everything RF recently interviewed Alex Goloschokin who is the Chief Revenue and Product Officer at Copper Mountain Technologies. After a successful career in Telecommunications Test & Measurement, Alex co-founded Copper Mountain Technologies in 2011 with the goal of delivering to engineers precise, affordable network analyzers. Leading CMT from inception through rapid growth, Alex kept that goal central to the business. Alex continues to champion his signature customer-focused approach and solution thought leadership. Alex holds an MS in Electrical Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer.
Q. It's been some time since we spoke last. Our last interview was in 2017. The company and your product offering have evolved significantly over the last five years. Can you give us a short update on key developments since our last interaction?
Alex Goloschokin: We’ve completely restructured our company: we expanded our US operations and opened an R&D office in Europe. We also opened a calibration and service lab, and a metrology center in Cyprus. We have engaged new contract manufacturers in the US and in Israel, as well as significantly expanded our applications engineering efforts. We’ve grown all aspects of our business.
Q. At the last couple of events (EuMW and IMS) we saw that CMT was showcasing some interesting solutions using VNAs. Can you tell us more about these solutions? Are you developing these and offering them to customers or supporting customers with development or were they just examples of what can be done using CMT VNAs?
Alex Goloschokin: We can create both hardware and software custom solutions. We can work with customers to develop all sorts of applications and customized modules, like radio imaging for example. At IMS 2023, we showcased a small, 2-port module that measures up to 5.5 GHz. It can be inserted into a test system used in a wide range of applications, such as locating people or materials behind physical barriers or replacing Ground Penetrating Radar.
These custom solutions can be applied to almost any field – construction, healthcare, defense, security, automotive, disaster relief, agriculture, medical, and more. While these applications are just examples, we are not limited to off-the-shelf software and hardware. We can work with customers to develop new custom solutions to solve meaningful problems.
An interesting thing to note: S-parameter measurements are now being used in a wide variety of applications, and CMT has the experience and expertise to support them.
Q. What are the manufacturing test and automatic fixture removal plug-in software? What are their intended applications?
Alex Goloschokin: The Manufacturing Test Plug-in can be used to simplify VNA use in production environments for less experienced personnel. It supports incorporating VNA tests into automated manufacturing processes. It allows users to streamline production test processes, ensure consistency of test processes across multiple operators and workstations, can easily create and manage pass/fail limits across multiple workstations –which are stored in a human-readable plaintext specifications file and can be maintained by an authorized test engineer–, organize test results for subsequent retrieval and analysis, and can adapt to any specific production test process and QMS requirements.
AFR, or Automatic Fixture Removal, is an intuitive software plug-in that is used to accurately measure hard-to-access devices, such as SMD-sized components mounted on a fixture, by de-embedding the fixture effects. The AFR VNA software plug-in enables the measurement of a wide range of components through comprehensive methods tailored to specific fixture properties. The AFR software works intuitively and moves the calibration plane towards hard-to-access DUTs and guides the de-embedding process using either time-gating, filtering, or bisect methods on a 2-port 2xThru or 1xReflect fixture. These methods provide the user with better measurement accuracy and reliability based on the components being tested. The AFR software plug-in is easy to use and is compatible with all CMT 2- and 4-port Cobalt series VNAs up to 20 GHz and Compact series two-port, two-path VNAs up to 44 GHz.
Q. Can you tell us about the Epsilometer dielectric testing solution that CMT offers? What sort of measurements can be made using this?
Alex Goloschokin: The Epsilometer solution for measuring the dielectric properties of materials measures dielectric substrate materials at frequencies from 3 MHz up to 6 GHz and can accommodate sheet specimens 0.3 to 3 mm thick.
The Epsilometer solution has been developed in collaboration with Compass Technology, a leading provider of material measurement solutions and systems. This is another example of how VNA analysis is used in materials testing, and how miniaturization of VNAs enables innovative uses of vector network analysis.
