ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE: FEBRUARY2011

www.highfrequencyelectronics.com

UMTS BASE STATION

RECEIVER MODULE OCCUPIES
ONE-HALF SQUARE INCH

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Design Notes—Two Books for Engineers
Technology—Military Communications News
Tutorial—Performance Expectations for Small Antennas
Control Interfaces for Microwave Frequency Synthesizers
Algorithmic Advances in EM Tools for Signal Integrity

Online Edition
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Ideas for today’s engineers: Analog · Digital · RF · Microwave · mm-wave · Lightwave

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 ALSO PUBLISHED ONLINE AT: FEBRUARY2011
www.highfrequencyelectronics.com Vol. 10 No. 2

You can view this issue page-by-page, or click on any of

the articles or columns in the Table of Contents below

18 40 50
control interfaces signal integrity umts receiver module
Control Interfaces for RF High-Frequency Half-Inch UMTS Base
and Microwave Algorithmic Advances Station Receiver
Frequency Synthesizers in EM Tools for Signal Douglas Stuetzle and
Alexander Chenakin Integrity—Part 2 Todd Nelson
John Dunn

60
tutorial 36
Performance technology report 16
Expectations for Military Communi- high frequency applications
Reduced-Size Antennas cations: Industry University News
Gary Breed News and Recent
Developments
78
80 product coverage
design notes 30 Product Highlights
Two New Books for product coverage
Engineers Featured Products

Regular Columns

6 Editorial 12 In the News 78 Product Highlights

8 Meetings & Events 64 New Products 79 Advertiser Index

On the Cover—This month’s cover features the LTC9004 and LTC9005 UMTS receiver
modules from Linear Technology Corporation, which deliver RF-to-bits in just a half
square inch footprint. (Cover artwork provided by Linear Technology)

February 2011 5
 EDITORIAL

Vol. 10 No. 2, February 2011

Editorial Director
Embrace the Changes
Gary Breed
gary@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 608-437-9800
Occurring in Society
and Technology
Fax: 608-437-9801

Publisher
Scott Spencer
scott@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 603-472-8261
Fax: 603-471-0716

Associate Publisher
Tim Burkhard
tim@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 707-544-9977
Fax: 707-544-9375

Associate Editor
Gary Breed
Katie Landmark Editorial Director

katie@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Tel: 608-437-9800
Fax: 608-437-9801
Business Office
High Frequency Electronics
PO Box 10621
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
Subscription Services
Sue Ackerman
Tel: 651-292-0629
Fax: 651-292-1517
circulation@highfrequencyelectronics.com
Send subscription inquiries and address changes
to the above contact person. You may send them
by mail to the Business Office address above.
Our Environmental Commitment
High Frequency Electronics is printed
on paper produced using sustain-
able forestry practices, certified by
the Program for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification (PEFC™),
www.pefc.org
Copyright © 2011, Summit Technical Media, LLC
T
he title above may sound like the
deep thoughts of a philosopher, but
it’s really a simple message based on
history—change is inevitable, and we must
deal with it. In my January column, I noted
some of the changes we are now experienc-
ing, and how they affect the high frequency
engineering community—social network-
ing, near-ubiquitous computer simulation,
educational challenges, and environmental concerns.
On this last topic, the printed version of High Frequency Electronics is
now printed on paper that is certified by an industry association that pro-
motes sustainable forestry practices such as managed tree farms and max-
imum use of recycled material, along with “chain of custody” monitoring of
the entire process through supply, manufacturing and distribution. The
small extra cost of certified paper is a worthy investment in environmen-
tally responsible publishing.
Of course, using no paper at all is a possibility in the future. This mag-
azine has been available electronically since it began publication in 2002,
and our Online Edition has steadily grown over the years. But the present
reality is that only about 8 percent of our subscribers choose the digital for-
mat. Many in that group also want the printed copy; they just use the dig-
ital version to get an immediate preview of each issue. So far, we have cho-
sen to make our Online Edition available without restriction, and our Web
site statistics confirm that there are many non-subscriber downloads,
since the total is more than twice the number of digital subscribers.
We are also looking at other “new media” devices like e-readers, pad
computers and smartphones. We have received only a few inquiries about
our plans, but we are trying to understand how engineers are using these
electronic devices for both personal and professional communications.
Similarly, we are monitoring the use of social media among engineers.
There are no clear patterns right now, but we want to be ready to provide
useful information using whatever devices and delivery routes our readers
prefer. As always, we value your opinions and appreciate any comments or
suggestions on how we can help you get the information you need.

6 High Frequency Electronics

The Engineer’s Changing etc. And that’s without the support- need to embrace these changes, and
Work Environment ing personnel in documentation understand that something else
In my 40+ year career as an and design-for-manufacturing. will come along in the future to
engineer and editor, it has been fas- These big changes in engineer- change things again.
cinating to watch the way engi- ing design—large-group collabora- Send me your observations and
neers go about their work. When I tion, greater specialization, and the comments about changes in the
began, there were two main styles: astonishing ability to work with a way engineers work. Have they
working on one small piece of a big worldwide geographical distribu- affected you in a negative way, or
project at a large company, or work- tion of people and manufacturing— are they making your work more
ing on a wide range of tasks on a are the changes we see now. We interesting and exciting?
smaller project at a small company.
Often, it was difficult for a new
graduate to decide between a large
company’s potential for training,
advancement and career develop-
ment; and the flexibility, but less-
certain advancement potential, of a
job at a small company.
Today, the choices are very dif-
ferent. Engineers at large compa-
nies might work in a small design
center, or even at home, instead of
being lost in a field of cubicles.
Small companies are leveraging
contract manufacturing and fabless
IC design to create products rivaling
those of a big company. In either
case, the engineers may be collabo-
rating with many colleagues around
the world.
VCO Performance and Dependability
The engineer’s job has paral-
85 MHz to 18 GHz
lelled changes in our personal lives. Freq.
Tuning
Voltage
Output
Power/
Typical
Phase
Nominal
Modulation
Typical
Harmonic
We are surrounded with technology Range Range Variation Noise
Offset at
Sensitivity
Min.-Max.
Suppression D.C. Bias

that is far more complex than the Model (MHz) (Volts)

(dBm/
±dB)
10kHz/100kHz
(dBc/Hz) (MHz/V) (dBc)
Voltage
(Volts)
Current
(mA)
things we had just 15 or 20 years Oscillator with internal MMIC amplifier available in SMTO-8 or CougarPak™

ago. But before we can take advan- OAS5100 4300-5100 0-15 13.0/2.0 -84/-108 50-85 -22 5.0 94
OAS7700 5700-7700 0-15 10.0/2.0 -75/-100 70-250 -30 5.0 95
tage of their capabilities, we must OAS8900 6900-8900 0-15 10.0/2.0 -70/-95 100-270 -30 5.0 95
invest in some up-front time and Oscillator available in SMTO-8 or CougarPak™
OS6700 5400-6700 0-15 0/2.0 -75/-100 80-180 -17 5.0 25
study to learn how to use them. OS7700 5700-7700 0-15 2.0/2.0 -75/-100 70-250 -17 5.0 25
For engineers, the advancement OS8900 6900-8900 0-15 1.0/2.0 -70/-95 100-270 -25 5.0 24
Oscillator available in TO-8, SMTO-8 or CougarPak™
of design and manufacturing tech- OC1000 500-1000 0-20 10.0/2.0 -90/-105 15-55 -10 15.0 35
nology has dramatically increased OC3400 2700-3400 0-15 10.0/2.0 -80/-105 75-115 -12 15.0 60
OC4500 3500-4500 0-15 8.0/2.0 -75/-100 50-150 -10 15.0 60
the need for specialization, to pro- Oscillator, Amp, Filter and Voltage Regulator in 2- and 3-Stage CougarPak™
vide the detailed understanding OA2CP2001 1000-2000 0-(-15) 15.0/2.0 -70/-100 50-150 -15 15.0 250
required for new processes and OA2CP12500 9000-12500 0-(-12) 15.0/2.0 -65/-95 150-450 -25 15.0 250
OA3CP18001 12000-18000 0-(-12) 15.0/2.0 -55/-85 150-750 -15 15.0 350
methods. In the past, a design team
Typical and guaranteed specifications vary versus frequency; see detailed data sheets for specification variations.
was a couple engineers, a techni-
cian and a draftsman (CAD/CAM Teledyne Cougar is your source for VCOs, Hi-power Amplifiers,
operator). Now, a design team may RF & Microwave Components, Integrated Subassemblies, Integrated Assemblies
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 MEETINGS & EVENTS

CONFERENCES May 2-4, 2011

Sarnoff 2011—34th IEEE Sarnoff Symposium
Princeton, NJ
February 20-24, 2011 Information: Conference Web site
IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference http://ewh.ieee.org/conf/sarnoff/2011/
San Francisco, CA
Information: Conference Web site May 16-19, 2011
http://www.isscc.org APEMC 2011—Asia-Pacific EMC Symposium
Jeju Island, Korea
March 7-9, 2011 Information: Conference Web site
2011 IEEE Int’l Workshop on Antenna Technology http://www.apemc2011.org
Hong Kong
Information: Conference Web site
http://www.iwat2011.hk/ SHORT COURSES
March 21-23, 2011 Tektronix/Kimmel Gerke EMC/SI Seminars
7th Military Antennas Summit Kimmel Gerke Associates, Ltd.
San Diego, CA 628 LeVander Way
Information: Conference Web site South St. Paul, Minnesota 55075
http://www.MilitaryAntennasEvent.com Tel: 1-888-EMI-GURU
http://www.emiguru.com
March 22-24, 2011 EMC/SI + Optional Troubleshooting Workshop
International CTIA Wireless 2011 February 22-24, 2011, San Diego, CA
Orlando, FL EMC/SI
Information: Conference Web site March 22-23, 2011, Dallas TX
http://www.ctiawireless.com April 5-6, 2011, Boston, MA
April 11-12, 2011, Baltimore, MD
April 3-6, 2011 May 2-3, 2011, Rochester, NY
Int’l Symposium on Power Line Communications
Udine, Italy
Information: Conference Web site D.L.S. Electronic Systems, Inc.
http://www.ieee-isplc.org/2011/ 1250 Peterson Drive
Wheeling, IL 60090
April 9-14, 2011 Tel: 847-537-6400
2011 NAB Show http://www.dlsemc.com
Las Vegas, NV EMC by Your Design—An EMC Practical Applications
Information: Conference Web site Seminar and Workshop
http://www.nabshow.com April 12-14, 2011, Hilton Hotel, Northbrook, IL

April 11-15, 2011

European Conference on Antennas and Propagation Besser Associates
Rome, Italy 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 115
Information: Conference Web site Mountain View, CA 94040
http://www.eucap2011.org Tel: 650-949-3300
Fax: 650-949-4400
April 12-14, 2011 E-mail: info@besserassociates.com
IEEE RFID 2011—International Conference on RFID http://www.besserassociates.com
Orlando, FL Designing High Efficiency RF Power Amplifiers
Information: Conference Web site February 28-March, 2, 2011, San Diego, CA
http://sites.ieee.org/rfid2011/ Antennas & Propagation for Wireless Communications
February 28-March 2, 2011, San Diego, CA
April 18-19, 2011 Applied Design of RF/Wireless Products and Systems
12th WAMICON 2011—IEEE Wireless and Microwave February 28-March 2, 2011, San Diego, CA
Technology Conference Power Conversion & Regulation Circuits for VLSI Systems
Clearwater, FL February 28-March 2, 2011, San Diego, CA
Information: Conference Web site RF Measurements: Principles & Demonstration
http://www.wamicon.org March 14-18, 2011, San Jose, CA

Send announcements of events and short courses to: editor@highfrequencyelectronics.com

Or send by mail to the Editorial & Production Office address shown on page 6.

8 High Frequency Electronics

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 MEETINGS & EVENTS

Applied RF Techniques I Information:

March 21-25, 2011, San Jose, CA
Applied RF II: Advanced Wireless and Microwave
Techniques
March 21-25, 2011, San Jose, CA
Practical Digital Wireless Signals – Measurements and
Characteristics
March 21-25, 2011, San Jose, CA
LTE Mobile Access
March 24-25, 2011, San Jose, CA
European School of Antennas
Prof. Stefano Maci
Dept. of Information Engineering
University of Sienna
53100 Siena ITALY
macis@ing.unisi.it
http://www.esoa-web.org
Antenna Project Management
March 21-25, 2011, EPFL—Lausanne
Propagation for Space Application
March 28-30, 2011, ESTEC—Supaero, Toulouse
Industrial Antenna Design
April 4-8, 2011, IMST—Duesseldorf
Leaky Waves and Periodic Structures for Antenna
Applications
April 26-29, 2011, SAPIENZA—Rome
Antenna Measurements at Millimeter and Submillimeter
Wavelengths
May 16-20, 2011, AALTO—Helsinki
Propagation and MIMO
May 30-June 3, 2011, UNISI/KIT—Siena
Compact Antennas
June 6-10, 2011, UPC—Barcelona
Terahertz Technology and Applications
June 13-17, 2011, UPC—Barcelona
Advanced Near-Field Antenna Measurement Techniques
June 20-24, 2011, DTU—Copenhagen
Body Area Network
June 27-30, 2011, QMUL—London
CALLS FOR PAPERS
61st Annual IEEE Broadcast Symposium
Alexandria, VA
Conference Dates: October 19-21, 2011
Abstract Submission Deadline: May 1, 2011
Topics:
Potential topic areas may include: digital radio and tele-
vision systems: terrestrial, cable, satellite, Internet,
wireless; mobile DTV systems (all aspects, both trans-
mission and reception); technical issues associated with
the termination of analog television broadcasting;
transmission, propagation, reception, re-distribution of
broadcast signals; AM, FM, and TV transmitter and
antenna systems; tests and measurements; cable and
satellite interconnection with terrestrial broadcasters;
and more.
Abstract submissions are due 1 May 2011. Authors
whose abstracts are accepted will be notified by 1 July
2011. Full papers will be due 30 September 2011.
Abstracts should clearly explain the subject, originality
and relevance. All papers that are selected must be pre-
sented at the Symposium by the authors or their desig-
nated presenters. Full details at: www.ieee.org/bts.
2011 IEEE Compound Semiconductor IC
Symposium
Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii’s Big Island, HI
Conference Dates: October 16-19, 2011
Abstract Submission Deadline: May 8, 2011
Topics:
Specific technical areas of interest include: innovative
RFIC device and circuit concepts; millimeter-wave/
high-speed CMOS IC; circuit design and fabrication;
manufacturing technology and cost issues;
CAD/CAM/CAT tools and techniques; IC testing and
methodology; packaging technology; reliability;
advanced device applications; system applications
(e.g., wireless, vehicular, RADAR, military); high-
speed digital and OEIC applications; and more.
Information:
Authors must submit an Abstract (not more than 4
pages including figures and other supporting materi-
al) of results not previously published or not already
accepted by another conference. Papers will be select-
ed on the basis of the abstract. All Symposium infor-
mation, including abstract submission instructions
and a link to our abstract submission address is avail-
able on our website at: http://www.csics.org
Radio Wireless Week
Santa Clara, CA
Conference Dates: January 15-19, 2012
Topics:
Papers featuring innovative work are solicited in (not
limited to) the following areas: passive antennas; prop-
agation/channel modeling and utilization; transceivers
and front-end technologies, SOC and SiP; MIMO, sig-
nal processing, and Smart antennas; high-speed and
broadband wireless technologies; software-defined
radios and cognitive radios; wireless system architec-
ture and modeling; emerging wireless technologies and
applications; digital signal processing as applied to
wireless; and passive components and packaging.
Information:
Paper submission instructions can be found online at
http://www.radiowirelessweek.org/. Submissions
should be formatted according to the submission
guide within a maximum of four pages (including all
figures and references). Only electronic submissions
in PDF format will be accepted for review. Authors
should indicate their preference for oral or poster pre-
sentation. All submissions must be received by July 8,
2011.

