JULY2008
ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE:
www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
CABLES AND CONNECTORS
PRODUCT SUPPLEMENT:
“INTERCONNECTIONS”
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Software Aids in Design and Analysis of Tunable Circuits
How to Build a Microwave Synthesizer—Part 3
Technology Report—Digital Broadcasting Update
Tutorial—Standards-Based Power Measurements
Featured Products—Amplifiers, Resistive Products
Online Edition
JUMP DIRECTLY TO THE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
JUMP DIRECTLY TO THE
ADVERTISER INDEX
Copyright © 2007 Summit Technical Media, LLC
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FREQ.
COUPLING FLATNESS INSERTION LOSS DIRECTIVITY
(dB)
(±dB)
(dB, Max.)
(dB, Typ.)
VSWR
(Max.)
PRI.
SEC.
LINE
LINE
POWER
(Watts, Max.)
AVG.
AVG.
FORWARD REVERSE
FREQ.
(GHz)
MODEL
NUMBER
0.5–1
CD-501-102-10S
CD-501-102-20S
CD-501-102-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.8
0.25
0.2
20
20
20
1.2:1
1.2:1
1.2:1
1.2:1
1.2:1
1.2:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
3
3
3
1–2
CD-102-202-10S
CD-102-202-20S
CD-102-202-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.8
0.25
0.2
20
20
20
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
3
3
3
2–4
CD-202-402-10S
CD-202-402-20S
CD-202-402-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.8
0.2
0.2
20
20
20
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
3
3
3
2.6–5.2 CD-262-522-10S
CD-262-522-20S
CD-262-522-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
1
0.5
0.3
20
20
20
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
1.25:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
3
3
3
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
1
0.75
0.75
1
0.4
0.25
16
20
20
1.4:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.4:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
3
3
3
7–12.4 CD-702-1242-6S
CD-702-1242-10S
CD-702-1242-20S
CD-702-1242-30S
6 ±1.25
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
2
1
0.35
0.3
17
17
17
17
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
1.3:1
50
50
50
50
5
5
50
50
3
3
3
3
7.5–16 CD-752-163-10S
CD-752-163-20S
CD-752-163-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
0.75
0.75
0.75
1.2
0.55
0.5
15
15
15
1.35:1
1.35:1
1.35:1
1.35:1
1.35:1
1.35:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
2
2
2
12.4–18 CD-1242-183-10S
CD-1242-183-20S
CD-1242-183-30S
10 ±1.25
20 ±1.25
30 ±1.25
1
0.75
0.5
1.2
0.55
0.5
12
15
15
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
1
1
1
10 ±1.5
20 ±1.5
30 ±1.5
1
0.8
0.5
1
0.8
0.6
15
15
15
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
1.5:1
50
50
50
5
50
50
1
1
1
4–8
1–10
CD-402-802-10S
CD-402-802-20S
CD-402-802-30S
CD-102-103-10S
CD-102-103-20S
CD-102-103-30S
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ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE AT:
JULY2008
www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
Vol. 7 No. 7
You can view this issue page-by-page, or click on any of
the articles or columns in the Table of Contents below
18
54
62
synthesizer design
tunable circuits
tutorial
Building a Microwave
Frequency Synthesizer–Part 3: From Sketch to
Product
Software Enhances the
Design and Analysis of
Tunable Circuits
Manufacturers’ Efforts
Simplify Power
Measurement for
Specific Standards
Dale D. Henkes
Gary Breed
Alexander Chenakin
48
product coverage
Featured Products
46
technology report
66
product coverage
New Products
Digital Broadcasting
Update: Changes are
On Track
INTERCONNECTIONS Special Product Supplement
S1
S6
interconnections
interconnections
Industry News and
New Products
Determining the CW
Power Rating of
Coaxial Components
Andrew Wierback
72
design notes
Reader Feedback
Regular Columns
6 Editorial
12 In the News
71 Advertiser Index
8 Meetings & Events
66 New Products
72 Design Notes
July 2008
5
EDITORIAL
Editorial Director
Gary Breed
gary@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 608-437-9800
Fax: 608-437-9801
Publisher
Scott Spencer
scott@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 603-472-8261
Fax: 603-471-0716
Some Comments in
Praise of Industrial
Applications
Associate Publisher
Tim Burkhard
tim@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 707-544-9977
Fax: 707-544-9375
Associate Editor
Katie Landmark
katie@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 608-437-9800
Fax: 608-437-9801
Business Office
High Frequency Electronics
7 Colby Court, Suite 7-436
Bedford, NH 03110
Editorial and Production Office
High Frequency Electronics
104 S. Grove Street
Mount Horeb,WI 53572
Also Published Online at
www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
Subscriptions
Sue Ackerman
Tel: 651-292-0629
Fax: 651-292-1517
circulation@highfrequencyelectronics.com
High Frequency Electronics (USPS 024-316) is
published monthly by Summit Technical Media,
LLC, 3 Hawk Dr., Bedford, NH 03110. Vol. 7 No. 7,
July 2008. Periodicals Postage Paid at
Manchester, NH and at additional mailing
offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to High
Frequency Electronics, PO Box 10621, Bedford,
NH 03110-0621.
Subscriptions are free to qualified technical and
management personnel involved in the design,
manufacture and distribution of electronic
equipment and systems at high frequencies.
Copyright © 2008, Summit Technical Media, LLC
6
High Frequency Electronics
Gary Breed
Editorial Director
O
ne of the less-visible areas of high frequency
technology is the realm of industry, which has
many uses for RF power, sensors, controls and
measurements. While most of us are aware that this
family of applications exists, it is a subject rarely covered by news media intended for the general public.
Industrial RF power applications have been around
for a long time. I learned about them while still in college; I got to know a local electronics technician whose
job was maintaining the RF heating equipment used to cure glue at a
piano factory. He also informed me that some of the wood they used was
dried with RF heating rather than a conventional kiln. This personal introduction certainly raised my awareness of industrial RF.
It is interesting to note that current engineered wood products such as
plywood, particleboard and waferboard continue to use RF heating to
quickly cure the glues and resins that bind the wood fibers together. The
same basic technique is also used to enable the leading edge of solid-state
technology—curing the adhesives that attach thin silicon wafers to a supporting substrate. The thinned wafers are required to improve performance, since silicon is not an optimum dielectric for high frequency/high
speed integrated circuits.
Another recent RF heating application is killing parasitic microbes and
insects in some vegetables, fruits and nuts to avoid spreading infestation
and for reducing harmful bacteria and other pathogens. Many of these
techniques are still being studied, but RF techniques are already replacing
some chemical insecticides that are difficult to wash off and must have the
residue collected and disposed of properly. The new RF techniques are
being used both for food processing and for treatment of seed stocks.
Also in the biological realm is a potential future application in biofuels.
You may have read about switchgrass as an alternative to corn for making
ethanol. Recent technical papers show that using RF heating during the
pre-treatment stages significantly accelerates the process of breaking
down switchgrass’ more complex sugars and cellulose compounds.
A medical application that uses common industrial heating technology
has gotten coverage in the general news media. John Kansius combined his
ham radio-based understanding of RF with recent nanotechnology develop-
ments to create a potential treatment for cancer. Conductive
nanoparticles absorb much more
RF energy than tissue, and the
nanoparticles can be designed so
they bind to cancer cells in much
greater numbers than elsewhere in
the body. This allows localized concentration of ordinary ISM band RF
heating power, raising the temperature of the cancer growth to a lethal
level. Clinical trials are being developed to test this treatment.
Another major current use of
RF power is in metal deposition
(sputtering). All those flat-screen
glass panels for computers and
television require metallization,
deposited with equipment that
uses RF to vaporize the metal. The
coating that limits light transmission through insulating glass is
delivered in the same way.
Sensors and Controls
It’s not just power—among
other applications of RF/microwave
energy in industry are sensors.
Using techniques related to radar,
sonar and ultrasonics, sensors have
been in use for many years to monitor fluids, gases and vibration. The
most entertaining application I
learned about some years ago was
monitoring the density of corn
flakes in air as they were blown
through ductwork at a breakfast
cereal factory. Perhaps this is still
the way they are transported!
Today, we have sensors for fluid
levels in storage tanks, mm-wave
radar to position objects for fabrication, and many other functions that
control or monitor industrial processes. The newest technique is
wireless networking of these sensors with their associated machine
control, material handling and
inventory control systems.
The factory floor is an excellent
place for real-time networking.
Process control, quality management, retooling, and all the other
typical activities in a manufacturing plant benefit from fast, flexible
communications and control systems. WLAN, ZigBee and IEEE
802.15, as well as proprietary systems, are being used to carry the
data and control.
The list of other industrial uses
is quite lengthy. For example, I
haven’t even mentioned analytical
uses such as materials research
and inspection of bonds and layers
that go well beyond typical sensor
technologies. Hopefully, I’ve made
it clear that industrial use of high
frequency technology is an important growth area, despite its lack of
publicity.
AMPS TO
20 GHz
Teledyne Cougar continues to
expand performance and
frequency options, so you have
the right amplifier for any design
or application. Frequencies to 20
GHz, high power options and the
performance you need make our
amplifiers the only choice.
Cougar is the choice for all of
your amplifier needs.
Freq.
Range
(GHz)
Model
A3CP7029
ACP8017
A2CP11039
ACP12019
A2CP14639
ACP16025
ACP18015
A2CP18225
ACP20015
ACP20215
3.0-7.0
3.0-8.0
5.0-11.0
6.0-12.0
6.0-14.0
8.0-16.0
8.0-18.0
10.0-18.0
2.0-20.0
2.0-20.0
Small Signal Noise Power Output Intercept
D.C.
Gain
Figure at 1dB Comp. Point 3rd/2nd Volts mA
(dB) Typ. (dB) Typ. (dBm) Typ.
(dBm) Typ. Nom. Typ.
27.5
11.5
12.0
10.5
11.0
7.5
9.2
15.0
10.0
20.0
3.6
4.2
4.0
4.1
4.0
4.3
4.0
4.5
4.5
4.8
27.5
21.5
33.0
28.0
33.0
29.0
15.5
25.5
16.0
18.0
33.5/51
31/48
42/57
39/52
42/57
42/65
23/31
35/44
26/29
28/45
12
12
15
10
15
12
5
12
5
5
425
125
1500
210
1500
253
63
325
76
156
Typical and guaranteed specifications vary versus frequency; see detailed data sheets for specification variations.
Teledyne Cougar is your one-stop source for reliable RF and Microwave amplifiers,
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Request 2008/09
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MEETINGS & EVENTS
CONFERENCES
August 18-22, 2008
IEEE EMC Symposium
Detroit, MI
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.emc2008.org
September 8-11, 2008
SDR Forum’s 60th General Meeting
Boston, MA
Information: SDR Forum Web site
http://www.sdrforum.org
September 10-12, 2008
IEEE 2008 International Conference on Ultra-Wideband
Hannover, Germany
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.icuwb2008.org
September 25-26, 2008
2008 Antenna Systems Conference
Austin, TX
Information: Webcom Communications
http://www.infowebcom.com
September 30 - October 2, 2008
34th RF & HYPER Europe 2008
Paris-Nord Villepinte, France
Information: Conference Web site
http://rfhyper.com/eng/presentation.html
September 30 - October 2, 2008
WiMAX World Americas 2008
Chicago, IL
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.wimaxworld.com
October 27-30, 2008
ISAP 2008—International Symposium on Antennas and
Propagation
Taipei, Taiwan
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.isap08.org
October 27-31, 2008
European Microwave Week 2008
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
European Microwave Conference, European Wireless
Technology Conference, European Radar Conference,
European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.eumweek.com
November 4-6, 2008
WCA International Symposium and Expo
San Jose, CA
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.wcai.com
8
High Frequency Electronics
November 16-21, 2008
30th Annual Symposium of the Antenna Measurement
Techniques Association (AMTA 2008)
Boston, MA
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.amta2008.org
November 17-19, 2008
MILCOM 2008—Military Communications Conference
San Diego, CA
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.milcom.org
SHORT COURSES
ULCA Extension
10995 Le Contea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1333
Tel: 310-825-3344; Fax: 310-206-2815
http://uclaextension.edu/short
Introduction to Error-Control Coding
July 21-22, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
Ultra-Wideband System Design
July 21-22, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) Codes
July 23-25, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
FPGAs for DSP and Communications
July 28-31, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
Multimedia Communications and Networking
August 4-5, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
High-Speed Digital Design and PCB Layout
August 4-6, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
EMI/EMC for the Design Engineer
August 7-8, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
Besser Associates
201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 115
Mountain View, CA 94040
Tel: 650-949-3300; Fax: 650-949-4400
E-mail: info@besserassociates.com
http://www.besserassociates.com
Applied RF Techniques I
August 11-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
Frequency Synthesis and Phase-Locked Loop Design
August 11-13, 2008, San Jose, CA
Advanced Wireless and Microwave Techniques
August 11-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
Ultra Linear High Efficiency Power Amplifier Design
August 11-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
WiMAX Broadband Wireless Access
August 11-13, 2008, San Jose, CA
Digital Wireless Audio Systems: Technology and
Solutions
August 11-13, 2008, San Jose, CA
Wireless Transceiver Design Techniques
August 11-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
Engineering UHF RFID Systems
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Small Signal Gain
dB
500 MHz
13.0
Flat Gain Response
dB
P1dB
Output Power at 1 dB Compression
dBm
500 MHz
+/-0.4
500 MHz
19.5
IP3
Third Order intercept Point
dBm
CSO
79Ch., Flat Tilt, 28 dBmV
dBc
-66
40
CTB
79Ch., Flat Tilt, 28 dBmV
dBc
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79Ch., Flat Tilt, 28 dBmV
dBc
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Input Return Loss
dB
50 MHz to 1000 MHz
ORL
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dB
50 MHz to 1000 MHz
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)RUFXVWRPHUVHUYLFHFRQWDFW5)0'DW([WRUFXVWRPHUVHUYLFH#UIPGFRP
7KRUQGLNH5RDG*UHHQVERUR1RUWK&DUROLQD86$f3KRQHf)D[
RFMD ® LVDWUDGHPDUNRI5)0'//&$OORWKHUWUDGHQDPHVWUDGHPDUNVDQGUHJLVWHUHGWUDGHPDUNVDUHWKHSURSHUW\RIWKHLU
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18
MEETINGS & EVENTS
August 11-12, 2008, San Jose, CA
Signal Processing for Wireless Communications
August 12-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
Bluetooth: Operation and Use
August 13-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
EMC and Signal Integrity Design Strategies
August 13-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
Wideband/HF Amplifier Design Techniques
August 13-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
High-Speed Bipolar/Bicmos Design for Mixed-Signal
Circuits
August 14-15, 2008, San Jose, CA
RF Measurements: Principles & Demonstration
Auguust 18-22, 2008, Sunnyvale, CA
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Building One
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO
Tel: 303-497-4500
Fax: 303-497-5208
E-mail: wmcbride@boulder.nist.gov
http://www.boulder.nist.gov/div818/81802/
AntennaMeasTheoryApp/index.html
Antenna Parameter Measurements by Near-Field
Techniques
Sept. 16-18, 2008, Boulder, CO
R.A. Wood Associates
1001 Broad St., Suite 450
Utica, NY 13501
Tel: 315-735-4217
http://www.rawood.com
Introductory RF and Microwaves
Sept. 17-19, Syracuse, NY
Nov. 12-14, Philadelphia, PA
RF and Microwave Receiver Design
Sept. 22-25, Syracuse, NY
Nov. 17-20, Philadelphia, PA
RF Power Amplifiers, Classes A-S: How
the Circuits Operate, How to Design
Them, and When to Use Each
Sept. 15-16, Syracuse, NY
Nov. 24-25, Philadelphia, PA
Computer Simulation Technology
http://www.cst.com/Content/Events/
Workshops.aspx
CST announces a series of customer
workshops focusing on high frequency
system design challenges. The series
investigates how new technology will
benefit designers working in the high
speed data, power integrity and
EMC/EMI areas, as well as on optical
applications. CST offers advanced
workflows to cover all major aspects of
electromagnetic system design and
optimization, and this technology will
be explained through a series of presentations. In addition to CST staff,
presenting partners include, GM,
Verigy, Cisco, Agilent, Finisar and
Continental Automotive.
Design Challenges: EMC and SI-PI
Simulation
August 18, 2008, Detroit, MI
Send announcements of events, short
courses and calls for papers by e-mail to:
editor@highfrequencyelectronics.com
10
High Frequency Electronics
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Technology News
Industry leaders, representing key segments of the electronics supply chain, came together at an IPC workshop
in Brussels on June 18, 2008, to address industry concerns with the Öko-Institut report on the proposed
expansion of RoHS substance restrictions. Öko-Institut
was contracted by the European Union Commission
to study the inclusion of additional hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment under the
RoHS Directive. In their draft report to the commission,
the Öko-Institut recommended the restriction of
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), the flame retardant
used to protect more than 80 percent of printed circuit
boards and found to be safe by a comprehensive
European Union risk assessment. In addition to TBBPA,
Hexabromocylcododecanes (HBCDDs), several phthalate plasticizers and all organic compounds containing
chlorine and bromine are included in the report as suggested bans.
