Top Stories of the Week - 11 Dec, 2015

Researchers Develop a Tiny Temperature Sensor Powered by Radio Waves

Researchers at TU/e have developed a very tiny wireless temperature sensor that is powered by radio waves that are part of the sensor’s wireless network. This means that the sensor needs not even a single wire, nor a battery that would have to be replaced. This breakthrough has a wide range of applications such as smart building and other Internet of Things applications. The smart buildings of the future will be full of sensors to regulate heating, cooling, lighting and a number of other actions. This new technology makes it possible to operate sensors without any batteries which makes installation and maintenance very easy. Click Here To Read More

South West Antennas Develops an Anechoic Antenna Test Chamber

Southwest Antennas is has developed a new full anechoic antenna test chamber. The addition of this anechoic chamber to their measurement and testing portfolio gives them the ability to perform comprehensive antenna tests and analysis at any time for their customers, including custom test case scenarios and competitive analysis reports. The chamber will be operated by their partners at Avalon Test Equipment / 3PC. Click Here To Read More

New Research Could Enable Quantum Leap for Long-distance Communications

In a new paper published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the Universities of Glasgow, Stanford, Tokyo and Würzburg describe how they have implemented a novel tool for a long-distance telecommunication link which is impossible for hackers to breach. The technique could also underpin the creation of a new form of ‘quantum internet’.

Scientists have previously used the phenomenon of quantum entanglement – also known as ‘spooky action at a distance’ - to allow the exchange of information over short distances. Entanglement allows particles which are physically separated to nonetheless share properties – for example, the direction of one electron’s spin will be related to the direction of spin of its entangled partner. Click Here To Read More

Ka-Band 100 Watt SSPA to Replace TWTA Amplifiers

Teledyne Paradise Datacom has announced the availability of a breakthrough Ka-band outdoor SSPA that is based on a single 100 watt GaN module. Two and four-module models can generate power levels that exceed those of traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) commonly used at gateway earth stations today. With the superior reliability of solid state technology, this new SSPA finally gives operators of HTS and all other gateway earth stations the opportunity to achieve dramatic long-term CapEx savings by deploying high power SSPAs in lieu of TWTAs. Click Here To Read More

Aesthetic Antennas for Public Safety Radio Coverage of In-Building Repeater Systems

Pulse Electronics has introduced a new edition in the Clarity family of antennas that operates at UHF band frequencies including 380-520 MHz and 698-960 MHz to improve public safety radio coverage. The Clarity-Pearl antennas deliver an architecturally pleasing solution to requirements set by the International Fire Code and National Fire Protection Association (IFC/NFPA) codes for public safety in-building communication. Their ultra-thin white UV stabilized plastic radome is 311 mm in diameter and protrudes just 9.5mm below the ceiling for the lowest in-building antenna profile in the industry. They provide an antenna solution for challenges created by multi-story structures with weak propagation characteristics and basements with low ceilings. Click Here To Read More

ANADIGICS Evaluating Multiple Acquisition Offers

On November 11, 2015, ANADIGICS entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which affiliates of GaAs Labs would acquire all of the outstanding shares of ANADIGICS common stock on a fully diluted basis for $0.35 per share net in cash ($32 Million), pursuant to an all cash tender offer and second step merger. Under the terms of the GaAs Labs Merger Agreement, ANADIGICS was permitted to solicit alternative Acquisition Proposals from third parties during a “Go-Shop Period," which ended at 11:59 p.m. New York City time on December 6, 2015. Click Here To Read More

Metamaterials Based Electronically Scanning Antenna Array Reduces Radar Cost

Echodyne has announced the limited availability of its first metamaterials electronically scanning array (MESA) for radar applications. Echodyne's MESA makes high performance radar far easier to deploy by lowering both the cost and weight by up to 10 or more times while decreasing the size of the antenna by up to 5 or more times over traditional electronically scanned arrays. The first product from Echodyne, a metamaterials electronically scanning array for X-band (MESA X-EVU) is now available for partners and integrators interested in evaluating MESA for radar systems in a variety of commercial markets including maritime, aviation, and surveillance/security among others. Click Here To Read More

Ampleon is Now Operational (Spin-Off of NXP's RF Business)

Ampleon (the Spin-off of NXP's RF Business) today announced the formation of its global business operations following the successful acquisition of the RF Power business line by Jianguang Asset Management Co. Ltd from NXP Semiconductors. With immediate effect Ampleon takes responsibility for the entire RF Power business activity, including sales and support of the complete line-up of LDMOS and GaN RF power products. The company has 1,250 employees across 16 engineering, sales and manufacturing facilities worldwide. Ampleon is headquartered in Nijmegen (Netherlands). Click Here To Read More

NXP and Freescale Announce Completion of Merger

NXP Semiconductors and Freescale Semiconductor have announced the completion of the merger which was announced in March 2015. The merger has created a high performance mixed signal semiconductor industry leader, with combined revenue of over $10 billion. The merged entity will continue operations as NXP Semiconductors N.V. and has become the market leader in automotive semiconductor solutions and in general purpose microcontroller (MCU) products. As previously announced, the transaction is expected to be accretive to NXP non-GAAP earnings in 2016, and NXP anticipates achieving cost savings of $200 million in 2016 with a clear path to $500 million of annual cost synergies. Click Here To Read More

Full-Range Phase Shifter Delivers Exceptional Phase Accuracy and High Linearity

Peregrine Semiconductor has introduced the UltraCMOS PE44820, an 8-bit digital phase shifter that covers a 358.6-degree phase range. This monolithic, digitally controlled product is easy to design-in and delivers exceptional phase accuracy and high linearity. Supporting a frequency range of 1.7 to 2.2 GHz, the PE44820 is ideal for optimizing the transmission phase angle in the wireless infrastructure and radar markets. This phase shifter is easy to design-in, requires little PCB space and has flexible programming. It provides reliable and repeatable RF performance to applications such as antenna beamforming, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and phased-array antennas. Click Here To Read More