NI Microwave Component's popular QuickSyn Lite frequency synthesizers have now been extended to millimeter wave frequencies. The new synthesizer modules employ the same revolutionary phase-refining technology that all QuickSyn products use to enable fast switching speed, low phase noise, compact size, and low cost. The modules are available in three popular bands—27 to 40 GHz, 50 to 67 GHz, and 76 to 82 GHz—and are designed to supply medium power output. These new products present a very cost-effective solution for applications requiring a stable and clean CW millimeter-wave source.
A QuickSyn Lite 20 GHz synthesizer unit, which mounts on top of a frequency multiplier module, provides power and control, making integration and control simple for the user, and like all QuickSyn products, serial SPI and USB control interfaces make these new millimeter-wave synthesizer modules immediately deployable by connecting to a PC and DC power source. A soft front panel allows the user to access frequency control and frequency sweep plus 32K-point LIST mode settings.
Embedded firmware allows these modules to be used as part of integrated automated test solutions, and with minimal sub-harmonics and spurious, the modules serve well as local oscillators in frequency-converter applications as well as reference-calibration frequency sources. Furthermore, because of their fast-tuning and high-resolution capabilities, they are ideal for characterizing antennas, semiconductor devices, and other components requiring acquisition of large amounts of data in a short period of time.
The 27 to 40 GHz model (FSL-2740) provides a minimum power output of +17 dBm and can be used for Ka-band satellite communications applications as well as in backhaul digital radio applications. The FSL-5067, which covers the frequency range between 50 and 67 GHz and provides a minimum power output of +17 dBm, is designed to support commercial applications in the license-free 57 to 64 GHz band in the U.S. and the 60 to 66 GHz band in Japan and Europe. Common applications within this band are in point-to-point as well as point-to-multipoint, including wireless HDMI, WiGig, IEEE802.11ad, and wireless gigabit Ethernet. Finally, the 76 to 82 GHz model (FSL-7682) provides a minimum power output of +10 dBm and is ideal for automotive radar. Millimeter wave radars are a key part of the currently deployed narrowband, long-range radar (LRR) sensors used for collision avoidance applications. Expanding applications within the automotive field include assisted driving and driverless technology, which require wider bandwidths up to 81 GHz, making the FSL-7682 an attractive choice for design engineers.