Business News
Digi-Key Corporation and TriQuint Semiconductor,
Inc. announced that the companies have entered into a
global distribution agreement. TriQuint Semiconductor
supplies high-performance modules and components for
communications companies worldwide. Digi-Key
Corporation is a broad-line distributor of electronic components and accessories. TriQuint products stocked by
Digi-Key are featured in its print and online catalogs and
are available for purchase directly from Digi-Key. The
terms of this distribution agreement will enable Dig-Key
to fulfill both the engineering and production quantity
needs of its very diverse customer base.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that Vishay
Semiconductor Italiana S.p.A., a high-power products
division of the company, has been chosen to be one of the
eight initial corporate participants in the Turin
Polytechnic Institute’s new Business Research Center.
Located in the Institute’s extended campus area known
as the “Polytechnic Citadel,” the Business Research
Center is the first of its kind on an Italian campus. With
roughly 4,000 square meters, a limited number of businesses interested in partnerships with the Turin
Polytechnic Institute have been given space in the new
center. Of the 89 companies that have shown interest,
eight companies were selected, including Vishay.
Richardson Electronics, Ltd. announced it has signed
a global distribution agreement with HVVi Semiconductors, Inc., of Phoenix, AZ, to distribute its RF power
transistors, based on HVVi’s innovative, new HVVFET™
architecture. HVVi recently announced the first major
advance in silicon RF power transistor design in more
than 15 years.
The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has
received a $4 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to
redesign critical modules used in thousands of air traffic
12
High Frequency Electronics
control radios. First fielded in 1968, these ground-based
units play a vital role in keeping U.S. military aircraft
safe, and the redesign should help keep the radios on the
job until newer designs can replace them. The current
$4.05 million contract covers redesign of five major
assemblies within the GRT/GRR, a complex system of
receivers and transmitters that operates in the VHF and
UHF radio-frequency bands. The five assemblies include
a dual-band power amplifier unit, an intermediate-frequency (IF) amplifier, a mixer-multiplier, a power supply
unit and a synthesizer.
Nitronex has launched an initiative to educate the
industry regarding the use of gallium nitride on silicon
(GaN-on-Si) RF devices. Nitronex’s new GaN
Essentials™ education center provides visitors with a
better understanding of how to evaluate performance of,
and design with, GaN in RF power applications. The GaN
Essentials
education
center
is
available
at
http://www.nitronex.com/ ganessentials.html.
AVX Corporation received the 2008 Resistor/Capacitor
Commodity Supplier of the Year from Rockwell Collins.
The Supplier of the Year award is an acknowledgement of
the significant contributions made during the year by
suppliers, and is based upon quality, delivery, total cost of
ownership, lead-time and customer service. The award
was presented to AVX by Jeff Moore, Senior Vice
President of Operations at Rockwell Collins, during the
company’s Annual Supplier Conference.
The IEEE Communications Society (IEEE
ComSoc), the leading worldwide professional organization dedicated to the advancement of communications
technologies, has launched a new Web site at
http://www.ieee-wcet.org to provide detailed information,
ongoing updates and free online resources highlighting
the newly introduced Wireless Communication
Engineering Technologies (IEEE WCET) Certification
Program. The IEEE is the world’s leading professional
association for the advancement of technology.
Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that Renesas
Technology Corp. has selected Agilent’s GoldenGate
EDA software to expand its RF design environment. The
multiyear agreement includes product licensing and support for the GoldenGate simulator. Renesas already
designs its RF circuits using Agilent’s Advanced Design
System. Adding the GoldenGate simulator will extend the
company’s design and simulation capacity. Agilent also
announces that Inphi Corp. has selected Agilent’s
Advanced Design System (ADS) software for the design of
their commercially available DDR3 memory interface chip.
ANSYS, Inc. and Ansoft Corporation announced that
the Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded
its review of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 in
connection with ANSYS’s acquisition of Ansoft. An
amended Form S-4 was filed and became effective on
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IN THE NEWS
June 20, 2008. A special meeting of the Ansoft stockholders to approve the transaction has been set for July 23,
2008. As previously announced, ANSYS and Ansoft have
entered into a definitive merger agreement in which
ANSYS will acquire Ansoft for a purchase price of approximately $832 million in a mix of cash and ANSYS common stock based on the 10-day trailing average closing
price of ANSYS common stock prior to announcement of
the transaction on March 31, 2008.
Acceleware® Corp. and Vector Fields announced a
partnership to accelerate microwave design by combining
Vector Fields’ Concerto automation software package
with Acceleware’s FDTD Accelerator solution. Vector
Fields produces software for modeling and analyzing electromagnetic equipment and effects; Acceleware develops
the fastest electromagnetic solver technology available on
the market. Together, the technologies will offer RF engineers the tools they need to experience a 20X performance increase in their electromagnetic simulations –
shortening design cycles while greatly increasing the
integrity of product design and safety.
Mild temperatures and sunny skies provided the backdrop for a recent companywide picnic at Digi-Key
Corporation, as the electronic component distributor
commemorated its 35-year relationship with National
Semiconductor. Digi-Key Corporation founder and
Chairman Ron Stordahl officially began purchasing components from National Semiconductor for his new distribution business in 1973. Although many of National’s
parts sold well, it was the sale of thousands of National
Semiconductor clock modules that played the most significant role in terms of both sales and profits that fueled
Dig-Key’s growth during its early, critical years of business. National Semiconductor continued as Digi-Key’s
dominant supplier for some time, and even after 35 years,
National enjoys the rank of fifth largest manufacturer for
sales amongst Digi-Key’s nearly 400 supplier partners.
People in the News
Nitronex has named Dr. Robert A. Sadler as Principal
Engineer. Dr. Sadler has more than 27 years of industry
experience in compound semiconductor
device and process engineering. Dr.
Sadler most recently served as
Technical
Director, Devices, for
Northrop Grumman Corporation, where
he was responsible for the development
of GaN technology. He also previously
worked at RF Micro Devices as a
Principal Scientist responsible for the
initial pilot production of GaN power transistors. Dr.
Sadler is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a permanent member of the IEEE Electron Device Society and Microwave
Theory & Techniques Society. He has published more
than 75 technical papers and holds 11 U.S. patents on
compound semiconductor devices and processes.
14
High Frequency Electronics
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) has announced that Robert G.
Fulks is the recipient of the 2008 IEEE Joseph F.
Keithley Award in Instrumentation and Measurement.
Fulks, of North Chatham, MA, is a retired vice president
at GenRad, Inc. and is being recognized for pioneering
developments in automated measurements. The award,
sponsored by Keithley Instruments, Inc. and in memory of the company’s founder, Joseph F. Keithley, recognizes outstanding contributions in electrical measurement and consists of a bronze medal, a certificate, and an
honorarium.
TriQuint Semiconductor announced that Steven R.
Grant will join the company July 16, 2008, as Vice
President of Worldwide Operations, reporting to
President and CEO, Ralph Quinsey. Mr. Grant will be
responsible for TriQuint’s global manufacturing including
purchasing, manufacturing quality and supply chain
operations. Mr. Grant, who spent the last 27 years at Intel
Corporation, was most recently Vice President of Intel’s
Technology and Manufacturing Group in Oregon. During
his Intel tenure, he managed the Fab manufacturing network and was key to driving the manufacturing structure
and efficiency improvements to record performance levels. Mr. Grant holds a Bachelor of Science in Material
Science from the University of Illinois.
AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation announces the
promotion of John Vinski to Top Customer Support
Manager. John has been with AR
RF/Microwave Instrumentation for 19
years. He’s been an assembler, test
technician, customer service engineer,
and test supervisor. In his new position as Customer Support Manager,
John will call on all his experience and
knowledge accumulated over the past
19 years to help resolve customer
issues. John Vinski, who holds an associate degree in
Computer Engineering Technologies from CHI
Institute, says he welcomes the opportunity to work
directly with customers and to take responsibility for
finding answers to their questions and solutions to
their problems.
Astron Wireless Technologies, Inc., is pleased to
announce the addition of Angel “A.J.” Garcia to their
team as Business Development Manager of the Defense
Division. Garcia comes to Astron with an extensive background providing IT and communications products and
services to the federal government. His previous positions
include management of business development programs
and support operations for two technology firms based in
Northern Virginia. A U.S. Army veteran, Garcia served 21
years throughout Europe, Asia, and South America in the
operations and aviation logistics field. While serving in
the military he earned a degree in Business
Administration and is currently working on his master’s
in Homeland Security.
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High Frequency Design
SYNTHESIZER DESIGN
Building a Microwave
Frequency Synthesizer—
Part 3: From Sketch to Product
By Alexander Chenakin
Phase Matrix, Inc.
D
evelopment of a
new product usually starts from
an idea or concept, followed by several design
steps. In this article, a
simple single-loop PLL
example is used to demonstrate the most
important aspects of the design process,
beginning with a specification and block diagram, then proceeding to schematic, PCB layout, assembly, troubleshooting, testing, and
documentation release.
This series continues with a
step-by-step review of the
design sequence, from
basic diagram and specifications to production
The synthesizer should come in a connectorized metal box and be programmed to any
desired frequency within the indicated frequency range and 1 MHz step size using a personal computer. The 10 MHz reference is from
the customer’s own equipment.
Obviously, the specification is not complete; however, we have enough information to
start defining the synthesizer architecture
and selecting its main components. Other
parameters can be marked as TBD (to be
determined)—that gives us some flexibility at
this stage, and those parameters can be analyzed and negotiated later in the process.
Specification
A specification is a set of requirements
that have to be met by a product. It can be
generated through market research identifying particular customer needs and market
demands. Alternatively, it can come from a
customer, sometimes in a form of a “wish list.”
The requirements are analyzed and then
gradually nailed down to a formal document
that establishes all parameters describing the
product. As an example, let’s consider a customer who needs a signal between 5 and 5.5
GHz to be used as a stimulus source for some
experiments. Although the requirements have
not been completely defined, some desirable
characteristics are as follows:
Frequency Range: 5.0-5.5 GHz
Resolution: 1 MHz
Tuning Speed: 1 msec
Output Power: +7 dBm
Spurious: –60 dBc
Harmonics: –25 dBc
Phase Noise: –90 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset
External Reference Frequency: 10 MHz
18
High Frequency Electronics
Block Diagram
A block diagram is a high-level pictorial
model of a product that helps to understand
the overall design concept. Taking a quick look
at the indicated above parameters, one can
conclude that the spec is straightforward: a
single-loop PLL should probably do the job.
What components should be used? First of
all we need a VCO. Hittite’s HMC430LP4
seems to be an excellent candidate. It provides
the desired frequency coverage and is available in a low-cost, surface-mount form.
Moreover, we can also rely on the VCO freerunning noise at 100 kHz frequency offset,
which is better than –100 dBc/Hz [42]. We also
need PLL components (phased detector,
dividers) to lock the VCO. Analog Devices’
ADF4106 should be a perfect choice. The part
supports the required frequency range and
includes a digital phase-frequency detector,
both RF and reference dividers as well as lock
detector circuitry [43]. All division coefficients
are programmed through a built-in 3-wire
serial interface. The part also allows program-
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High Frequency Design
SYNTHESIZER DESIGN
Figure 28 · A simple block diagram sketch is the usual starting point for
synthesizer design.
ming the phase detector charge pump
current to adjust PLL loop filter
bandwidth if required. This is an
especially useful feature for broad
bandwidth synthesizers, since the
VCO tuning sensitivity and the loop
division coefficients may change with
frequency.
Now we can draft a very simplified
block diagram sketch like the one
shown in Figure 28, which helps to
quickly estimate some key design
characteristics, such as phase noise,
loop bandwidth, and tuning speed.
According to the ADF4106 data
sheets, the effective phase detector
noise at 1 MHz comparison frequency
is about –159 dBc/Hz. Assuming that
PLL noise dominates (that means the
external reference noise is sufficiently
low), we can estimate the RF output
phase noise generated by the PLL
itself at –84 dBc/Hz. Since the VCO
free-running noise at 10 kHz frequency offset is worse, the PLL bandwidth
should be set slightly above 10 kHz
(let’s say 20 kHz) for optimal phase
noise performance. The tuning speed
corresponding to this loop bandwidth
is in the order of 200 microseconds for
a 45-degree phase margin. This
should be verified with your choice of
simulation methods.
Now, it is probably a good time to
contact the customer again to discuss
the characteristics we can potentially
achieve (some margin should be
added, of course) and clarify other
parameters such as external reference phase noise. Then, we come back
and proceed with the block diagram.
What else are we missing? The
VCO tuning curve indicates that we
need about 7.5V to steer the VCO to
5.5 GHz. However, the maximum
voltage provided by the phase detector output is only 5.5V. Thus, an operational amplifier (such as AD820 by
Analog Devices) should be added to
scale up the charge pump output.
Moreover, we also need to boost the
VCO RF output in order to get the
Figure 29 · A block diagram with additional operating information.
20
High Frequency Electronics
desired output power. A number of
parts can be used; Hittite’s
HMC476MP86 gain block should
work sufficiently well. Thus, we can
further refine our block diagram by
checking all the system parameters
and adding more parts as necessary.
A good block diagram also includes
extra information (e.g., signal frequencies and power levels, bias conditions, etc.) required to understand
the circuit operation; an example is
shown in Figure 29.
Creating a Schematic
The next step is to create a
schematic, which is a detailed circuit
diagram that shows all individual
components as graphic symbols as
well as connections between the components (Figure 30). The schematic is
accomplished with specialized software (e.g., OrCAD) that allows creating a library of component symbols
for use in schematic entry. In contrast
to the block diagram, the schematic
represents an exact model of the
desired product; thus, all the details
(such as component values) should be
thoroughly checked and optimized.
Although the schematic shown in
Figure 30 will probably work (after
some manipulations), it is too far
from perfect. What can be improved?
Let’s examine the RF signal path
first. The RF output power looks too
low, since some power will be lost in
the output connector. On the other
hand, we can save quite a bit of the
energy we are losing in the resistive
splitter (6 dB loss). Since the
ADF4106 RF divider only needs –15
dBm signal to operate, putting a
directional coupler (see Fig. 31) is a
better alternative. It properly balances the RF power budget and also
provides isolation between the synthesizer output and RF divider path.
This helps to reduce undesired subharmonics products, which are generated by the dividers and reflected
back to the RF output. From this
point of view, the coupler should be
preferably placed after the RF ampli-
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High Frequency Design
SYNTHESIZER DESIGN
Figure 30 · Example of a basic schematic diagram.
fier to avoid unnecessary amplification of these products. It is worth
mentioning, that the coupler can be
printed on a PCB, which can lead to
an overall component count reduction. Further subharmonic reduction
is achieved by putting a surfacemount high-pass filter such as
HFCN-4600+ manufactured by MiniCircuits. For very tight spurious
requirements, an additional RF
amplifier can be inserted into the RF
divider path to increase the isolation.
After removing the resistive power
splitter we get more power in front of
the amplifier, which puts it in a saturation regime. This stabilizes its output level and improves the output
power flatness. On the other hand,
keeping the amplifier oversaturated
is not a good idea since it results in
higher current consumption and can
also reduce the device lifetime.
Putting a small fixed attenuator
between the VCO and amplifier
allows us to keep the amplifier slightly compressed (but not oversaturated)
and also provides a better termination for the VCO output. We can also
add an attenuator at the amplifier
output that improves the synthesizer
output match. Another potential problem is the output harmonics generated by the VCO and amplifier. The
indicated spec of –25 dBc can be handled by putting a low-pass filter at the
amplifier output. The filter can be a
purchased surface-mount part (such
as LFCN-7200+ from Mini-Circuits)
or can be printed on the board.
The next part to focus on is the
ADF4106 PLL IC. The reference
input exhibits very high impedance
and should work well with squarewave CMOS signals. However, an
additional resistor together with DC
blocking caps is required to work in a
50-ohm environment. In contrast, the
ADF4106 RF input looks fine, since
its impedance at the indicated fre-
Figure 31 · Schematic diagram, with locations noted for performance optimization.
22
High Frequency Electronics
SUPERIOR PHASE NOISE PERFORMANCE COVERING 100 MHZ TO 8 GHZ!
Analog & Mixed-Signal ICs, Modules, Subsystems & Instrumentation
N
EW
!
HMC700LP4E
Fractional-N Synthesizer
SEN
4x4mm SMT
CE
REFP
SCK
Data
Register
SDI
Typical Phase Noise
5801 MHz Fractional
5800 MHz Integer
2901 MHz Fractional
2900 MHz Integer
725 MHz Fractional
PHASE NOISE (dBc/Hz)
-110
Ref
Buffer
Modulator
-90
-100
REFN
R
Counter
4
-120
SEL
-130
LD SDO
Mux
-140
-150
Phase
Freq.