10 High Frequency Electronics

Yes, chip inductors are among
Coilcraft’s biggest sellers. But
did you know we also offer a
full range of other RF products
like these?
They’re all in stock for
immediate shipment and all
available as free samples for
testing and evaluation.
For the full picture, visit
www.coilcraft.com/RF
Some people only think of us
for chip inductors.
Broadband Conical Inductors
High impedance from 10 MHz to
40 GHz. Perfect for RF to
millimeter-wave choking and
bias tees. Available with leads
or in surface mount versions
for ruggedness and easy mounting.
RFID Transponder Coils
A variety of antenna coils for 125
kHz systems. Automotive grade
models for tire pressure and
keyless entry applications.
®
Air Core Inductors
For the highest possible Q
and current handling,
nothing beats our air core
“Spring” inductors. New
models offer more inductance values and
smaller size.
Wideband Transformers
Our low insertion loss transform-
ers come in a wide range of turns
ratios. Use for baluns, isolation
or impedance matching.
 IN THE NEWS
Business News
Rochester Electronics announces the opening of a
sales and customer service center in Munich (München),
Germany. The sales and support office enables Rochester
to better serve OEMs, authorized distributors, and origi-
nal semiconductor manufacturers in the region by pro-
viding continuing semiconductor manufacturing, invento-
ry distribution, Extension-of-Life™ planning, and re-cre-
ation (reverse-engineering) services. The office is located
at Wappenhalle Business Center, Konrad-Zuse-Platz 8,
81820 München.
ON Semiconductor Corporation announced the com-
pletion of the acquisition of SANYO Semiconductor Co.,
Ltd., a subsidiary of SANYO Electric, and other assets
related to SANYO Electric’s semiconductor business, by
ON Semiconductor. Under the terms of the purchase agree-
ment, ON Semiconductor paid approximately ¥11.8 billion
($144 million) in cash to SANYO Electric and drew down
approximately ¥31.7 billion ($378 million) under a loan
agreement with SANYO Electric.
Aeroflex Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aeroflex
Holding Corp., announced it has signed an asset pur-
chase agreement to acquire the spectrum analyzer assets
from LIGNex1 Co., Ltd. The primary assets to be
acquired under the transaction include bench-top spec-
trum analyzer product lines that Aeroflex has offered
under its own brand. These products include the 2399C,
2394A, 2395A spectrum analyzers as well as the newer
3250 Series spectrum analyzers, along with all the respec-
tive intellectual property. The closing is subject to certain
delivery requirements by LIGNex1, as well as certain cus-
tomary closing conditions.
Skyworks Solutions, Inc. announced that two of its
power amplifier modules are enabling the first commer-
cial long term evolution (LTE) handset in the United
States. Samsung’s newest 4G mobile phone, the Craft™,
was launched in Las Vegas by MetroPCS and leverages
the SKY77702 and the SKY77703. The carrier expects to
cover 19 markets by 2011 and approximately 110 million
LTE customers in major cities such as Dallas, Los Angeles
and New York.
TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc announced that
Samsung selected TriQuint for its complete 3G RF front-
end for its popular, new Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is in
addition to Samsung choosing TriQuint’s total 3G RF
front-end solution for its flagship smartphone series,
Galaxy S. The solution includes TriQuint’s family of
WCDMA TRITIUM PA-Duplexer Modules™ in combina-
tion with its linear WEDGE QUANTUM Tx Module™.
RF Micro Devices, Inc. announced that Samsung has
selected three highly integrated RFMD® components to
deliver superior WiFi connectivity in the recently intro-
duced GALAXY Tab™ Android tablet. Specifically, RFMD
is supplying Samsung with the RF5521 front end module
(FEM) for the low-band 2.4 GHz frequency, and the
12 High Frequency Electronics
RF5515 low noise amplifier (LNA) and RF5355 power
amplifier (PA) for the high-band 5.0 GHz frequency.
Volume shipments have begun, and RFMD anticipates
increasing WiFi shipments to Samsung—in mobile tablet
devices as well as in smartphones—as single-band and
dual-band design wins ramp into volume production.
RFMW, Ltd. announces the opening of direct sales and
distribution offices in Europe. These direct sales offices
allow RFMW to quickly and effectively introduce products
from RFMW's suppliers into the multitude of
RF/microwave design centers and OEMs located in Europe,
and support the supply chain to contract manufacturing
locations in country or worldwide.
Tektronix Component Solutions announced that its
ASIC design and custom IC packaging services are now
validated by IBM Corporation as “Ready for IBM
Technology” on silicon germanium (SiGe) 5HP, 7HP, 7WL,
and 8HP process technologies. Receiving this validation
demonstrates that Tektronix Component Solutions offers
customers the expertise, value and reliability required for
high-performance SiGe devices.
TÜV Rheinland®, one of only two Wi-Fi Alliance-autho-
rized testing laboratories in the U.S., announced they
have been qualified by the Wi-Fi Alliance to perform test-
ing to the new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct specifica-
tion. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct is a certification
mark for Wi-Fi devices that connect to one another with-
out access points or Internet connections. Working with
TÜV Rheinland on Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct
approvals offers member companies convenient testing
services with the addition of new testing facilities.
Endwave Corporation has announced a redesign of
their website, www.Endwave.com, which includes an e-
commerce MMIC store for sample and volume purchases
up to 999 pieces. The MMICs section offers an extensive
selection of chips and QFN packaged devices including
amplifiers, attenuators, couplers, filters, mixers, multipli-
ers, up/downconverters, power detectors, and VCOs.
Visitors can peruse a selection guide and click to detailed
landing pages complete with datasheets, block diagrams,
and photos. Visitors can then shop the Endwave MMIC
Store, powered by their exclusive distribution partner
Component Distributors, Inc. (CDI).
The OpenET Alliance announced that it has been incor-
porated as a non-profit company to encourage faster adop-
tion of Envelope Tracking (ET) technology to reduce the
cost and power consumption of wireless transmissions for
cellular, broadcast, military and other wireless communi-
cations applications. It has appointed a board, is accepting
members, has published standard interface specifications
accessible to any device or terminal manufacturer inter-
ested in implementing the technology, and will be launched
at an event during Mobile World Congress 2011 in
Barcelona.
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 IN THE NEWS
Analog Devices, Inc. and National Instruments col-
laborated on a new release of NI’s Multisim™ component
evaluation tool with added features and functionality to
provide engineers with an easy-to-use environment for
the simulation of linear circuits using ADI components.
The free component evaluation tool is available on ADI’s
website. Download a copy of the Multisim SPICE
Simulation Program at http://www.analog.com/multisim.
JFW Industries announces that its tutorials are now
available on YouTube. Currently highlighted is a video
showing potential customers a complete demonstration
on how to make the 50BA-series, programmable attentu-
ators, part of your test solution today.
Mouser Electronics, Inc. launched a major global dis-
tribution partnership with Maxim Integrated
Products, Inc. This worldwide agreement between two
of the industry’s premier solutions and service providers
gives design engineers immediate access to Maxim’s vast
array of advanced semiconductor components and tools.
As part of this new distribution agreement, Mouser will
provide many new design opportunities and its logistics
service for Maxim’s current product portfolio and future
product introductions.
Two new product training modules showcasing Skyworks
Solutions’ comprehensive diode and switch product portfo-
lio are now available on www.skyworksinc.com. Building on
a proven legacy, Skyworks’ diode product offering includes
PIN, Schottky, varactor and limiter diodes as well as hybrid
couplers, power splitter/combiners and directional couplers
for a wide variety of microwave applications including
WLAN, infrastructure, handset, SatCom (LNB/DBS-
CATV), automotive, military, test and measurement, meter-
ing, medical, and RFID. Skyworks is also pleased to offer a
broad selection of GaAs switches for diverse markets such
as WLAN, handset, wireless infrastructure, SatCom
(LNB/DBS–CATV), automotive, test and measurement,
energy management, and other microwave applications.
Hittite Microwave Corporation announced it has
acquired Arctic Silicon Devices, a developer of advanced
mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC) technology, located in
Trondheim, Norway. The acquisition price was approxi-
mately $12.0 million in cash and equity. The acquisition
provides Hittite with new IC design and integration capa-
bility and a state-of-the-art product line of analog-to-digi-
tal converters (ADCs). Arctic Silicon Devices has success-
fully designed and launched innovative, multifunction low
power ADC products that target high performance appli-
cations, including test and measurement systems and com-
munication infrastructure. The employees of Arctic Silicon
Devices will continue to work at their existing facility.
Sales Appointments
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies is pleased to
announce the appointment of Microwave Marketing
Ltd. as technical Sales Agents and Representatives for
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies comprehensive range
14 High Frequency Electronics
of RF and Microwave connectors, cables and components
within Ireland, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom.
TEGAM, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of
Dan-el Technologies Ltd. as their exclusive distributor
in Israel. TEGAM’s extensive line of products is comple-
mented by Dan-el’s other manufacturers including
Keithley, Maury Microwave and IET Labs.
People in the News
Anatech Electronics announced the appointment of
Gareth Llewellyn as director of U.S. sales. He will manage
all of the company’s sales activities
throughout North America, including
developing and implementing sales
strategies and programs and managing
sales representatives. Gareth Llewellyn
has more than 20 years of experience in
the RF and microwave industry, and has
served in sales, business development,
and operations management capacities.
He has held various management positions at Micro
Networks, Device Technology, Emcore Corp., and others. He
received his BSc degree from Cardiff University in the UK.
L-com, Inc. announced that it has hired Marie Walling
as Director of USA Sales. In her new role, Walling will
travel extensively and will be responsible for sales initia-
tives within the United States of America. She will report
directly to Earle Durham, L-com’s Chief Revenue Officer
(CRO). Marie brings more than 20 years of experience in
the electronics / interconnect industry, holding a variety
of sales and marketing management positions at Tyco
Electronics. Most recently, she was employed at General
Cable Corp. as Regional Sales Manager.
Linwave Technology is pleased to announce the appoint-
ment of Ian Dale as a Sales Account Manager. Ian’s back-
ground is in semiconductor processing and he has many
years of experience in the design, development and manu-
facture of microwave and millimetre-wave devices. He has
spent the last 5 years in a technical sales role, supplying
advanced RF and Microwave components into the military,
industrial and communication market sectors.
KOR Electronics has appointed David Edwards and
Chris Michalski to leadership roles aimed at extending
the company’s intelligence-related business for both the
defense and intelligence communities. Edwards and
Michalski will focus on developing strategies and prod-
ucts/systems to grow KOR’s ISR market position.
Edwards as Vice President, ISR Systems and Michalski
as Technical Director, ISR Systems both join KOR having
both spent greater than 30 years at Northrop Grumman
ESL. Edwards held numerous business development and
operational management roles including Director of ESL’s
ISR Business and Director of Business Development,
while Michalski led the development of critical ISR sys-
tems including the Advanced Signal Intelligence Program
for the USAF’s U2, Global Hawk and Reaper Platforms.
 Digital Attenuators
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University News
A five-year project led by the Georgia Institute of Technology (www.gatech.edu) has developed a novel approach
to space electronics that could change how space vehicles and instruments are designed. The new capabilities are
based on silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology, which can produce electronics that are highly resistant to both wide
temperature variations and space radiation. Titled “SiGe Integrated Electronics for Extreme Environments,” the $12
million, 63-month project was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In addition to
Georgia Tech, the 11-member team included academic researchers from the University of Arkansas, Auburn
University, University of Maryland, University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University. Also involved in the project
were BAE Systems, Boeing Co., IBM Corp., Lynguent Inc. and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The engineers from Queen’s University Belfast (www.ee.qub.ac.uk) Institute of Electronics, Communications and
Information Technology (ECIT), are working on a new project based on the rapidly developing science of body centric
communications. Social benefits from the work could include vast improvements in mobile gaming and remote health-
care, along with new precision monitoring of athletes and real-time tactical training in team sports. The researchers
at ECIT are investigating how small sensors carried by members of the public, in items such as next generation smart-
phones, could communicate with each other to create potentially vast body-to-body networks (BBNs). The new sensors
would interact to transmit data, providing “anytime, anywhere” mobile network connectivity.
Dr Simon Cotton, from ECIT’s wireless communications research group said: “In the past few years a significant
amount of research has been undertaken into antennas and systems designed to share information across the surface
of the human body. Until now, however, little work has been done to address the next major challenge which is one of
the last frontiers in wireless communication—how that information can be transferred efficiently to an off-body loca-
tion. Dr Cotton has been awarded a prestigious joint five-year Research Fellowship by the Royal Academy of
Engineering and the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) to examine how the new technology can be
harnessed to become part of everyday life.

Computer Simulation Technology (CST—www.cst.com) has announced winners of the CST University Publication
Award for 2010. The CST University Publication Award is an annual grant to university institutes and researchers
for their work in the application of 3D EM field simulation. The winners are awarded with extensions to their CST
STUDIO SUITE installations. Prerequisites for participation are that the papers are authored or co-authored by uni-
versity researchers, published either in scientific journals or conference proceedings, and the numerical results are
entirely or in part obtained through simulation using CST software products. Submissions were evaluated on a num-
ber of criteria including originality of the application or the theory, clarity of presentation, as well as the skilful usage
of CST software features. There is a special award for short papers which acknowledges the importance of short con-
ference papers in promoting the practical application of simulation.
“The seventh installment of the University Publication Award has seen a dramatic increase in the number of sub-
missions, which underlines the growing importance of CST simulation tools in academia.” said Dr. Martin Timm, CST’s
Marketing Director. “The quality of the publications was outstanding and selecting the winning entries was not easy.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed and hope to welcome an even larger number of participants in 2011.”
The following papers have been selected to receive the CST University Publication Award 2010:
“Towards Contrast Enhanced Breast Imaging using Ultra-Wideband Microwave Radar System,” M. Klemm, J.
Leendertz, D. Gibbins, I.J. Craddock, A. Preece, R. Benjamin; IEEE IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium, 10-14 Jan.
2010, pp 516-519.
“Compact Beam-Steerable Lens Antenna for 60-GHz Wireless Communications” Jorge R. Costa, Eduardo B. Lima;
IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 57, No. 10, 10.10.2009, pp 2926 – 2933
Short paper award: “Micromachined Millimeter-wave Butler Matrix with a Patch Antenna Array,” N. A. Murad, M.
J. Lancaster, Yi Wang, M. L. Ke; Mediterranean Microwave Symposium, 15-17 Nov. 2009.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI—www.wpi.edu) has received a $75,000 grant from the Kern Family
Foundation to fund the second phase of a program aimed at preparing engineers with the entrepreneurial skills and
experience needed to lead and transform the U.S. workforce in the global innovation economy. In the program’s first
phase, supported by a $50,000 award from the foundation, the university, as part of the Kern Entrepreneurship
Education Network (KEEN), created a course titled “Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation” and two work-
shops for faculty members to learn how to integrate the entrepreneurial mindset into their courses. In the second phase,
support will be given to a variety of curricular development and faculty engagement activities aimed at broadening the
reach of entrepreneurship education at WPI. Jerry Schaufeld, professor of practice in the WPI School of Business, is the
principal investigator; John Orr, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the co-principal investigator.

16 High Frequency Electronics

 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES

Control Interfaces for RF

and Microwave Frequency
Synthesizers
By Alexander Chenakin
Phase Matrix, Inc.

F
requency synthe-
Here is a thorough overview sizers come in a
of the many options for the variety of forms
external control of a ranging from tiny PLL
frequency synthesizer, or chips and moderate-size
any other programmable modules to bench-top sig-
RF/microwave device. nal generators [1-5].
Single-chip synthesizers
are available in a die form or as surface-mount
integrated circuits. They include key elements
(such as RF and reference dividers, phase
detector, lock indicator, etc.) required to build
a simple single-loop PLL synthesizer. More
complex ICs include a built-in VCO, multiple
PLLs, DDS, and other valuable components
integrated on a single chip. Such ICs are
installed on a printed-circuit board (PCB)
with additional circuitry (e.g., loop filter com-
ponents). The PCB-based modules range from
small, surface-mount, “oscillator-like” designs
to more complex connectorized assemblies.
The level of complexity varies from simple sin-
gle-loop PLLs to sophisticated multiloop and
DDS-based designs. Such PCB assemblies can
be packaged into a metal housing and are pre-
sented as stand-alone, complete synthesizer
modules.
Connectorized synthesizer modules (often
called “bricks”) can be used to build larger
bench-top and rack-mountable signal genera-
tors for test-and-measurement applications.
They come with high-end technical character-
istics, precise calibration, and extended func-
tionality including frequency and power
sweep, various modulation modes, built-in
modulation sources, and many other func-
tions. The synthesizers come with various con-
trol interfaces that are almost as diverse as
the number of synthesizer designs. The most
Figure 1 · Simplest dual-frequency synthe-
sizer example.
popular interfaces are reviewed next; more
details can be found in [6].
Parallel Interface
The control interface is an electrical link
that provides connection and data exchange
between two (or more) devices such as a fre-
quency synthesizer and host controller. The
parallel interface assumes transmitting and
receiving control signals over multiple wires
at one time. The number of wires heavily
depends on the number of functions to be con-
trolled. To illustrate this, let’s consider a hypo-
thetically simplest dual-frequency synthesizer
example shown in Figure 1. Two different
fixed frequencies are generated in blocks F1
and F2 respectively and the frequency change
is performed with an electronic switch. Only a
single control line is required to switch
between two frequencies. If we need more out-
put frequencies, more switches and more con-
trol lines must be added. Using a binary code,
we can control as many as 2n frequencies,
where n is the number of control lines (in

18 High Frequency Electronics

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 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES

Figure 2 · Parallel interface.

addition to a ground connection), as illustrated in Figure

2. Alternatively, we can use a binary-coded decimal (BCD)
control, which may be more convenient to set a frequency
with decimal digits but requires a higher number of con-
trol lines. Besides setting the frequency, we may also need
to control output power and other synthesizer functions
that require even more control lines. Furthermore, the
interface can also include some extra auxiliary signals
such as a lock indicator, trigger, etc. Hence, the number of
control wires grows with the design complexity.
The main advantage of the parallel interface is high Figure 3 · The SPI interface utilizes four signal lines.
communication speed since all control signals are sent
simultaneously. While data transmission in parallel is
very fast, it usually requires many control lines, bulky
connectors on both sides, and a complex, multi-wire con-
necting cable.

SPI
Serial peripheral interface (SPI) is a synchronous
serial data link introduced by Motorola, Inc. that offers
full duplex communication, relatively high throughput,
and flexibility. The idea behind the SPI is to send control-
ling bits via a single line; one-by-one rather than all
together. Another line is added to receive some informa-
tion from the device under control. In order to synchro-
nize the data streams, an auxiliary synchronization sig-
nal (such as clock pulses) is needed. And finally, we may
want to control not one but several devices via the same
wires. This is accomplished using an additional, auxiliary Figure 4 · SPI communication timing diagram.
line that allows the selection of a particular device. Thus,
a multi-device, full-duplex interface can be physically con-
structed with four signal lines as depicted in Figure 3. MISO—Master Input, Slave Output—is used to
The controlling device is called master, and the device stream data from the slave device to the master
under control is called slave. The control lines are assert- SS—Slave Select—is used to select a particular slave
ed to carry the following functions: device

SCLK—Serial CLocK—is used for synchronization of The communication is initiated by the master that
data streams sets the SS signal low for a desired slave device as shown
MOSI—Master Output, Slave Input—is used to in Figure 4. If only a single slave device is used in the sys-
stream data from the master device to the slave tem, the SS signal is not necessarily required and in

20 High Frequency Electronics

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 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES

many cases may be set to ground. With multiple slave

devices, however, an independent SS signal is required
from the master for each slave device; thus, only one slave
may be chosen at a time. After selecting a slave, the mas-
ter starts streaming the data through the MOSI line,
simultaneously providing clock pulses on the SCLK line.
The SCLK is aligned with MOSI in such a way that the
slave device processes the data bit-by-bit with every clock
pulse. Other slave devices that have not been chosen dis-
regard the SCLK and MOSI signals. Besides, they must
not drive the common MISO line. Most slave devices have
an internal switch that disconnects or puts into a high-
impedance state their MISO output when the device is
not selected, thus, allowing multiple devices to share the
same line.
To better understand the communication process, let’s
consider the slave device input as a shift register, which
is essentially a cascade of flip-flops, sharing the same
clock as shown in Figure 5. A signal on the register’s data
input line is transferred to the first flip-flop output on the
rising (or falling) edge of the clock signal. With the second
clock pulse, this signal is further transferred to the output
of the second flip-flop, etc. Thus, the series of data bits is
shifted down and appears on the corresponding flip-flop
outputs. In other words, the register converts an input Figure 5 · A shift register allows conversion of a serial
data stream from serial to parallel format. Similarly, a data stream into a parallel format required for device
parallel controlling word on the transmitter side can be control.
converted to a serial format and delivered to the receiving
device with a minimal number of physical connections
between the devices. Each device connected to the bus is software address-
Although the concept seems straightforward, a num- able by a unique address. I2C is a multi-master bus,
ber of SPI modifications exist because of the lack of a meaning that multiple masters can initiate data transfer
strict standard. Each device is described by its own spec- over the shared bus. The main advantage of the I2C inter-
ifications including maximum clock rate, timing charac- face is its simplicity. Only two bidirectional lines (serial
teristics, number of bits and their definitions, polarity of data and serial clock) are required for communication.
control signals, etc. Moreover, the MOSI and MISO sig- Disadvantages include relatively low communication
nals are sometimes combined together into a common speeds and the lack of automatic bus configuration.
data line. The MISO signal is often omitted entirely,
which allows programming the slave device but not read- RS-232
ing information from it. This SPI modification is called “3- RS-232 is another serial interface that, for a long time,
Wire” in contrast to the normal four-wire arrangement was the primary standard for computer serial ports. The
and is widely used in PLL synthesizer chips. Overall, the standard was introduced by the Electrical Industries
SPI interface is extensively used in both IC and module- Association and evolved from the need to connect elec-
level synthesizer designs to allow small packages and tromechanical teletypewriters to modern electronic
highly integrated functionality. devices and personal computers. While the standard rec-
ommends a 25-pin connector, 9-pin connectors are com-
I 2C mon, and a three-wire arrangement is often used when
The I2C interface was introduced by Philips the full capabilities of RS-232 are not required. In the lat-
Semiconductors in the early 1980s. The name I2C trans- ter case, communication is established via the transmit-
lates into “Inter IC” since the idea was to allow easy com- data, receive-data, and ground pins. RS-232 can be a good
munication between components residing on the same choice if the synthesizer needs to be controlled from a per-
circuit board. Currently I2C is used not only within a sin- sonal computer. Its main disadvantage is relatively low
gle board, but also may be used to connect separate speed. As a result, it is being replaced by much faster
devices using a cable. USB and Ethernet connections.

