Articles by National Instruments, AWR Group (NI), El Segundo, Calif.

Design of a Complete RF Downconverter Module for Test Equipment

RF/microwave modules, often referred to as “hybrids,” integrate functional blocks used to transmit and/or receive radio signals. These hybrid circuits combine different technologies, including monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)/RFICs, discrete field-effect transistors (FETs), and passive devices attached to substrates such as alumina or FR4, which contain circuit traces and distributed components, all within a single housing or enclosure.


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A Designer’s Primer on Radar Systems

Combined with advances in phased-array antennas and integration technologies, radars are moving beyond military/aerospace markets to address a host of commercial applications. This primer showcases how NI AWR Design Environment provides designers with a host of modeling and simulation technologies needed to meet the challenges of all types of radar system design.


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Design and Modeling of a Solid-State Transmit/Receive Module for Radar Applications

For transmit/receive (T/R) modules, it is imperative to use an architecture that meets all requirements with the most cost-effective technology. This white paper overviews various solid-state semiconductor technologies for T/R module development and describes a design methodology that includes the modeling/analysis of a T/R module.


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Software Solutions for RF Module Development

RF modules offer a large amount of functionality in a small space, but they can be an engineering challenge for development teams. When combining multiple integrated circuits (ICs) into a single package, it is necessary to model the electrical behavior of many different technologies, such as interconnects (transmission lines) and embedded distributed components, as well as RF, analog, and digital components.


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NI AWR DESIGN ENVIRONMENT: Load-Pull Primer for Optimizing PA Performance

Power amplifier (PA) performance under small- and large-signal operating conditions is contingent upon the output impedance match (load). As a result, PA designers must determine the ideal output load for system-driven amplifier requirements such as output power at a given saturated power (compression point), efficiency, and/or linearity.


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Design Challenges of Next-Generation AESA Radar

New active electronically-scanned arrays (AESAs) are being used for radar systems in satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles. As these systems are deployed in new and novel ways, size and performance requirements are becoming critical and are being addressed through innovative architectures and system capabilities. This white paper examines these technology trends and presents several examples where advances in NI AWR Design Environment are supporting next-generation AESA and phased-array radar development.


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NI AWR Software Featured at EDI CON 2017 in Booth Demonstrations and at Workshop/Technical Sessions

The latest release of NI AWR Design Environment, V13, will be on display at the Electronic Design Innovation Conference (EDI CON) 2017, being held
in Shanghai, China on April 25-27. In addition to software demonstrations within NI Booth #311, the NI AWR software product portfolio will be featured in one 40-minute workshop and two 20-minute technical sessions. NI AWR software activities during EDI CON include:


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