Front-to-back Solution
Agilent Technologies Inc. recently announced Advanced Design System (ADS) 2009 Update 1, a complete, front-to-back solution for monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and RF module design. The release integrates 3-D electromagnetic (EM) analysis, wireless standards-based design verification libraries, X-parameter simulation, and statistical design and yield optimization. Advanced Design System 2009 Update 1 enables designers to stay within the design and simulation platform of choice for their entire design cycle and eliminates the need for separate, time-consuming point tools.
Agilent Technologies Inc.
Santa Clara, CA
(800) 829-4444
www.agilent.com
RS No. 216
Simulation Solutions
As wireless communication and electronic devices proliferate and become smaller and more functional, the need for robust simulation solutions increases. Ansoft™ software helps engineers design, simulate and validate the behavior of complex high performance RF, microwave and millimeter-wave devices in next-generation wireless communication and defense systems. Using Ansoft technology, customers can achieve a dramatic reduction in development time and cost, while at the same time realize increased reliability and optimization. Ansoft recently introduced planned enhancements to its 3-D full-wave electromagnetic field simulation software HFSS™, including domain decomposition, a high performance computing (HPC) option. The technology, which adds depth and breadth to the ANSYS multiphysics suite, enables engineers to solve problems such as electromagnetic-induced heating in high power microwave structures and antenna performance while under mechanical deformation through links with the ANSYS® WorkbenchTM platform.
Ansoft
Pittsburgh, PA
(412) 261-3200
www.ansoft.com
RS No. 217
Microwave Office Software
AWR announced that users of AWR’s Microwave Office design software now have access to XML library data for a broad array of microwave amplifiers from TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.’s San Jose design center (formerly WJ Communications). The devices include packaged gain-blocks, field effect transistors (FET) and heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) amplifiers. The library provides measurement-based models and footprints used for printed circuit board (PCB) and module layouts. It is available to users of AWR’s Microwave Office software through the XML library link accessible from the software. While the majority of the library is targeted for small-signal simulation, there are a variety of nonlinear models available for the AP60x Series high-voltage HBT amplifiers.
AWR®
El Segundo, CA
(310) 726-3000
www.awrcorp.com
RS No. 218
Asymptotic Solver
Engineers working on antenna placement, radar cross section simulation or other electrically large problems will benefit from CST’s newest addition to the CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® (CST MWS) solver family. The new CST MWS asymptotic solver targets a range of simulation model sizes beyond the reach of even the successful integral equation solver, i.e. much larger than 100 wavelengths. The asymptotic solver is tightly integrated in the CST design environment and shares the same well-known usability features as the other CST MWS solver modules.
CST of America® Inc.
Framingham, MA
(508) 665-4400
www.cst.com
RS No. 246
EMPIRE XCcel™ 5.3
The 3D EM solver EMPIRE XCcel 5.3 covers nearly all today’s design challenges for RF designers, like antennas, passive circuits, packages, waveguides or EMC/EMI problems. Due to the unique structure and processor adapted code generation, a simulation performance up to 1600 million FDTD cells per second can be achieved on a conventional PC with full access to the built-in memory. Thus very complex structures can be modeled very fast and highly accurate (e.g. 23 lambda 16 lambda 4.5 lambda array antenna simulation at 24 GHz needs only 12 GB memory).
IMST GmbH
Kamp-Lintfort, Germany
+49 2842 981 0
www.imst.com
RS No. 219
Design Tool
µWave Wizard, a design tool using the mode-matching technique, which is particularly suitable for simulation and optimization of passive microwave systems and components, including antennas. The aim of the latest introduction, version 7.0, is the execution of µWave Wizard on a 64 bit operating system and in parallel with the 3D finite element method (3D-FEM) solver for 3D-FEM based elements, as well for using 3D-FEM on a complete circuit. With this version the 3D-FEM solver supports multicore and multiprocessor computers on 32 bit and 64 bit Windows operating systems.
