliant receiver has a noise figure of 2.5 dB and conversion gain of 12 dB.
 Custom SMH Isolators
Encouraged by market interest in the SMH range of surface mount circulators, originally developed for Avionics Radio Altimeter applications, the company has now expanded this offering to include custom SMH isolators with low loss, low IMD, and wide temperature stability.
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August 2008
USB Instrumentation
Comes of Age
By Richard Hawkins,
President
LadyBug Technologies LLC
I t’s startling to consider that 43 years have passed since Intel co-founder Gordon Moore enunciated what was to become known as “Moore’s Law”: that henceforth, the number of transistors on a chip would double approximately every two years.
In a testament to Dr. Moore’s foresight, engineers today remain preoccupied with processes that can yield better and faster performance, in an ever-smaller package, at a lower price. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of test equipment, where a technology shift is under way.
USB: Changing the Face of Test
Today, Universal Serial Bus (USB) test instruments might be seen as a manifestation of Moore’s Law: they leverage the best aspects of both test equipment and PCs, respectively, by placing measurement technology in the USB instrument, while reserving the data computing and processing functions for the personal computer.
To illustrate: prior to the advent of USB power meters, engineers would typically employ a standalone power meter and a selection of sensors, depending on the frequency and type of measurement desired. The smallest power meters occupied at least one rack height in a typical system cabinet, with associated costs of between $3,000 and $7,000 for the power meter and an additional $2,000 to $3,000 for the power sensors.
And, if the engineer wanted to automate his/her measurements, in addition to the above components the test setup also required a PC or UNIX machine as the system controller.
In contrast, today’s USB power meters combine the base unit and the sensor into one compact package that is, by itself, often smaller than older power sensors that attached to standalone power meters. These new units exceed the performance attributes of older “box” meters, require no incremental rack space, and represent a dramatic cost savings. Price tags are typically 50 to 80 percent lower than those of older, standalone products.
Smaller, Faster, Cheaper — and More Sophisticated
Smaller, cheaper measurement packages tell only part of the story, however. The advanced architecture offered by some of today’s USB power meters enables a few brands in this space to deliver significantly faster measurement speeds, a greater variety of measurements, and simply more useful data — all in a miniaturized, more rugged package.
For example: LadyBug Technologies markets a line of pocket-sized USB power meter sensors that require no “zeroing” or calibration whatsoever prior to each use. This “no-zero, no-cal” feature — unique among LadyBug’s field of competitors — represents a big improvement in the working life of the test engineer or technician. It means that the time-consuming chores of disconnecting sensors from a DUT and performing zeroing as well as calibration are gone.
Our products can provide not only CW power measurements, but also average pulse power, peak pulse power, duty cycles, peak-to-average power ratio, and sophisticated time-domain analysis. This broad capability range is offered by a unit that fits in the palm of the hand, costs approximately one-third as much as older meter sensor setups, and provides measurements in milliseconds.
With some LadyBug units capable of measurement speeds of 2,000 settled readings per second, these new USB packages hold the promise of measuring options extending well beyond the power category. A host of more sophisticated real-time measurements will inevitably become available: active and passive multi-port S-parameter scalar measurements; mixer measurements; gain compression, and so on.
In the traditionally conservative world of test equipment, USB instrumentation represents nothing less than a complete technology shift, with customers being the primary beneficiaries. We predict that the popularity and deployment of USB packages will grow exponentially in the next few years, and that they will change the size, look, and feel of test equipment for many years to come. Gordon Moore’s 1965 vision of ever-greater capability in smaller packages has broadened to encompass test and measurement, to the great benefit of those who work in this specialized, vital field.
LadyBug Technologies LLC
TXTLINX.COM 66
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