Software Update

Software for Compliant Testing

AR’s SW1006 software is a standalone program that combines conducted immunity test software, radiated susceptibility test software and pre-compliance conducted and radiated emissions test software into one user-friendly package suitable for corporate to professional test lab users. The software automatically performs both calibration and immunity testing in full compliance with IEC 61000-4-3, 4-6; MIL STD 461/462 RS103, CS114 and RTCA/DO160 Section 20 specifications. In addition, the program supplies the user with selectable test parameters and a “thresholding” mode for pre-compliance investigation of equipment susceptibility.

AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation,
Souderton, PA (215) 723-8181, www.ar-worldwide.com.
RS No. 310

Analog Office Design Environment

AWR’s recently released Version 2008 Analog Office Design Environment is targeted for RFIC design. Version 2008 includes hundreds of enhancements to the user interface and design flow that dramatically increase user flexibility and productivity. The user interface of AWR tools is widely recognized as extremely easy to use, and the enhancements within Version 2008 place it even further ahead of its competitors. For example, features such as project, elements, layout tabs, and the status window are now dockable and floatable, providing a design environment that is fully configurable to suit personal preferences. This new flexibility streamlines design tasks to save time, maximize useable screen space, provide greater insight into the design, and allow more complex designs to be handled more quickly.

AWR Corp.,
El Segundo, CA (310) 726-3000, www.awrcorp.com.
RS No. 311

PLL Phase Noise Software

The widely popular PLL Phase Noise Calculator tool on Hittite’s web site was specifically designed to help synthesizer designers select the best Hittite divider, phase frequency detector and VCO for their PLL circuit needs. The interrelation of these building blocks is critical to achieving optimal PLL phase noise, and each component in the PLL circuit will impact overall performance. A graphical interface guides the user through the component selection process, and the calculator uploads the key performance attributes for each Hittite component selected. The PLL Phase Noise Calculator quickly provides the phase noise contribution of each PLL element, as well as the total for the entire loop.

Hittite Microwave Corp.,
Chelmsford, MA (978) 250-3343, www.hittite.com.
RS No. 312

Cable Assembly Building Online

The new web-based product RF Cable Assembly Configurator offers an intelligent, fast and easy way to design, specify and request a coaxial RF cable assembly online. It enables users to create, save and print a HUBER + SUHNER datasheet based on the input. The configurator sends a request for quotation and delivery information online, with confirmation sent via e-mail including a datasheet per configuration. It is simple to use and the easy way to build cable assemblies.

Huber + Suhner AG,
Herisau, Switzerland, http://rfwebpcf.hubersuhner.com.
RS No. 313

RF Communications Toolkit Software

Keithley has expanded its SignalMeister™ software platform to now include RF signal analysis along with RF signal generation. First introduced in 2007, SignalMeister software is now the only software package on the market that integrates signal generation and analysis into one package for unmatched speed and simplicity. Furthermore, SignalMeister now has the capability of generating and analyzing both single-input single-output (SISO) and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) signals in the same environment. With SignalMeister software, research, design and test engineers can quickly and easily create and analyze signals with a powerful, yet easy to use, block diagram-based, graphical user interface. In addition, the SignalMeister RF Communications Toolkit now supports the latest wireless, MIMO protocol standards, WiMAX Wave 2 and 802.11n WLAN.

Keithley Instruments Inc.,
Cleveland, OH (800) 688-9951, www.keithley.com.
RS No. 314

Non-linear Transistor Library

Modelithics Inc. has released an enhanced version of its powerful and feature-rich Non-Linear Transistor (NLT) Model Library for AWR Microwave Office. The Modelithics NLT Library™ consists of high accuracy non-linear and noise models from leading semiconductor manufacturers. The NLT Library addresses noise, substrate-scalability, temperature dependence, broad-bandwidth and high power, among other stringent requirements of state-of-the-art RF and microwave design.

Modelithics Inc.,
Tampa, FL (888) 359-6359, www.modelithics.com.
RS No. 315

High Frequency EM Simulation Software

SONNET® Suites Professional™ Release 12 introduces dramatically faster simulations through parallel processing on multi-core CPUs. Each frequency point is computed in parallel within the same computer. Sonnet’s matrix solve algorithms have successfully achieved a speed increase that is nearly seven-fold on a typical workstation with dual quad-core processors. Two new versions of Sonnet’s EM analysis engine, em™ are introduced. The Sonnet Desktop Solver engine is aimed at typical engineering desktop PCs, and utilizes two cores in parallel for analysis time reduction. The Sonnet High Performance Solver engine is aimed at high-end workstations with dual quad-core CPUs, and uses up to 8 cores for 8-way parallel processing on a single frequency.

Sonnet Software Inc.,
Syracuse, NY (315) 453-3096, www.sonnetsoftware.com.
RS No. 316

CST MICROSTRIPES Version 2009

CST MICROSTRIPESTM (CST MS) is a powerful 3D electromagnetic simulation tool, used extensively for solving the most challenging radiation problems including complex antenna structures, installed performance, EMC/EMI/E3 issues and more. Its solver technology is based on a multi-grid formulation of the time-domain Transmission-Line Matrix (TLM), and users benefit from Octree-based meshing, which helps keep computer requirements to an absolute minimum. CST MS is widely used to design antenna and microwave structures and assess their installed performance, to optimize RFID systems, to analyze radar cross-section (RCS), EMI/EMP and lightning effects on vehicles, ships and aircraft, and to predict absorption of EM fields in human tissue.