Trending RF & Microwave News Stories this Week(12-16 Nov, 2018)

TE Connectivity Launches ERFV RF Coax Connectors for 5G Wireless Applications

TE Connectivity has introduced its new ERFV RF coax connectors for 5G wireless applications. The new solutions are being showcased in an active antenna display at TE's booth (Hall 82, Booth 225) at the Electronica show in Munich, Germany.

Future 5G wireless equipment designs will require a new level of highly reliable and customizable components, offered at lower costs that can enable the expanding worldwide wireless infrastructure. TE's new ERFV RF coax connectors support next-generation 5G wireless designs by implementing antenna and radio board-to-board and board-to-filter connections at a lower cost. Click here to read more.

Keysight Validates OTA Test Method for 5G Base Station Performance Evaluations

Keysight has announced successful validation of an Over-the-Air (OTA) test method for evaluating the radio frequency (RF) performance of 5G base stations. The technology company achieved this feat in collaboration with the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) and Tsinghua University.

The collaboration between Keysight, CAICT and Tsinghua University was established to accelerate the development and deployment of 5G networks in support of the Phase I 5G trials led by China’s IMT-2020 Promotion Group. The test combined Keysight’s 5G signal generation and analysis solutions with a compact antenna test range (CATR) chamber to create the appropriate OTA test environment for 5G base station performance evaluations. Click here to read more.

HUBER+SUHNER Unveils Phase-Stable Cables for Critical Applications at Electronica 2018

At Electronica, HUBER+SUHNER have released new cable assemblies that push the boundaries for stability and reliability in harsh environments. The new Consistent over Temperature (CT) assemblies can be used across changing temperatures and feature improved reliability, stability and accuracy. Click here to read more.

Skyworks Deploys Advanced 5G Infrastructure Solutions

Skyworks has introduced 5G small cell and massive MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) solutions that significantly enhance network efficiency, delivering higher capacity with greater coverage. Small cells are low-power, easy-to-implement radio access points that operate in both licensed and unlicensed spectrums with a typical range of 10 to several hundred meters. Mobile operators are utilizing a scalable grid of small cells to facilitate powerful, high-speed connectivity in support of data-intensive and quickly emerging 5G applications. Skyworks’ portfolio creates viable new options for cellular and wireless providers to cost-effectively address mounting system requirements. Click here to read more.

VIAVI Unveils 5G Base Station Analyzer for Large-Scale Deployments

Viavi Solutions has released the CellAdvisor 5G, the next-generation base station analyzer used by mobile service providers globally, which is capable of validating and troubleshooting 5G radio access. In addition to industry-first features addressing 5G TF and 5G NR standards requirements, CellAdvisor 5G includes usability enhancements, developed with customers, that further improve technician experience and deployment speed. The instrument was successfully used in the roll-out of the first commercially available 5G network in the United States. Click here to read more.

Arrow Electronics Expands Distribution Agreement with Wolfspeed

Arrow Electronics has expanded their distribution agreement with Cree, Inc.’s Wolfspeed division. The new agreement positions Arrow Electronics as Cree’s largest global distributor for Wolfspeed’s leading silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) on SiC products. Click here to read more.

R&S Unveils Test Solution for Radiation Measurements on 5G Devices

Rohde & Schwarz has demonstrated an innovative test system for conducting radiation measurements on 5G millimeter-wave devices operating in the frequency range from 20 GHz to 87 GHz using a compact antenna test range (CATR). The new solution will offer 5G RF engineers a great advantage, significantly accelerating time-to-market for 5G millimeterwave cellular devices. Click here to read more.

R&S Introduces Modular RF Switch and Control Platform for 5G and Radar Applications

Rohde & Schwarz has completely revised the hardware and software for the new generation of the R&S OSP open switch and control platform. The platform is now optimized for more modules and even shorter switching times. The R&S OSP allows users to combine a wide variety of switch and control modules to form a cost-effective, customized control center for their test setup. The new R&S OSP platform supports the previous platform's modules. Click here to read more.

Digital-Micro-Switch Technology from Menlo Now Commercially Available

Menlo Micro has announced that its Digital-Micro-Switch (DMS) technology platform has been successfully ported from an R&D facility to a commercial 8” wafer manufacturing line. In partnership with Corning Incorporated, leaders in Through Glass Via (TGV) packaging technology, and Silex Microsystems, recognized as the largest pure-play MEMS foundry, Menlo is now sampling product from this new manufacturing line and will begin scaling up the production of its unique micro-mechanical switches before year’s end. Click here to read more.

ON Semi Delivers Energy Harvesting Bluetooth Low Energy Switch

ON Semiconductor has introduced Low Energy Switch reference design that operates entirely from harvested energy.

The BLE-SWITCH001-GEVB is defining new levels of ultra-low power operation for IoT Applications. The platform demonstrates how the RSL10 System-in-Package (SIP) can enable Bluetooth 5 devices that are battery-less and entirely self-powered, requiring no additional energy source. Application examples include wall and lighting control, building automation, and asset tracking. Click here to read more.

Fujitsu Exploring Ways to Move RF Signal Processing from Analog Circuits to Digital Logic

Fujitsu Electronics Europe (FEEU) is working with InnoPhase (a US Based Company) to explore their extremely low-power PolaRFusion radio architecture for battery-based wireless IoT applications. The revolutionary radio architecture moves RF processing functionality from power-hungry and large analog circuits into efficient, low-power digital logic. This opens new possibilities in the utilization of today’s WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and other popular radio protocols. The lower power consumption will enable a whole new class of battery operated IoT devices. Click here to read more.

TI Unveils 60-GHz mmWave Sensor Portfolio for Industrial Applications

Texas Instruments has unveiled its new 60-GHz sensor portfolio of high resolution single-chip CMOS solutions for industrial systems. The new IWR6X mmWave sensors enable industrial automation through on-chip processing capabilities, providing real-time decision-making and signal processing. The 60-GHz mm-Wave sensors will be the first to include antenna-on-package offerings, which remove traditional challenges associated with radio-frequency (RF) design while shrinking size up to 75% and reducing overall cost. Click here to read more.

Intel Introduces 5G Multimode Modem to Support Global 5G Rollouts

Intel has introduced the XMM™ 8160 5G modem, a multimode modem optimized to provide 5G connectivity to devices like phones, PCs and broadband access gateways. Intel has accelerated the timing of this modem by pulling in the launch by more than a half-year. The XMM 8160 5G will support peak speeds up to 6 gigabits per second, making it three to six times faster than the latest LTE modems available today. It will be available in the second half of 2019 and will deliver the features and experiences to accelerate widespread 5G adoption. Click here to read more.