22 High Frequency Electronics

 7

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 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES
Figure 6 · A USB interface allows instant deployment and evaluation of fre-
quency synthesizer modules.
USB
Universal serial bus (USB) is
today’s most popular way of connect-
ing various devices to a personal com-
puter. Compared to RS-232, USB is
faster, smaller, and simpler to use.
The current USB version 2.0 provides
up to 480 Mbit/second of data trans-
fer and will be replaced with an even
faster USB 3.0 rated to 5 Gbit/sec-
ond. USB also supports plug-and-
play connectivity, meaning that
devices are detected by the comput-
er’s operating system and configured
automatically as soon as they are
attached. USB cables can be up to 30
meters long and can also be used to
bias relatively low-power devices.
These features make USB a very
desirable option in the design of fre-
quency synthesizer modules since it
allows instant deployment or simply
evaluation of a synthesizer using a
personal computer as illustrated in
Figure 6.
Ethernet
Ethernet is another well-known
interface that enables communica-
tion through local area networks
(LANs). It was developed at Xerox
24 High Frequency Electronics
PARC in the 1970s and is currently
standardized by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE) under IEEE 802.3. The inter-
face assumes the sharing of a com-
mon connection among several
devices. Communication is carried
out by sending data packets (i.e.,
blocks of data) between the devices
connected to a network, with each
block going to a specific destination
device. The Ethernet interface is also
utilized within LXI platform, which
will be reviewed later.
GPIB
General Purpose Interface Bus
(GPIB) is a special interface for test-
and-measurement applications. It
was originally introduced by Hewlett
Packard (now Agilent Technologies,
Inc.) as the HPIB bus to control mea-
surement instruments. In 1975, the
interface was standardized by the
IEEE under the IEEE-488 standard.
The GPIB bus has 24 lines including
eight signal lines used for data trans-
fer, three for handshake, five for bus
management, and eight ground
returns. It allows connection of multi-
ple off-the-shelf instruments into a
Figure 7 · A VXI signal generator
covers the 0.01 to 20 GHz frequency
range.
complex automated test system.
VXI
Based on the 1970s-era VME bus
developed for computer control sys-
tems, VXI stands for VME eXtensions
for Instrumentation. VXI was intro-
duced in the mid-1980s as an open
system platform for synthetic instru-
mentation. One of the principles
behind synthetic instrumentation in
general, and VXI in particular, is to
offer a cost-efficient modular
approach for building complex test-
and-measurement equipment. It
enables the emulation of various tra-
ditional bench-top instruments
employed in automatic test systems
using a reconfigurable combination of
core hardware modules.
A VXI instrument includes a chas-
sis (also called mainframe) that con-
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 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES
tains several spaces (slots) where
individual VXI modules can be
installed. The mainframe also con-
tains all necessary DC power sup-
plies and provides communication
between individual components and
a host controller, which is usually an
external computer—although con-
trollers in VXI modules are also used.
A module (such as a signal generator
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
shown in Figure 7) fits into one or
more slots in the chassis and con-
nects through the VXI bus that deliv-
ers all necessary power, communica-
tions and bias lines.
The VXI specifications are gov-
erned by the VXI Bus Consortium,
which was founded in 1987 by a
group of interested companies to
define mechanical, electrical, and
software features of VXI instrumen-
tation.
PXI
PXI stands for PCI eXtensions for
Instrumentation and is a further
enhancement of the synthetic instru-
mentation concept (PCI stands for
Peripheral Component Interconnect).
The PXI standard was introduced by
National Instruments Corporation in
1997 and is currently governed by
the PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA).
The alliance includes more than 50
companies chartered to promote the
standard, ensure interoperability,
and maintain PXI specifications.
Similar to VXI, a typical PXI
instrument is built using a PXI chas-
sis and a number of individual mod-
ules that fit into PXI slots (such as a
Figure 8 · A 3 to 9 GHz synthesizer
module available in PXI form.
synthesizer module shown in Figure
8). However, the size of the chassis
and the modules is significantly
smaller; a typical PXI module mea-
sures approximately 4 by 6 inches in
dimensions. Moreover, the host com-
puter can be built as a PXI compo-
nent and plugged into the chassis.
Therefore, a whole instrument or
even an ATE system can be complet-
ed within a single PXI frame.
Another distinct advantage is higher
communication speed compared to
the VXI environment. It should be
noted that the PXI chassis backplane
uses essentially the same PCI bus
used in personal computers. Thus,
the development and operation of
PXI systems is not much different
from that of standard Windows-based
applications. A newer PXI Express
standard (released in 2005) further
increases the available PXI band-
width by taking advantage of PCI
Express technology. Users benefit
from significantly increased band-
width, ensured backward compatibil-
ity, and additional timing and syn-
chronization features.
LXI
LXI stands for LAN eXtensions
for Instrumentation and is another
interface for test-and-measurement
applications. It was introduced in
2004 by Agilent Technologies, Inc.
and is currently maintained by the
LXI Consortium. The LXI concept
offers integration advantages of mod-
ular instruments without the con-
straints of card-cage architectures. It
is based on a well-established
Ethernet protocol that allows con-
necting individual instruments into a
network. LXI can be used at any level
of network complexity ranging from a
single component and a controlling
computer to complex multi-instru-
ment systems operated remotely
through the Internet.
The LXI standard defines three
classes of instruments. The base class
C incorporates a Web browser via an
Ethernet port as well as IVI
(Interchangeable Virtual Instru-
ment) driver. Class B brings synchro-
nization capability via the IEEE 1588
precision time protocol and also sup-
ports peer-to-peer messaging. The
IEEE 1588 protocol synchronizes
clocks in multiple devices to ensure
proper event time stamping and exe-
cution of synchronized events.
Finally, Class A adds a fast hardware
trigger bus, which offers lower-laten-
cy synchronization compared to the
Class B.
AXIe
AXIe (Advanced TCA Extensions
for Instrumentation and test) is a
recent addition to the synthetic
instrumentation interfaces that sup-
ports both PXI and LXI standards
(TCA stands for Telecommunications
Computing Architecture). It is gov-
erned by the AXIe Consortium that
was formed in 2009 by Agilent

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 High Frequency Design
CONTROL INTERFACES
Technologies, Inc., Aeroflex
Corporation, and Test Evolution
Corporation. AXIe addresses a wide
range of ATE systems, rack-and-
stack modular, bench-top, and mod-
ule plug-ins. It offers higher perfor-
mance per rack inch, greater scalabil-
ity, more flexibility, and easy integra-
tion with various platforms.
References
1. V. Kroupa, Frequency Synthesis:
Theory, Design and Applications, New
York: John Wiley & Sons, 1973.
2. V. Manassewitsch, Frequency
Synthesizers: Theory and Design, 3rd
ed., New York: John Wiley & Sons,
2005.
3. V. Reinhardt, et al., “A Short
Survey of Frequency Synthesizer
Techniques,” Proc. 40th Annual
Symposium on Frequency Control,
May 1986, pp. 355-365.
4. Z. Galani and R. Campbell, “An
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
28 High Frequency Electronics
Overview of Frequency Synthesizers measurement applications. His pro-
for Radars,” IEEE Transactions on fessional achieve-
Microwave Theory and Techniques, ments have been
Vol. 39, No. 5, May 1991, pp. 782-790. widely presented
5. A. Chenakin, “Frequency in trade publica-
Synthesis: Current Solutions and tions and interna-
New Trends,” Microwave Journal, tional conferences.
May 2007, pp. 256-266. Dr. Chenakin is a
6. A. Chenakin, Frequency senior IEEE mem-
Synthesizers: Concept to Product, ber and was invit-
Norwood, MA: Artech House, 2010. ed speaker for several IEEE-spon-
sored events. He can be reached by
Author Information phone at 408-954-6409 or by e-mail
Dr. Alexander Chenakin is the at achenakin@phasematrix.com. The
vice president of the Signal Sources company web site is: www.phasema-
Group at Phase Matrix, Inc. He has trix.com
led the development of advanced
products for Celeritek, Nextek, Micro Reminder
Lambda Wireless, General Electronic
All past technical articles are available for
Devices, and other companies. In
download in the Archives section of our
2005 Dr. Chenakin joined Phase
web site:
Matrix, Inc. where he oversees the
development of advanced frequency www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
synthesizer products for test and
Stay Informed!
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 High Frequency Products
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Connectors
Entrance Panels
Times Microwave Systems has
introduced the Times-Protect
Smart-Panel™. The Smart-Panel
provides for highly desirable single
point grounding while eliminating
the expense and potential incorrect
installation of external grounding
kits. The Smart-Panel design pro-
vides for bulkhead mounting of the
surge protectors directly on the
panel for superior surge perfor-
mance. Also eliminated are the tra-
ditional internal lightning protec-
tor “trapeze” as well as the external
copper master ground bar so
there’s nothing to steal outside the
shelter. The Smart-Panel is com-
pletely weatherized, accommodates
any shelter wall thickness and is
supplied with all the necessary
installation hardware including an
inside copper master ground bar
and low inductance ground plate.
Times Microwave Systems
www.timesmicrowave.com
Socket Contacts
The new Radiall NSX series Size
22 socket contact helps reduce the
cost of ARINC 600 connectors.
Because of the large number of
30 High Frequency Electronics
contacts in many ARINC 600 con-
nectors, any reduction in contact
costs can significantly affect the
overall connector costs. The contact
combines a stamped and rolled clip
inside a screw machined body. Use
of stamped and rolled parts consid-
erably reduces the manufacturing
complexity—and the cost—of the
contacts. The PC tail contacts are
completely intermateable with
existing ARINC 600 plug connec-
tors, are compatible with existing
pc board layouts, and are fully
qualified under ARINC 600 specifi-
cations. The clip members are
plated with 50 microinches of gold,
with flash gold on the contact body
to eliminate tin-lead and achieve
RoHS compatibility.
Radiall
www.radiall.com
Center Probe Test Sockets
Aries Electronics now offers
machined high-frequency center
probe test sockets to accommodate
IC devices with a lead pitch of 0.30
mm. With very low inductance and
capacitance, the sockets are ideal
for a wide variety of ball grid array,
chip scale package and micro land
frame packages. A signal path of
just 0.077 inches (1.96 mm) allows
for minimal signal loss and higher
bandwidth capacity with the new
Aries' machined high-frequency
sockets. The socket accepts solder
ball sizes from 0.15 mm to 0.93
mm. Insertion loss is 1 dB to 10.1
GHz for a larger probe at 0.80 mm
pitch and 1 dB to 18.7 GHz for a
smaller probe at 0.50 mm pitch.
Pricing for a 50-position socket
rated to 5 GHz starts at $975.
Delivery is 20 working days ARO
and approval of drawing.
Aries Electronics
www.arieselec.com
RoHS Signal Connector
ITT Interconnect Solutions has
developed a fully-sealed (IP69K)
RoHS-compliant high-temperature
signal connector. The high reliabil-
ity Metr1x Series is designed to
provide 100% signal integrity in
extremely harsh environments as
well as increased functionality and
vibration resistance in complex
thermodynamic conditions. The
Metr1x Series is available in dif-
ferent housing variations to suit
applications as diverse as heavy
diesel or gas engines, agricultural
machinery, power generating units
and industrial automation to
defense systems and robotics.
ITT Interconnect Solutions
www.itt.com
Push-On Adaptors Facilitate
System Test
Response Microwave, Inc.
announces the availability of a new
series of quick connect SMA adap-
tors that expedites general DUT
testing. The new units operate DC-
18 GHz and electrical performance
offers typical insertion loss of
0.3 dB and VSWR of 1.2:1 max.
Units mate to any standard SMA
female and offer a unique positive
detent coupling mechanism that
does not degrade electrical perfor-
mance. Durability through 500
mating cycles revealed no physical
degradation. A cable connector
version is available for compatible
usage on cable assemblies in test
and production environments.
Response Microwave, Inc.
www.responsemicrowave.com
 High Frequency Products
FEATURED PRODUCTS

Connectors Featured in informative videos designed to in San-tron’s Knowledge Center on

Online Video educate engineers about San-tron’s the company website.
San-tron, Inc. has released “An innovative connector designs. In San-tron
Introduction to eSMA Connectors this video, Fred details the www.santron.com
and Cable Assemblies,” a video in improvements of eSMA cable
which San-tron’s Director of assemblies over the standard semi-
Engineering, Fred Hull, talks rigid assemblies as a drop-in solu- Optical Products
about the technology the company tion. San-tron’s eSMAs also fea-
used in their eSMA connectors and ture captivated, pre-set center con-
cable assemblies. The video is the tacts that are EZ style, solder free
second installment in a series of connections. The video is available

Synchronization Test Unit

EXFO Inc. announced the launch of
the SyncWatch-110 Synchroniza-
tion Testing Unit, a highly versatile
test and monitoring solution for
next-generation synchronization
technologies, including perfor-
mance assessment of synchronous
Ethernet (SyncE) and Precision
Time protocol (IEEE 1588v2).
EXFO’s SyncWatch-110 test unit is
purpose-built for qualifying and
monitoring next-generation net-
works that use IEEE 1588v2
and/or SyncE technologies, while
maintaining support of traditional
TDM synchronization testing. The
SyncWatch-110’s software engine is
capable of analyzing the IEEE
1588v2 timing packets and report-
ing on a number of packet metrics.
The SyncWatch-110 unit also sup-
ports different modes of operation
for testing that is adapted to ser-
vice-provider applications, allowing
users to leverage it for the entire
Features: Advantages: Applications: network lifecycle—from turn-up to
• Capacitance Ranges: • Proprietary NPO Dielectric for • High Tesla MRI troubleshooting and monitoring.
800C: 1 pF to 51 pF Superior High Voltage Handling Imaging Coils EXFO
and 1000 pF to 2700 pF • Advanced Engineered Silver • HF/RF Power www.EXFO.com
800E: 1 pF to 56 pF Electrode System for Lowest ESR Amplifiers and
and 2700 pF to 5100 pF • Rugged Ceramic Design for Transmitters
• Case Sizes Reliable Trouble-Free Operation • Antenna Tuning
Case C (0.250'' x 0.250'') • Improved Image Quality in MRI
Case E (0.380'' x 0.380'') • Plasma Chambers
Scanners
• NPO Low Loss Rugged Dielectric • Superior Thermal Management in
• Voltage Ratings up to 7200 WVDC Radio tower image
High RF Power Applications
courtesy of
• RoHS Compliant, Pb Free • Proprietary Dielectric Material Tom Rauch, W8JI

A M E R I C A N T E C H N I C A L C E R A M I C S
ATC North America ATC Europe ATC Asia
631-622-4700 +46 8 6800410 +86-755-2396-8759
SFP Controller
sales@atceramics.com sales@atceramics-europe.com sales@atceramics-asia.com Maxim Integrated Products intro-
duces the DS1878, a small form
w w w . a t c e r a m i c s . c o m
factor pluggable (SFP+) controller
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
 with a digital laser diode driver (LDD) interface. The
DS1878 controls and monitors all functions for SFF,
Compromise
Elsewhere!
SFP, and SFP+ optical modules and fully supports the
SFF-8472 standard. It can be combined with a
MAX3798 or MAX3799 SFP+ laser driver/limiting
amplifier to provide an automatic power control (APC)
loop, modulation current control, and eye safety func-
tionality. The DS1878 is specified over the –40 to +95 AR-75 Vehicle-Mounted
degrees Celsius temperature range. It uses 0.35 µm Booster Amps
technology to enable the high level of integration • 75 watts of power
required for SFF-8472 implementation in a small 5 × • Fast automatic switching
5 mm, 28-pin TQFN package with exposed pad. Pricing • Separate antenna ports for
begins at $1.33 (1000-up, FOB USA). line-of-sight & satellite communications
Maxim Integrated Products • Switchable LNA and co-site filters
www.maxim-ic.com • Waterproof
BER/Eye Pattern Test Solution AR-50 (JITC Certified)
Anritsu Company introduces hardware options for its • 50 watts of power
MP2100A BERTWave series that allow the compact • Fast automatic switching
instrument to sup- • Switchable LNA and
port BER mea- co-site filters
surements and • Small size
Eye Pattern signal
analysis between KMW2030 (JITC Certified)
125 Mbit/s and • 125 watts of power
12.5 Gbit/s. The • Automatic band switching option
new options create • UHF co-site filtering eliminates interference from nearby transmitters
an all-in-one, effi- • Protection against VSWR, antenna mismatch, over temperature,
cient test solution excessive current draw and
that can conduct DC power mismatch
highly accurate measurements on optical modules,
cables and connectors during the R&D and manufactur-
ing stages. The new options add support for next-gener-
ation 10 Gbit band devices while also offering evaluation
of low bit-rate active optical devices designed into com-
munications systems. The MP2100A BERTWave sup-
ports all major optical standards, including 100BASE-
FX, OC-3/STM, and OUT-2. Additionally, the MP2100A
BERTWave series supports LTE CPRI v4.1 bit rates KMW1031 Kit
(6.14, 4.92, 3.07, 2.46, 1.32 Gbit/s). • The “lightest” 20-watt amplifier kit
Anritsu Company on the market at less than 2.5 lbs. • Kit includes amplifier,
www.us.anritsu.com • Fully automatic band-switching 30-512 MHz antenna,
• No VSWR fault or reset required RF cables, battery cable &
• Single battery full spec operation tactical vest pouches for both
Oscillators • Waterproof the amp and the antenna.
New Series of Timing Chips All AR products are backed by the 3 year no nonsense warranty.
The RoHS 6/6 compliant STC5420 Series by Connor- These state-of-the-art amplifiers support tactical
Winfield are single waveforms including DAMA, SINCGARS, HAVEQUICK,
chip clock synchro- HPW, IW and ANW2.
nization solutions .
for applications in GSA Contract Number GS-07F-0371U.
S D H / S E T S, Call us at 425-485-9000 or visit us at ar-worldwide.com.
SONET and Syn-
chronous Ethernet
network elements.
The devices are
modular rf
fully compliant with ITU-T G.813 option 1 and 2 and Other ar divisions: rf/microwave instrumentation • receiver systems • ar europe
Telcordia GR1244 and GR253. The STC5420 Series Copyright© 2011 AR. The orange stripe on AR products is Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM. Off.
The Battle Tested logo is Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM. Off. # 3,821,099.