Detector
N
Counter
CTRL
Charge
Pump
CP
Test
Data
D0
All Plots 50 MHz PFD
-160
-170
3
10
10
4
10
5
10
6
10
7
10
8
FREQUENCY OFFSET (Hz)
D1
RFIP
RFIN
 -227 dBc/Hz FOM
(Integer) 1 GHz, 200 kHz PFD
 8 / 9 GHz Fractional / Integer Mode
 16-Bit Prescaler
 Low Phase Noise (Frac / Integer,
50 MHz PFD): -103 / -108 dBc/Hz @ 6 GHz
 Cycle Slip Prevention
 Direct FSK Modulation
INTRODUCING OUR NEW FRACTIONAL-N SYNTHESIZER
Frequency
(GHz)
Function
0.1 - 8.0
Fractional-N
Synthesizer
Max. PFD
Max.
Figure of Merit @
Frequency
Current
Frequency
Reference
6 GHz (Frac / INT) Resolution @ 50 Consumption Package
@ 3.3V (MHz) Frequency (MHz)
(dBc/Hz)
MHz PFD (Hz)
(mA)
105
200
-221 / -226
3
95
LP4
Part
Number
HMC700LP4E
Ideal for Cellular Infrastructure, Fixed Wireless Communications,
Test Equipment, Military Communications & Sensors
Hittite Microwave Corporation
Corporate Headquarters
Ph 978-250-3343
HMC Europe, Ltd.
HMC Deutschland GmbH
HMC Nordic AB
HMC Asia Co., Ltd.
HMC Co., Ltd. Shanghai
Hittite KK
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
Ph
+44-870-7664355
+49-8031-97654
+46-8-56020120
+82-2-559-0638
+86-21-6209-8809
+81-3-6853-6854
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
sales@hittite.com
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nordic@hittite.com
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Order On-Line
www.hittite.com
High Frequency Design
SYNTHESIZER DESIGN
From Schematic to PCB
Figure 32 · Common PCB layer arrangements.
quencies is close enough to 50 ohms.
Nevertheless, additional matching
components may be needed at lower
frequencies or to achieve better highpass filter termination.
The major area of optimization is
the loop filter. The configuration shown
in Figure 30 is probably not the best
since the operational amplifier boosts
both the phase detector output DC
voltage and the noise. Thus, the amplifier gain should be optimized. There
are many different types of loop filters
well described in [10-22]; an operational amplifier integrator can be a
better choice. Although the 45-degree
phase margin provides the best trade-
off between the stability, noise picking
and tuning speed, a better (flatter)
noise performance can be achieved by
increasing the phase margin to higher
numbers. The penalty is a slower tuning speed that, perhaps, is not a problem at all. The final optimization
should be done after clarifying all the
key specifications, such as the required
phase noise and tuning speed, available reference noise, etc. It is worth
mentioning that this optimization
could be done earlier at the block diagram stage. However, for more complex designs it is usually a back-andforward process due to the number of
trade-offs and possible solutions.
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Once we have refined the
schematic, it is time to turn it into a
printed circuit board. The PCB layout
is the physical form of the circuit;
thus, all connections are derived from
the schematic. There are many computer-added PCB design packages
tied to a schematic. Most of the job is
performed automatically, although,
the best results for high-frequency
designs are still achieved with a certain amount of manual placement
and routing in order to control various signal interactions effects.
A typical PCB design uses surfacemount components soldered flush to
PCB pads. The components and connecting traces are preferably placed
on the top of the board, while the bottom layer is used as a ground. This
arrangement allows natural 50-ohm
microstrip environment (Figure 32);
the RF trace width is defined by the
board material thickness and its
dielectric constant. A multilayer
board can be used for more complex
designs such as multiloop synthesizers. The board is constructed as a
sandwich where each layer is dedicated for specific signals as shown in
Figure 32. Connections between layers are performed with metalized via
holes. The components can also be
mounted on both sides of a PCB to
utilize the available space more efficiently.
A solder mask is normally put on
a PCB exposing only the areas to be
soldered. It should be, however,
removed from certain high-frequency
areas, too, since it introduces extra
loss and slightly changes the
impedance. The PCB is also
silkscreened with component identification lettering and some other information, which assists people to
assemble and troubleshoot the board.
Housing Design
The PCB assembly is placed into a
metal housing, which is usually made
from an aluminum alloy with a proper coating. The synthesizer connects
to the outside world through RF connectors (such as SMA, K, etc.), while
screw-in EMI feed thrus can be used
to bring the external voltages. A certain effort should be applied to minimize discontinuity effects at the RF
connector transition. For a singlelayer board the design is pretty
straightforward since the RF ground
is in direct contact with the housing
floor as shown in Figure 33. For a
multilayer board, however, the RF
ground is in-between the layers and is
connected to the bottom layer through
multiple via holes. This connection
represents a relatively high inductance in the ground path that can
affect the performance at high frequencies. A better grounding can be
achieved through the top layer (e.g.,
using an edge-mount connector
shown in Fig. 34) due to a shorter distance between the RF ground plane
and connector body. From this point of
view, the upper level material should
be as thin as possible, while other layers can be accommodated using a
ent ways depending on a particular
application. Designing software for
complex microwave synthesizers can
be a challenging task, which is usually developed by a separate team. In
our case no internal controller is
required since the software resides in
an outside computer and is connected
through a PC interface. The control
thicker, lower-frequency material.
Using a coplanar waveguide transition is a good solution as well.
Control Software
To program the output frequency
and other parameters, synthesizers
require a control mechanism, which
can be implemented in many differ-
NEWATC 100B & 700B MLCs
Extended Voltage Ratings
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Building on over 40 years of proven MLC performance
ATC now offers 100B Porcelain Superchips® and 700B NPO Multilayer
Capacitors with extended voltage ratings, providing the widest range of
capacitance values with extended voltage ratings available.
Figure 33 · RF connector interface
example.
Capacitance
Range
Standard
WVDC
Extended
WVDC
0.1 to 47 pF
51 to 100 pF
500 WVDC
500 WVDC
1500 WVDC
110 to 200 pF
300 WVDC
1000 WVDC
1000 WVDC
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• MRI Imaging Coils
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and associated devices
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A M E R I C A N
T E C H N I C A L
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631-622-4700
sales@atceramics.com
Figure 34 · Top layer grounding
with metal and via holes.
TM
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C E R A M I C S
ATC Europe
+46 8 6800410
sales@atceramics-europe.com
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Get info at www.HFeLink.com
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ATC Asia
+86-755-8366-4318
sales@atceramics-asia.com
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High Frequency Design
SYNTHESIZER DESIGN
Moving to Production
Figure 35 · Amplifier failure
symptom, determined by
using circuit probes.
Figure 36 · RF test points aid in circuit troubleshooting.
algorithm is fairly simple and well
documented in the ADF4106 data
sheets [43].
Troubleshooting and Testing
Very few microwave synthesizer
designs work perfectly from the first
cut. More likely, they exhibit some
undesirable behavior and need troubleshooting. A basic principle in troubleshooting is to reproduce and isolate a particular problem. There is no
troubleshooting harder than fixing a
symptom that has more than one
cause. The process normally starts
from a visual inspection of a PCB
assembly to look for obvious construction flaws, followed by checking DC
bias for all active components. The
next step is to check the RF power
signal at the output, which should be
in expected limits. Otherwise, the RF
signal path is inspected by measuring
and comparing signal levels at the
individual components with an RF
probe. Although, the probe does not
provide accurate power reading, it can
give an idea if a component is functional. For example, measuring no
power difference (or even power drop)
between the amplifier input and output (Fig. 35) indicates that the part is
probably damaged. It is also a good
idea to include designated RF test
points at critical locations, using
miniature coaxial connectors, which
can be connected or disconnected as
required (Figure 36).
The PLL debugging is greatly simplified since the ADF4106 IC provides
26
High Frequency Electronics
a programmable access to some internal points such as RF and reference
divider outputs. Measuring output
frequencies at these points (which
should be equal to the desired step
size) can give an idea on what path is
functioning. You can also check how
the charge pump output responds on
a division coefficient change. No
response indicates a possible phase
detector failure; otherwise, the problem can relate to the operational
amplifier or VCO parts. The VCO can
be checked manually by connecting
its tuning port to an external DC supply; the VCO output frequency should
follow the control voltage.
Some of the most difficult troubleshooting issues relate to symptoms that are intermittent. This often
is the result of components that are
thermally sensitive. Compressed air
can be used to cool down specific
spots on a PCB, while a heat gun
raises the temperatures, if necessary.
The main idea is to reproduce a problem and then find and replace a part
responsible for the failure. Besides
fixing the damaged parts, some component adjustments or tuning may be
required, for example, with printed
filters. A PLL loop filter is another
sensitive area that needs further
optimizing. Finally, all necessary
parameters are measured, and various other specific functional and performance tests are conducted as well.
The process is accomplished with a
detailed failure analysis and possible
design changes.
At a certain point all necessary
design documents (e.g., specifications, block diagram, schematic, PCB
and mechanical drawings, assembly
drawing and bill of materials, test
procedure, etc.) should be properly
documented and released. All further
changes are implemented as an ECO
(engineering change order) in accordance with a specific company’s rules
and standards. A good documentation
system is vital for quality manufacturing of any product. To test the
product manufacturability, a pilot
run of a greater number of units (typically 10 to 25) follows the prototyping stage. It is an opportunity to
evaluate the reproducibility of the
design as well as documentation completeness. Following the pilot run
there will likely be additional small
changes until the design develops
into a stable product.
This series will be continued in the
next issue, showing how to improve
the main synthesizer characteristics.
Synthesizer design trade-offs and
various solutions will be discussed.
Past articles are available online at:
www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
References
42. HMC430LP4 data sheets,
available at www.hittite.com
43. ADF4106 data sheets, available at www.analog.com
Author Information
Dr. Alexander
Chenakin is the
Director of the
F r e q u e n c y
Synthesis Group
at Phase Matrix,
Inc., (www.phasematrix.com). He
earned his degree from Kiev
Polytechnic Institute and has worked
in a variety of technical and managerial positions around the world.
He can be reached by telephone at
408-954-6409 or by e-mail at
achenakin@phasematrix.com.
RLC has the exact solution
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83 Radio Circle, Mount Kisco, New York 10549 • Tel: 914.241.1334 • Fax: 914.241.1753
E-mail: sales@rlcelectronics.com • www.rlcelectronics.com
ISO 9001:2000 CERTIFIED
RLC is your complete microwave component source...
Switches, Filters, Power Dividers, Terminations, Attenuators, DC Blocks, Bias Tees & Detectors.
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
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CABLES
FLEX
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COMPLIANT
SMA
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6
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Male
N-Type
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Frequency Range: DC-18 GHz, Impedance: 50 ohms
Models
Connector
Length Inser. Loss (dB)
Type
(Ft.)
Midband
Male to Male
Typ.
CBL-1.5 FT-SMSM+
SMA
1.5
0.7
CBL-2FT-SMSM+
SMA
2
1.1
CBL-3FT-SMSM+
SMA
3
1.5
CBL-4FT-SMSM+
SMA
4
1.6
CBL-5FT-SMSM+
SMA
5
2.5
CBL-6FT-SMSM+
SMA
6
3.0
CBL-10FT-SMSM+
SMA
10
4.8
CBL-12FT-SMSM+
SMA
12
5.9
CBL-15FT-SMSM+
SMA
15
7.3
CBL-2FT-SMNM+ SMA to N-Type
2
1.1
CBL-3FT-SMNM+ SMA to N-Type
3
1.5
CBL-4FT-SMNM+ SMA to N-Type
4
1.6
CBL-6FT-SMNM+ SMA to N-Type
6
3.0
CBL-15FT-SMNM+ SMA to N-Type
15
7.3
CBL-2FT-NMNM+
N-Type
2
1.1
CBL-3FT-NMNM+
N-Type
3
1.5
CBL-6FT-NMNM+
N-Type
6
3.0
CBL-15FT-NMNM+
N-Type
15
7.3
CBL-20FT-NMNM+
N-Type
20
9.4
CBL-25FT-NMNM+
N-Type
25
11.7
Female to Male
CBL-3FT-SFSM+
SMA-F to SMA-M 3
1.5
CBL-2FT-SFNM+
SMA-F to N-M
2
1.1
CBL-3FT-SFNM+
SMA-F to N-M
3
1.5
CBL-6FT-SFNM+
SMA-F to N-M
6
3.0
Return Loss (dB)
Midband
Typ.
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
27
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27
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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
403 Rev J
INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
INDUSTRY NEWS
The U.S. Department of Defense has certified Optical
Cable Corporation as a fully qualified supplier of ground
tactical fiber optic cable, meeting all military requirements.
A government-certified independent test laboratory subjected Optical Cable’s military ground tactical fiber optic
cable to a series of rigorous optical, environmental, and
mechanical tests as defined in MIL-PRF-85045/8A. The test
results were reviewed by the Defense Supply Center,
Columbus, part of the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency.
Optical Cable Corporation’s manufacturing facility also has
been certified by the DoD as a MIL-STD-790F facility.
The Schleuniger Group, a supplier of wire processing
machines, has acquired PAWO Systems AG. PAWO has a
staff of about 100 employees. For PAWO, this step means an
early succession for the current ownership; for Schleuniger,
it is a strategic development which will further enhance
their position in the market. The purchase price will not be
disclosed. Like Schleuniger, PAWO develops and produces
precision, niche oriented machines for the global wire processing market. PAWO specializes in machines for the
automatic assembly of loose parts to wires, especially automatic and semi automatic installation of weather seals.
The Phoenix Company of Chicago, Inc. announces that
its Guaymas, Mexico facility received certification to QSR
AS9100:B certified by Quality Systems Registrars, Inc.
QSR is accredited under the aerospace Registrar
Management Program. The company is a global manufacturer of RF connectors, blind mate connectors, D-subminiature combination connectors, and cable assemblies.
XMA Corporation has recently announced its acquisition
of the familiar Omni Spectra™ brand of microwave components. Since purchasing the CAT line from M/A-COM in
2003, XMA has carried on the Omni Spectra tradition by
producing many of its original designs and drafting cus-
NEW PRODUCTS
Rugged Edge Rate
Interconnect Strips
Samtec has introduced a new line
of rugged interfaces. They are
available in parallel, perpendicular, and durability coplanar board
stacking and cable-to-board appli-
tomized solutions for use in some of the most advanced
communications, aerospace, and military applications. Now,
XMA has officially trademarked the brand as part of its
strategy to become an industry leader in passive RF and
microwave components.
FCI, a leading supplier of connectors and interconnect systems, recently completed multi-channel tests for both the
AirMax VS® and the ZipLine™ connector systems, using
twin test vehicles, in which the high-speed connectors
transmitted error-free data at 40 Gb/s. The test configurations (photo above) consisted of a set of four Broadcom
BCM8072 dual-channel 10 Gb/s transceivers and two
IEEE802.3ap reference backplanes. FCI successfully transmitted error-free data over eight one-meter channels simultaneously. With the daughter cards and backplane made of
Nelco 4000-12SI material, each of the channels achieved a
bit-error rate (BER) of better than 5e–16 in the presence of
seven aggressor channels. With four channels running in
each direction, the resultant aggregate data rate was 40
Gb/s. AirMax VS Connector has been available since 2004,
while the recently announced ZipLine Connector system
offers the highest available signal density.
cations where signal integrity and
durability are critical. Featuring
Samtec’s rugged edge rate contacts, these systems offer superior
impedance matching, reduced
broadside coupling/crosstalk, low
insertion/withdrawal forces, and
high cycles. The .8mm (.0315")
pitch edge rate terminal and socket system (ERM8/ERF8 series)
offers up to 150 I/Os with stack
heights from 7 to 16 mm. Also
available is the mating .8mm
(.0315") pitch, 50-ohm micro coax
edge rate cable system (ERCDA
series). Mated line pricing begins
at $0.09 depending on position,
cable length and production quantities.
Samtec, Inc.
www.samtec.com
Type N Cable Connector
Precision Connector, Inc. has introduced a new precision Type N connector available for .300 diameter
July 2008
S1
INTERCONNECTIONS
low-loss cables. Using Solder/
Clamp cable termination with a
soldered center contact the connector performs from DC to 18 GHz.
The design has a dielectric loaded
solid outer conductor that is compatible with all N female interfaces
and has a robust internal captivation. Other unique features include
a convenient knurl/hex coupling
nut and an extended tail grip
designed to retain SAE-AMS-DTL23053/4 dual wall heat shrink in hiflex applications. Additionally, the
connector has moisture resistant
front and rear seals and is thermally rated from –55°C to +170°C.
Precision Connector, Inc.
www.precisionconnector.com
Microwave Coaxial Cables
AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation has added three new series
of microwave coaxial cables to its
existing product line. These new
low coaxial cables have excellent
RF shielding properties and two of
the three series have crush-resistant armor. The new microwave
coaxial cable series are: CC100000
Series—Armored cable for applications with frequencies less than 18
GHz. VSWR is typically 1.35:1.
Standard lengths range from 0.305
to 7 meters. CC200000 Series—
Armored cable for applications
with frequencies less than 40 GHz.
VSWR is typically 1.45:1. Standard
lengths range from 0.305 to 7
meters.
CC300000
Series—
Unarmored cable for applications
with frequencies less than 8 GHz
and for higher power applications.
