Trending RF & Microwave News Stories of the Week (9

EuMW 2020 to Take Place Virtually in Jan 2021

In light of the global pandemic, growing numbers of cases in Europe, and related measures imposed by the respective authorities, European Microwave Week (EuMW) organizers have decided to make EuMW 2020 a virtual event while simultaneously planning for the next in-person event in London in October of 2021.

EuMW is organized by Horizon House on behalf of the European Microwave Association (EuMA), an international non-profit association with a scientific, educational and technical purpose. The event was originally set to take place in Amsterdam in September 2020, however, event managers postponed the live, in-person event in Utrecht, The Netherlands to 10-15 January 2021 in the hopes that the global pandemic would have subsided by then. It has now become evident that it would be extremely difficult to safely gather attendees and exhibitors in person by Jan 2021. So the event has now moved online. Click here to read more.

New Report Shows Chinese Dominance in RF GaN Industry

Knowmade, a research firm that specializes in patent analysis has released a new RF GaN patent landscape report that covers the whole value chain from epitaxial structures to RF semiconductor devices, circuits, packages, modules, and systems. Knowmade’s analysts selected and analyzed more than 6,300 patents, representing more than 3,000 patent families (inventions) filed by more than 500 different organizations. This 2020 edition comprises 2x more patent families and more than 100 new players compared to the 2019 edition.

In this report, IP analysts give a comprehensive picture of RF GaN competition and technology developments from a patent perspective. Some key questions answered include: Click here to read more.

Industry’s First Wi-Fi 6E MIMO Antenna System for Enterprise and Industrial IoT Access Points

Leading specialist in the design of high-performance embedded antennas, Antenna Company, has unveiled a new Wi-Fi 6E MIMO antenna system designed to increase network capacity, extend range and reduce latency in enterprise and industrial IoT networks. The antenna system enables simultaneous operation in the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz frequency bands, resulting in an additional 1.2 GHz of spectrum and greater than 2x increase in available channels.

Optimized for seamless integration into access points, Antenna Company’s design supports a total of 15 antennas, including dedicated 4x4 5 GHz + 4x4 6 GHz + 4x4 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi antennas. Cross-pair Wi-Fi antenna isolation of greater than 45 dB is achieved for concurrent operation in the 5 GHz band. Click here to read more.

R&S Introduces Solid State Microwave Amplifier for Microwave Device Manufacturers

Rohde & Schwarz, a global leader in microwave test & measurement systems, has announced the introduction of a new system amplifier that operates from 2 to 20 GHz with up to 20 W of output power. The R&S SAM100 sets new standards in ease of operation, has a robust design and is available in a super-compact footprint. It is targeted at manufacturers of passive and active microwave components and microwave devices for mobile radio (UMTS, LTE, 4G & 5G), IoT (WLAN, Bluetooth), satellite and radar applications. With unprecedented output power, bandwidth and market-leading noise performance, the compact R&S SAM100 offers users a unique proposition.

Rohde & Schwarz has focused on the professional requirements of R&D engineers using system amplifiers for design validation testing (DVT), system integrators and test engineers using system amplifiers for setting up automatic test systems for product validation tests (PVT) as well as for production validation of RF products. Another target group is EMC test lab engineers with a need to test up to 18 GHz. Click here to read more.

Ampleon Introduces RF Power Lifetime Calculator to Help Estimate LDMOS Devices Reliability

Ampleon has designed an RF Power Lifetime Calculator tool to assist customers in estimating the LDMOS device reliability in years. This MTF (Median-Time-To-Failure) tool performs calculations based on the user’s inputs. Default values are given per transistor as defined in product datasheets. In order to guarantee the validity of results, user’s inputs are also constrained by a set of limits.

The returned results are represented by MTF (Median-Time-To-Failure, the time that 50% of the population has failed) as a function of Junction Temperature (TJ) of the device, assuming electromigration as the wear-out failure mechanism. For two-stage MMICs the lifetime is determined by (and therefore only calculated for) the second/final stage. The tool covers four generations of RF power transistors (Gen6, Gen7, Gen8 and Gen9), available in the current product portfolio of Ampleon. Click here to read more.

World's First Direct Microwave Synthesis DAC with 26 GHz Output Bandwidth

In a bid to overhaul the signal chain through its latest digital-to-analog converters (DACs), Teledyne e2v is now offering beta samples of the EV12DD700 dual-channel device for qualified customers, ahead of volume shipments. This wide output bandwidth 12-bit (or 8-bit) data converter can deal with sample rates of up to 12G Samples/s. It has the capacity to generate signal waveforms over multiple frequency bands.

What sets it apart from other DACs is the fact that it is first on the market to support operation within the Ka-band (26 GHz upwards). Numerous sophisticated features have been incorporated, such as direct digital synthesis (DDS), plus digital up conversion (DUC) via a built-in 32-bit numerically-controlled oscillator (NCO). These facilitate greater throughput without putting excess strain on the IC’s resources. Click here to read more.