Get info at www.HFeLink.com

 High Frequency Products
FEATURED PRODUCTS
accepts 12 clock reference inputs
from 8 kHz to 125 MHz in
LVPECL, LVCMOS or LVDS and
generates 10 synchronized clock
outputs from 2 kHz to 312.5 MHz
in LVCMOS, LVPECL or LVDS.
The synchronized outputs may be
programmed for wide variety of
frequencies including Nx8kHz,
OC-n, Ethernet frequencies and
framing pulse clocks. Reference
inputs are individually monitored
for activity and quality. Reference
selection may be manual, fast-
manual or automatic.
The Connor-Winfield Corporation
www.conwin.com
VCO in S-Band
Z-Communications, Inc. announces
a new RoHS compliant VCO (volt-
age-controlled oscillator) model
CRO3150A-LF in S-band. The
CRO3150A-LF operates at 3125-
3175 MHz with a tuning voltage
range of 0.5-4.5 VDC. This VCO
features a typical phase noise of
–108 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset and a
typical tuning sensitivity of 21
MHz/V. It is well suited for fixed
wireless and digital radio applica-
tions that require ultra low phase
noise performance and is designed
to deliver a typical output power of
4.5 dBm at 5 Vdc supply while
drawing 25 mA (typical) over the
temperature range of –40º to 85º C.
This VCO is available in tape and
reel packaging for production
requirements and is ideal for auto-
mated surface mount assembly
and reflow.
Z-Communications, Inc.
www.zcomm.com
New VCXO Modules
ON Semiconductor further expand-
ed its PureEdge™ family of silicon-
based voltage controlled crystal
oscillators (VCXO) with six new
devices. The NBVSPAXXX range of
34 High Frequency Electronics
VCXO clock modules are designed
to satisfy the exacting requirements
set by modern 3.3 volt low-voltage
differential signaling (LVDS) clock
generation applications. Targeted
for use in communications infras-
tructure such as network routers,
switches, servers, and base stations,
these high performance devices uti-
lize a high Q fundamental mode
pull-able crystal and phase locked
loop (PLL) multiplier to provide all
industry standard output clock fre-
quencies. Frequencies supported are
156.25 MHz for the NBVSPA017
device, 155.52 MHz for the NBVS-
PA018, 125.00 MHz for the NBVS-
PA019, 160.00 MHz for the NBVS-
PA024, 148.50 MHz for the NBVS-
PA027, and 74.25 MHz for the
NBVSPA042. Custom frequency
versions are also available on
request, covering frequencies from
60 MHz to 700 MHz.
ON Semiconductor
www.onsemi.com
Phase-Locked Oscillator
The PLXO-250 phase-locked crys-
tal oscillator from EM Research
operates at 250 MHz in a minia-
ture connectorized package (1.5" sq
× 0.6"). Featuring low spurs (–70
dBc), extremely-low harmonics
(–50 dBc) and sub-harmonics (–70
dBc), the unit is locked to a 10
MHz external reference (or option-
al internal reference), and exhibits
exceptionally-low phase noise
(–120 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz), +7 dBm
output power (MAX), while operat-
ing on a supply voltage of +12
VDC. The PLXO-250 is ideal for
use with A/D and D/A converters,
GPS carrier recovery loops or as
reference sources for Ka-Band and
mm-Wave frequency converters,
and various test equipment.
EM Research, Inc.
www.emresearch.com
VCO With Extra Modulation
Port
Crystek’s CVCO55FLM VCOs
(Voltage Controlled Oscillators)
contain an extra modulation port
(TX modulation), making the fami-
ly an ideal choice for transmitter
applications. The modulation port
has a negative slope and a typical
modulation sensitivity of
–20 kHz/V. The CVCO55FLM-
0172-0210 operates from 172-210
MHz with a control voltage range
of 0.2V ~ 4.8V. This VCO features a
typical phase noise of –119 dBc/Hz
at 10 kHz offset and has excellent
linearity. Output power is typically
0 dBm. Input voltage is 3V, with a
max. current consumption of 9 mA.
Pulling and pushing are mini-
mized to 1.0 and 0.5 MHz/V,
respectively. Second harmonic sup-
pression is –20 dBc typical.
Crystek Corporation
www.crystek.com
Customizable OCXO
Bliley Technologies, Inc. has intro-
duced a new customizable oven con-
trolled crystal oscillator (OCXO),
the NV47AE, for high-precision
telecommunications, medical and
military electronics. Bliley’s
NV47AE OCXO is specifically con-
figured for design engineers facing
the challenge of designing densely
packaged systems that demand
tight stabilities. Whereas the
majority of OCXO’s in its perfor-
mance category are .75" to 1.0" in
height, Bliley’s NV47AE is less than
.50", providing exceptional frequen-
cy versus temperature performance
for compact system design and slide
card assemblies. The product is well
suited for base stations, test equip-
ment, synthesizers and digital
switching applications.
Bliley Technologies, Inc.
www.bliley.com
Introducing our latest line of SMA connectors:
The EPSMA™ (Enhanced Performance) series of the Standard
SMA product line provides mode free performance to 27
GHz. In addition, these connectors are tuned to provide ultra
low VSWR to 27 GHz (typically 1.15:1). The current product
offering consists of field replaceable styles with industry
standard flange configurations and pin sizes.
Features:
• Frequency range: DC to 27 GHz
• Low VSWR to 27 GHz (1.15:1 max to 27 GHz)
• 2 Hole and 4 Hole flange field replaceable configurations
• Low RF leakage (less than 90 dB)
• Interface conforms to MIL-STD 348
• Common configurations in stock

1.866.282.4708 www.CarlisleIT.com rf@CarlisleIT.com

 TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Military Communications:
Industry News and
Recent Developments
Tunable Filter Research at Army Research Lab
Research being done at the U.S. Army Research
Laboratory (ARL) is leading to significant improvements
in how Soldiers send and receive data—including videos,
voice transmissions, and other communications—on the
battlefield.
Dr. Melanie Cole, an ARL Fellow, led a team of scien-
tists that received award recognition for work done under
their Director’s Research Initiative in UV-photon irradia-
tion. The team included Ryan Toonen, Eric Ngo, Matthew
Ivill, Gary Hirsch and Clifford Hubbard from ARL’s
Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, and
Theodore Anthony from ARL’s Sensors and Electron
Devices Directorate. The DRI is an annual competition
launched in 1998 that calls for high-risk, out-of-the-box
research ideas expected to result in emerging or alterna-
tive technologies that significantly advance mission
needs beyond conventional expectations.
The DRI research concentrated on the development of
a novel materials technology solution to achieve high-Q
tunable complex oxide thin film materials to enable
enhanced performance, low cost, tunable Ka-band filters
for the next generation communications platforms.
Cole notes that all communications systems require
frequency-selective elements (i.e., tunable filters) to sepa-
rate different parts of the received spectrum; therefore,
such research to improve filter technology is critical. Both
semiconductor and magnetic based materials have been
extensively researched for electronic and magnetically
tunable filters, respectively.
Air Force Works on Integrated Networks
The Air Force soon will have a relatively new term to
add to its network operations lexicon: “networthiness.”
Air Force Network Integration Center officials recently
led efforts to develop the Department of Defense’s net-
worthiness concept, an operational assessment that goes
well beyond information security to provide a holistic
review of anything and everything that connects to a
DOD network.
With the proposed DOD criteria in coordination,
AFNIC officials now are leading implementation of net-
worthiness for the Air Force, which will provide a singu-
36 High Frequency Electronics
lar, seamless framework of processes for introducing new
systems and applications to the Air Force network, or
AFNet. While the implementation will be largely trans-
parent to the average network user, Airmen can expect
enhanced rigor, performance and reliability of new capa-
bilities introduced to the network. “What Airmen can
expect to see is future systems that get fielded without
having major issues,” said Gene Zuratynsky, chief of the
AFNIC certification and accreditation policy branch.
“They should see better performance and better quality.”
The Air Force implementation is based on DOD
assessment criteria developed by the Joint Networth-
iness High Performance Team, which was led by Nancy
Klein, AFNIC’s networthiness lead and deputy director
of information assurance, and included representatives
from the Defense Information Systems Agency and each
of the service components. “The purpose of the DOD-
level effort was to come to agreement across the services
and DISA so that when something needs approval to
connect there are standard criteria that should be
looked at,” Ms. Klein said.
Using the DOD approach of reviewing common crite-
ria, AFNIC officials, in partnership with staffs at the
Secretary of the Air Force Chief Information Officer
Networks, Air Force Space Command, 24th Air Force and
other functional communities, are reviewing existing Air
Force processes and checks already in place. These pro-
cesses for evaluating interoperability, security, sustain-
ability and supportability will be brought together to
achieve networthiness.
Naval Research Lab Uses CubeSats
Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in
December 2010 as secondary payloads on a Space
Exploration (SpaceX) Technologies, Inc. Falcon 9 launch
vehicle, two nano-satellites designed and built by the
NRL Naval Center for Space Technology have been
deployed to evaluate nano-satellites as a platform for
experimentation and technology development.
Known as the CubeSat Experiment (QbX), the two 3U
(30×10×10 cm) CubeSat buses were built by Pumpkin,
Inc., San Francisco, Calif., and provided to the NRL by the
National Reconnaissance Office’s Colony Program Office.
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 TECHNOLOGY REPORT
This is the first flight of the Pumpkin-built Colony I
spacecraft bus and is being used to evaluate the perfor-
mance of the vehicle as a platform for experimentation.
Flight software, antennas, and the TTC radio were
built and integrated by the NRL, as was the developmen-
tal communications payload. Environmental testing of
the completed package was also performed at NRL.
Ground stations on the east and west coasts provide cov-
erage for command loads and data collection.
The primary payload launched aboard the SpaceX
Falcon 9 was the Dragon Module. Developed by SpaceX
and sponsored by NASA’s Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS) program, the Dragon
Module is an initiative to develop private spacecraft to
ferry cargo to and from the International Space Station.
ManTech International Acquires MTCSC Inc.
ManTech International Corporation a provider of
innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical
national security programs, announced that on Dec. 22,
2010, the company completed the acquisition of MTCSC
Inc. for $75 million in cash. The completed acquisition
adds additional Command, Control, Communications,
Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnais-
sance (C4ISR) systems integration and cyber capabilities
to ManTech’s services portfolio.
Headquartered in Chula Vista, Calif., with a major
presence in Stafford, VA, MTCSC provides C4ISR sys-
tems integration, cyber security and network engineering
solutions to U.S. government customers. The company
holds several large contracts with the U.S. Marine Corps,
the majority of which are for classified efforts. MTCSC
will be integrated with ManTech’s Systems Engineering
and Advanced Technology (SEAT) group, led by Terry M.
Ryan, SEAT group president and chief operating officer.
Booster Amplifier Receives JITC Certification
AR Modular RF
has received JITC
Certification on its
AR-50 booster amplifi-
er. The 50-watt, auto-
matic tuning, multi-
band tactical booster
amplifier (30 - 512 MHz) has been tested and certified for
conformance to applicable Military Standard (MIL-STD).
The AR-50 booster amplifier boosts tactical radio signals
from handheld and back-pack transceivers operating in
the 30 - 512 MHz band. It provides 50 watts output with
as little as 2 watts input and offers two antenna ports
dedicated to line-of-sight (LOS) or UHF Satellite (SAT-
COM). The system also provides a switchable low-noise
amplifier (LNA) and a three-position RF output level con-
trol. The small, compact, lightweight unit can run from
either 12 V or 24 V vehicle power systems.
38 High Frequency Electronics
Manpack Transceiver is JITC Certified
Codan has announced that it has received certifica-
tion from the Joint Interoperability Test Command
(JITC) for the Codan 2110 high
frequency manpack transceiver.
According to the notification, the
Codan 2110 manpack is certified
as conforming to the Automatic
Link Establishment (ALE)
requirements of Military
Standard (MIL-STD)-188-141B,
Interoperability and Performance
Standards for Medium and HF Radio Equipment.
The JITC certification enables interoperability
between Codan and other HF radio brands and establish-
es a common waveform for ALE operation. This is impor-
tant in coalition and Partnership for Peace (PFP) opera-
tions and the extension of HF networks for emergency
preparedness and disaster relief. Within minutes of a
radio operator initiating a call, ALE chooses the best fre-
quency and signals the operators on both ends so they can
begin communicating with each other immediately. One
of the many benefits of ALE is that it eliminates the need
for repetitive calling on pre-determined time schedules
and monitoring static on HF radios.
Accelerated UAV Deployment Planned
The Army is speeding up delivery of some of its newer
Unmanned Aircraft System assets such as the Gray
Eagle, and expanding the size and range of its overall
fleet to include a Family of Small UAS and a Vertical-
Take-Off-and-Landing UAS, service officials said. A
Defense Acquisition Board in February of this year is
expected to confirm the addition of two more Low Rate
Initial Production Gray Eagle systems—each consisting
of 12 air vehicles, five ground control stations and five
additional attrition vehicles. The Army has already
deployed two Gray Eagle “Quick Reaction Capabilities.”
One QRC is now flying with Army Soldiers in Iraq and
another is with U.S. Special Operations Forces in
Afghanistan. The surveillance aircraft can beam images
from up to 29,000 feet for more than 24 hours at a time.
The Army's Program Office for UAS is also planning a
QRC for the A160 Hummingbird Vertical-Take-Off-and-
Landing, or VTOL UAS. It’s a 35-foot-long helicopter-like
unmanned system able to conduct Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions and
move cargo for more than 20 hours at altitude ceilings of
up to 30,000 feet. The first A160 aircraft was provided by
the DARPA. U.S Special Operations Command is provid-
ing the next two follow-on aircraft.
The Army is also developing a formal requirement for
a VTOL UAS designed to work in tandem with the A160
QRC, a process which will result in a formal competition
and selection of a new capability.
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 High Frequency Design
SIGNAL INTEGRITY
High-Frequency Algorithmic
Advances in EM Tools for
Signal Integrity—Part 2
By John Dunn
AWR Corporation
T
he first article in
Part 2 of this two-part series this series looked in
on new advances in the detail at 2.5D and
algorithms underlying EM 3D method-of-moments
simulation techniques (MoM) EM solvers as they
examines the use of time- relate to signal integrity
saving “fast frequency designers and illustrated
sweep” techniques how, along with the power
of multi-core processors
and computer memory, new mathematical algo-
rithms and techniques such as state-of-art-pre-
conditioners, compression techniques, and mul-
tipole formulations have dramatically
increased the capabiliteis of EM software.
This article examines a second class of
mathematical algorithms that have dramati-
cally increased the speed of EM simulators. It
describes ways to reduce solution times by
using fewer frequencies, while ensuring the
frequency resolution of the resulting dataset.
The methods are known generically as “fast-
frequency-sweep” techniques, and they
attempt to reduce the number of frequencies
required to obtain the simulation response of
the problem while maintaining accuracy. The
methods are also useful for solving the prob-
lem of using the EM simulation results in
time-domain simulators.
In an ideal world, every designer would
receive his or her results instantaneously with
no errors, while solving it on the computing
equivalent of a digital watch over gigahertz
bandwidths and 1-Hz increments. Although
this is obviously not possible, improvements in
EM codes offer many different ways to tackle
some or all of these challenges. As in all things
electronic, trade-offs in accuracy, speed, prob-
lem complexity (or computing capacity), and
frequency span and granularity, are required.
40 High Frequency Electronics
Advanced Frequency Selection Versus
Convolution
Advanced frequency selection (AFS) allows
interconnects to be studied at many frequen-
cies by simulating only at a few frequencies.
The computer rather than the designer auto-
matically chooses the optimal simulation fre-
quencies. The benefits are significant. The
computer has the ability to choose fewer fre-
quencies (which reduces the total simulation
time), and from these selected frequencies pro-
vide coarser spacing, interpolating the inter-
vening ones with a high degree of accuracy
without actually solving the EM problem at
these finer frequencies. In addition, the meth-
ods are normally iterative. That is, a few fre-
quencies are initially selected and more fre-
quencies are then solved for in subsequent
iterations based on the initial frequency
results. This gives the designer some idea of
error or convergence rate.
These algorithms are not really providing
a true error, which is only possible if the exact
results are known and the problem is solved
with very high accuracy at each frequency
generated by the AFS algorithm. They instead
provide a glimpse of how much the answer is
changing with further refinement, which is
often useful as it provides a practical measure
of how well the problem has converged.
Unfortunately, the obvious technique of sim-
ply choosing a few points and drawing
straight lines between them is not very useful,
as a resonance in the frequency response for a
high Q circuit can be completely missed.
Fortunately, mathematicians have developed
a number of clever ways of estimating the
response that attempt to include the basic
physics of the underlying system.
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 High Frequency Design
SIGNAL INTEGRITY
Figure 1 · Estimating error in approximate frequency
sweeps.
These methods are also useful in solving another out-
standing problem for EM simulations. One way to classi-
fy EM simulation technology is in terms of the frequency
and time domains, and the results are interrelated by the
frequency-time duality inherent in circuits. A designer
can switch between the time-domain and frequency-
domain response using Fourier transform techniques, but
a problem arises in using frequency-domain data in a
time-domain simulator like SPICE or its variants. This
technique, called convolution, is extremely slow, but the
advanced frequency sweeping algorithms can also be used
to efficiently model the frequency-domain data, allowing
the time-domain simulator to quickly and efficiently use
the resulting reduced data set.
Speed-Increasing Sweeping Techniques
Frequency-domain solvers, both 2D and 3D, must
solve EM problems at multiple frequencies; a single fre-
quency is rarely useful to a designer. For expediency,
designers normally choose a fixed step size spanning the
range of frequencies needed for the simulation. So it’s rea-
sonable to wonder if the number of frequencies required
to simulate the problem can be reduced while also deliv-
ering a reasonable answer over the frequency range of
interest. If care is taken when developing the algorithm,
the answer is yes. There are two goals: the first to reduce
the required simulation time, and the second to give the
designer an estimate of simulation error. A generic
approach for estimating this error is shown in Figure 1.
The details vary with the specific algorithm being used.
The problem is first simulated at three frequencies:
the minimum frequency (Fmin), the maximum frequency
(Fmax), and the midpoint (Fmid). The results for the S-
parameters can be approximated for all frequencies by
drawing an interpolating curve, in this case a quadratic.
Two more frequencies are then simulated and are shown
42 High Frequency Electronics
Figure 2 · An EM response fitted to circuit elements. As
an LC pair can represent a resonance and it is derived
from Maxwell’s Equations, it can be used to map a
finite set of discrete frequency results for an EM analy-
sis onto a continuous frequency range.
in Figure 1 as the midpoints of the lower and upper
halves of the frequency range. A new curve is drawn, and
while the curves will not agree at all frequencies, the dif-
ference between them is an estimate of the error, with the
largest difference used as the error criterion. If this error
is less than a specified goal, the problem can be consid-
ered converged. If it is too great, more points are added.
Just where in the frequency range the points are added
depends on the algorithm used, but eventually either the
error criteria are met or the maximum number of simula-
tions is reached.
The trick in this approach is to determine the esti-
mating curve. The straightforward method of using some
form of polynomial fit is not a good choice for several rea-
sons. First, high order polynomial interpolations are noto-
riously unstable. This problem can be overcome by patch-
ing together lower-order polynomials over subsets of the
entire frequency range. Spline fits, for example, could be
made to produce smooth curves that are numerically sta-
ble. A bigger problem is that the interpolation can com-
pletely miss a resonance. This is shown in Figure 1, where
the actual structure has a resonance, and a naïve inter-
polation approach completely misses it. This can be espe-
cially problematic for high Q structures, but sophisticated
techniques have been developed to mitigate it. The results
of this continuing work are available in the technical lit-
erature.
It doesn’t seem possible upon first inspection that a
few frequencies can approximate all of the frequency
points needed to accurately represent a resonance, espe-
cially when the sample points are not near the resonance
in question. However, mathematical representations and
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 High Frequency Design
SIGNAL INTEGRITY
Figure 3 · A drawback of the circuit-fitting approach is
that more resonances require more elements, which
leads to higher order polynomical representations with
greater sensitivities. In this plot, a four-element LC lad-
der demonstrates a 2x error at 9 GHz with just a 5% LC
deviation.
methods to parameterize them have been developed to
capture the underlying physics of the problem.
Consequently, using the notion that the EM simula-
tions themselves obey Maxwell’s equations, and that they
also are the basis of circuit theory, it should be possible to
make a reasonable circuit model that can reproduce the
S-parameters generated by the EM simulator as shown in
Figure 2. This approach has merit and is extremely pow-
erful, but can require many elements if the circuit of
interest is complicated, as are very dense SI intercon-
nects. The large number of elements isn’t necessarily a
problem if the fit is exact everywhere. If one resonance is
missed, the designer must add more elements to create a
larger order polynomial. Higher order polynomials are
notoriously unstable and can introduce greater and
greater error. This approach was intensively investigated
in the 1990s and found wanting. For example, Figure 3
shows the response of the circuit drawn in Figure 2. It
also shows the change in the response when the values
are changed by 5% for the circuit elements. Note that the
prediction of the resonance at about 9 GHz is off by 100%.
This is because the high-order polynomial underlying the
circuit response is poorly behaved numerically.
New methods were therefore investigated starting in
the mid 1990s. Researchers realized that it is not neces-
sary to use actual circuit elements to approximate the
response. Mathematically, the circuit elements result in
equations in the frequency domain that can be represent-
ed by polynomials in the complex plane. So it is logical to
think of poles and zeros in the complex plane as a good
way to represent the S-parameters. The goal is to choose
44 High Frequency Electronics
Figure 4 · Rational approximation fitting maps an S-
plane representation of the EM results at a small, finite
number of points to a rational function, S, defined by fit-
ting a set of poles to the s-plane representation.
a few poles in the complex plane that reasonably repre-
sent the complex response, where “reasonably” is the
error previously discussed for AFS. There is no attempt to
start with an actual circuit model. Rather, the entire
approach is to model the system response as an abstract
model of poles.
The motivation for this approach is a compact way to
find and represent the resonances. As resonances normal-
ly occur because the response is being dominated by a sin-
gle pole in that frequency range, the entire response
might be represented by a rational function defined by
them. If the designer or the frequency selection algorithm
can guess the dominant poles, the result should be a fre-
quency response that works well over the entire range
(Figure 4).
The remaining question is how to choose the poles, a
problem the EM community has been trying to answer for
20 years. A large portion of the underlying mathematics
is based on advances in approximation theory and control
theory, and the “trick” is to choose the poles so as not to
violate the basic underlying physics, ensuring it is causal,
stable, and passive. It helps to look at each one of these
requirements individually.
Causality states that a response cannot be obtained
before the excitation, so a reflected signal cannot be gen-
erated before the incident wave arrives. In other words,
the signal cannot show up at the load before it leaves the
source. This condition is not that difficult to meet for pole-
zero models. Incidentally, it is easy to violate this condi-
tion with traditional circuit models when improper values
are used. For example, microwave engineers often create
models with negative inductance. This works in the fre-
quency domain but is a disaster when tried in time
domain simulators.
Passivity simply implies that the structure cannot
create energy unless there is an energy source such as a
power supply. For example, referring to Figure 5, S-
parameters generated in EM simulators should theoreti-
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 High Frequency Design
SIGNAL INTEGRITY