VSWR is typically 1.25:1. Standard
lengths range from 0.305 to 7
meters. A variety of connectors is
available for all three series.
AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation
www.ar-worldwide.com
S2
High Frequency Electronics
7/16 Panel Receptacle
San-tron, Inc. has announced the
release of a new 7/16 panel receptacle that consistently delivers
intermodulation levels of –175 dBc.
This receptacle is especially suited
for up-link communications. It
ensures high grade transmission
by delivering VSWR < 1.03 (PCS)
and PIM of –175 dBc. It is weather
sealed and is delivered with an
enhanced .232 interface which
results in improved mating characteristics and reduction of mating
torque. The body, insulator, and
center contact are all one-piece
constructions. The center contact is
silver plated and the body is available in your choice of low-friction
Albaloy, high-performance Silver,
or the hybrid Albaloy/Ag.
San-tron, Inc.
www.santron.com
Circular Connector Series
ITT Interconnect Solutions has
expanded its line of connector solutions for aircraft data network systems. Originally designed to meet
ARINC 600 specifications, the contact system in these circular connectors now meets MIL-DTL38999 Series III specifications.
Also included in the Quadrax connector product offering are the
BKA Series and DPX Series rack
and panel connectors. The BKA
Series connectors feature both rear
A Special Product Supplement
and front release/removable, low
insertion contacts, and hold 28 or
56 size 8 Quadrax contacts. The
connectors are completely intermateable and intermountable with
ARINC 600 standards. The DPX
Series rack and panel connectors
are offered in single-, two-, threeand four-gang versions and accommodate 7, 14, 21 and 28 size 8
Quadrax contacts, or 8, 16, 24 and
32 size 5 Quadrax contacts, respectively.
ITT Interconnect Solutions
www.ittcannon.com
M8 Dual Patchcord
Binder-USA announces the addition of a M8 to M8 dual patchcord
to the Series 765 family. The new
patchcord has one male and two
female M8 connectors and is used
to make the connection between a
female and two male M8 connectors in an industrial network. The
male M8 connector has four contacts, which connect to three contacts in each of the female connectors. The PUR-jacketed cable
comes in standard length of 0.3 m,
0.6 m, and 1 m. When properly
mated, the connections meet IP67
ratings. An industry-standard M8
threaded locking system assures
reliable operations in harsh environments.
Binder-USA
www.binder-usa.com
7-16 Connector Series
Tyco Electronics introduces a new
7-16 composite airwaves connector
series, which offers cost and weight
savings for wireless base station
subsystems where this type of connection is used. The financial benefit of the Tyco Electronics 7-16
composite airwaves connectors is
especially applicable on panel
SGMC
PRECISION COAXIAL CONNECTORS
ADAPTERS
SGMC offers an extensive line of both In-Series and BetweenSeries precision adapters with low VSWR, captivated center contact, and ruggedized construction for repeatability and reliability.
In-Series adapters are phased matched. Frequency range includes
DC-65 GHz. Straight, Bulkhead, and Right Angle configurations are readily available.
RECEPTACLES
SGMC Microwave offers an extensive line of precision receptacles. 1.00mm, 1.85mm, 2.4mm, 2.92mm, 3.5mm, SSMA,
SMA, and N are some of the various interfaces we have designed.
Configurations include, but are not limited to, Threaded Barrel,
2 and 4 Hole Flange, PCB Mount (pin or tab).
CABLE CONNECTORS
SGMC Microwave’s line of precision coaxial cable connectors for
semi-rigid and flexible cable are available in direct solder and/or
solder clamp attachment. Interfaces include 1.85mm, 2.4mm,
2.92mm, 3.5mm, N, SMA, SSMA, and TNC. Popular cable
types are .047", .085", .141", .250", HP120, HP160, HP190,
LL085, LL120, LL141, LL142, LL235, LL250, & LL335.
Straight, bulkhead and right angle configurations available.
ISO 9001:2000
SGMC Microwave – The name to count on for Quality, Performance and Reliability!
SGMC Microwave
4343 Fortune Place, Suite A, West Melbourne, FL 32904
Phone: 321-409-0509 Fax: 321-409-0510
sales@sgmcmicrowave.com
www.sgmcmicrowave.com
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
INTERCONNECTIONS
mounted connectors, which have
the largest raw material consumption. Also, this connector series
provides full compatibility and
intermateability with other standard conventional 7-16 connectors
having the same performance level
or better. These connectors are
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chures and catalogs including the
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New Connectors Brochure
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nectors, and cable assemblies. This
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SMA Connectors
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INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
4-Station Automatic Crimping
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INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
Determining the CW Power Rating
of Coaxial Components
By Andrew Weirback
Astrolab, inc.
W
hen evaluating the power handling of coaxial lines, a
common analysis has been based upon the peak
power capacity of the line as a function of dielectric resistance. However, continuous wave (CW) power cannot be
accurately evaluated based upon a peak power rating. CW
power handling is a function of the energy transfer capacity of the coaxial line and ambient environment rather than
its dielectric resistance. The evaluation of a coaxial line
using a combination of thermodynamic and microwave
principles will provide the base of knowledge necessary to
accurately calculate its CW power capacity.
The Laws of Thermodynamics
The first two laws of thermodynamics form the framework of this coaxial line model. The thermodynamic model
is based upon that of an adiabatic system, with the adiabatic wall placed in the ambient environment surrounding
the coaxial line. The overall energy within an adiabatic system during steady state heat transfer must be equal to
zero. This follows the First Law of Thermodynamics: the
conservation of energy. Since the total energy for an adiabatic system must equal zero, the total thermal energy
transferred through the layers of the coaxial line must be of
an equal and opposite magnitude to that of the energy
source, the dissipated input RF power.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics is an expression of
entropy. In terms of thermal energy, entropy is a measure
of the progress of the irreversible heat migration from a hot
region to a cold region until thermal equilibrium is
achieved. Taking the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics in conjunction, the heat transfer model for a coaxial line in thermal equilibrium is bounded by the following
two laws: Heat will always move toward the coolest element
of the system, and the maximum dissipated RF energy
must equal the energy transfer capacity of the system.
The Energy Source in a Coaxial Line
The input RF power in either actual or effective continuous wave form transmitted along the center conductor of
the coaxial line will have a percentage of its magnitude
decreased by conductor and dielectric losses as well as any
wave reflections. The lower the transmission efficiency of
the coaxial line, the greater the magnitude of dissipated
energy present. This energy raises the temperature of the
material layers within the coaxial line as it is conducted
away from the source.
The transmission efficiency of the coaxial line is primarily a function of its attenuation. The three components
S6
High Frequency Electronics
that contribute to the
total attenuation of a
coaxial line are inner and
outer conductor losses
and the dielectric loss [3].
The distribution of dissipated energy in the coaxial line from attenuation
is shown in Figure 1. The
highest concentration of
energy is along the center
conductor skin and surrounding dielectric. The
remaining
dissipated
energy is along the skin Figure 1 · Distribution of energy
of the outer conductor.
in a coaxial line.
The dissipated energy
at the center conductor
(Pdi) is not of the same magnitude as the total energy dissipated by line (Pdt). This requires that the model account
for a two-level magnitude of dissipated energy. The dielectric core is only transferring the dissipated energy due to
the center conductor and dielectric losses. The attenuation
of the line due to center conductor and dielectric loss (Ai) is
dependent on the frequency F (MHz), characteristic
impedance Z0 (ohm) of the line, diameter Di (m) of the conductor, the loss tangent τ and dielectric constant εr of the
dielectric, and the length L (m) of the line. The combined
loss in dB is expressed as:
(1)
The dissipated energy present at the outer conductor
(Pdt) is due to the total attenuation At of the line. The total
attenuation is calculated through the addition of the outer
conductor loss with the new variable being the diameter Do
(meters) of the outer conductor. The total attenuation in dB
is expressed as:
(2)
Either level of dissipated RF power (Pdx), in watts, can
be found by inputing the corresponding attenuation from
Equation 1 or 2 into the following equation:
Pdx = Pi – Pi · 10(–Ax/10)
(3)
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INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
Energy dissipation due to
Typical Thermal Conductivity
reflection of the incident power can
at 25°C (W/mK)
also be present. However, the
model being presented here is of a
0.23
Teflon® PTFE
coaxial line independent of the
0.195
Teflon FEP®
effects of reflection and mismatch
1.21
Fluoroloy H®
created by adjacent components
0.14
Kapton®
within a system. The assumptions
Aluminum
209.4
of an exact impedance match and a
Copper (SPC)
384
VSWR of unity are taken, thereby
77% PTFE
0.18
removing these variables from the
Air
0.026
model [3]. If necessary, the magniSS 304
16
tude of the additional heat due to
82% PTFE
0.17
system mismatch losses can be calBeCu
105
culated using the methods shown
in [4] and [16] and added into this Table 1 · Thermal conductivities for
model.
various common materials.
Figure 2 · Heat flow path diagram for a
coaxial structure.
Conductive Heat Transfer
Thermal energy moves through any material using a
combination of the three modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. Within the coaxial line, the
energy is transferred using conduction between the different materials. Analysis of the conductive heat transfer process within the coaxial line is based upon the following conditions:
1. Heat transfer is radial and one-dimensional within a
coaxial line that is symmetrical and uniform in dimensions along the axis of the conductors.
2. There is internal heat generation at the surfaces of the
center and outer conductors as well as throughout the
dielectric.
3. There is uniform temperature at each face.
4. The materials have constant thermal conductivity.
5. There is perfect thermal contact between each layer
within the coaxial line.
6. The coaxial line has reached a point of thermal stability
and heat transfer is steady state under CW RF power [7].
With these conditions in place, the mathematical analysis of the one-dimensional distribution and flow of energy
at any radial point within a coaxial line is expressed by the
Poisson equation [6]:
(4)
This equation follows the first two laws of thermodynamics and confirms both the conservation of and entropic
distribution of energy within an adiabatic system. The
resultant sum of the thermal energy flux (q) and the
Laplacian of the temperature (∇2T) vectors indicates that
their magnitudes are directly opposite to each other [6].
The thermal conductivity (k) of the material is the only
modifier of this relationship. Table 1 gives typical values for
the thermal conductivity of materials common to coaxial
line construction.
The solution to Poisson’s Equation (Eq. 4) for a coaxial
line in terms of conductive energy transfer (Q) is:
S8
High Frequency Electronics
(5)
The conductive heat flow within a composite cylinder is
a function of the total temperature delta and material thermal resistance. The logarithm of the inner and outer diameter of each layer is an important factor in the cylindrical
model as the heat flux is being conducted radially away
from the center through a continually increasing surface
area [14]. The individual diameter relationship and thermal conductivity of each layer is added together to derive
the total series resistance along the coaxial line radius.
Figure 2 illustrates the application of this equation within
a coaxial line with n layers [2].
Convective Heat Transfer
In non-vacuum environments the outer surface of the
coaxial line is cooled by the transfer of heat into a fluid
medium, liquid or gas, through the processes of conduction
and convection. Conductive heat transfer into a fluid is less
efficient than it is through a solid material because of the
larger distance between the molecules. Heat transfer into a
gas is the least effective of all conductive paths. However,
convective heat transfer, unique to fluids, increases the
energy transfer rate at the outer surface of the coaxial line.
There are two types of convective heat transfer: free
convection and forced convection. Forced convection is used
throughout the electronics industry to cool components
with the use of fans or heat pipes that are forcibly moving
a gas or liquid past the heated element. Forced convection
is more effective than free convection, which depends upon
the natural motion of the fluid caused by differences in density as portions of its volume experience a rise in temperature [1]. The fluid movement in free convection is of a much
lower velocity than that present in forced convection.
Forced convection can occur naturally in the form of turbulent flow, but this is not present at coaxial line surface temperatures less than 200°C [15]. Therefore, free convection
accurately models the environment that most coaxial lines
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INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
operate within and is a conservative baseline.
The convective heat transfer (Q) equation (in watts)
based upon the Poisson Equation (Eq. 4) is:
Q = ac·An(Tn – Ta)
(6)
The convective heat transfer is a function of the heat
transfer coefficient (ac), surface area (An), and temperature
delta (Tn,a). Convective heat transfer is primarily focused
within the boundary layer around the surface of the coaxial line, not at the surface itself [5] (see Fig. 3). The thickness
and density of this boundary layer are included within the
calculation of the convective heat transfer coefficient.
As a model of the fluid flow about the surface of the
coaxial line, the heat transfer coefficient is unique to the
profile and orientation of the component. If the major axis
of the coaxial line is in the horizontal axis, the coefficient
(in W/m2K) is determined by the following equation [8]:
(7-1)
However, if the major axis of the coaxial line is in the
vertical axis, the coefficient is determined by the equation
[8] (in W/m2K):
(7-2)
The variables for thermal conductivity of the fluid (k)
and outside diameter of the coaxial line (D) or its height (H)
are intuitive. The dimensionless parameter added is the
Nusselt Number (Nuh,v). The Nusselt Number is directly
related to the boundary film layer thickness enveloping the
surface of the coaxial line and is also dependent upon the
coaxial line orientation. As the value of the Nusselt
Number grows, it indicates that the heat transfer rate is
being increased by convection [13] within the thermal
boundary layer. A coaxial line with its major axis in the vertical position will have a larger Nusselt Number than if it
is oriented in the horizontal position. Therefore, a coaxial
line that is running vertically has a larger energy transfer
capacity. The variances in convective flow are modeled by
these equations for any non-vacuum ambient environment.
[Editor’s note—Appendix A, Nusselt Number Calculation, will be included in the version of this article archived
online at: www.highfrequencyelectronics.com]
Radiant Heat Transfer
Energy transfer in the form of electromagnetic radiation occurs between the exterior surfaces of all solids [1].
Radiant heat flow moves through any medium separating
the two solids including vacuum. Radiant heat transfer also
occurs within composite solids but only becomes a factor if
there is an air-spaced core present [9]. The rate of radiant
heat transfer is typically very small and may be omitted
from the coaxial line model unless one of the surfaces is at
least 150°C. However, other than conduction, radiant heat
transfer is the only process that will heat or cool the coaxial line in a vacuum environment making it a vital process
S10 High Frequency Electronics
Surface Material Emissivity Coefficient at 300K
Aluminum, Polished
Aluminum, Comm.
Teflon FEP®
Polyethylene, Black
Beryllium Copper
Brass, Dull
Brass, Polished
Copper, Polished
Gold, Polished
Dry Air [11, 12]
Nickel, Polished
Silver, Polished
SS 304
SS, Polished
0.048
0.09
0.85
0.92
0.03
0.22
0.03
0.038
0.026
0.833
0.072
0.025
0.11
0.075
Table 2 · Emissivities for materials used in coaxial lines.
to model for these applications.
The heat transfer equation for radiant energy (in watts)
is similar to the solution for convective heat transfer:
Q = ar·An(Tn – Ta)
(8)
The radiant heat transfer coefficient (ar) is calculated
very differently than that for convection. It takes into
account the essential constants and variables that apply to
radiant heat flow. These are the Stefan-Boltzmann
Constant (σ) of 5.67×10–8 W/m2K4, the Geometric Form
Factor (F) of the solids as well as the specific emissivities (ε)
and surface areas (A) of the solids. The radiant heat transfer coefficient (in W/m2K) for the coaxial line is calculated
from the equation [8]:
(9)
For enveloping cylinders in the model being considered
here, the Geometric Form Factor (F) is equal to 1. However,
for other geometric configurations and solid profiles, the
Geometric Form Factors and charts can be found in [5] and
[10]. The surface area An is that of the coaxial line and Aa
that of the enveloping surface. The radiation constant σεs is
that of a black body. The radiation constant σεx for the other
surfaces, considered gray bodies, is dependent on the relative emissivity (εx) of the surface materials, with a black
body having a reference emissivity of 1. Table 2 shows the
relative emissivities of common surface materials for coaxial lines as well as dry air.
The radiant heat transfer formula is applicable for a
coaxial line that is engaged in heat transfer with another
solid at a relatively similar temperature. The applicability
of this formula is dependent upon both surfaces emitting
energy within the infrared spectrum. Within the infrared
spectrum, emissivity (ε) and absorptivity (α) are mathematically equivalent following Kirchhoff’s Law. However, in
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INTERCONNECTIONS
A Special Product Supplement
Figure 3 · Composite heat transfer paths, including radiant
transfer to surrounding fluid (usually air).
Figure 4 · Power handling vs. line length at various
microwave frequencies.
applications in which the coaxial component surface will be
exposed to radiant energy in the visible spectrum, emissivity and absorptivity are no longer equivalent. Radiant energy in the visible spectrum is absorbed, but the surface of
the coaxial line will only be able to emit energy in the
infrared spectrum. In this case, material absorptivity must
be included in the model.
model requires the equivalence of the magnitudes of input
energy, the maximum dissipated RF power (Pdx), and output energy, the heat transfer capacity of the line (Q), under
the specified boundary temperatures.