This solution uses a new methodology, as explained by Dr. John Schultz of Compass Technology: “Unlike previous dielectric analysis technologies, this new method uses computational electromagnetic modeling to invert the dielectric permittivity and loss. This represents a significant advance over conventional methods, which use analytical approximations and are limited to frequencies below 1 GHz.”
The Epsilometer solution includes an R60 VNA with specialized, easy-to-use software, measurement fixture, and calibration sample.
Q. CMT had a new software platform for their VNAs in the works. Have you launched this? If not, when can customers/users expect this?
Alex Goloschokin: Yes, we have launched a new software platform, SNVNA, which was launched alongside our Multiport series VNAs.
Q. What are some key features of this new software platform?
Alex Goloschokin: The SNVNA software offers a new modern UX that is currently used with our Multiport VNAs. This series of VNAs offers configurations from 6 to 16 ports. The new software is more modern and easier to use, as we’ve improved the layout to eliminate multiple menu levels. There are also quite a few new UI functions like zooming, limit lines, or the ability to set the segment sweep via dragging the cursor instead of typing.
Q. Which product or product series has been getting the most traction over the last 12 months?
Alex Goloschokin: We have seen renewed interest in one-port units, as they are being used in insertable sensor-like applications. We have also seen increased interest in our S5065 and S5085 units, which are part of our compact line. They are high performing and small, making them easily adaptable for a wide variety of production applications, field measurements, various ATE stations, and more.
Q. Can you tell us about some interesting applications where CMT VNAs have been used?
Alex Goloschokin: One such example is the use of CMT 1-port VNA to determine and report the health status of jet turbine engines, land-based gas turbines, wind turbines, and various other high-powered DUTs. The VNA is used in conjunction with an RF temperature sensor bonded on rotating equipment, such as a jet engine turbine blade, and a stationary antenna, which wirelessly communicates the temperature, strain, or pressure on these rotating parts at very high speeds (up to over 1,200 MPH).
Q. CMT offers a wide range of frequency extenders for high-frequency applications. What types of applications are these being used for? Can you give us some examples?
Alex Goloschokin: Mostly the automotive industry, I would say. We are currently partnering with Eravant to provide extenders for high-frequency applications. The extenders are anchored by CMT’s 9 GHz CobaltFx compatible VNAs to deliver a cost-effective frequency extension system with options for output power adjustment and high output power. Eravant also has accessories to simplify test systems, including a Wave Glide™ rail system for a simplified easy-to-use setup, Waveguide Quick Connect™ for streamlined calibration, and Proxi-Flanges™ to facilitate a more reliable and accurate test setup.
These mmWave frequencies are mostly used for antenna and radar applications – so primarily automotive applications, but also aerospace and defense, and some medical applications.
Q. CMT has recently opened a new R&D center in Cyprus. Can you tell us more about this facility?
Alex Goloschokin: CMT opened its European location in 2022 to house its R&D department and support production at the manufacturing facility in Israel. The multi-disciplinary team includes experts in RF design, software development and metrology. Team members develop new CMT products, as well as collaborate with customers on application-specific solutions. Copper Mountain Technologies’ Cyprus location is now offering repair and annual verification services for European CMT customers. The company is focused on supporting engineers using CMT VNAs and is pleased to offer a more convenient repair and calibration location to its current and future customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Q. What made you choose Cyprus as a location for the new facility?
Alex Goloschokin: We try to hire team members who are the best at what they do, so our company utilizes a lot of international talent. Cyprus allows for international workers to relocate more easily, so it is simpler to gather skilled engineers there. It is also very close to our contract manufacturers in Israel. Since Cyprus is in the EU, it becomes a more convenient option for our EU customers to ship instruments there for service and verification.
About Copper Mountain Technologies
Copper Mountain Technologies develops innovative and robust RF test and measurement solutions for engineers all over the world. The company was created in 2011 and is based in Indianapolis, IN with a sales office in Singapore and a new R&D facility in Cyprus. Our innovative products and partnership approach enable RF and Microwave engineers to realize their potential through access to lab-grade instrumentation at affordable prices.
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