cally be passive (the exact solution in Figure 5). Passivity

is the hardest criterion for the algorithms to meet (the
spline solution). The details of implementation are quite
extensive, but essentially the algorithm must guess pairs
of poles and then test for passivity (non-passivity vector
fitting). Passivity has been the most difficult physical
constraint to satisfy in the current algorithms. Methods
that ensure passivity are only practical on small prob-
lems. The problem becomes more difficult for multi-
dimensional S-parameters with many ports. For a large
numbers of ports, there is no practical way to ensure pas-
sivity, and algorithms rely on reasonable checks that
work in most cases. When using these frequency-reduc-
tion methods, it is important to perform a passivity check
on the raw dataset, especially if a SPICE simulation is to
be performed.
It was mentioned earlier that these methods can also
be used for time-domain simulations. EM simulators gen-
erate S-parameters and many SI engineers want to use
time-domain simulators to look at eye diagrams, use time
domain models, and study hysteresis effects and switch-
ing issues. S-parameters must therefore be placed into a
time-domain circuit simulator, which presents a big prob-
lem. The straightforward way to include S-parameters in
the time domain (in SPICE for example) is to invoke con-
volution, which is extremely slow. The method requires
that for each time step taken in Spice, integrations be
performed over all previous time steps. A much more com-
putationally efficient method is for the S-parameter file
to be approximated by poles in the complex plane, making
it straightforward to represent these poles in SPICE by
voltage-controlled current sources. The simulation is
much faster and S-parameter effects are included. The
same caveats mentioned above apply when choosing the
poles: the approximation must be constrained by keeping
the results causal, stable, and passive. The very same
technique employed to speed up EM simulation is also
used to produce a model for the time-domain simulation
that speeds up the time-domain simulation itself.
Summary
Advances in EM theory, applied mathematics, and
computing are making EM simulators of more practical
value to SI engineers. Most designers appreciate that
computers are becoming ever more powerful. By dis-
cussing two important examples, we have attempted to
show that that is not the only reason for the increased
power of EM tools. New mathematical techniques that
have been developed over the past 20 years are being
incorporated into commercial simulators. Compressed,
Figure 5 · Passivity analysis. Comparison of different
AFS approaches for five EM analysis points: spline fitting
of five points versus pole-zero vector fitting. The exact
solution created by the EM solver is shown in blue.
iterative solvers are solving large problems that could not
be imagined even a few years ago. Advanced frequency
sweeping methods are giving simulators the capability of
predicting circuit performance over large bandwidths in a
fraction of the time necessary with discrete frequency
stepping methods.
The obvious question at this point is what is next for
new solution techniques, and what kinds of problems can
be solved? Although the future is obviously hard to pre-
dict, parallel computing algorithms are an obvious candi-
date. Researchers are hard at work trying to cleverly use
the immense power now readily available with inexpen-
sive clusters of machines. Nevertheless, two things are
certain: dedicated researchers are hard at work coming
up with the next great EM algorithm and SI engineers
will eagerly exploit the predictive power these new algo-
rithms bring.
Author Information
Dr. John Dunn is a senior application engineer with
AWR whose area of expertise is electromagnetic simula-
tion and modeling. He was a principal engineer at
Tektronix for four years before joining AWR and was a
professor of electrical engineering at the University of
Colorado for 15 years. He received his BS degree in
physics from Carleton College, and his MS and PhD
degrees in applied physics from Harvard University.
Readers should address questions or comments to:
info@awrcorp.com

To submit articles for possible publication in High Frequency Electronics, authors should begin by sending an outline,
abstract or brief description of the proposed article to the Editorial Director — gary@highfrequencyelectronics.com

46 High Frequency Electronics

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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS 488 rev A
 High Frequency Design
UMTS RECEIVER MODULE

A One-Half Square Inch

UMTS Base Station
Receiver Module
By Douglas Stuetzle and Todd Nelson
Linear Technology Corporation

H
ow much integra-
This receiver module was tion is possible
developed to meet the while still meet-
demand for higher levels of ing macrocell base sta-
integration and simplified tion performance require-
design—while maintaining ments? Process technolo-
the high performance gy still dictates that cer-
required for today’s tain key functions are
wireless base stations. made in specific process-
es: GaAs and SiGe are
best for the RF realm, fine-line CMOS for
high-speed ADCs, and high-Q filters cannot be
implemented well in semiconductor materials.
Yet the market demands more density.
With that in mind we elected to use sys-
tem-in-package (SiP) technology to build a
receiver occupying about one-half square inch
(just over 3 cm2). The boundaries of the receiv-
er are the 50-ohm RF input, the 50-ohm LO
input, the ADC clock input and the digital
ADC output. This leaves the LNA and RF fil-
tering to be added for the input, LO and clock
generation, and digital processing of the digi-
tal output. Within the 15 × 22 mm package is
a signal chain utilizing SiGe high frequency
components, discrete passive filtering and
fine-line CMOS ADCs.
The following article presents a design
analysis for two µModule® products: the
LTM9004 implementing a direct conversion
receiver, and the LTM9005 implementing an
IF-sampling receiver.
Design Targets
The design target is a UMTS uplink FDD
system, specifically the Medium Area Base
station in Operating Band I as detailed in the
3GPP TS25.104 V7.4.0 specification. Sensitiv-
ity is a primary consideration for the receiver;
This issue’s cover features the LTM9004
(direct conversion) and LTM9005 (IF-sam-
pling) µModule receivers.
the requirement is ≤ –111 dBm, for an input
SNR of –19.8 dB/5 MHz. That means the effec-
tive noise floor at the receiver input must be
≤ –158.2 dBm/Hz.
Design Analysis—Zero-IF or Direct
Conversion Receiver
The LTM9004 is a direct conversion receiv-
er utilizing an I/Q demodulator, baseband
amplifiers and a dual 14-bit, 125 Msps ADC as
shown in Figure 1. The LTM9004-AC lowpass
filter has a 0.2 dB corner at 9.42 MHz, allow-
ing four WCDMA carriers. The LTM9004 can
be used with an RF front end to build a com-
plete UMTS band uplink receiver. An RF front
end typically consists of a diplexer, along with
one or more low noise amplifiers (LNAs) and
ceramic bandpass filters. To minimize gain
and phase imbalance, the baseband chain
implements a fixed gain topology; therefore,
an RF VGA is required preceding the
LTM9004. Following is an example of typical
performance for such a front end:

50 High Frequency Electronics

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 High Frequency Products
UMTS RECEIVER MODULE
• Rx frequency range:
1920 to 1980 MHz
• RF gain: 15 dB maximum
• AGC range: 20 dB
• Noise figure: 1.6 dB
• IIP2: +50 dBm
• IIP3: 0 dBm
• P1dB: –9.5 dBm
• Rejection at 20 MHz: 2 dB
• Rejection at Tx band: 96 dB
Given the effective noise contribu-
tion of this RF front end, the maxi-
mum allowable noise due to the
LTM9004 is –142.2 dBm/Hz. Typical
input noise for the LTM9004 is
–148.3 dBm/Hz, which translates to a
calculated system sensitivity of
–116.7 dBm.
Typically such a receiver enjoys
the benefits of some DSP filtering of
the digitized signal after the ADC. In
this case assume the DSP filter is a
64 tap RRC lowpass with alpha equal
to 0.22. To operate in the presence of
co-channel interfering signals, the
receiver must have sufficient dynam-
ic range at maximum sensitivity. The
UMTS specification calls for a maxi-
mum co-channel interferer level of
–73 dBm. Note the input level for
–1 dBFS within the IF passband of
the LTM9004 is –15.1 dBm for a mod-
ulated signal with a 10 dB crest fac-
tor. At the LTM9004 input this
amounts to –53 dBm, or a digitized
signal level of –42.6 dBFS.
With the RF automatic gain con-
trol (AGC) set for minimum gain, the
receiver must be able to demodulate
the largest anticipated desired signal
from the handset. This requirement
ultimately sets the maximum signal
the LTM9004 must accommodate at
or below –1 dBFS. The minimum
path loss called out in the specifica-
tion is 53 dB, and assumes a handset
average power of +28 dBm. The max-
imum signal level is then –25 dBm at
the receiver input. This is equivalent
to –14.6 dBFS peak.
There are several blocker signals
detailed in the UMTS system specifi-
cation. Only a specified amount of
52 High Frequency Electronics
Figure 1 · Direct conversion architecture is implemented in the LTM9004
µModule receiver.
desensitization is allowed in the pres-
ence of these signals; the sensitivity
specification is –115 dBm. The first of
the specified blockers is an adjacent
channel 5 MHz away, at a level of
–42 dBm. The level of the digitized sig-
nal is –11.6 dBFS peak. The DSP post-
processing adds 51 dB rejection, so
this signal is equivalent to a –93 dBm
interferer at at the input of the receiv-
er. The resulting sensitivity is
–112.8 dBm.
The receiver must also contend
with a –35 dBm interfering channel
≥ 10 MHz away. The IF rejection of
the µModule receiver will attenuate
it to an equivalent digitized signal
level of –6.6 dBFS peak. With the
DSP post-processing it amounts to
–89.5 dBm at the receiver input. The
resulting sensitivity is –109.2 dBm.
Out-of-band blockers must also be
accommodated, but these are at the
same level as the in-band blockers
which have already been addressed.
In all of these cases, the typical
input level for –1 dBFS of the
LTM9004 is well above the maximum
anticipated signal levels. Note that
the crest factor for the modulated
channels will be on the order of 10-12
dB, so the largest of these will reach
a peak power of approximately
–6.5 dBFS at the LTM9004 output.
The largest blocking signal is the
–15 dBm CW tone ≥ 20 MHz beyond
the receive band edges. The RF front
end will offer 37 dB rejection of this
tone, so it will appear at the input of
the LTM9004 at –32 dBm. Here
again, a signal at this level must not
desensitize the baseband µModule
receiver. The equivalent digitized
level is only –41.6 dBFS peak, so
there is no effect on sensitivity.
Another source of undesired sig-
nal power is leakage from the trans-
mitter. Since this is an FDD applica-
tion, the receiver described here will
be coupled with a transmitter operat-
ing simultaneously. The transmitter
output level is assumed to be
≤ +38 dBm, with a transmit-to-
receive isolation of 95 dB. Leakage
appearing at the LTM9004 input is
then –31.5 dBm, offset from the
receive signal by at least 130 MHz.
The equivalent digitized level is only
–76.6 dBFS peak, so there is no
desensitization.
One challenge of direct conversion
architectures is 2nd order linearity.
Insufficient 2nd order linearity will
allow any signal, wanted or unwant-
ed, to create DC offset or pseudo-ran-
dom noise at baseband. The blocking
signals detailed above will then
degrade sensitivity if this pseudo-
random noise approaches the noise
level of the receiver. The system spec-
 High Frequency Products
UMTS RECEIVER MODULE

ification allows for sensitivity degra-

dation in the presence of these block-
ers in each case. Per the system spec-
ification, the –35 dBm blocking chan-
nel may degrade sensitivity to
–105 dBm. As we have seen above,
this blocker constitutes an interferer
level of –15 dBm at the receiver
input. The 2nd order distortion pro-
duced by the LTM9004 input is about
16 dB below the thermal noise, and
the resulting predicted sensitivity is
–116.6 dBm. Figure 2 · The IF-sampling architecture implemented in the LTM9005
The –15 dBm CW blocker will also µModule receiver.
give rise to a 2nd order product; in
this case the product is a DC offset.
DC offset is undesirable, as it reduces due to this signal is < 1 mV at the level is assumed to be ≤ +38 dBm,
the maximum signal the A/D convert- input of the ADC. with a transmit-to-receive isolation of
er can process. The one sure way to Note that the transmitter leakage 95 dB. The 2nd order distortion gen-
alleviate the effects of DC offset is to is not included in the system specifi- erated in the LTM9004 is such that
ensure that the 2nd order linearity of cation, so the sensitivity degradation the loss of sensitivity will be < 0.1 dB.
the baseband µModule receiver is due to this signal must be held to a There is only one requirement for
high enough. The predicted DC offset minimum. The transmitter output 3rd order linearity in the specifica-

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54 High Frequency Electronics

tion. In the presence of two interfer- dicted system sensitivity at maxi- the µModule receiver input is then
ers, the sensitivity must not degrade mum RF gain is –122.2 dBm. –58.5 dBm. Note that the crest factor
below –115 dBm. The interferers in The UMTS specification calls for a for a modulated channel will be on
the specification are a CW tone and a maximum co-channel interferer of the order of 10-12 dB, so this signal
WCDMA channel at –48 dBm each. –73 dBm. With the receiver set for will reach a peak power of approxi-
These will appear at the LTM9004 maximum gain, the level reaching mately –48.5 dBm at the µModule
input at –28 dBm each. Their fre-
quencies are such that they are 10
MHz and 20 MHz away from the
desired channel, so the 3rd order
intermodulation product falls at
baseband. Here again, this product
appears as pseudo-random noise and
thus will reduce the signal to noise
ratio. The 3rd order distortion pro-
duced in the LTM9004 is about 20 dB
below the thermal noise floor, and the
predicted sensitivity degradation is
< 0.1 dB.