However, the distribution of dissipated energy shown in
Figure 1 indicates that the energy transfer capacity of the
coaxial line is equivalent to the two quantities of dissipated energy, applied in series over separate geometries. An
expanded derivation of Eq. (11) is created to evaluate this,
where the dissipated power levels (Pdi, Pdt) are substituted
for the energy transfer capacity (Q). This final equation is
expressed in terms of the center conductor temperature as:
The Composite Heat Transfer Model
The composite coaxial line model combines the conductive, convective, and radiant modes of heat transfer to provide a complete analysis of the process. The effects of convective and radiant heat transfer can be merged together
as they transfer energy away from the surface of the line in
parallel. This heat transfer combination (in watts) is:
Q = (ac + ar)·A(Tn – Ta)
(12)
(10)
The convective and radiant parallel resistance is added
in series to the conductive resistance of Equation 5 to create an equation that accurately models the entire coaxial
line heat transfer process:
(11)
This equation accurately calculates the temperature at
the center conductor, or any intermediate layer within a
coaxial line, under any combination of ambient conditions.
Equation 12 is the applied form of the general heat transfer relationship that defines the temperature rise as a function of energy magnitude and thermal resistance:
Figure 3 illustrates the application of this equation to a
coaxial line with n layers and surrounded by fluid a [2].
(13)
The Applied Model
The energy transfer capacity of the coaxial line is directly dependent upon the thermal potential, or delta, between
the center conductor and the environment. With known
ambient temperature, pressure, and radiation constants,
the center conductor temperature can be raised and lowered to determine the energy transferred away from the
center conductor. The conservation of energy within the
S12 High Frequency Electronics
Coaxial Line Length
The length of the coaxial line (L) in Equation 12 has a
linear relationship with the magnitude of its energy transfer capacity. The natural conclusion is to input the physical
length of the coaxial line into the equation. This is not the
case. At the input side of the coaxial line the power is of the
greatest magnitude. As the RF current flows along the
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INTERCONNECTIONS
Coaxial Line Features
A Special Product Supplement
Test Condition Variables
Cable
Construction
Cable
Diameter
Input RF Frequency
Power
Ambient
Environment
Flex: 3-shield
Flex: 3-shield
Flex: 3-shield
Flex: 3-shield
Flex: 3-shield
Semi-Rigid
Semi-Rigid
.142
.215
.300
.300
.300
.250
.141
97 W
96 W
160 W
160 W
160 W
250 W
97 W
25°C Sea Level
25°C Sea Level
60°C Vacuum
60°C Vacuum
60°C Vacuum
100°C Vacuum
25°C Sea Level
in.
in.
in.
in.
in.
in.
in.
7.19
7.19
2.45
2.45
2.45
1.70
7.19
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
Coaxial Line Surface
Temperature Accuracy
Distance from
Input (m)
0.5
0.5
0.1
0.35
0.6
0.5
0.5
Model
Temp. (C)
76.3
53.4
115.5
113.4
111.1
239.2
85.1
Measured
Temp. (C)
71.5
52.6
115.1
107.6
107.2
230.0
86.3
Error
6.29%
1.50%
0.34%
5.11%
3.51%
3.85%
1.41%
Table 3 · Comparison of modeled and measured data for some of the tested cable types.
Coaxial Line Features
Cable
Layer (O.D.)
Dielectric
Outer Cond.
Binder
Shield Braid
Jacket
Cable
Diameter
.156
.168
.175
.194
.215
Test Condition Variables
Input RF Frequency
Power
in.
in.
in.
in.
in.
96 W
96 W
96 W
96 W
96 W
7.19
7.19
7.19
7.19
7.19
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
GHz
Ambient
Environment
25°C
25°C
25°C
25°C
25°C
Sea
Sea
Sea
Sea
Sea
Level
Level
Level
Level
Level
Coaxial Line Layer
Temperature Accuracy
Distance from
Input (m)
Model
Temp. (C)
Measured
Temp. (C)
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
58.6
58.3
57.8
57.7
53.4
58.2
58.0
57.1
56.9
52.6
Error
0.68%
0.52%
1.21%
1.39%
1.50%
Table 4 · Comparison of modeled and measured data for internal layers of a coaxial cable.
length of the coaxial line, the dissipated power follows a
nonlinear regression in magnitude. Conversely, as the
length of the coaxial line increases so does its energy transfer capacity. This creates an increasing divergence between
the magnitudes of dissipated energy and energy transfer
capacity along the coaxial line. With this divergence present, the requirement of energy conservation falsely indicates that the coaxial line can handle more dissipated
power due to its increased transfer capacity.
To avoid this incorrect result, the coaxial line must be
analyzed using a length at which this divergence is not present. The location at which the magnitudes of dissipated
energy and energy transfer capacity approach equivalence
is at a line length approaching zero. As the length
approaches zero, the attenuation dissipates an increasing
magnitude of energy per unit length. This input region in
the coaxial line is a primary limiting factor for the CW
power level. Figure 4 displays this length relationship and
the distortion caused by the divergence as the line length
increases.
Figure 4 also gives a guideline as to the line length to
input into the model for microwave frequencies. At
microwave frequencies, a maximum physical length of a
half-wavelength at the operating frequency generates a
model that is unaffected by the divergence issue. This limits the CW power to the transfer capacity at the input of the
line rather than the capacity of the entire line.
Most coaxial lines are significantly longer than a halfwavelength, and it is important to include the physical
length within the model as this additional material often
serves as a limited heat sink. To accomplish this, the entire
S14 High Frequency Electronics
coaxial line must be divided into parallel segments of a
length following Figure 4. Each segment is then modeled
using the serial thermal resistance of the layers, as shown
in Eq. (12) and (13). The results of each of these segments
are then combined using a parallel thermal resistance
equation. Starting with the input of the line as “Segment
1” and modeling the adjacent segments up to “Segment n,”
the parallel model to determine center conductor temperature (in kelvins) based upon the simplified form of
Equation 13 is:
(14)
Verification of the Model
To verify the accuracy of this model, experimental data
was taken for several different coaxial line constructions,
power levels, and ambient environments. Thermocouples
were placed at various locations along the jacket of the
coaxial lines while connected to an RF power source. The
average error between the predicted and measured jacket
temperature for all of the models was about 3%. Table 3
shows the measured surface temperatures for a sample of
the tests performed.
Further tests were performed with thermocouples built
into the coaxial line itself and placed between each of the
composite layers surrounding the dielectric core to verify
the temperature difference between each layer. The average
error between the predicted and measured layer tempera-
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
INTERCONNECTIONS
tures was about 1%. Table 4 shows the measured internal
layer temperatures for one of the tests performed. The accuracy of the model throughout the various test environments
was established and justifies the assumptions taken.
Conclusion
This thermal model not only allows for the accurate
analysis of the CW power handling of a coaxial line but
also gives an engineer the ability to recognize the interaction of each factor involved. There are several software
suites available within the industry capable of quickly performing accurate simulations based upon these concepts.
With these options available and a clear understanding of
the applied principles from this analysis, an engineer will
have the necessary tools to design and improve a coaxial
line for optimal CW power handling in any operating environment.
Notes
FEP Teflon is a registered trademark of Dupont, Teflon
is a registered trademark of Dupont, Kapton is a registered
trademark of Dupont, and Fluoroloy H is a registered
trademark of Saint Gobain Corp.
References
1. B.A. Boley and J.H. Weiner, Theory of Thermal
Stresses, 1960, Dover Publications, 1997.
2. M. Fogiel, The Handbook of Mechanical Engineering,
Research & Education Association, 2004.
3. “Engineering Information,” Astrolab Product Catalog,
2004.
4. S.C. Harsany, Principles of Microwave Technology,
Prentice-Hall, 1997.
5. J. Lienhard and J. Lienhard, A Heat Transfer
Textbook, Phlogiston Press, 2006.
6. M.N. Özisik, Boundary Value Problems of Heat
Conduction, 1968, Dover Publications, 2002.
A Special Product Supplement
7. R. Morgan, W. Lewis and L. Wren, “Power Handling
Capability of RF Coaxial Cables,” U.S. Department of
Commerce, National Technical Information Service, 1971.
8. K. Gieck and R. Gieck, Engineering Formulas, Eighth
Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2006.
9. R.T. Swann, “Heat Transfer and Thermal Stresses in
Sandwich Panels,” N.A.C.A. Technical Note 4349,
September 1958.
10. M. Jakob, Heat Transfer, John Wiley and Sons,
Volume I, 1949; Volume II, 1957.
11. W.C. Swinbank, “Longwave radiation from clear
skies,” Q.J.R. Meteorological Society, 89:339-448; 1963.
12. B. Hodges, “Heat budget and thermodynamics at a
free surface: Some theory and numerical implementation,”
University of Western Australia, 1998.
13. Y.A. Çengel, Heat Transfer, A Practical Approach,
Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
14. A.W. Scott, Cooling of Electronic Equipment, John
Wiley and Sons, 1974.
15. M. von Zatorski, “Approximating Average (CW)
Power Ratings for Miniature Semi-Rigid Coaxial Cables,”
Microwave Systems News, August/ September 1973.
16. R. Fuks, “Compute Power Rating For Unmatched
Lines,” Microwaves & RF, October 1998.
17. “Military Specification: Wiring, Aerospace Vehicle
MIL-W-5088K,” Department of Defense, United States of
America, December 24, 1984.
Author Information
Andrew Weirback is the Director of
Engineering at Astrolab, Inc., 4 Powder
Horn Drive, Warren, NJ 07059. He can
be reached by telephone at (732) 5603800 or by e-mail at aweirback@astrolab.com. The company web site is
www.astrolab.com.
Look for the next Special Product Supplement in High Frequency Electronics...
MILITARY & AEROSPACE
Published with the September 2008 issue
Our MILITARY & AEROSPACE supplement will be published in September, featuring the high performance, high reliability products and technologies for military and aerospace applications. The issue will have extra distribution at the
following industry events:
45th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention — Reno, NV, October 19-23, 2008
European Microwave Week — Amsterdam, The Netherlands, October 27-31, 2008
MILCOM 2008 — San Diego, CA, November 17-19, 2008
• Send related News and Product press releases to us by e-mail to: editor@highfrequencyelectronics.com, or by
mail to the Editorial and Production Office address on page 6.
• Contact your advertising sales representative for advertising opportunities.
S16 High Frequency Electronics
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TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Digital Broadcasting Update:
Changes are On Track
T
he U.S. digital television
(DTV) changeover that will
happen after February 17,
2009, has been well-publicized, as the
FCC, broadcasters and TV equipment
manufacturers all work together to
inform the public of the approaching
milestone. Broadcasters recently
stepped up efforts to market their
services for data and program delivery to portable wireless devices,
using the additional digital capacity
of the new transmission format.
OEMs are also increasing their
output of DTV-enabled products. A
supplier of integrated silicon tuners,
Xceive Inc., confirms that activity.
Neil Mitchell of Xceive noted that TV
manufacturers were looking for several important features as they make
the transition of designs from traditional metal can tuners to all-solid
state products. Among the expected
performance requests is high sensitivity, to aid performance with small
antennas and indoor locations. Since
Xceive’s products include the analogto-digital conversion circuitry, ADC
performance is high on the list of customer concerns.
Somewhat surprising, Mitchell
reports, is that NTSC performance is
also important. After all, cable and
satellite systems will continue to support analog TV formats until at least
February 17, 2012. Recorded media
will be around as long as individual
consumers wish to keep their equipment in operating condition.
There are a few reports that the
on-air public service announcements
prepared by the National Association
of Broadcasters are not effective with
some viewers, but the online information at www.dtvanswers.com is comprehensive. [Your editor prefers the
message used by PBS, featuring “This
46
High Frequency Electronics
Current HD Radio Features
• FM Multicasting – multiple programs on a single FM channel
• Static-free, crystal-clear reception
• FM sounds as sensational as CDs
• AM sounds as rich as analog FM stereo
• A variety of “data services,” including text-based information – artist name, song
title, weather alerts, school closings, etc. scrolled across your receiver display.
• Digital broadcasts in the same frequencies as analog broadcasts; today’s stations
remain at their current place on the dial
• Local content
• Free (advertiser-supported)
Future Additions
• Real-time traffic reports broadcast by local stations and visually displayed on a
vehicle’s navigation system
• Surround Sound
• Store-and-Replay – Will allow listeners to rewind a song they just heard or
record an entire program to play back at a more convenient listening time
• On Demand Capabilities – Instant access to news and information
• “Buy” button – Will turn the radio into an interactive device for e-commerce,
allowing for instant purchases such as concert tickets or advertised products
Features of HD Radio being promoted by broadcasters.
Old House” host Kevin O’Connor and
master carpenter Norm Abrams.]
Even if some confusion remains,
many local media outlets are supporting the publicity effort with additional information.
Digital Radio Formats
In the U.S., Ibiquity Digital
Corporation’s “HD Radio” technology
(www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio) offers
higher quality audio and more programming choice on local AM and
FM radio stations. Like DTV, HD
Radio offers additional programs and
data transmisison using the “HD2”
multicast channels. No transition
period is required like DTV, since the
digital radio system is overlaid on
existing analog radio transmissions.
According to Ibiquity, “...when you
have a new digital HD Radio receiver, your AM sounds like FM, and FM
sounds like CDs. In addition, the
wireless data feature enables text
information – titles, artists, weather
or traffic alerts – to be broadcast
directly to your receiver’s display
screen.”
Approved
by
the
Federal
Communications Commission in
October 2002 as the only system for
digital AM and FM broadcasting in
the U.S., HD Radio technology is
developed and licensed by Ibiquity. At
present, more than 1,700 radio stations are broadcasting in digital,
roughly 12 percent of all AM and FM
stations. Major promotional efforts
by stations and HD Radio receiving
products were launched in 2007 and
early 2008.
Key elements of HD Radio,
according to promotional materials,
are listed in Table 1. Since it is relatively early in market development,
readers can expect to see much more
promotion of HD Radio programming
by broadcasters, and equipment by
retailers and automakers.
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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
451 Rev Org.
High Frequency Products
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Amplifiers
mats. The CMPA0060005 is a
wideband 5 watt distributed
amplifier operating from DC to 6
GHz. The CMPA2560025 is a higher power, 25 watt reactively
matched amplifier operating from
2.5 to 6 GHz. Both MMICs are suitable for a variety of applications
where high power over broad bandwidths is required.
Cree, Inc.
www.cree.com
Discrete LNA
A new SiGe:C process at NEC has
resulted in the development of a
family of high performance LNA
ICs that combine lower noise figures with high gain and low distortion. The latest addition is the
UPC8236T6N. Designed to be used
as an external input LNA ahead of
the GPS receiver IC, its low 0.8 dB
noise figure helps improve overall
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to 3.3VCC, making it ideal for use
with new-generation GPS engines.
The UPC8236T6N is highly integrated, needing just three RF
matching components and a minimal number of DC bypass capacitors. It’s housed in a new, low-profile 1.5 × 1.5 × 0.37 mm 6-pin
TSON package. The UPC8236T6N
is in stock and available now.
California Eastern Labs
www.cel.com
GaN RF MMIC Products
Cree, Inc announces the introduction of the world's first commercially available GaN monolithic
microwave integrated circuit
(MMIC) amplifiers. These two "catalog" MMICs integrate Cree's
proven GaN RF transistor technology with a variety of other circuit
elements to form fully integrated
amplifier circuits. The new broadband power amplifier MMICs, the
CMPA0060005 and CMPA2560025,
are now available for sample
release in packaged and die for-
48
High Frequency Electronics
Bi-Directional Amplifier
Stealth Microwave introduces the
SMTR2425-11B40, a bi-directional
amplifier designed for WLAN,
video link, and C2 products for
UAVs. The unit operates from 2.4
to 2.5 GHz and outputs +40 dBm
meeting 802.11b EVM requirements. A built-in AGC provides a
constant 10W output for a wide
range of input levels. In module
form, the unit measures 5.4 × 3.8 ×
0.9 inches. A weather-sealed housing for outdoor use is standard.
Stealth Microwave, Inc.
www.stealthmicrowave.com
Matched Gain Block Amp
Mimix Broadband, Inc. introduces
a 3.3V InGaP HBT matched gain
block amplifier that combines high
linearity and gain with low thermal resistance. This multi-purpose
amplifier, identified as CGB8002SC, covers DC to 2.8 GHz frequency bands with 24.5 dBm of saturated power at 450 MHz, 15 dB of gain
at 2.7 GHz, and an output third
order intercept point of 37 dBm at
2.7 GHz. Designed for 3.3V applications, this broadband, cascadable
gain block amplifier is suitable for
transmit, receive and IF applications, including 3G, fixed wireless
broadband, WLAN, WiBro and
WiMAX services.
Mimix Broadband, Inc.
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Power Amplifier Solution
SiGe MIMO WLAN Power
Amplifier
Tyco
Electronics
M/A-COM
announced a new RoHS Compliant
2.4-2.5 GHz linear power amplifier
for 802.11b/g MIMO WLAN applications that require high gain,
high efficiency and small size all at
a low cost. The MAAP-008516 is a
three stage power amplifier
designed specifically for linear
802.11b/g applications and is available in a lead-free 2 × 2.5 mm
PQFN plastic package. The MAAP008516 is available from stock and
is priced at $0.35 in quantities of
100K.
