Top Stories You Might Have Missed This Week - 20th Nov, 2015

GaAs MMIC Frequency Multipliers from 8 GHz to 40 GHz

Custom MMIC has expanded its standard product portfolio with three new frequency multipliers/doublers. The Multiplier family now covers output frequencies from 8 GHz to 40 GHz, with both passive and active architectures. The active multipliers offer high output power for driving mixers directly, while their passive counterparts offer low phase noise with a lower output power. Typical applications for these multipliers include military radar, Electronic Warfare, point-to-point radios, VSAT, and test instrumentation.

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Power Amplifier from Qorvo Chosen for New 802.11ac Netgear Router

NETGEAR has selected the RFPA5542 5GHz wireless local area network (WLAN) power amplifier (PA) module from Qorvo for its Nighthawk® X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router (R8500).

The Tri-Band technology maximizes the number of multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) streams, allows for high-definition video streaming, online gaming and roaming with a strong signal anywhere in the home. The Nighthawk enables 8 streams of 5 GHz Wi-Fi powered by the RFPA5542 providing extended range and maximum throughput for a myriad of home devices.

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Femtosecond Lasers Could Replace VNAs for High-Frequency Measurements

Researches at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) have developed a VNA which utilizes optoelectronic techniques based on femtosecond lasers. Such devices constitute a cost-effective alternative to conventional VNAs and might be used for high-frequency measurements in the future. The measurement principle of VNAs relies on the detection of power waves at discrete frequencies. Variation of the frequency allows frequency-resolved measurements. The measurement results are typically specified in terms of scattering parameters. In order to characterize a high-frequency device accurately, forward and backward propagating signals have to be separated, which is accomplished using directional couplers.

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New Flexible Dual-Band FPC Antennas for Wi-Fi and ISM

Antenova has introduced three new flexible FPC (Fabry-Perot Cavity) antennas for applications in industrial and consumer electronics. Two of the antennas, named Dromus and Amoris  are high performance dual band Wi-Fi antennas operating on the 2.4 to 2.5 GHz and 4.9 to 5.9 GHz wireless bands, including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/j/n/ac. They are suitable for access points, portable electronics, PC cards, games consoles, set-top boxes, network devices, and wearable technology. They are made to different dimensions, so that electronics manufacturers can select the best fit and performance for their wireless device.

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New Bluetooth Low Energy ICs with Built-in Flash ROM

Toshiba has announced the launch of two Bluetooth ICs, that support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) ver.4.1 communications. The TC35676FTG/FSG have built-in Flash ROM, while the TC35675XBG supports both Flash ROM and NFC Forum Type 3 Tag for peer-to-peer communication. Sample shipments of these devices start today.

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Next-Generation Radar Technology: Digital Array Row Transceiver (DART)

Lockheed Martin has announced its next generation radar technology: the Digital Array Row Transceiver (DART). Based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, DART results in greater performance within current Lockheed Martin radar products and lowers life-cycle costs due to an increase in energy efficiency. GaN is a low-risk solution whether part of a systems upgrade or in a newly built system.

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Antenna Like Implant Makes Breast Cancer Surgery Easier

Breast cancer surgeons routinely face the dilemma of how to find tumors they cannot feel. Before going into the operating room they must use some method to locate them. Currently, the method they use requires a radiologist to insert a device into the woman’s breast. The insert targets the clip that was placed during her biopsy and is placed just prior to surgery, leaving a wire protruding from her breast for the surgeon to follow. The surgeon removes the tumor, device and wire during breast surgery. A new antenna-like device helps surgeons find the tumor they cannot feel and, because it leaves no protruding wires, it also makes surgery easier for women and their breast surgery team.

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New RF Shielded Box Tests Wireless Devices During Production

Shielded RF test boxes are essential for testing the radio interfaces of wireless devices because they provide a test environment that is free from interference and other unwanted emissions. The R&S TS7124 RF shielded box is a new addition to the Rohde & Schwarz R&S TS712x family. Unique in its class, the R&S TS7124 offers shielding in excess of 80 dB at 6 GHz. Its frequency range from 300 MHz to 6 GHz makes it suitable for a variety of wireless communications applications, such as detecting production errors in mobile devices or antenna pattern errors, performing end-to-end tests on WLAN routers, or testing radar sensors in automobiles.

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ON Semiconductor to Acquire Fairchild Semiconductor for $2.4 Billion

ON Semiconductor and Fairchild Semiconductor have announced that they have entered a definitive agreement for ON Semiconductor to acquire Fairchild for $20.00 per share in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $2.4 billion. The acquisition will create a leader in the power semiconductor market with combined revenue of approximately $5 billion, diversified across multiple markets with a strategic focus on automotive, industrial and smartphone end markets. The plan is to bring together two companies with complementary product lines to offer customers the full spectrum of high, medium and low voltage products.

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PMC-Sierra Remains Committed to Skyworks Acquisition Offer

PMC-Sierra, the semiconductor and software solutions innovator has received two acquisition offers from Microsemi and Skyworks. They have finally announced that their board of directors unanimously determined, after receiving the advice of its financial advisors and outside legal counsel, that the proposal received on November 9, 2015 from Microsemi Corporation to acquire all of the outstanding shares of PMC common stock is not superior to PMC’s existing agreement with Skyworks Solutions, in light of the recent stock market volatility exacerbated by recent geopolitical events.

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