Design Analysis—140 MHz

IF-Sampling Receiver
The LTM9005 is an IF-sampling
receiver utilizing a downconverting
mixer, IF amplifiers with a variable
attenuator, a surface acoustic wave
(SAW) filter and a 14-bit, 125 Msps
ADC, as shown in Figure 2. The
LTM9005-AB SAW filter has a center
frequency at 140 MHz and a band-
width of 20 MHz, allowing four
WCDMA carriers. The LTM9005-AB
can be used with a similar RF front
end, as described above, to build a
complete UMTS band uplink receiv-
er. In this case, an appropriate front
end should have a maximum RF gain
of 14.5 dB.
Here are the typical key specifica-
tions for the LTM9005-AB:

• Signal input for –1 dBFS:

–17.8 dBm
• Input noise level: –158 dBm/Hz
• IIP3:
2 tones inside IF: +17.7 dBm
2 tones outside IF: +19 dBm
• P1dB, outside IF passband:
+8.8 dBm
• Rej. outside IF passband: 40 dB
www.phasematrix.com
Typical input noise for the 877-447-2736 or 408-428-1000
LTM9005-AB is –158 dBm/Hz. Given
the noise of the RF front end, the pre-
Get info at www.HFeLink.com

February 2011 55
 High Frequency Products
UMTS RECEIVER MODULE

receiver input. This amounts to this product appears as pseudo-

–31.7 dBFS at the ADC input. random noise. Using the IIP3
With the RF AGC set for mini- appropriate for tones outside the
mum gain and a handset average passband, the predicted 3rd order
power of +28 dBm, the minimum product appears at –131.1 dBm.
path loss called out in the specifi- This is about 30 dB below the
cation is 53 dB. The maximum noise level and has no effect on
signal level is then –25 dBm at sensitivity.
the receiver input. This condition
sets the maximum RF gain that Conclusion
can be placed before the µModule The LTM9004 and LTM9005
receiver. Assuming an RF AGC exhibit the high performance nec-
range of 20 dB, the signal level at essary for UMTS base station
the LTM9005-AB input is applications, yet offer the small
–30.5 dBm. Accounting for crest size and high integration neces-
factor, this signal will reach a Figure 3 · Actual demo board photo sary for very compact designs (see
peak power of approximately showing that minimal external circuitry is Figure 3). By utilizing SiP tech-
–20.5 dBm at the µModule receiv- required. nology, the µModule receivers can
er input. This amounts to combine components made on
–3.7 dBFS at the ADC. optimum semiconductor processes
Consider the receiver set for max- within the –115 dBm specification. (SiGe, CMOS), along with passive fil-
imum RF gain in the presence of Out-of-band blockers must also be ter elements.
blocker signals. Again, the sensitivity accommodated, the largest of which For more information, contact:
specification is –115 dBm. Note that is the –15 dBm CW tone ≥ 20 MHz
once the received signal is digitized, beyond the receive band edges. The Linear Technology Corporation
additional bandpass filtering will be RF front end will offer about 37 dB www.linear.com
done using DSP. Assume a rejection rejection of this tone, and the IF filter 1-800-4-LINEAR (1-800-454-6327)
factor of 20 dB for this operation. will afford another 40 dB of attenua-
The first of these blockers is an tion. Accounting for the DSP rejec- Author Information
adjacent channel at a level of tion, this tone is then equivalent to Doug Stuetzle is a Senior Module
–52 dBm. The IF rejection of the –114.5 dBm. The resulting sensitivity Design Engineer at Linear
µModule receiver is 40 dB, and the is then –122.2 dBm, and the digitized Technology. He joined the company
DSP post-processing adds another signal level is –60.7 dBFS. in 2003 and has 28 years of experi-
20 dB. This signal is thus equivalent The transmitter output level is ence designing RF and microwave
to an interferer at –114.5 dBm at the assumed to be ≤ +38 dBm, with a circuits, modules, and systems for
input of the receiver; the level of the transmit to receive isolation of 95 dB. military and commercial customers.
digitized signal is –50.7 dBFS. The The equivalent level at the receiver His present responsibility is the defi-
resulting sensitivity is –122.2 dBm. input, accounting for IF and DSP nition and design of mixed signal
The receiver must also contend rejection, is then –119.5 dBm, or micro-modules for telecommunica-
with a –40 dBm interfering channel –55.7 dBFS. The resulting sensitivity tions and military markets. He holds
≥ 10 MHz away. Here again, the RF is –122.2 dBm, which is also within an MSEE degree from Santa Clara
front end will offer no rejection of this the –115 dBm specification. University and a BSEE from San
channel, but the IF and DSP rejection For 3rd order linearity, in the Jose State University.
of the µModule receiver will attenu- presence of two interferers, the sensi- Todd Nelson is currently Module
ate it to an equivalent level of tivity must not degrade below Development Manager for Linear
–102.5 dBm at the receiver input. –115 dBm. The interferers are a CW Technology's signal chain µModule®
This amounts to a digitized signal tone and a WCDMA channel at products. Prior to that, Todd was
level of –38.7 dBFS, and the resulting –48 dBm each, which will appear at product marketing manager for
sensitivity is –119.8 dBm. the LTM9005-AB input at –33.5 dBm Linear's mixed signal products. Todd
In all of these cases, the typical each. Their frequencies are such that earned his Bachelor's degree in engi-
input level for –1 dBFS of the they are 10 MHz and 20 MHz away neering from Kettering University,
LTM9005-AB is well above the maxi- from the desired channel, so the 3rd and his Masters in engineering man-
mum anticipated blocker levels. Note order intermodulation product falls agement from Santa Clara
that the resulting sensitivities are all within the IF passband. Here again, University.

56 High Frequency Electronics

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484 Rev. Orig.

 2011 EDITORIAL CALENDAR
Issue Products Technology Tutorial Events*
LAB TEST EQUIPMENT
JANUARY CAPACITORS & INDUCTORS WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE THE MATHEMATICS OF MIXERS DESIGNCON
EDA TOOLS
CONNECTORS
FEBRUARY OSCILLATORS MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA FUNDAMENTALS
OPTICAL PRODUCTS
MICROWAVE COMPONENTS
MARCH RESISTIVE PRODUCTS STANDARDS & REGULATIONS DESIGN FOR EMC COMPLIANCE 12TH WAMICON
SWITCHES
RFICS/MMICS
APRIL FIELD TEST EQUIPMENT SMART GRID / SMART HOME DESIGNING BELOW 100 MHZ
COUPLERS & HYBRIDS
3G/4G INFRASTRUCTURE
MAY SUBSTRATES & LAMINATES RESEARCH UPDATE WAFER PROBING BASICS MTT IMS 2011
NEW LITERATURE
ANTENNAS
JUNE CABLE ASSEMBLIES WIRELESS MEDICAL SYSTEMS THE OPTICAL INTERFACE AP/URSI SYMPOSIUM
FRONT-END COMPONENTS
EMC PRODUCTS
JULY POWER DEVICES BROADBAND EVERYWHERE POWER DEVICE TECHNOLOGIES IEEE EMC SYMPOSIUM
SENSORS
HIGH SPEED DIGITAL
AUGUST VCOS & SYNTHESIZERS TEST EQUIPMENT TRENDS HIGH PERFORMANCE CABLES
WIRELESS ICS & MODULES
AEROSPACE & HI-REL
SEPTEMBER SIGNAL ANALYZERS EDA TOOL ADVANCES CUSTOM RFICS & MMICS EUROPEAN MICROWAVE WEEK
ONLINE RESOURCES
POWER AMPLIFIERS
OCTOBER MICROWAVE MATERIALS CABLE/CONNECTOR UPDATE CONNECTORS ON PC BOARDS
SERVICES
FILTERS
NOVEMBER MM-WAVE PRODUCTS POWER AMPLIFIERS UNDERSTANDING EDA MODELS
TEST ACCESSORIES
DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS
DECEMBER PRECISION CONNECTORS ISM APPILCATIONS MIMO AND SMART ANTENNAS RADIO WIRELESS WEEK
NEW LITERATURE
*AT TIME OF PUBLICATION, BONUS DISTRIBUTION IS PLANNED

NOTE: Additional technical articles are published in each issue, covering many other topics
AD CLOSING DATES: 15th of the prior month (next business day if weekend)
AD MATERIAL DEADLINE: 3 business days after ad closing
Contact your advertising sales representative for extra time or special requirements

Editorial Submissions
Regular Columns
Meetings & Events · In the News · Design Notes
High Frequency Applications
Press Releases
Press releases for our informational columns should be sent by the
first of the month prior to the desired publication date (e.g., April 1
for the May issue). Late-breaking news can be accommodated, but
please advise the editors of urgent items by telephone or e-mail.
Article Contributions
We encourage the submission of technical articles, application notes
and other editorial contributions. These may be on the topics noted
above, or any other subject of current interest. Contact the Editorial
Director with article ideas: gary@highfrequencyelectronics.com
How to Contact Us
Send press releases and other communications to our general editorial
e-mail address: editor@highfrequencyelectronics.com.

www.highfrequencyelectronics.com
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
 High Frequency Design
SMALL ANTENNAS
Performance Expectations
for Reduced-Size Antennas
By Gary Breed
Editorial Director
E
very device that
This month’s tutorial article transmits and/or
presents a summary of receives radio sig-
the advantages and limita- nals needs an antenna.
tions of electrically-small When that device has a
antennas like those used in small size or limited
many wireless devices space for a classic reso-
nant antenna, various
techniques are used to implement reduced-
size antennas. Those techniques may include
inductive or capacitive loading, meandered or
spiral construction, high dielectric constant
materials to slow down wave propagation, and
embedded structures incorporated into the
packaging. Each of these methods imposes
some type of limitation when compared to
monopole, dipole, or resonant loop antennas.
This tutorial looks at the key limitations of
small antennas, with the intention of illus-
trating what level of performance can be
expected from the various design options.
VSWR Bandwidth
A good impedance match is needed for effi-
ciently transferring power into, and extracting
power from an antenna. Compared to the “nat-
ural” radiation resistance of a monopole (36
ohms) and a dipole (72 ohms), the radiation
resistance of reduced size antennas will be
much lower.
As an illustration, the radiation resistance
of a small dipole is [1],
2
⎛ π L⎞
RRad = 20 ⎜
⎝ λ ⎟⎠
where L/λ is simply the dipole length in wave-
lengths. Using this equation, a dipole that is
one-third of normal λ/2 size will have
60 High Frequency Electronics
L/λ = 0.167 and RRad = 5.5 ohms. The feed-
point impedance will be 5.5 –jX, where X is a
large capacitance, as high as 1500 ohms in the
case of thin dipole. This 5.5 –j1500 ohm
impedance must be matched to the system
impedance, typically 50 ohms.
Small loops and monopoles have similarly
low radiation resistance with high reactance.
Matching to highly reactive loads is inherent-
ly narrow bandwidth, since the magnitude of
the reactance changes rapidly with frequency.
Achieving a broader bandwidth match
requires either complex networks or the intro-
duction of lossy components.
The use of meandered lines, spirals, fractal
patterns effectively distribute the required
inductance over the length of the antenna,
and can result in higher radiation resistance
and lower loss matching networks. However,
they require more space to implement.
Efficiency
In the above example, the initial task of cre-
ating a non-reactive feedpoint requires can-
celling the capacitive reactance with an induc-
tor of 1500 ohms reactance. In practice, such
an inductor will have a Q no greater than 100,
usually less, and thus will also have a series
resistance of 15 ohms or more. With the induc-
tor in place, the system will see 20.5 ohms (or
greater) resistive impedance, of which 15 ohms
is loss. Small loops and monopoles have similar
problems with losses when attempting to
match their low radiation resistance.
The analytical work of Harrington,
reviewed in [2], shows that efficiency is
reduced as antennas become smaller, even
with lossless matching. These losses are pri-
marily resistive losses in the antenna’s con-
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 High Frequency Design
SMALL ANTENNAS
ducting material, which become
greater with lower radiation resis-
tance. In practice, however, most loss
will be due to lossy matching compo-
nents.
Proximity Effects
The environment surrounding a
small antenna will have a large effect
on its performance. Small antennas
used on portable, handheld devices
will be subject to changing orienta-
tions and widely varying proximity to
conducting and dielectric materials.
These will all affect the radiation pat-
tern, and the interactions may affect
the impedance, as well, resulting in
less efficient power transfer. These
changes in polarization and signal
strength must be accounted for when
analyzing the total path loss of the
system the portable device will be
used with.
In addition, the operating envi-
ronment may have nearby shielding
and reflecting surfaces, such as vehi-
cles, buildings, furnishings, and other
objects. These things can block the
desired signal path, or magnify the
multipath characteristics inherent to
portable device communications.
Although these larger-scale objects
do not interact directly with the
antenna, they alter the final radia-
tion pattern.
Some Antenna Examples
Small antenna design is a com-
promise among gain, efficiency, band-
width and occupied volume. Some
types that address these tradeoffs in
different ways are described below.
Bent and folded antennas—bent
monopoles, including the inverted-F,
folded patch antennas, and a wide
range of meandered structures may
be used. They may be implemented as
two- or three-dimensional structures.
In general, the highest radiation
resistance for a given occupied vol-
ume will be achieved with a moderate
amount of “meandering.” The four-
arm spiral appears to be the most
efficient 3-D structure [3].
Lumped Element Loading—Chip the surface from the primary anten-
capacitors or inductors may be used na that is installed above. With no
to provide the necessary reactance to surface waves, the “ground plane” has
create an electrically small antenna greatly reduced interaction with the
with a non-reactive feed impedance. antenna, allowing it to perform in a
Dielectric Loading—With lower manner approximating its free space
velocity of propagation, antennas performance. This is a narrowband
constructed on dielectric materials solution, although varactor diodes
are smaller than their free-space can be integrated to provide tuning.
counterparts. Strip or inverted-F Many other structures are possi-
antennas on ceramic substrates are ble. Readers are encouraged to review
popular for handheld wireless the References and other sources.
devices. Circular or rectangular
stacked patch antennas are often References
used for circularly-polarized Global 1. D. Miron, Small Antenna
Positioning System antennas. Design, Newnes, an imprint of
Electromagnetic Bandgap (EBG) Elsevier, 2006.
Ground Planes—EBGs are low- 2. J. Volakis, C.-C. Chen, K.
height structures comprising many Fujimoto, Small Antennas, McGraw-
small-size antenna-like elements Hill 2010.
with capacitive top-loading surfaces 3. S. R. Best, “The radiation prop-
that approximate a flat substrate. erties of of electrically small folded
Because these structures are reso- spherical helix antennas,” IEEE
nant, they present a high impedance Trans. on Antennas and Propagation,
at their tops. This effectively isolates vol. 52, April 2004, pp. 953-960.
RF & Microwave
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 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
50 Ohm Coaxial Cables
L-com, Inc. added semi-rigid and
formable style coaxial cables to its
product line. Manufactured in the
USA, these cable assemblies are
made using state-of-the-art equip-
ment and are tested to ensure the
highest quality. L-com’s standard
line of semi-rigid and formable
coaxial cables now includes: .085
Semi-Rigid and Formable cable;
.141 Semi-Rigid and Formable
cable.
L-com, Inc.
www.L-com.com
Thermoplastic Laminate
Materials
Rogers Corporation has introduced
its new XT/duroid™ high perfor-
mance thermoplastic laminate
materials, ideal for high frequency
multilayer circuits in the most
demanding operating environ-
ments. The XT/duroid product line
includes XT/duroid 8000 laminates
for multilayer designs with as
many as five layers and XT/duroid
8100 laminates for constructions
with six or more circuit layers.
Both laminates feature thin halo-
gen-free dielectrics and are avail-
able with low-profile copper foil
cladding for use in double-sided
and multilayer printed circuit
boards (PCBs). Low profile copper
bonded directly to the dielectric
without the use of adhesives
64 High Frequency Electronics
Circuit Board Plotters
LPKF Laser & Electronics has
announced the release of four new
circuit board plotters. This is a revi-
sion of the best known product
group: the ProtoMat® S-Series cir-
cuit board plotters, which were
reengineered to work faster and
more efficient. Also being introduced
is the new ProtoMat E33 entry-level
unit. At first glance you’ll notice all
S-Series ProtoMats come inside a
new modern looking acoustic cabinet and include available upgrade options.
All new systems come with a completely redesigned CircuitPro software by
LPKF; aimed at a wider range of users. While inexperienced users are guid-
ed step-by-step through the production processes by finely tuned wizards;
proficient users can continue using menu functions.
LPKF Laser & Electronics
www.lpkfusa.com
results in low insertion loss for The 0101 Series MLCC contributes
these thin materials. Rogers’ new 45% area reduction and 30% vol-
XT/duroid 8000 laminates feature ume reduction compared to 0201
a z-axis dielectric constant of 3.23 MLCCs. These miniature devices
±0.05 at 10 GHz and a dissipation provide nominal capacitance rat-
factor of 0.0035 or less at 10 GHz. ings of 1.0 to 22 pF and a rated
They deliver stable electrical per- voltage of 16 V in NPO, with an
formance over wide frequency operating temperature range of
ranges, with a low thermal coeffi- –55ºC to + 125ºC. Also available in
cient of dielectric constant of +7 the X5R dielectric, the 0101 Series
ppm/°C from –50 to +150°C. They is RoHS-compliant. Typical pricing
also exhibit excellent thermal con- starts at $0.008 to $0.03 in volume
ductivity of 0.35 W/m/°K. with a lead time of 14 weeks.
Rogers Corporation AVX Corporation
www.rogerscorp.com www.avx.com
Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor
AVX Corporation has developed
the industry’s smallest multilayer
ceramic capacitor (MLCC).
Designated as the 0101 Series, the
miniature MLCC was designed Commercial Silicon Carbide
with well-established technologies Power MOSFET
to precisely control the material Cree, Inc. has introduced the first
and process. Increasing vital board fully qualified commercial silicon
space in PA modules, front-end carbide power MOSFET. The SiC
modules, IC packaging, mobile MOSFET can be used today for
phones, and other applications solar inverters, high-voltage power
where board space is a concern. supplies and power conditioning in
 HAND
HAND
FLEX
FLEX TM
TM

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CABLES

Hand Flex
Hand FlexCables
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conforms to
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FrequencyRange:
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DC-18GHz
GHz Impedance:
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ohms RoHS
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Models
Models Length
Length InsertionLoss
Insertion Loss Return
Return Loss
Loss Price
Price
(inches)
(inches) (dB)
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.141"
.141"
.141"
.141"
Diameter
Diameter MaletotoMale
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Typ. Qty.(1-9)
141-3SM+
141-3SM+ 33 0.23
0.23 3838 8.69
8.69
141-4SM+
141-4SM+ 4 4 0.14
0.14 3535 8.69
8.69
141-5SM+
141-5SM+ 55 0.19
0.19 3737 8.69
8.69
141-6SM+
141-6SM+ 6 6 0 25
0.25 3939 8 69
8.69
141-7SM+ 7 0.33 37 8.69
K
STOC

8
$ 69 IN 141-8SM+ 8 0.30 38 8.69
141-9SM+ 9 0.38 38 8.69

from ea. (qty.1-9) DC to18 GHz 141-10SM+

141-12SM+
141-14SM+
10
12
14
0.39
0.46
0.52
37
38
37
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9.70
9.70
Need the performance of a semi-rigid cable, but the versatility of a 141-15SM+ 15 0.54 37 9.70
141-18SM+ 18 0.62 37 9.70
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semi-rigid cables, they are mechanically and electrically stable. But unlike
.086"
semi-rigid assemblies, Hand Flex cables can be shaped by hand to quickly Diameter
form the configuration you need in your assembly, system, or test rack. 086-3SM+ 3 0.20 33 8.95
086-4SM+ 4 0.23 33 8.95
Hand Flex cables are available in popular semi-rigid cable diameters, 086-5SM+ 5 0.29 33 8.95
086-6SM+ 6 0.34 34 8.95
0.086 and 0.141", with SMA connectors for applications from DC to 18 086-7SM+ 7 0.42 32 8.95
GHz. They feature low insertion loss—typically 0.2 dB at 9 GHz for a 3-inch 086-8SM+ 8 0.46 36 8.95
086-9SM+ 9 0.54 33 8.95
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086-14SM+ 14 0.79 34 9.95
lengths from 3"to 24", or order the KHFC-1+ Designer’s Kit with10 Hand Flex 086-15SM+ 15 0.82 33 9.95
cable assemblies, five each of 0.141-and 0.086" diameter 3" long cables. 086-18SM+ 18 0.97 34 9.95
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Mini-Circuits...we're redefining what VALUE is all about! KHFC-1+ ..............................................................................................79.95