M/A-COM
www.macom.com
Giga-tronics Inc. and CAP Wireless
Inc. announced a joint technology,
marketing, and support agreement
in which Giga-tronics will incorporate CAP’s Spatium™ spatial combining technology into its GT1000A microwave power amplifier.
The GT-1000A provides 2 to 20
GHz, 10 watt, instrumentationgrade microwave amplification and
replaces traveling wave tube
amplifiers (TWTAs) with rugged
solid-state reliability, safe low-voltage operation, no aging characteristics, and fault tolerance.
Giga-tronics, Inc.
www.gigatronics.com
CAP Wireless
www.capwireless.com
The Power of
Stealth Microwave has developed an entire product line of Bi-directional
SSPAs for commercial and military applications. These products are
utilized in WLAN extension and UxV data link applications requiring
high performance, efficiency, and the ability to operate in extreme
environments. Power outputs range from 1W to 20W and the amplifiers
are compatible with 802.11a,b,g and 802.16 applications. Products are
available in most frequency bands from 800 MHz - 5.9 GHz and can be
reconfigured to meet customer-specific needs.
Features include:
• Smallest and lightest designs in the industry
• Weather-sealed housings with full screening available
• Tx/Rx switching via RF detect or other controls
• AGC with a wide input power range
• Custom Transmit/Receive filtering options
We also have placed over 15 of our most popular models in stock in
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FEATURED PRODUCTS
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Hittite Microwave
C o r p o r a t i o n
announces
the
release of three new
passive wideband
fixed value attenuators that operate in the DC to 25 GHz frequency band.
These innovative fixed attenuator devices are an ideal
choice for use in a wide range of applications including
microwave radio, military, fiber optics, scientific instruments and general engineering prototypes. The
HMC656LP2E, HMC657-LP2E, and HMC658LP2E are
wideband fixed value SMT 50-ohm matched attenuators
that offer relative attenuation levels of 10, 15 and 20 dB
respectively. Housed in compact 2 × 2 mm plastic SMT
packages, these wideband fixed attenuators can handle
up to +25 dBm of RF input power, while maintaining
excellent attenuation accuracy and VSWR performance
versus frequency over the DC to 25 GHz frequency range.
All three attenuators are compatible with high volume
surface mount manufacturing techniques, specified for
operation over the –40 to +85ºC temperature range, and
may be purchased individually by their respective part
number.
Hittite Microwave Corporation
www.hittite.com
High Voltage Chip Resistors
TT electronics IRC
now offers a thick
film chip resistor
with resistance values to 100Mohms.
Designated the HVC
Series, the resistors
are rectangular and
feature high voltage
operation in standard 1206, 2010 and 2512 package sizes,
making them well suited for automatic handling methods. The robust construction and electrical specifications
make the HVC Series chip resistors ideal for medical
devices (defibrillators), high voltage power supplies (photomultiplier tube amplifiers), and military equipment
(night vision cameras, x-ray equipment). Typical pricing
for the HVC Series resistors is approximately $0.50 in
minimum order quantities of 10,000 pieces. Lead time is
from stock to 8 to 9 weeks.
TT electronics IRC
www.irctt.com
18-GHz, 10-Watt Fixed Attenuators
The brand new 50HFP-XXX-10 series of fixed attenuators
from JFW Industries offer superior high-power performance from DC to 18 GHz at a price that fits your bud-
ucts. Thermal resistance for the
D2TO35 at 35W and +25°C is
4.28°C/W junction-to-case. The
resistor features a standard temperature coefficient of ±150
ppm/°C at resistance values of
≥0.50, with standard tolerances of
±1% to ±10%. Connections for the
new resistor are tinned copper, and
they are specified for operation
over a –55°C to +175°C temperature range. The device is RoHS-
compliant, and supports soldering
temperatures at +270°C. Samples
and production quantities of the
D2TO35 thick film power resistor
are available now, with lead times
of eight to 10 weeks for larger
orders. Pricing for U.S. delivery in
minimum order quantities is $2.90
per piece, and $1.90 per piece in
high-volume orders.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
www.vishay.com
get. Rated for up to 10 watts of
continuous RF power (500 watts
peak), these attenuators are
available in values of 3, 6, 10, 20
and 30 dB. N or SMA versions
are available to suit many different high-frequency and highpower testing applications, plus
their lower prices make them
perfect for cost-sensitive OEM
requirements.
JFW Industries
www.jfwindustries.com
Non-Inductive Thick Film
Power Resistor
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
released a new 35-W thick film
power resistor featuring a compact, easy-to-mount TO-263
package (D2PAK) and a broad
range of resistance values. The
new D2TO35 thick film resistor
is non-inductive and provides a
wide resistance range of 0.01Ω
to 550 kΩ. Packaged in the very
small TO-263, which measures a
mere 10.1 × 10.4 mm with a low
4.5-mm profile, the resistor
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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
448 Rev Org
High Frequency Design
TUNABLE CIRCUITS
Software Enhances the
Design and Analysis of
Tunable Circuits
By Dale D. Henkes
ACS
M
odern EDA software has evolved
over the years to
provide some very powerful tools for the design and
simulation of almost any
kind of RF and microwave
circuit or system. One
aspect of current EDA software that makes it
so powerful is the speed at which it can perform calculations, rendering simulations and
detailed analysis reports in record time.
Another aspect of the power and utility of this
kind of software lies in the richness of the
tools, capabilities and features that the software provides. Software packages with
expanded toolsets, multi-function modules
and collections of programs oriented toward
performing different but related phases of the
workflow are referred to as software suites.
These full-featured EDA software suites
can be complex, making it difficult to find and
use many of the less common features.
Sometimes even relatively experienced users
are not aware of all the features and capabilities contained in the software. This article will
employ a microwave filter design example to
highlight how less commonly used EDA tools
and methods can, nevertheless, significantly
enhance circuit analysis.
RF and microwave circuit simulation programs commonly display the circuit’s Sparameters (or quantities related to these Sparameters) in the frequency domain. The
more advanced circuit simulator will include
additional methods of analyzing the circuit or
viewing the resulting simulation data. In
addition to the traditional frequency response
analysis, this article will demonstrate a few
Equations with swept
variable values enable
tunable components to be
represented for the
simulation and analysis
of tunable circuits
54
High Frequency Electronics
other tools and simulation methods for the
enhanced design and analysis of RF and
microwave circuits. The LINC2 EDA software
suite from ACS (Applied Computational
Sciences) will be used to demonstrate the following:
· Circuit Parameter Sweeps/Variable
Sweeps: A circuit or component
parameter can be swept through a
range of values by assigning a variable to the parameter and performing
a variable sweep. The circuit response
can be viewed against the variable at
any fixed frequency point.
· User Defined Equations: New component models can be created or existing component models modified by
user-defined equations that formulate new relationships between variables and circuit parameters.
· Special Output Functions: For postprocessing simulation data.
These special intrinsic functions provide
new ways of processing and viewing simulation results, for example, finding and tracking
the frequency point at which the maximum
value of a circuit response occurs or tracking
the frequency point for zero transmission
phase during a variable parameter sweep.
Information related to the frequency at which
maximum transmission occurs is particularly
useful for analyzing tunable filters, while
information about the frequency at which zero
transmission phase occurs is useful for the
open loop analysis of oscillator circuits.
In the following example, the design of a
tunable bandpass filter will be analyzed with
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DC to 110 GHz
High Frequency Design
TUNABLE CIRCUITS
Figure 1 · End-coupled microstrip bandpass filter.
these special simulation and analysis tools. The example
will start with the usual frequency response analysis (the
results of which are displayed in Fig. 2) and then contrast
this view of circuit performance with the additional visualization methods.
Tunable End-Coupled Microstrip Bandpass
Filter Example
The general design of the capacitive gap end-coupled
microstrip bandpass filter is given in [1]. The end-coupled
resonator topology was chosen for simplicity of tuning. It
is easy to place shunt tuning capacitors between the ends
of the microstrip resonators and ground using surface
mount technology. Ideally, the coupling capacitance
between resonators should also be tuned. The consequences of not simultaneously tuning both the resonators
and the coupling between them is that the insertion loss
and relative bandwidth will vary with frequency as the
filter is tuned. The following simulation results show that
these effects were observed only to a small degree. The
insertion loss varied by only 1.5 dB over a 40% tuning
range, while the relative bandwidth remained nearly constant.
The schematic, after optimization for a center frequency of 2.5 GHz is shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, a
microstrip gap (MGA1) is used to capacitively couple the
two resonators, while C5 and C6 couple the signal in and
out of the filter respectively. All physical dimensions in
the schematics are in millimeters (mm).
In some designs, C5 and C6 could also be implemented as microstrip gap capacitors. However, because the
required capacitance is relatively large in this case, the
gap would be too narrow to fabricate reliably unless a
multi-gap structure such as the interdigital capacitor is
used [2].
C1 through C4 are variable capacitors that load the
ends of each resonator strip to vary the effective electrical
length of the resonator for tuning purposes. The tuning
capacitors (C1-C4) may be implemented using varactor
56
High Frequency Electronics
Figure 2 · The tunable filter’s frequency response for
three selected values of CVar.
diodes. As the tuning capacitance increases, the effective
resonator length is increased, resulting in the bandpass
filter shifting to a lower frequency [3].
Using Variables in Simulation for Tuning Control
In LINC2 a variable can be placed on the schematic
page and assigned to as many component parameters as
needed. In this example, the variable CVar is given a
nominal (initial) value of 0.707 pF and assigned to capacitors C1 through C4. In this way, all four tuning capacitors are ganged together and tuned simultaneously with
the same value, as would be the case with four identical
varactor tuning diodes all driven with the same (variable)
bias voltage.
Figure 2 shows the filter response centered at 2.5 GHz
for CVar = 0.707 pF. The markers show the numerical
values for the magnitude of S21 (M21 in dB) and input
return loss (M11 in dB) for the filter centered at 2.5 GHz.
Figure 2 also shows the responses for CVar tuned to 1.21
pF and 0.425 pF, resulting in bandpass responses centered at 2100 MHz and 2850 MHz, respectively.
Determining the tuning capacitance range required to
tune the filter’s response between 2 GHz and 3 GHz is
easy. This is accomplished using LINC2 by simply selecting CVar from the Tune menu and pressing the up or
down arrow keys to increase or decrease its value. The filter’s response moves across the LINC2 Graph Window in
real time as CVar is tuned interactively. Noting the value
of CVar when the filter is tuned to 2 GHz and then again
when it is tuned to 3 GHz yields the range of the tuning
capacitance required to tune the filter between these two
extremes. The result is a tuning capacitance range
between 0.3 pF and 1.4 pF.
Custom
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components
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Figure 5 · Varactor tuned bandpass filter schematic for simulation.
L1 alone is sufficient to feed the DC
tuning voltage to C1 and C2 through
microstrip line MLI1. Likewise, L4 is
sufficient to feed DC to C3 and C4
through microstrip line MLI2.
However, placing all four inductors in
the circuit ensures that each varactor
tuning capacitor combined with the
inductance (and parasitic capacitance) of the inductor produce nearly
the same capacitance at each end of
the microstrip resonators. A simulation was run with only L1 and L4
present with the undesirable result
of reduced tuning range.
A simulation run on the circuit in
Figure 5 will produce a traditional
frequency response plot as in Figure
2 with the exception that, instead of
varying the capacitance directly, the
filter is tuned by varying the varactor
voltage (via the Varactor_V variable
in the schematic). However, the
LINC2 simulator also produces the
characteristic tuning plot shown in
Figure 6. This graph window simultaneously plots the filter’s tuning
response and the equation (CVar)
that describes the tuning diode’s
capacitance, both as a function of the
varactor
DC
bias
voltage
(Varactor_V).
Comparing the tuning frequency
response in Figure 6 to that in Figure
4, the following observations can be
made. The tuning frequency slope in
Figure 4 is negative because the tuning capacitance is increasing to the
right. However, in Figure 6 the tun-
ing frequency slope is positive
because it is plotted as a function of
the varactor voltage. As the varactor
voltage increases to the right, the
varactor capacitance decreases (and
the filter passband moves higher in
frequency).
Figure 6 indicates that the filter’s
tuning frequency is almost a linear
function of the tuning voltage whereas the tuning diode’s capacitance is a
non-linear curve characteristic of the
exponential nature of the diode’s
voltage to capacitance relation (Eq.
1). With this plot we can see at a
glance that the filter can be tuned
between 2000 MHz and 3000 MHz
with a tuning voltage ranging
between 3.59 volts and 5.76 volts.
The corresponding tuning capacitance (per diode) will range between
1.66 pF and 0.46 pF, respectively.
Markers placed on the plots have
their numerical values displayed at
the top of the graph for various values of varactor voltage.
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Tunable Bandpass Filter Summary
This completes the analysis of the
tunable bandpass filter. The LINC2
program provides new ways to analyze and characterize the filter’s
response to tuning control. For example, in Figure 6 the linearity of the filter’s tuning control can be seen at a
glance. The required control voltage
range and tuning capacitance range
can also be immediately determined
from the graph.
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High Frequency Design
TUNABLE CIRCUITS
Figure 3 · LINC2 swept variable setup.
Using Swept Variables in Simulations
Instead of manually tuning a component parameter
using a variable, as in the previous section, the variable
can be set up to automatically sweep over its entire range
of values while the circuit response is plotted as a function of the swept variable. As shown in Figure 3, the
LINC2 program provides a checkbox for enabling a variable parameter sweep, thus turning an ordinary variable
into a swept variable. The parameters of a swept variable
are its nominal value, the starting value, the stop value
and number of sweep points.
Special Output Functions and
Variable Parameter Sweeps
The LINC2 program provides a number of special
built-in functions for post processing of the simulation
data. This example will employ the Maximum function for
plotting the bandpass filter’s center frequency as a function of the tuning capacitor’s swept capacitance value
(CVar). The way this function works is that for each value
of the swept variable the program finds the frequency for
which the selected data is a maximum. This frequency
data is then plotted as a function of the swept variable.
The data of interest for the bandpass response is the
maximum value of S21, which occurs within the passband
of the bandpass filter. Since the S21 maximum value
(peak in the bandpass response) shifts in frequency as the
swept variable (CVar) is stepped through its values, plotting the frequency of maximum |S21| against this variable will plot out the filter’s tuning response. This unique
LINC2 function produces the filter’s tuning response to
the tuning capacitance CVar, as shown in Figure 4.
Comparing Figure 4 to Figure 2, Figure 4 is a much
clearer way to display the tunable filter’s response to the
tuning capacitance value. In Figure 4, the filter’s tuning
characteristics are captured and displayed in a simple,
easy to read graphical format.
Using Equations to Create New Circuit Models
The tunable filter schematic in Figure 1 uses a variable to control the tuning capacitance. However, what is
58
High Frequency Electronics
Figure 4 · Tunable bandpass filter’s frequency
response as a function of the tuning capacitance.
needed is a physical method of controlling the tuning
capacitance. Varactor tuning diodes can accomplish this.
The diode’s capacitance as a function of its tuning voltage
can be simulated by using a user-defined equation in
LINC2. A useful approximation for the varactor diode’s
voltage to capacitance transformation is given by [4]:
C(VR) = CJ0/(1 + VR/VJ)^M + CP
(1)
where CJ0 is the diode’s zero-bias junction capacitance,
VR is the applied reverse DC bias voltage, VJ is the junction potential, M is a device dependent constant called the
grading coefficient, and CP is the device package capacitance.
Using an equation to model the diode may be preferred over using a built-in schematic model because it
defines the function explicitly, and there is almost no limit
to the model details and complexity that can be embodied
in the equation. Moreover, it is easy to edit the equation
model to accommodate the characteristics of a different
device. Figure 5 shows a LINC2 schematic representation
of the varactor tuned filter.
In the schematic (Fig. 5), the variable CVar (from Fig.
1) has been replaced with the equation CVar that models
the varactor’s capacitance as a function of its DC bias
voltage. The equation uses the model parameters given in
[4] for the SMV1248 diode. The diode model parameters
were extracted from measured CV(VR) data. More complete models may include at least some series resistance
and package inductance, and these parasitic components
could also be included explicitly on the schematic.
In Figure 5, L1 through L4 feed the DC tuning voltage
(Varactor_V) to the four tuning varactors C1 through C4
(modeled by CVar). If the only concern is providing DC to
bias the varactor diodes, then L2 and L3 are redundant.
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
High Frequency Design
TUNABLE CIRCUITS
analysis techniques, the conventional frequency sweeps of
S21 and S11 (as in Fig. 2) yield additional important information about the filter and its response to tuning. For
example, in Figure 2 it can be seen that the bandwidth
grows with frequency as the filter is tuned, but the relative bandwidth (as a percentage of the center frequency)
remains relatively constant. Also, Figure 2 indicates that
the insertion loss and return loss improve with frequency.
The insertion loss ranges from 2.5 dB at the low end of
the tuning range to approximately 1 dB at the high end.
The LINC2 Software Suite
Figure 6 · The bandpass filter’s tuning characteristics
as a function of varactor voltage.