Narda Introduces Selective Radiation Meter for 5G-NR EMF Measurements

Narda Safety Test Solutions has introduced a Selective Radiation Meter for code-selective measurements of 5G signals. Looking at the new requirements for 5G NR, mobile network operators, organizations, private measurement service providers, and public authorities can also use their tried and tested 9 kHz to 6 GHz SRM-3006. The EMF test and measurement specialist offers a software option for the SRM-3006 to enable the code-selective measurement of 5G signals in the frequency range 1 (FR1). This is similar to the well-known software options for UMTS and LTE. The hardware of the industry-standard instrument for standard-compliant selective detection and evaluation of high-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) remains unchanged.

There is a newly developed down converter antenna for the upper-frequency range FR2 (> 24 GHz). Work on this new antenna, which in the initial phase will be designed for up to 30 GHz (40 GHz in the second phase) will be completed shortly. The antenna will down convert the upper 5G FR2 frequency band to enable the SRM to show the correct frequency easily. The SRM can already make frequency selective measurements on 5G signals perfectly. With code selective measurement and frequency extension to FR2, the SRM is the all-round carefree package for complete measurements concerning safety in electromagnetic fields. Click here to read more.

New Japan Radio Introduces Ultra-Compact GNSS Front End Module for Automotive Applications

New Japan Radio (NJR) has developed a new front-end module for 1.5 GHz GNSS applications (including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo). The NJG1159PHH-A consists of a pre-SAW filter and low noise amplifier in a compact thin package that improves the reception sensitivity of GNSS modules. Furthermore, it conforms to the AEC-Q100 standard and supports the VDA 6.3 process audit of VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) making it ideal for automotive applications.

Click here to read more.

Ultra-Low Power GNSS IC for Wearables and Asset Tracking Applications

u‑blox, has introduced the u‑blox M10, its latest highly integrated GNSS (global navigation satellite system) platform designed for ultra-low power high-performance positioning applications. The u‑blox M10 defines a new level of positioning performance in a wide range of applications such as sport watches or asset and livestock trackers, all in an extremely compact format, with a very long battery life.

The new u‑blox M10 positioning platform can track up to four GNSS constellations at once to deliver positioning data even in challenging environments such as deep urban canyons. The receiver’s Super-S technology helps distinguish positioning signals from background noise to capture positioning data even when satellite signals are weak. Its high RF sensitivity also enables it to work well with small antennas, making it ideal for compact product designs. In sport watches, for instance, u‑blox M10 guarantees highly dynamic positioning accuracy during a run in cities, woods, or under an open sky, while preserving battery life. Click here to read more.

STMicroelectronics Introduces the World’s Fastest 50W Qi Wireless-Charging IC

STMicroelectronics has introduced the world’s fastest Qi wireless charging IC . The STWLC88 delivers as much as 50W of power and enables consumers to charge smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other personal electronic devices without cables as safely and nearly as quickly and efficiently as they could by plugging them in. ST’s state-of-the-art 50W wireless-power IC charges smartphones two times faster than the previous-generation device.

Safe, wireless delivery of high power to charge personal electronics must address a range of challenges including efficiency, reliable communication, Foreign Object Detection (FOD), and thermal, over-voltage, and over-current protection. A long-standing member of the Wireless Power Consortium, ST has spent years crafting solutions on top of the industry-standard Qi wireless power-transfer system to address these challenges beyond the standard with patented hardware, cutting-edge signal processing algorithms, and proprietary ST SuperCharge (STSC) protocol. Together these enhancements allow ST customers to utilize the complete turnkey Tx/Rx solution consisting of the STWLC88 and the STWBC2 digital controller to achieve high power efficiently and safely, while remaining compliant with Qi specifications. Click here to read more.

Mini-Circuits Opens a New Warehouse and Shipping Hub in Malaysia

Mini-Circuits has announced the opening of a new warehouse and shipping hub at its facility in Penang, Malaysia. This expansion will allow the company to offer many customers shorter lead times and lower freight costs by shipping orders directly from Penang. It will also add another layer of security to Mini-Circuits’ global logistics network by sharing the commitment to prompt, reliable fulfillment with existing corporate shipping locations in the U.S. and Europe, as well as distributor partners around the world.

Initially, shipments from the Penang warehouse will support orders for Mini-Circuits’ TC-family of surface mount transformers in full-reel quantities with plans to expand stock to MMIC and LTCC product lines in the near future. Shipping service is available through FedEx, UPS and DHL so customers can work with their carrier of choice. Click here to read more.

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Trending RF & Microwave News Stories of the Week (9 - 13 Nov, 2020)