Mician GmbH
Bremen, Germany
+49 (421) 168 993 51
www.mician.com
RS No. 220
EM CAD and Optimization Tool
The latest version of its hybrid MM/FE/MoM/FD WASP-NET® tool now includes elements for aperture and wire-cross-coupled combline and dielectric resonator filters. Utilizing a novel ultra-adaptive sweep technique, which is particularly appropriate for fast optimization, such components can be calculated within fractions of a second. A new flexible, user defined input system for body-of-revolution (BOR) antenna structures, where all desired parameters can be individually parameterized by the user enables convenient design and optimization of complex antenna systems, including shaped subreflectors, shaped reflectors, lenses and radomes. Also, there are new user-friendly extended synthesis wizards for all kinds of filters, slot arrays and corrugated horn antennas.
Microwave Innovation Group (MiG) GmbH & Co. KG
Bremen, Germany
+49 421 223 7966 0
www.mig-germany.com
RS No. 247
3D Planar EM Simulator
Sonnet Software Inc. introduces Sonnet Lite Release 12, a free 3D Planar EM simulator, as a tool for learning and experimenting in high frequency RF transmission lines, circuits, packages and antennas. Sonnet Lite provides a full-wave EM analysis solution for 3D planar circuits and allows high frequency designers to solve problems that require up to 1 MB of RAM, without giving personal information. In return for registering and providing contact information, Sonnet will expand the memory resource limit to 16 MB of RAM.
Sonnet Software
North Syracuse, NY
(315) 453-3096
www.sonnetsoftware.com
RS No. 221
Components
Programmable Attenuator
This improved programmable 0.5 to 18 GHz attenuator incorporates a new driver circuit with faster switching and more accurate attenuation. Low insertion loss and stable operation over temperature extremes. Switching between all attenuation level is typically within 1 dB in 5 µs at 25°C. Sinewave scan modulation small and large signal bandwidth of 100 kHz and 50 kHz respectively. Temperature stability of ±2.5 dB over -10° to 85°C and ±3.5 dB over -40° to 95°C. Size: 2.00" × 1.81" × 0.5".
American Microwave Corp.
Frederick, MD
(301) 662-4700
www.americanmicrowavecorp.com
RS No. 222
PIN Diode Switches
This family of surface-mount, silicon PIN diode SP2T switches offer power handling capability up to 100 W C.W. incident RF power. They are optimized to function in two frequency bands of interest: 20 to 700 MHz, and 400 to 4000 MHz, and are available in compact surface-mount packages measuring 8 × 5 × 2.5 mm. The MSW2000 series of surface-mount PIN diode SP2T switches is manufactured using Aeroflex/Metelics’ proven hybrid manufacturing process incorporating high voltage PIN diodes and passive devices within a ceramic substrate. Both asymmetrical and symmetrical SP2T topologies are offered. The asymmetrical SP2T provides Tx/Ant insertion loss of 0.20 dB, with 20 dB return loss and 40 dB Tx/Rx isolation. Ant/Rx loss is similar at 0.3 and 20 dB return loss.
Aeroflex/Metelics
Londonderry, NH
(603) 641-3800
www.aeroflex.com/metelics
RS No. 223
Doppler Ranging Sensor Heads
Model SRU Series, ranging sensor heads are designed for long range distance detection where the sensitivity is essential. The SRU series ranging sensors are used for moving targets (where the Doppler shift is presented) distance detection. Four configurations are offered for special applications. The single channel versions are used for speed and distance sensing only while dual channel versions are offered for speed, distance and direction sensing. In addition, dual antenna versions are offered for high power to eliminate the limited TX/RX isolation problems due to the diplexer. The single antenna versions are constructed with a high performance horn antenna or lens corrected antenna, a linear to circular polarizer and T/R diplexer, a single side band up-converter or modulator, a balanced mixer or an I-Q mixer and an amplifier and a high performance Gunn Oscillator.
Ducommun Technologies Inc.
Carson, CA
(310) 847-2859
www.ducommun.com
RS No. 224