When a user-defined equation is part of a LINC2
schematic (such as equation CVar in Fig. 5), the equation
can be plotted simultaneously on the same graph along
with the simulation data. For example, in Figure 6 the
plot of equation CVar shows the tuning diode’s CV(VR)
characteristics and how they relate to the overall tuning
characteristics of the filter.
In addition to these new LINC2 output functions and
LINC2 is a high performance RF and microwave
design and simulation program from ACS. In addition to
schematic-based circuit simulation, optimization and statistical yield analysis, LINC2 Pro includes many valueadded features for automating design tasks, including circuit synthesis.
LINC2 directly interfaces to leading RF and
microwave design suites, allowing it to be used standalone or by leveraging its capabilities with those of other
major packages. LINC2 offers exact circuit synthesis,
schematic capture, circuit simulation, circuit optimization
and yield analysis in a single affordable design environment. More information about LINC2 can be found on the
ACS Web site at www.appliedmicrowave.com.
References
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60
High Frequency Electronics
1. G. Matthaei, L. Young, and E.M.T. Jones, Microwave
Filters, Impedance-Matching Networks, and Coupling
Structures, Artech House, 1980, page 440, Section 8.05,
“Capacitive-Gap-Coupled Transmission Line Filters.”
2. Brian C. Wadell, Transmission Line Design
Handbook, Artech House 1991, page 420, Section 7.6,
“Interdigital Capacitor.”
3. Inder Bahl and Prakash Bhartia, Microwave Solid
State Circuit Design, 2nd Edition, Wiley 2003, pp. 103105, Section 3.4.6, “Tunable Resonators.”
4. Application note APN1004, Alpha Industries.
Author Information
Dale D. Henkes is the owner of
Applied Computational Sciences
(ACS), LLC, Escondido, California,
and has more than 25 years of professional
experience
in
RF
design/electrical engineering. He
earned his B.S. degree in engineering at Walla Walla College, College
Place, Washington. He is a member
of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society
and the author of a dozen articles in prominent trade publications. He may be contacted via email at:
henkes@appliedmicrowave.com.
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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
432 Rev A
High Frequency Design
POWER MEASUREMENT
Manufacturers’ Efforts
Simplify Power Measurement for Specific Standards
By Gary Breed
Editorial Director
T
here are dozens of
wireless communication standards
currently active in product development and system deployment. A key
measurement in development and production testing is power—but
the prescribed methods, test signals, frequency span and allowable limits can be daunting
for an engineer to study before attempting to
create a test setup.
Fortunately, the most knowledgeable
experts on measurement techniques are the
engineers at test equipment companies. They
have done the necessary study concerning
standards-based power measurement and
have included that information in instrument
instruction manuals, application notes, and
even formal tutorials in multimedia or interactive webinar formats.
Even better, the necessary setups for major
wireless standards may be included in the
operating software of the test equipment.
Although usually an extra-cost option, these
“personalities” are almost always worth the
investment. Advanced users will likely expand
them to include specific features unique to the
wireless products they are developing and/or
manufacturing.
Power measurement can
be complex when testing
for compliance with standards established for specific wireless systems
Peaks, Pulses and Bandwidth
A CW power measurement is easy; all that
is needed is a calibrated power meter and a
set of attenuators to reduce power as necessary to stay within the meter’s range. It doesn’t matter whether the power meter is thermocouple or diode based, only that it is properly calibrated.
62
High Frequency Electronics
However, modern wireless systems almost
always require non-CW measurements, such
as peak power (usually with a specified modulating signal), power during the “on” time of a
transmitted signal, or power level at various
offsets from the operating channel. In addition, wide bandwidth power measurements
are required for compliance with general
interference protection regulations such as
FCC Part 15.
Some pulsed power and peak power measurements can be made using diode-based traditional-design power meters. If the on-off
duty cycle of a pulsed signal is constant and
accurate, the peak power can be calculated
mathematically from an average power reading. If the peak-to-average ratio of a signal is
held constant (“whitened”) using a pseudorandom code, mathematical methods may be
applied to more complex modulation types.
However, there are many systems with nonrepetitive signals that do not have this level of
predictability.
One manufacturer’s application note [1]
describes the issue for a common wireless system (GSM) as follows:
“The RF envelope is in the form of 542.8
µsec pulses which are located within a 576.9
µsec timeslot, each containing 147 bits of
information. The power-versus time relationship for each pulse is controlled within narrow
limits for both turn-on and turn-off. This is
necessary to prevent interference between
adjacent time slots which are assigned to different transmitters. A GSM transmitter has
only 28 µsec to ramp up to full power, a 70 dB
dynamic range, while remaining within a
specified power/time profile. The profile
defines limits for overshoot and rise-time as
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RF/IF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
396 Rev E
High Frequency Design
POWER MEASUREMENT
well as fall-time. A peak power video
bandwidth of at least 1 MHz is
required to assure compliance with
the profile.” And GSM is less complex
than many newer and broader bandwidth systems!
The solution for pulsed measurements for TDMA-based wireless systems is a sampling power meter,
which must be based on a diode
detector, since thermocouple detectors have too long a time constant.
The power meter must have the
appropriate RF bandwidth for the
operating frequency, a video (detected
output) bandwidth that exceeds the
signal’s occupied bandwidth, and it
must have a fast sample-and-hold
circuit with on-off times that do not
alter the power reading.
Finally, baseband processing, such
as internal amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), etc., must have
a response equal to or greater than
the detector’s video bandwidth.
Measuring Complex Signals
Complex signals that do not have
mathematically-defined duty cycle or
peak-to-average
characteristics
require different measurement techniques. For these signals, their amplitude must be followed in real time,
using a spectrum analyzer for the
modulated RF signal, often in conjunction with a modulation analyzer
that provides further data about the
baseband characteristics.
The first task is to understand the
limitations of spectrum analyzer
based power measurement. With a
“classic” swept local oscillator analyzer, these will include the effective
noise bandwidth of the internal IF filters, baseband processing and detection circuitry, plus the effects of
sweep time (averaging, or integrating, time). References [2] and [3]
address these issues. Spectrum analyzer instruction manuals include
this basic information as well.
Modern spectrum analyzers help
reduce measurement uncertainty for
complex signals in several ways.
First, new models and upgrades offer
increasing instantaneous bandwidths, where a 20 or even 40 MHz
wide swath of spectrum is digitized
with a high speed ADC. Sampling
time is small relative to the variations in the modulated waveforms, so
they can be accurately analyzed in
both time and frequency domains.
Powerful post-processing, including multiple FFTs and statistical
analysis, simplifies the evaluation of
data. High speed memory saves all
measurements over a segment of
time, permitting a look “backward” in
time to see events that precede the
“trigger.” Disk storage allows users to
save the actual digitized signal, not
just the measurement data, which
permits re-processing with different
analytical tools.
The complexity of measurements
and instruments means that many
engineers will not become experts
until they have several months of
experience. This is where the expertise of the instrument manufacturers
is essential. Guidelines such as application notes and preset measurement
personalities allow test engineers to
be productive immediately.
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64
High Frequency Electronics
Using Reference [4], we can
review the power measurements
required for the Bluetooth wireless
standard:
Output Power—Power measurements are performed in the time
domain (Figure 1), because the
Bluetooth signal is a series of bursts.
The test instrument is set up to find
or calculate the various parameters
noted in the figure.
Power Density—Measures peak
power density in a 100 kHz bandwidth, to determine flatness error.
Power Control—Tests the calibration of level control circuits, including
power levels and power control step
sizes, at three frequency channels.
measured data with antenna performance.
–20 dB Bandwidth—Measures occupied bandwidth
between the –20 dBc points, using the specified test signals and power levels.
Adjacent Channel Power—Measures power level in
first and second adjacent channels, as noted above.
Summary
Figure 1 · Bluetooth power vs. time. (After Fig. 12 in [4].)
EDR Relative Transmit Power—EDR (enhanced data
rate) transmissions have both GMSK and DQPSK modulation. This measurement assures that the transmission
power of each type is in the acceptable range.
Transmit Output Spectrum—Measurement beyond
the radio’s operating bandwidth is made to assure that
out-of-band transmissions are minimized. A predefined
spectral mask requires emissions to be –20 dBc at ±550 to
1450 kHz from the operating channel, –20 dBc in adjacent
channels, and –40 dBc at a 20-channel offset. The following measurements fulfill this requirement.
Frequency Range—Power density is measured to
assure that the signal is –80 dBm/Hz EIRP below 2400
MHz and above 2483.5 MHz. The result must combine
Standards-based power measurements require specialized knowledge. Fortunately, this knowledge is available through the literature and applications support of
the companies that make power measuring instruments.
References
1. Richard Blackwell, “Digital Sampling Power
Analyzer for GSM and CDMA,” Application Note, Boonton
Electronics, www.boonton, com.
2. “Agilent 8560E/8590E Spectrum Analyzers:
Comparing Power Measurements on Digitally Modulated
Signals,” Literature No. 5968-2602E, Agilent Technologies, www.agilent.com.
3. Steve Murray, “Understanding the Perils of
Spectrum Analyzer Power Averaging,” Keithley Instruments White Paper, www.keithley.com/products/rfmicrowave.
4. “Bluetooth® Measurement Fundamentals,” Lit. No.
5988-3760EN, Agilent Technologies, www.agilent.com.
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66
High Frequency Electronics
Skyworks Solutions, Inc. introduced a product portfolio of energy management solutions for the wireless home. The company’s Linear Products’
business has captured several key design wins with various market leaders for automated meter reading (AMR), advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), and ZigBee® (IEEE 802.15.4). Multiple customer’s mesh network solutions are going into volume production using Skyworks’ tested
technology that includes front-end modules (FEMs), power amplifiers
(PAs) and drivers, switches, voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs), phase
lock loops (PLLs), diodes, and other key building block components.
Skyworks’ custom FEMs allow for significant size and cost reduction. In
addition, many of the company’s FEMs are designed to allow for “plugand-play” functionality, thus drastically reducing the design time for new
products. Customized FEMs can be created depending on transceiver
implementation requirements. Various modules are being targeted at 450,
900 and 2,400 MHz frequency bands. Integration possibilities include
PAs, transmit/receive (T/R) switches, low noise amplifiers (LNAs), harmonic filters, and mixers. All energy management products are presented
in eco-friendly lead (Pb)-free, RoHS-compliant packaging. High volume
samples are available now, with full-scale production scheduled for the
third quarter of fiscal 2008.
Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
www.skyworksinc.com
sions of 100 × 20 × 180 mm. This
device is RoHS compliant.
NDK
www.ndk.com
RF/microwave switching; managing RF signals in test systems; the
convergence of RF, optical, and digital test environments; and statistical process control of wireless
device manufacturing.
Keithley Instruments, Inc.
www.keithley.com
New Handbook CD
Keithley has created a 200+ page
handbook and placed it onto a CD
titled Advanced Measurement
Techniques for OFDM- and MIMObased Radio Systems: Demystifying
WLAN and WiMAX Testing CD.
This handbook CD covers such topics as: spectrum and vector analysis; software-defined radio; spectrum analyzer power averaging;
measuring gain compression on
OFDM signals; orthogonal frequency division multiplexing;
SISO and MIMO; OFDM and
MIMO measurement techniques
for
understanding
WiMAX;
RF Coaxial Relay
RelComm Technologies, Inc. offers
1P4T 50-ohm, 2-watt terminated
relay with failsafe feature to a
through path position. This device
measures 1.65 sq. × 2.25" tall and
is equipped with a 15 pin header
for easy hookup. Performance is
rated to 18 GHz with a maximum
VSWR 1.5:1, I.L. 0.50 and –60 dB
ISOL. This device can also be provided in a 1P3T configuration.
Available options include TTL logic
and auxiliary position indicators.
RelComm Technologies, Inc.
www.relcommtech.com
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High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
GaN Power Transistors
PSA and MXA Analysis
Capabilities
Agilent
Technologies
Inc.
announced a series of new analysis
capabilities for its PSA high-performance spectrum analyzer and
mid-range MXA signal analyzer,
including the addition of up to 80
MHz analysis bandwidth to the
millimeter-wave PSA spectrum
analyzer and 2-channel, analog
baseband analysis for the N9020A
MXA signal analyzer. The N9020A
MXA is available in four frequency
range options—3.6, 8.4, 13.6 and
26.5 GHz—and offers a wide range
of advanced measurement applications running inside the instrument, including industry 89600
VSA software. The millimeterwave PSA spectrum analyzer with
up to 80 MHz analysis bandwidth
is available now. See the Web site
for full details and pricing information.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
www.agilent.com
TriQuint Semiconductor released the
first of its gallium nitride (GaN) power
transistors for a wide range of high frequency applications including mobile
base station, defense and space communications systems. TriQuint also
announced opening the industry’s first
GaN Foundry service for customers
with circuit designs intended for production starts in September, 2008.
TriQuint’s discrete die-level devices
boast up to 2.5-times the power density of high voltage gallium arsenide
devices. The new GaN devices operate up to 18 GHz, have 55% power
added efficiency (PAE), and can produce up to 90 watts of output power. In
March, TriQuint announced the largest gallium nitride epitaxial wafer
order in the history of IQE Plc. That order, with deliveries scheduled
throughout 2008, will support ongoing development efforts and the roll-out
of new commercial and defense products by TriQuint. TriQuint announced
June 18th that it is opening gallium nitride Foundry services beginning in
September, 2008. TriQuint’s GaN Foundry services will initially target
power amplifier applications through the Ku frequency band.
TriQuint Semiconductor
www.triquint.com
played average noise level is
designed to deliver benchtop spectrum analyzer performance in a
battery-operated, handheld field
unit. The SA2600 and H600 are
designed for field measurements.
The SA2600 is priced at $22,900
and the H600 is available for
$38,900. Customers owning existing H600 units can obtain a free
DPX upgrade. All models and
options are available for order.
Tektronix
www.tektronix.com
available silicon LDMOS; operational capability in the licenseexempt 5.8 GHz ISM band as well
as 5.3 GHz and 5.47 GHz U-NII
bands; and more. Both transistors
are available with “reference
design” amplifier platforms.
Cree, Inc.
www.cree.com
GaN HEMT Products
Handheld Spectrum
Analyzers
Tektronix, Inc. announced the new
SA2600 handheld real-time spectrum analyzer, which includes
DPX™ waveform image processor
technology that provides a live RF
view of the spectrum. DPX is now
also available on the H600 “RF
Hawk” handheld unit originally
introduced in February. The
SA2600 with 10 kHz to 6.2 GHz
frequency coverage, 20 MHz real
time bandwidth and –153 dBm dis-
68
High Frequency Electronics
Cree, Inc announces the sample
release of two breakthrough gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT transistors for use in WiMAX applications
covering the 4.9 to 5.8 GHz frequency band. The new transistors,
CGH55015F and CGH55030F, are
the first released GaN HEMT
WiMAX products specified to operate at up to 5.8 GHz. Significant
potential benefits offered by the
new 15-watt and 30-watt devices
include: a four-fold increase in efficiency compared with similar
power-level
GaAs
MESFET
devices; elevated frequency operation compared with commercially
Expansion of RF Power Meter
Family
Boonton Electronics, a Wireless
Telecom Group Company, introduces its new 4540 RF Power Meter
Series. Boonton’s power meters
welcome two more family members,
the 4541 and the 4542. The 4541
provides one measurement channel, the 4542 offers two channels.
The new 4540 series, with prominent, large display, is the ideal
instrument to capture, display and
analyze RF signals in both, time
and statistical domains. The 4540
family supports sensors up to 110
GHz with a power range of –70
dBm to +44 dBm (CW) and –55
dBm to +20 dBm (Peak). The 4540
series comes standard with GPIB,
USB, Ethernet (LAN) communication interfaces and allows to connect an external VGA monitor.
Boonton Electronics
www.boonton.com
use a combination of simulated and
recorded GPS waveforms as a comprehensive, low-cost solution for
receiver design validation and verification. Engineers can combine the
GPS Toolkit with the NI Modulation
Toolkit for LabVIEW, NI TestStand
test management software and PXI
RF modular instrumentation for a
complete low-cost production test
solution.
National Instruments
www.ni.com
Active Filter Evaluation
Boards
Toolkit for GPS Receiver
Testing
National Instruments announced
the NI GPS Toolkit for LabVIEW, an
extension of the graphical system
design environment that expands
the NI RF PXI platform to include
multi-satellite GPS signal simulation. Using NI LabVIEW software to
create waveforms that simulate up
to 12 satellites, engineers can test
receiver characteristics such as sensitivity, time to first fix (TTFF) and
position accuracy with the NI PXIe5672 RF vector signal generator.
With the new toolkit, engineers can
TTE, Inc. introduces two new
active filter evaluation boards.
Designated EV01 and EV02, these
boards will reduce the time it normally takes to set up tests in your
lab. The EV0 boards are completely assembled and ready to use.
Dimensions for the EV01 are 3" ×
5" × 0.5" high and 4" × 6" × 0.5"
high for the EV02. PCB jacks provide for easy filter installation.
Terminal blocks provide screw contacts for all connections, including
input, output, V+, V- and ground.
Additionally, BNC connectors are
also provided for input and output.
EVO boards can be cascaded offering you the ability to create wideband band pass filters.