ISO 9001 ISO 14001 AS 9100 CERTIFIED

® P.O. Box 350166, Brooklyn, New York 11235-0003 (718) 934-4500 Fax (718) 332-4661
The Design Engineers Search Engine ILQGVWKHPRGHO\RXQHHG,QVWDQWO\‡For detailed performance specs & shopping online see
U.S. patent 7739260
IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS 482 Rev. Orig.
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
many industrial power applica-
tions. Cree’s SiC MOSFET, the
CMF20120D, provides blocking
voltages up to 1200 V with an on-
state resistance (RDSon) of just 80
milliohms at 25°C. Setting Cree’s
SiC MOSFET apart from compara-
ble silicon devices, the RDSon
remains below 100 milliohms
across its entire operating temper-
ature range. This consistency of
performance characteristics across
operating conditions, along with a
true MOSFET device architecture
(normally-off), makes it ideal for
power electronics switching cir-
cuits. Compared to commercially
available silicon MOSFET or IGBT
devices of similar ratings, in tests
conducted by Cree the
CMF20120D had the lowest gate
drive energy (QG <100 nC) across
the recommended input voltage
range. Conduction losses were
minimized with forward drop (VF)
of <2 V at a current of 20 A. The
CMF20120D power devices are
fully qualified and released for pro-
duction. Samples are available
now from Digi-Key.
Cree, Inc.
www.cree.com
Wideband GaAs pHEMT
MMIC Power Amplifier
Hittite Microwave Corporation has
introduced a new GaAs pHEMT
MMIC power amplifier that is
ideal for test instrumentation,
microwave radio, and military and
space applications from DC to 40
GHz. The HMC930 is a GaAs
pHEMT MMIC distributed power
amplifier die that operates
between DC and 40 GHz and deliv-
ers up to 13 dB of gain, +33.5 dBm
output IP3 and +22 dBm of output
power at 1 dB gain compression.
The input and output return losses
of the HMC930 are better than 12
dB and 16 dB respectively, across
66 High Frequency Electronics
the band. The gain flatness is
excellent at ±0.3 dB from 12 to 32
GHz, while a slightly positive gain
slope in this same band makes the
HMC930 ideal for microwave
radio, and military EW and ECM
applications. This compact power
amplifier die occupies less than
4.25 mm2, consumes only 175 mA
from a +10 V supply, and is speci-
fied for operation over the –55ºC to
+85ºC temperature range. Samples
are available from stock and can be
ordered via the company’s e-com-
merce site or via direct purchase
order.
Hittite Microwave Corporation
www.hittite.com
Test Cable
The QBL Series Coaxial Cables
(50Ω, DC to 18 GHz) by Mini-
Circuits, Inc., include a Quick-Lock
connector that mates securely with
a standard female SMA connector
with a simple sliding lock feature.
These cables are ideal for use in
test lab applications, with superior
strain relief for lasting durability
and flexibility for tight access loca-
tions. The FEP jacket supports
operation to 105°C and protects a
double shielded cable construction
for minimum signal leakage. These
cables have excellent electrical
performance, 20 dB return loss to
18 GHz, and are ultra rugged,
withstanding 20k flex cycles and
20k insertions.
Mini-Circuits, Inc.
www.minicircuits.com
RF Power Detector
Analog Devices, Inc. introduced a
new highly integrated, high-perfor-
mance RF detector for use in wire-
less, instrumentation, defense, and
other broadband applications.
ADI’s new ADL5511 TruPwr RMS
(root mean square) and envelope
detector (an electronic circuit that
takes a RF signal as input and pro-
vides an output that represents
the envelope of the signal) offers a
high level of integration and func-
tionality by combining two RF
functions into one small chip,
thereby simplifying designs and
reducing BOM (bill of materials)
cost. The ADL5511 is sampling
now and is available for $7.33 per
unit in 1,000-unit quantities.
Analog Devices, Inc.
www.analog.com
IF Switch
Maxim Integrated Products intro-
duces the MAX12005, an 8 × 4
satellite IF switch IC that is
expandable to allow up to 16 satel-
lite signals. Highly integrated, the
MAX12005 is very flexible. Its 8 × 4
matrix is configured with an addi-
tional IF switch input so it can
expand to accept 16 satellite input
signals. It supports a single, quad
low-noise block (LNB) with vertical
or horizontal polarization signals
that can be matrix-switched to four
satellite receivers. A configuration
of eight satellite IF inputs to eight
satellite receivers is also possible
by using two MAX12005 ICs and
adding eight input splitters. Four
integrated 9:1 multiplexers with
variable-gain input and output
amplifiers provide sufficient gain
to compensate for the signal-path
losses in the cable distribution and
for switch insertion losses. The
MAX12005 is fully specified over
the –40 to +85 degrees Celsius
extended temperature range. It is
available in a small 7 × 7mm, lead-
free, 48-pin TQFN package. Prices
start at $7.44 (1000-up, FOB USA).
Maxim Integrated Products
www.maxim-ic.com
SELECTION
SUPPORT
SERVICE
When you need it most
All are key when purchasing high performance microwave transmission
lines. Currently a SELECTION of IW products are employed on the
Navy’s latest platforms in a variety of systems including the AIMS
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IW’s SUPPORT for these systems includes a wide range of flexible

microwave cable assemblies. Extremely low loss cables are optimized
for operation up to 11 GHz, 18 GHz, 26.5 GHz, 40 GHz, 50 GHz, and
65 GHz. These cables are available with
optional internal and external ruggedization
and a selection of jacket materials to meet
specific environmental requirements. IW
supports these cables with a wide selection
of connectors including SMA, TNC, N, SC,
1.65mm, 2.4mm, 3.5mm, and 7mm.

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Get info at www.HFeLink.com
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
Voltage Controlled Oscillator
Crystek’s CVCO55CC-2542-2662
VCO operates from 2542 to 2662
MHz with a control voltage range
of 0.5V~4.5V. This VCO features a
typical phase noise of –103 dBc/Hz
at 10 kHz offset and has excellent
linearity. Output power is typically
+3 dBm. Engineered and manufac-
tured in the USA, the model
CVCO55CC-2542-2662 is packaged
in the industry-standard 0.5 × 0.5-
in. SMD package. Input voltage is
5V, with a max. current consump-
tion of 40 mA. Pulling and Pushing
are minimized to 1.5 MHz and 1.5
MHz/V, respectively. Second har-
monic suppression is –15 dBc typi-
cal. The CVCO55CC-2542-2662 is
ideal for use in applications such as
digital radio equipment, fixed wire-
less access, satellite communica-
tions systems, and base stations.
Crystek Corporation
www.crystek.com
Resin System
Isola Group, SARL announced the
launch of 185HR, its next genera-
tion high reliability, lead-free com-
patible, and standard loss product.
185HR is an electrically enhanced
resin system to meet the OEM’s
need for new designs that have
high layer counts, require higher
bandwidths and where convention-
al phenolic cured laminates do not
offer the electrical properties
required for the desired signal
integrity. 185 HR has a Tg greater
than 170°C, a decomposition tem-
perature of 340°C and delivers a
reduction in z-axis expansion and a
25-30% improvement in dielectric
loss properties, placing it in the
same dielectric loss category as
conventional high Tg FR4.
Isola Group, SARL
www.isola-group.com
68 High Frequency Electronics
Lighter-Weight RG Coaxial Cable
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., has
introduced a new, lighter-weight
RG coaxial cable for aircraft com-
munication and navigation sys-
tems, providing significant weight
savings without compromising per-
formance. When compared to stan-
dard RG coaxial cables, these new
cables reduce operating costs
because they are as much as 20% lighter with a 15% smaller diameter.
This smaller and lighter profile coaxial cable still meets the stringent elec-
trical and mechanical requirements of MIL-T-81790 and EN 3475-503. The
cables engineered for electrical impedance of 50Ω and 75Ω also exceed the
electrical requirements of MIL-C-17G. The special cable design of Gore’s
new RG coaxial cables facilitates easier routing and improved abrasion
resistance for the cables. The unique jacketing material used in the cable’s
construction significantly reduces size while maintaining shielding effec-
tiveness, controlling impedance, and withstanding operating temperatures
ranging from –65°C to 150°C.
W.L. Gore & Associates
www.gore.com
QuickMux uses mechanical reed
relays, you can use it as a de-mul-
tiplexer as well as a multiplexer.
The de-multiplexing capabilities of
the QMUX16X2 permits two input
channels and connect them to any
of the sixteen output channels on a
standard 40-pin IDC header. It is
controlled through an easy-to-use
software API over an industry-
standard USB 2.0 full-speed port.
The QuickMux easily multiplexes
and de-multiplexes signals found
in R&D, manufacturing, test engi-
neering and similar situations. The
QMUX16X2 Multiplexer is priced
Multiplexer at $249.00 and weighs 0.5 pound.
Bitwise Systems has announced Bitwise Systems
their new Model QMUX16X2 www.quickmux.com
Multiplexer designed expressly to
permit test and measuring equip-
ment to connect to many signals.
QMUX can measure two selected
signals at the same time. This
easy-to-use, affordable multiplexer
features 16 inputs and 2 outputs
and can be powered and controlled
by the user’s PC. The multiplexer
uses low-power reed relays and a
USB controller in a DIN rail High Powered Amplifier
mount enclosure. As such, it serves Amplifier Technology introduces a
as the unique “missing link” in a new high powered amplifier, operat-
complex test setup. It is suited to ing at 100 watts in the 0.5-2.5 GHz
single or differential signals less frequency range. The 8767 is a
than 10 MHz. Because the broadband GaN amplifier with good
 MMIC
AMPLIFIERS
DC to 20 GHz from 73¢ qty.1000

ERA
PSA

Gali,
GVA, PHA LEE

AVA, PMA

NFfrom 0.5 dB, IP3 to + 48 dBm, Gain 10 to 30 dB, Pout to + 30 dBm

124
Think of all you stand to gain. With more than 120 catalog models, Mini-Circuits offers one of the industry’s broadest
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Our tight process control guarantees consistent performance across multiple production runs, so you can have
confidence in every unit. In fact, cascading multiple amplifiers often produce less than 1dB total gain variation at any
given frequency. These MMIC amplifiers can even meet your most critical size and power consumption requirements
with supply voltages as low as 2.8 V, and current consumption down to 20 mA, and packages as small as SOT-363.
Visit our website to select the amplifier that meets your specific needs. Each model includes pricing, full electrical,
mechanical, and environmental specifications, and a full set of characterization data including S-Parameters. So why
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The Design Engineers Search Engine ILQGVWKHPRGHO\RXQHHG,QVWDQWO\‡For detailed performance specs & shopping online see
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IF/RF MICROWAVE COMPONENTS 476 Rev.B
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
overall efficiency—typically giving
a saturated output power of 50 dBm
minimum, from an input power of 0
dBm maximum. The new amplifier
measures 261 × 131 × 31 mm and is
supplied with a 50Ω SMA jack. This
very high powered amplifier is suit-
able for jamming and convoy pro-
tection, where it will enable protec-
tion across a wide area, or it can be
used for electromagnetic compati-
bility (EMC) testing. It will be inte-
grated into systems in government
or military applications or it could
be used in industrial, academic and
research environments.
Amplifier Technology Ltd
www.amplifiertechnology.com
5-15 GHz Surface Mount
Combline Filter
Lark had driven down the cost of
our SMC filter series while main-
taining its performance. We are
pleased to offer a new low cost five-
section version of our Surface
Mount Combline filter. The eSMC
filter can be designed online using
Lark’s user-friendly filter design
tool. $75.each for 10 units, with
delivery 4 weeks ARO.
Lark Engineering Co.
www.larkengineering.com
Three New Duplexers
Anatech Electronics announces
three new duplexers. The first is a
769 to 775 MHz/ 799 to 805 MHz
cavity duplexer. Band 1 of the
AD772-802D363 cavity duplexer is
769 to 775 MHz and band 2 is 799
to 805 MHz. Insertion loss is less
than 1 dB, ripple is less than 0.5 dB,
power handling is 50 W, and operat-
ing temperature range is –20º to
+70ºC. Connectors are Type N
female and dimensions are 242 ×
171 × 70 mm. Second is the 885 to
909 MHz/930 to 954 MHz cavity
duplexer. The AD897-942D208 has
passbands of 885 to 909 MHz and
930 to 954 MHz, insertion loss 1.6
dB, isolation 90 dB, and measures
70 High Frequency Electronics
200 × 247 × 76 mm. Return loss is
20 dB and power handling ability is
100 W. The unit uses Type N female
connectors and operates from –40 to
+85 C. Third is the 862 to 869
MHz/ 817-824 MHz cavity duplexer.
This duplexer, the AD865-820D247,
has passbands of 862 to 869 MHz
and 817 to 824 MHz, insertion loss
2 dB, isolation 65 dB, and measures.
9.92 × 6.174 × 2.83 in. Isolation is at
least 65 dB, return loss is at least 18
dB, and power handling is 100 W.
The filter operates from –40 to +120
deg. C and has Type N female con-
nectors. All products are available
at Anatech Electronics’ e-store:
AMCrf.com.
Anatech Electronics
www.anatechelectronics.com
Precision 7-16 DIN Adapters
7-16 DIN adapters are highly
desired in test applications such as
base station passive intermodula-
tion (PIM) testing. These low loss,
low VSWR “rugged” adapters are
designed to be used with portable
antenna and cable analyzers.
Anritsu’s Site Master™,
Summitek’s SI™ series and
Boonton’s PIM testers are exam-
ples where high grade DIN
adapters are used. Some features
include stainless steel coupling
nuts, white bronze plated bodies
for tarnish free service, superior
electrical performance and low
PIM. White bronze plating offers a
non-magnetic solution while
retaining high conductivity in the
conductor paths. Engineered for
long life in field applications, they
are also suitable for lab environ-
ments. All 7-16 DIN adapters are
machined to exacting specifica-
tions and stand up to the competi-
tion, surpassing expectation when
compared to typical silver plated
products. Test charts included.
RF Precision Products
www.rfp2.com
IF Mixers
RF Micro Devices, Inc. announced
the expansion of the company’s RF
component catalog to include two
new high linearity differential IF
mixers, part numbers RFMX0015
and RFMX1015. Both new prod-
ucts are optimized for operation
across a broad range of end mar-
kets, including cellular infrastruc-
ture, wireless backhaul and other
high-performance wireless sys-
tems. The increasing deployment
of 3G and LTE wireless systems is
spurring demand for very high lin-
earity (IIP3> 28 dBm) down-con-
verters. The RFMX0015 and
RFMX1015 feature an innovative
passive GaAs mixer core that
delivers high linearity. When com-
bined with the GaAs HBT IF
amplifier the combination provides
an industry-leading IIP3 / DC cur-
rent figure of merit (29 dBm/
200 mA) for a down-conversion dif-
ferential IF mixer with 7 dB gain
and 0 dBm LO drive.
RF Micro Devices, Inc.
www.rfmd.com
USB-Capable Wideband
Power Sensors
Rohde & Schwarz is expanding its
portfolio of USB-capable power
sensors with the new R&S NRP
Z85 and R&S NRP Z86. These are
the world’s first wideband sensors
to measure power from 50 MHz to
40 GHz without requiring a base
unit. Instead of a base unit, the
sensors are connected to a PC via a
 Electrical Specifications (1 Meter of Fiber)
Noise Input Power Spurious Free Phase Group Available Wavelengths
Gain Figure @ P1dB Dynamic Range Noise Delay VSWR Standard Optional
Series Frequency (dB) (dB) (dBm, Min.) (dB/Hz, Typ.) (dBc, Typ.) (ns) (In/Out) (nm) Wavelengths
Transmitters and Receivers
SLL 5 kHz - 2.5 GHz 12 18 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch
100 MHz - 2.5 GHz 12 18 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch
LBL 50 KHz - 3 GHz 15 11 -14 106 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch, 45 DWDM Ch
50 KHz - 4.5 GHz 15 11 -14 106 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch, 45 DWDM Ch
10 MHz - 3 GHz 15 11 -14 106 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch, 45 DWDM Ch
10 MHz - 4.5 GHz 15 11 -14 106 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch, 45 DWDM Ch
LBL-HD 950 MHz - 2.5 GHz 0 22 7 114 >100 0.2 2:1 1550/1310 18 CWDM Ch
SCML 50 kHz - 6 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
100 MHz - 6 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
100 MHz -11 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
100 MHz -13 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
100 MHz -15 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
100 MHz - 18 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
10 MHz - 18 GHz 15 15 -14 103 >100 0.2 2:1 1550 1310/1490 nm
High Gain Broadband Receivers
DR-125G-A 30 KHz -12.5 GHz35 O/E (or TIG = 2800 ohms) 2:1 1280-1580
SCMR-100K20G 100 KHz - 20 GHz32 O/E (or TIG = 2000 ohms) 2:1 1280-1580
CWDM: Course Wavelength Division Multiplexing, DWDM: Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