TTE, Inc.
www.tte.com
ProbePoint™ CPW-µStrip
Adapter Substrates
Adapt
er S
ubst
rates
Anritsu Company introduces new
options for its MS271xB series that
take advantage of the economy
microwave spectrum analyzers’
best-in-class phase noise of –110
dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset (typical,
800 MHz) and make it easier to
integrate the instruments into
legacy manufacturing environments. The MS271xB series has
been designed to accurately measure the performance of wireless
broadband
components
and
devices, increase production yields,
and lower the cost of production
test. Anritsu has also enhanced the
MS271xB series with a GPIB
interface. Starting U.S. prices are
$13,450 for the 9 kHz to 7.1 GHz
MS2717B, $17,450 for the 9 kHz to
13 GHz MS2718B and $20,450 for
the 9 kHz to 20 GHz MS2719B.
Delivery of the spectrum analyzers
and the new options is 8 weeks
ARO.
Anritsu Company
www.us.anritsu.com
Laboratory
(RF)MicroProbe
Station
Manual
Probe
Station
Probe Tip
FET
Extremely Low Cost
< $10,000 US
DC/RF/Microwave Test
Very Low Cost
High Function
6” or 8” Chuck
•Precision CPW to µStrip Adapter Substrates•
•Companion Calibration Substrates and Standards•
•Standard & custom Carriers•
•Accurate Electrical Data to Frequencies >50 GHz•
• 5,10,& 15 mil thickness•
•Compatible with 40GHz+ probes•
•Standard and Custom Calibration Standards•
A full featured, modestly priced, manually operated probe station
developed for engineers and scientists.
Measure Microwave, RF and DC parameters of Semiconductor Devices,
Packages and Assemblies with NIST traceability .
A ultra compact, manually operated probe station for engineers,
scientists and students. Measure Microwave, RF and IV parameters of
Semiconductor Devices. Characterize MEMS, wireless, photonic and
nanoelectronic components and assemblies.
• Benchtop Size(<3ft2) • Vacuum chuck • Slide out X-Y-Ø stage•
•X-Y-Z probe positioners •Top Plate Z-lift •Vacuum Accessory Manifold•
•6.5X-112.5X Stereo Zoom Microscope • Adjustable Halogen Illuminator •
•Vacuum Accessories • Compatible with 40GHz+ probes•
• Accessories for Thermal Chucks and Probe Cards•
•Compatible with Magnetic Mount Positioners•
• Benchtop Size(1ft2) • 2” Vacuum chuck with pump• 1” X-Y-Ø stage with z-lift•
•2 ea. 0.5” X-Y-Z probe positioners, includes 2 ea. 18 GHz probes & DC needles•
•10X/30X Stereo Zoom Trinocular Microscope • Flourescent Illuminator •
•Compatible with additional Magnetic Mount Positioners(optional)•
•Compatible with industry standard microwave probes(optional)•
3744 NW Bluegrass Pl
Portland, OR 97229
(503) 614-9509
(503) 531-9325 [FAX]
www.jmicrotechnology.com
Test Tooling for the Untestable
•Cost effective for research projects•
•Test wafers, microstrip packages and surface mount components•
J microTechnology
J micro Technology
Microwave Spectrum
Analyzers
J microTechnology
J microTechnology
J micro Technology
3744 NW Bluegrass Pl
Portland, OR 97229
(503) 614-9509
(503) 531-9325 [FAX]
www.jmicrotechnology.com
A Precision Probe Station at a Utility Price
J micro Technology
3744 NW Bluegrass Pl
Portland, OR 97229
(503) 614-9509
(503) 531-9325 [FAX]
www.jmicrotechnology.com
Research Performance / Student Price
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
July 2008
69
High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
CPW-Microstrip Adapter
Substrates
J microTechnology, Inc.’s PP™0513
CPW-Microstrip Adapter Substrates (TFN) offer a new level of
controlled test tooling and test
methodology for the characterization, qualification and reliability
testing of high performance MMIC
chips through 50 GHz. The
PP™0513 is a microwave quality
ceramic substrate with a precision
CPW to microstrip transition and a
compensated bond pad for wirebond
or ribbon bond to a MMIC die. The
compensated bond pad corrects for
the parasitics of the wire or ribbon
at the frequency of operation. The
CPW-microstrip section electrical
parameters can be removed via
standard calibration techniques
(using the PP™CM05LX adapter)
to achieve precise measurements
that reflect operation of the MMIC
chip in an integrated assembly.
Features include: DC-50 GHz;
99.6% alumina; low insertion loss
and very good return loss for years
of consistent, repeatable measurements; wire bond/diebond compatible; and more.
J microTechnology, Inc.
www.jmicrotechnology.com
400W GaN High Power
Amplifier
RF Micro Devices, Inc. unveiled a
400W high power amplifier (HPA)
that demonstrates the exceptional
performance characteristics of
RFMD’s internally developed gallium nitride (GaN) process technology. The 400W GaN HPAs are
designed for air traffic control
radar and ship-borne or groundbased pulsed S-band surveillance
radar applications. In radar applications RFMD’s 400W GaN HPAs
operate over a frequency range of
2.9 to 3.5 GHz, from a 65V supply
delivering a power gain of 10.5 dB.
Placed in a thermally efficiency,
70
High Frequency Electronics
ceramic hermetically sealed package measuring only 24 × 17.4 mm,
the 400W GaN HPAs deliver power
density and size advantages over
competing silicon bipolar technologies.
RF Micro Devices, Inc.
www.rfmd.com
suite; Project, elements, and status
window are now fully dockable as
well as “floating”; Windows can be
placed in an “auto-hide” mode that
makes them disappear shortly
after clicking somewhere else on
the screen; and much more.
AWR
www.awrcorp.com
Sample Model Library
New Product Brochure
Z-Comm Microwave, a division of
Z-Communications, Inc. announces
the release of the company’s 2008
Product Brochure. This guide highlights features, specifications,
options, plots and diagrams for the
company’s integrated microwave
modules and ultra-linear power
amplifiers. Users can download an
electronic version of the product
guide online or contact the company at sales@zcomm.com for a hard
copy version.
Z-Comm Microwave
www.zcomm-microwave.com
Modelithics, Inc. has released a free
sample model library for accurate
surface mount capacitor, inductor
and resistor component representation within the Virtuoso Spectre
Circuit Simulator of Cadence (version IC6.1). The sample library,
Modelithics SELECT™, is a collection of models selected from the
Modelithics CLR Library™, representing five different popular surface mount RLC component families. Modelithics models include
advanced features such as partvalue scaling, substrate scaling,
pad scaling, representation of highorder resonant effects and accurate
effective series resistance and are
valid through 10 GHz and higher.
Modelithics, Inc.
www.Modelithics.com
New Software Version
AWR® announced Version 2008 of
its Visual System Simulator (VSS)
software suite for the end-to-end
design and optimization of communications systems. VSS, an integral
part
of
the AWR
Design
Environment™, allows the impact
of “real-world” signal impairments
and other factors to be evaluated
early in the design cycle when they
can be most effectively dealt with.
Enhancements in VSS 2008
include: Sweeping changes to the
user interface that dramatically
increase designers’ ability to customize the “look and feel” of the
Bi-directional SSPAs
Stealth Microwave has developed
an entire product line of bi-directional SSPAs for commercial and
military applications. Power outputs range from 1W to 20W complying with 802.11a/b/g and
802.16e applications. Products are
available in most frequency ranges
from 1.7-5.9 GHz and are routinely
customized to meet customer and
application-specific needs.
Stealth Microwave, Inc.
www.stealthmicrowave.com
Advertiser Index
Company.......................................................................Page
Company.......................................................................Page
American Technical Ceramics (ATC) .................................25
Antenna Systems Conference.............................................65
Applied Computational Sciences........................................24
Applied Wave Research (AWR)...........................................21
AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation...................................17
Besser Associates ................................................................67
Cornell Dubilier...................................................................64
C.W. Swift & Associates .............................................Cover 2
Emerson Network Power ......................................................4
Hittite Microwave Corporation ..........................................23
J microTechnology...............................................................69
J microTechnology...............................................................69
J microTechnology...............................................................69
Labtech ................................................................................57
Laird Technologies ..............................................................51
Linear Technology ...............................................................13
Micro Lambda Wireless ......................................................19
Microwave Components ......................................................16
Mini-Circuits ......................................................................2-3
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................11
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................15
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................28
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................47
Mini-Circuits ..................................................................52-53
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................61
Mini-Circuits .......................................................................63
MITEQ ...................................................................................1
MITEQ ........................................................................Cover 4
Molex RF.....................................................................Cover 3
PMT......................................................................................50
RelComm .............................................................................59
RF Industries ......................................................................50
RF Micro Devices ..................................................................9
RLC Electronics ..................................................................27
Stealth Microwave ..............................................................49
Teledyne Cougar....................................................................7
Tensolite...............................................................................45
WiseWave/Ducommun ........................................................55
INTERCONNECTIONS Product Supplement Advertisers
Company.......................................................................Page
Company.......................................................................Page
Astrolab .............................................................................S15
Delta ..................................................................................S13
Hus-Tsan .............................................................................S4
IW Microwave .....................................................................S7
Rosenberger.........................................................................S9
Santron ..............................................................................S11
SGMC Microwave ...............................................................S3
Times Microwave Systems .................................................S5
■ FIND OUR ADVERTISERS’ WEB SITES
USING
HFELINK™
1. Go to our company information Web site: www.HFeLink.com
(from www.highfrequencyelectronics.com, just click on the HFeLink reminder on home page)
2. Companies in our current issue are listed, or you can choose one of our recent issues
3. Find the company you want to know more about ... and just click!
4. The Web site of each company you choose will open in a new browser window
■ OR... YOU CAN BROWSE THROUGH OUR ONLINE EDITION
■ ADVERTISERS — REACH
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AND INTERESTED
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READERSHIP
Contact one of our advertising professionals today:
ADVERTISING SALES — EAST COAST
ADVERTISING SALES — WEST
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Tim Burkhard
Tel: 631-274-9530
Fax: 631-667-2871
E-mail: grhodes@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 707-544-9977
Fax: 707-544-9375
E-mail: tim@highfrequencyelectronics.com
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PUBLISHER — OTHER REGIONS & INTERNATIONAL
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Tel: 603-472-8261
Fax: 603-471-0716
E-mail: scott@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Advertising and media information is available online at www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
July 2008
71
DESIGN NOTES
Reader Feedback...
Old and New RF Topics
I’ve enjoyed reading your writings these manymany years ... so, with WiMax, ZigBee, Mobile TV,
RFID, pervasive GPS and electronic warfare exploding
(sorry for the pun) it was with sadness that I read that
you had little exciting to write your editorial about—
Gary, we need you to be telling us we are part of a scientific happening early in this century and not just
fooling with radio. Computers are fine but it is RF that
is hot! Hey, Dr. S. Gupta said on TV the other day that
he wouldn’t use a cell phone without an earpiece! RF
may help win a war! All of us might become walking
broadband generators of OFDM data! You might be
able to watch the Yankees lose on your cell phone! Pull
out of it—tell us what’s happening next and what may
threaten us. People will come.
Robert M Unetich
GigaHertz LLC
Thanks, Bob! Of course, there’s no lack of things to
write about—just had no urgent feelings on a single
topic when I sat down to write. Don’t worry, I’ll find
plenty of fun stuff for future issues!—Gary
CFLs, Mercury and EMI
I was very interested in your editorial about the
CFLs in the June issue of HFE. I have a few reasons
not to buy CFLs at all.
First, the efficiency claims of CFLs are somewhat
exaggerated, while its true that the CFLs are somewhere around 2 to 3 times as efficient as incandescent
bulbs they are still only about 9% efficient light
sources, not significant enough to impress me. If you
live in an area that needs heat in the winter like most
of us do, then the heat generated by incandescent
bulbs is not wasted.
Second, the power factor of CFLs is awful especially compared to the incandescent bulbs which are
100%. The CFLs draw line current as narrow spikes
similar to capacitor input power supplies but much
much worse. This spike causes poor power factor and
lots of EMI. It’s not the internal switching power supplies that are making the noise, its the narrow spike of
input current which has, all by itself, harmonics into
the MHz range.
Third, the mercury. We were told by environmentalists that we could not have mercury in our batteries
and that no amount was safe...
Fourth, four foot tubes are preferred and actually
work. I’ve tested these and they have near 100% power
factor and very little EMI.
If CFLs were simply offered for sale I wouldn’t
72
High Frequency Electronics
care, but now I found out that there is a federal law
scheduling a ban on incandescent bulbs and forcing
me to use CFLs instead. ... There are a wide variety of
legitimate uses for incandescent bulbs. For now, I’m
stockpiling.
J. Arthur Smith
JAS Circit Engineering
Your comments concerning potential interference
issues caused by CFLs are right on the money. I’ve
deployed them extensively throughout my house in
order to save energy. Since their power consumption is
minimal (only 15W per bulb), there are locations
where I leave the CFLs on all the time.
I also use a power line-based system to remotely
control lighting and various appliances. I’ve noticed
that when various CFLs age (but well within their
useful life span), operation of the remote control system becomes sporadic, or, in an extreme case stops.
Until I originally diagnosed and fixed the problem, I
came close to replacing the master controller for the
remote system—would have been a bit costly!
When I inventory the number of wireless systems
I’ve deployed—lighting/appliance remote control,
alarm system, wireless headphones, several different
portable telephone, garage door opener, etc.—I’m
approaching an electromagnetic jungle. These all have
to function without mutual interference! And... there
are more wireless appliances already budgeted to add
to this mix.
Richard L. Abrahams
Harris GCSD
Science and Math Education
Perhaps it was easy to be enthusiastic about science and technology several decades ago because of
the space program. The media made the public much
better-acquainted with the sci-tech community, and
the latter enjoyed the popular support and funding
which made it all happen. For the future, we need to
begin science education at the elementary school level,
expand it through middle school and experience the
science fairs in high school.
Two goals: (1) much greater public awareness and
appreciation of science-technology leading to, (2) greatly increased expansion and funding of science-technology in the national interest. It is imperative!
Jim Olsen
Note: Comments published in High Frequency
Electronics may be edited for length or clarity.—Editor
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AMPLIFIERS
Model Number
JSW4-18002600-20-5A
JSW4-26004000-28-5A
JSW4-18004000-35-5A
JSW4-33005000-45-5A
JSW5-40006000-55-0A
Gain
Frequency
Gain
Flatness
(GHz)
(dB, Min.) (±dB, Max.)
18-26
26-40
18-40
33-50
40-60
34
25
21
21
18
Noise
Figure
(dB, Max.)
In/Out
VSWR
(Max.)
Output Power
at 1dB Comp.
(dBm, Typ.)
2.0
2.8
3.5
4.5
5.5
2.0:1/2.0:1
2.2:1/2.0:1
2.5:1/2.5:1
2.5:1/2.5:1
2.75:1/2.75:1
5
5
5
5
0
1.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
Higher output power options available.
MIXER/CONVERTER PRODUCTS
Frequency (GHz)
Model Number
RF
LO
IF
Conversion
Gain/Loss
(dB, Typ.)
Noise
Figure
(dB, Typ.)
Image
Rejection
(dB, Typ.)
LO-RF
Isolation
(dB, Typ.)
42
42
11
11
-7.5
-10
-9
-10
2.5
3.5
9.5
9.5
8
10.5
9.5
10.5
25
25
25
25
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
45
45
25
25
25
20
25
20
LNB-1826-30
18-26
Internal
2-10
LNB-2640-40
26-40
Internal
2-16
IR1826N17*
18-26
18-26
DC-0.5
IR2640N17*
26-40
26-40
DC-0.5
SBW3337LG2 33-37
33-37
DC-4
TB0440LW1
4-40
4-42
.5-20
DB0440LW1
4-40
4-40
DC-2
SBE0440LW1
4-40
2-20
DC-1.5
* For IF frequency options, please contact MITEQ.
MULTIPLIERS
Model Number
Input
Output
Input
Level
(dBm, Min.)
MAX2M260400
MAX2M200380
MAX2M300500
MAX4M400480
MAX3M300300
MAX2M360500
MAX2M200400
TD0040LA2
13-20
10-19
15-25
10-12
10
18-25
10-20
2-20
26-40
20-38
30-50
40-48
30
36-50
20-40
4-40
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Frequency (GHz)
Output
Fundamental
Power
Feed Through Level
(dBm, Min.)
(dBc, Min.)
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
-3
18
18
18
18
60
18
18
30
DC current
@+15VDC
(mA, Nom.)
160
200
160
250
160
160
160
N/A
Higher output power options available.
MITEQ also offers custom designs to meet your specific requirements.
For additional information or technical support, please
contact our Sales Department at (631) 439-9220
or e-mail components@miteq.com
100
100 Davids
Davids Drive
Drive •• Hauppauge,
Hauppauge, NY
NY 11788
11788
TEL.:
TEL.: (631)
(631) 436-7400
436-7400 •• FAX:
FAX: (631)
(631) 436-7430
436-7430
www.miteq.com
www.miteq.com
Get info at www.HFeLink.com