100 Davids Drive • Hauppauge, NY 11788

TEL.: (631) 436-7400 • FAX: (631) 436-7430
www.miteq.com
*3-year warranty applies to rack-mounted and indoor equipment
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
USB interface. This cost-efficient
solution displays envelope power
over a dynamic range of 47 dBm to
+20 dBm. High-resolution pulse
analysis is another exceptional fea-
ture. Additionally, the R&S NRP
Z85 and R&S NRP Z86 provide
high-precision continuous-average
measurements over the entire
dynamic range from 60 dBm to
+20 dBm. The wideband power
sensors can be operated from a PC
via the R&S NRP Z4 USB adapter,
or in combination with an R&S
NRP/NRP2 power meter. They can
also be connected to any signal
generator or virtually any signal,
spectrum and network analyzer
from Rohde & Schwarz. Users can
read the power measured from the
DUT directly at the generator or
analyzer. The new R&S NRP-Z85
and R&S NRP-Z86 wideband
power sensors are now available
from Rohde & Schwarz. The R&S
NRP Z85 connects to the DUT via
a 2.92 mm connector, the R&S
NRP Z86 via a 2.4 mm connector.
Rohde & Schwarz
www.rohde-schwarz.com
Passive Intermodulation
Analyzer
Anritsu Company introduces the
MW8219A PIM Master, a field test
solution that can accurately and
quickly locate the source of passive
intermodulation (PIM), whether it
is at the base station or in the sur-
rounding environment. Covering
the PCS and AWS cellular frequen-
cy ranges, the MW8219A provides
field personnel with a test system
that can help ensure optimum net-
work performance and also locate
PIM faults before intermodulation
72 High Frequency Electronics
distortion adversely affects signal
transmission. PIM Master has
been designed to work with
Anritsu’s S332E/S362E Site
Master™, MS2712E/MS2713E
Spectrum Master™, and
MT8212E/MT8213E Cell Master™
handheld analyzers, as well as the
MT8221B/MT8222A/MT8222B
BTS Master™ handheld analyzers.
Field personnel can use the PIM
Master to generate two high-power
tones in the transmit band of a
base station, and use any of the
handheld analyzers to measure the
3rd, 5th, or 7th order intermodula-
tion products in the receive band
that travel down the same cable.
Using the GPS option available on
all the analyzers, the location of
the measurement can be recorded
as well.
Anritsu Company
www.us.anritsu.com
Splitter Module
Pulse Electronics Corporation
introduces the first surface mount
(SMT) central office (CO) splitter
module. The B89S59NL is used on
a rack card in a digital subscriber
line access multiplexer (DSLAM)
or within roadside cabinets to com-
bine or split separate plain old
telephone service (POTS) and DSL
data signals. Pulse Electronics’
module is the first CO splitter
module in a surface mount, rather
than through-hole, configuration,
which offers many advantages.
SMT technology provides improved
shock and vibration resistance as a
result of the shorter lead lengths.
Manufacturing benefits include
reduced board and material han-
dling costs. The SMT soldering pro-
cess can be automated for high vol-
ume manufacturing to expedite
and increase production and
reduce labor and handling.
Placement of SMT modules is more
reliable than placing through-hole
modules or hand soldering because
when the heated soldering sheet
becomes molten, the natural sur-
face tension it creates pulls the
components into their exact proper
positions.
Pulse Electronics
www.pulseelectronics.com
Micro Miniature SMA Switch
RLC Electronics’ Micro Miniature
SMA Switch is a single pole two
position type. The switch incorpo-
rates SMA connectors to allow
high density packaging and excel-
lent electrical performance
through 26.5 GHz. The switch is
available in failsafe and latching
configurations with a choice of
three different frequency ranges
and three different coil voltages.
RLC Electronics
www.rlcelectronics.com
Power Integrity Solution
Agilent Technologies Inc. intro-
duced its power integrity solution
to quickly and accurately solve the
perforated-plane power integrity
challenge. Available in Agilent’s
Advanced Design System 2011
Momentum, the solution is used
for designing a power distribution
network with the heavily perforat-
ed power and ground planes found
in modern printed circuit board
designs. The power integrity solu-
tion in Agilent’s ADS 2011
Momentum solves power integrity
problems that are complicated by
heavily perforated power and
 In the field, every measurement counts.
© 2010 Agilent Technologies, Inc.
* With purchase of an N9340B or
N9342C HSA.
Promotion ends May 31, 2011.
So does every minute you save.
Making complex measurements simple and reliable is what Agilent
handheld spectrum analyzers (HSA) are all about—rain or shine, day
or night. Automated functions reduce human error and save time.
Agilent’s new N9342C 7 GHz HSA even stores multiple test routines
so repetitive tasks can be quickly executed. MIL-rugged, superb
ergonomics and feature-rich. That’s field ready. That’s Agilent.
Handheld Spectrum Analyzers N9340B NEW N9342C
Frequency range 100 kHz – 3 GHz 100 kHz – 7 GHz
Task planner and internal GPS No Yes
Weight 7.7 lbs 8.1 lbs
Dimensions 12.5"x 8.15"x 2.7" 12.5"x 8.15"x 2.7"
Agilent and our
Distributor Network FREE spare battery, battery charger
Right Instrument. and 12 V adapter with purchase*
Right Expertise. 800-463-9275
Delivered Right Now. www.newark.com/agilent
Learn more at www.newark.com/Agilent_HSA
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS
ground planes. Unlike previous
generation static and pseudo-static
power integrity solvers (which are
accurate only up to several hun-
dred megahertz), the results from
Momentum are valid into the
multi-gigahertz range This enables
the tool to be applied to heavily
perforated boards, as well as high-
frequency IC package power
integrity problems. Agilent’s
Advanced Design System 2011 is
currently available to customers
engaged in Agilent EEsof’s Early
Access program. Bundles contain-
ing the power integrity capability
are priced starting at around
$59,000.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
www.agilent.com
Shunt Resistor
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
announced a new Power Metal
Strip® meter shunt resistor that
has sense leads designed to be sol-
dered directly to the PCB, elimi-
nating the need for costly flexible
leads. The WSMS2908 combines a
3 W power capability in the 2908
size package with extremely low
resistance values down to 100 µΩ.
The WSMS2908 meter shunt resis-
tor features a proprietary process-
ing technique that produces
extremely low resistance values of
100 µΩ, 250 µΩ, 300 µΩ, 430 µΩ,
and 500 µΩ. These values allow for
increased accuracy in current
meter shunt applications for
industrial and consumer single- or
multi-phase energy meters. With a
tolerance of 5.0%, the new resistor
provides power companies with
more accurate data to determine
customer usage and to adjust
billing terms. The WSMS2908 fea-
tures a five-terminal connection
design and an all-welded construc-
tion that contributes to its superior
electrical performance. The resis-
74 High Frequency Electronics
tor offers very low inductance val-
ues of <5 nH and a low thermal
EMF of <3 µV/°C. The device is
lead-free and RoHS-compliant.
Samples and production quantities
of the new meter shunt resistor are
available now, with a lead time of
eight to ten weeks for larger
orders. Pricing for U.S. delivery
only is $0.45 each in 50,000-piece
quantities.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
www.vishay.com
WiMAX Filter
RADITEK’s latest WiMAX cavity
filter is designed to meet out of
band emissions for 2.3-2.4GHz
Wibro / Wi-Max transmissions; this
compact filter is placed between
the TX/RX module and the anten-
na. 1 dB pass band 2305-2395MHz
and >60 dB rejection over 2030-
2250 MHz and 2450-2670 MHz,
Average power handling is 4 watts
and 50-watt peak. These units are
proven in the field and are fully
ROHS compliant.
RADITEK
www.Raditek.com
GPS-Disciplined Oscillator
The MXO-100 from EM Research
is a GPS-Disciplined Oscillator
that accepts a 1 pps reference
input from a GPS receiver, with
simultaneous outputs of 10, 20, 70
and 100 MHz with extremely low
phase noise characteristics.
Features include optional 2 alarm
outputs (loss of lock and holdover),
low phase noise, >45 dB channel
isolation, low g-sensitivity,
ruggedized for shock and vibra-
tion, holdover mode, serial inter-
face, warm-up time of 2 minutes at
+25°C typical and up to four out-
puts at various frequencies. Ideal
for use in radio base stations, syn-
chronization source applications,
digital video broadcast equipment,
3G and WiMAX base stations and
more, the MXO-100-01 is packaged
in a small (3.5" × 2.5" × 0.6") con-
nectorized housing, accepts +5, +8
or +12 VDC power supplies, and
operates over the –30°C to +70°C
temperature range.
EM Research, Inc.
www.emresearch.com
Dual-channel Rotary Joints
Link Microtek’s Engineering
Division has expanded its portfolio
of waveguide products with a
range of dual-channel rotary joints
that offer low-loss performance
and high power capability over 1.5
to 40 GHz. the AM-RJ-D series
rotary joints can be configured
with two waveguide channels or
with one waveguide channel and
one coaxial channel. The waveg-
uide channels, which would gener-
ally be used for high-power trans-
missions, are available in waveg-
uide sizes from WR28 to WR284,
while the coaxial low-power receiv-
er channels can be specified with
frequencies from DC to 40 GHz.
Particularly suitable for use in
satellite communications or radar
applications, the rotary joints typi-
cally have a maximum insertion
loss of 0.2-0.3 dB, high isolation of
60 dB between the channels, and a
power capability of up to 500 W.
Link Microtek, Engineering Div.
www.linkmicrotekeng.com
 TIMES MICROWAVE SYSTEMS
Available From Stock !!
LMR
LMR-75
LMR-FR
LMR-UltraFlex
LMR-PVC
LMR-DB
LMR-LLPL
TFlex 402
TFlex 405
StripFlex
StripFlex II

Connectors &
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LMR® TFlex® and StripFlex®
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Times Microwave Systems

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E-mail: admin@microwavecomponentsinc.com
Web Site: www.microwavecomponentsinc.com
Get info at www.HFeLink.com
 High Frequency Products
NEW PRODUCTS

Signal Analyzer
Tektronix introduces the new CMOS Power Amplifiers ANT Protocol 2.4 GHz Devices
RSA5000 Series Signal Analyzer. Black Sand Technologies, Inc, has Nordic Semiconductor announces
The new instruments raise the launched two new 3G CMOS RF that it is to expand its existing
price-performance bar for mid- power amplifier (PA) product lines 2.4 GHz RF and ANT™ product
range signal analyzers by offering for mobile phones, tablets and dat- line-ups with a new set of ultra
more than double currently avail- acards. The product lines consist of miniaturized, wafer-level chip scale
able acquisition bandwidth and six unique power amplifiers across package (WLCSP) options designed
the best real time capabilities. multiple frequency bands. The to meet the highly space-con-
Traditional signal analyzers are BST34 series of power amplifiers strained needs of both existing and
unable to trigger on transient has been designed as a drop-in emerging sports, fitness and health
problems and the maximum avail- replacement for existing 3G GaAs applications such as wireless
able acquisition bandwidth in the RF PAs and are fully function and watches, bike computers, sensors,
mid-range is just 40 MHz. pin-compatible. BST34 series prod- hearing aids and other devices
Featuring advanced time, ampli- ucts include an integrated direc- designed to be worn on or near the
tude, and DPX™ trigger functions tional coupler with daisy-chain body. Sampling in Q1 and available
combined with swept DPX, the support, integrated overvoltage for volume orders in Q2 2011 will
RSA5000 Series delivers discovery and over-temperature protection be the nRF24AP2 WLCSP (1- and
and capture of these intermittent circuitry. The BST34 and BST35 8-channel) and nRF24LE1 WLCSP
and rapidly changing signals and series are packaged in a 3×3 mm (Flash or OTP) options. The new
up to 85 MHz bandwidth. This 10-pin form factor. The BST35 nRF24LE1 WLCSP option will be a
bandwidth now covers the entire products include Black Sand’s 400 µm (regular array) 32-ball
ISM band where common technolo- TrueDelivered™ power detection pitch BGA measuring 2.7 × 2.7 mm
gies are used, such as, Bluetooth, technology and are robust to 100:1 the Flash version and 2.6 × 2.7 mm
Zigbee, RFID, and Wireless LAN. VSWR. for the OTP version.
Tektronix Black Sand Technologies Nordic Semiconductor
www.tektronix.com www.blacksand.com www.nordicsemi.com

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76 High Frequency Electronics

 www.highfrequencyelectronics.com

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 PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Phase-Locked Oscillator
The PLS-17000-P100I by Phase Matrix is a
high-performance, low noise, 17 GHz
phase-locked oscillator (PLO) with a 100
MHz OCXO internal reference. The design
of this PLO’s primary source consists of a
low-noise, bipolar-silicon-transistor oscilla-
tor. In addition, a frequency doubler and a
buffer amplifier in the output path pro-
vides the desired frequency, power output
and load isolation. Power output is 13 dBm
min. into a 50-ohm load. Phase noise at 10
kHz and 100 kHz offsets is better than
–110 dBc/Hz.
www.phasematrix.com
Vector Network Analyzers
Agilent Technologies Inc. introduced two
options for its ENA Series E5061B 5-Hz to
3-GHz vector network analyzer. The new
RF NA (network analysis) and ZA
(impedance analysis) options increase the
analyzer’s frequency range, speed, upgrad-
ability and versatility. This enables the
analyzer to deliver solid performance for
basic RF network and impedance measure-
ments at a reasonable price. Agilent’s new
E5061B RF network analysis and ZA
options are expected to ship at the end of
February 2011.
www.agilent.com
GaN Power Amplifier
Aethercomm Inc., has recently completed a
new Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifi-
er design that operates from 2000 to 4000
MHz. This GaN amplifier design, model
number SSPA 2.0-4.0-100, produces 100+
watts (P3dB) output power across this fre-
quency band. The amplifier design can be
employed in high shock and vibration envi-
ronments and is housed in a 9.5 × 12.0 ×
1.5 inch module. The SSPA 2.0-4.0-100
amplifier is a CW operational amplifier
and is ideal for use in commercial and mil-
itary platforms.
www.aethercomm.com
...featuring advertisers in High Frequency Electronics
Flat Gain Amplifier
YSF-382+ is an advanced amplifier module
in a Mini-Circuits System In Package™
with an excellent combination of gain,
P1dB, IP3 and NF. This module is fully
matched to 50Ω in/out impedance and has
built-in input and output DC block capaci-
tors; no external components required. Flat
Gain Response is ±0.9 dB over 3300-3800
MHz. It is enclosed in a 5 × 6 mm MCLP
plastic package. The YSF-382+ uses E-
PHEMT technology enabling it to work
with a single positive supply voltage.
www.minicircuits.com
SMA Connector Series
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies now
offers an Enhanced Performance SMA con-
nector series (EPSMA™ ) that provides
mode free performance to 27 GHz. In addi-
tion these connectors are tuned to provide
ultra low VSWR to 27 GHz (typically
1.15:1). This new product offering consists
of field replaceable styles with industry
standard flange configurations and pin
sizes; low RF leakage (less than 90 dB) and
all interfaces conform to MIL-STD 348.
Common configurations are in stock and
available for immediate delivery.
www.CarlisleIT.com
Surface-Mount Linear Diode
Skyworks, Inc. is pleased to introduce a new
high power surface mount limiter diode for
receiver protection applications ranging
from 10 MHz to over 6 GHz. This low capac-
itance, low thermal resistance silicon PIN
limiter diode is designed as a shunt connect-
ed PIN diode and can be utilized in multiple
markets including infrastructure, military,
consumer, land mobile radios, jammers and
radar. This low loss, general market diode is
ideal for high volume commercial and indus-
trial OEMs, ODMs, and contract manufac-
turers.
www.skyworksinc.com
Serial SAR ADC
Linear Technology Corporation introduces
the LTC2379-18 , a serial 18-bit, 1.6Msps
SAR analog to digital converter (ADC) that
achieves an unrivaled 101 dB SNR and
–118 dB THD while supporting a fully dif-
ferential ±5V input range. The LTC2379-18
features a maximum INL of ±2 LSB with
no missing codes and guaranteed specifica-
tions over the –40 to 125°C temperature
range. Operating from a 2.5V supply, the
LTC2379-18 consumes only 18 mW and is
available in small 3 × 4 mm DFN and
MSOP-16 packages.
www.linear.com
2-Way Power Divider
KRYTAR, Inc. announces a new 2-way
power divider offering high performance
over the broadband frequency range of 3.0
to 45.0 GHz in a single compact package.
KRYTAR’s new power divider offers the
widest frequency coverage in a single pack-
age on the market and provides superior
performance. range of 3.0 to 45.0 GHz. This
new 2-way power divider lends itself to
emerging wireless broadband designs and
many test and measurement applications.
This 2-way power divider can be manufac-
tured to meet military specifications.
www.krytar.com
USB RF SPDT Switch
Mini Circuits’ USB-1SPDT-A18XL is a gen-
eral purpose USB controlled RF switch box
containing an electromechanical SPDT,
absorptive, failsafe RF switch constructed in
break-before-make configuration and pow-
ered by +24 VDC with a switching time of
25 mSec typical. The RF switch can be set
remotely using the supplied GUI program,
or programmed by the user using the
included API DLL com object. The RF
switch operates over a wide frequency band
from DC to 18 GHz has low insertion loss
(0.2 dB typical) and high isolation (85 dB
typical).
www.minicircuits.com
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High Frequency Electronics (USPS 024-316) is published monthly by Summit Technical Media, LLC, 3 Hawk Dr., Bedford, NH 03110.
Vol. 10 No. 2 February 2011. 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 equip-
ment and systems at high frequencies. Copyright © 2011, Summit Technical Media, LLC

February 2011 79
DESIGN NOTES

New Books for Engineers Millimetre-Wave Communications (AMICOM).

Although based in Europe, the contributors include
researchers from Asia and the U.S.
The earliest references included in this book are
Advanced RF MEMS from 2002! MEMS is indeed a modern technology,
Stepan Lucyszyn, Editor requiring books like this to educate the engineering
Cambridge University Press (www.cambridge.org) community.
Hardback: ISBN 978-0-521-89771-6

This book is the work of 22 Frequency Synthesizers: Concept to Product

contributors, resulting in a Alexander Chenakin
comprehensive look at an Artech House (www.artechhouse.com)
important developing tech- Hardback: ISBN 978-1-59693-230-2
nology. It is organized as
review, reliability and appli- Frequency synthesizers are
cations—beginning with a the primary frequency con-
review of MEMS technolo- trol method for virtually all
gies, especially switches; con- products that use RF and
tinuing with an extensive microwave technology, from
look at reliability issues that low cost consumer products
have affected the ability to to advanced medical equip-
achieve commercial development; followed by a very ment and the highest-per-
useful summary of key MEMS applications in various forming military systems.
reconfigurable systems. Although this is a short
book (214 pages), it provides
Ch 1 Introduction a solid review of both synthe-
Ch 2 Electromechanical modeling of electrostatic sizer technology and the art of practical implementa-
actuators tion in a finished product. The author’s intention is to
Ch 3 Switches and the fabrication techniques provide a foundation of knowledge on this subject for
Ch 4 Niche switch technologies engineers in their early years of practice, supplement-
Ch 5 Reliability ing (and often summarizing) the vast amount of infor-
Ch 6 Dielectric charging mation available in the literature—journal articles,
Ch 7 Stress and thermal characterization academic papers, application notes and many pub-
Ch 8 High-power handling lished design examples.
Ch 9 Packaging
Ch 10 Impedance tuners and tuneable filters Ch 1 Parameters and Architectures
Ch 11 Phase shifters and tuneable delay lines Ch 2 Building Blocks
Ch 12 Reconfigurable architectures Ch 3 Synthesizer Construction
Ch 13 Industry roadmap for RF MEMS Ch 4 Design Process
Ch 5 Improving Performance
The book is not intended as a stand-alone text on Ch 6 Advanced Functions
MEMS; it was conceived a a complement to existing
texts such as RF MEMS: Theory, Design and A significant portion of the material will be useful
Technology, by Gabriel M. Rebeiz. It focuses on recent to non-engineers within the RF/microwave industry.
work, which is now focused on practical manufactur- Professionals in management, sales, industry analyst
ing and applications, e.g., putting MEMS to work in and other roles should be able to bypass the technical
real applications that can benefit from the advantages details and still gain insight into synthesizer technol-
that MEMS can provide—low loss, minimal impedance ogy. In particular, Chapters 2 and 3 do a good job pre-
discontinuity, high isolation and small size. senting the circuit functions that go into a synthesizer
The contributors are associated, directly or indi- product, along with the issues that affect development
rectly, with an EU-based (and funded) Network of of working hardware that implements the desired
Excellence, called Advanced MEMS for RF and operating functions and performance.

80 High Frequency Electronics

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 Typical Phase Noise Output
Frequency Output Power
Model Range Type 10 100 1K 10K 100K 1M Frequency (dBm, Min.)

XTO-05 5-130 MHz Ovenized Crystal -95 -120 -140 -155 -160 - 100 MHz 11
PLD 30-130 MHz P.L. Crystal -95 -115 -140 -155 -155 - 100 MHz 13
PLD-1C 130-1000 MHz P.L. Mult. Crystal -80 -100 -120 -130 -135 - 560 MHz 13
BCO .100-16.5 GHz P.L. Single Loop -65 -75 -80 -90 -115 - 16.35 GHz 13
VFS 1-14 GHz Multiple Freq. Dual Loop -60 -75 -110 -115 -115 - 12.5 GHz 13
DLCRO .8-26 GHz P.L. CRO Dual Loop -60 -85 -110 -115 -115 -138 10 GHz 13
PLDRO 2-40 GHz P.L. DRO Single/Dual -60 -80 -110 -115 -120 -145 10 GHz 13
CP .8-3.2 GHz P.L. CRO Single Loop -80 -110 -120 -130 -130 -140 2 GHz 13
CPM 4-15 GHz P.L. Mult. Single Loop -60 -90 -105 -110 -115 -130 12 GHz 13
ETCO .1-24 GHz Voltage Tuned CRO - - -70 -100 -120 -130 2-4 GHz* 13
* Octave band.

Get info at www.HFeLink.com