Keysight: expert to expert | Microwave Journal

A collective blog from the experts in measurement and design, discussing the latest tools for circuit-level modeling through system verification for general RF/microwave, 4G and 5G communications and aerospace/defense applications. Learn about these applications and the EDA simulation software, test and measurement equipment and techniques behind state-of-the-art RF, microwave and high speed design.

Getting to grips with high speed wireless data

Liz Ruetsch

February 23, 2012

0 Comments

Liz_agilent_blog Liz has been with Agilent for 16 years, and is currently the Applications Marketing and Planning Manager for the Microwave Communications Division. She manages a team of applications experts that are focused on the aerospace and defense, wireless, and EMC markets. She has been responsible for the sales of signal/spectrum analyzers, signal sources, and associated applications, World Wide Signal Analysis Division (SAD) Sales Manager, Operations Manager for Signal Analysis Division (SAD), Market Development Manager (MDM) for the Americas Region, World Wide Aerospace and Defense Initiative Manager, Product Marketing Engineer for Advanced Product Operation, and World Wide Channels Manager.Liz holds a BSEE from Rutgers University (1994), and an MBA from the Boston University Executive MBA Program (2006).

Consider the costs of not migrating your aging test system

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

0 Comments

Test system migration and modernization doesn’t have to be expensive and fraught with hassle. In fact, carefully planned migration can maximize test-system efficiency, performance and readiness while providing meaningful cost savings. In aerospace and defense, missions evolve but one thing stays the same: the need to ensure system readiness. As system technology becomes more complex, it becomes more difficult to meet this challenge. Carefully planned instrumentation migration and modernization can maximize test-system efficiency, performance and readiness— and provide meaningful cost savings. There are certainly risks associated with test program set (TPS) migration and modernization. The decision to forego modernization...

The Real Power of Microwave CAE Software

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

0 Comments

While user interfaces in microwave CAE software have remained relatively stable, important strides have been made in simulation technology. Today, more designs incorporate integrated chip, package, module and board systems which are more difficult to design, analyze, debug and deliver in high-volume than the typical design of 10 years ago. During a CAE seminar in the late 1990’s, I asked a large group of RF and microwave engineers about the software that they actually use for design. Overwhelmingly, these...

The Importance of Average vs. Peak Performance in Cellular Wireless

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

0 Comments

When I was growing up my favourite book was undoubtedly the “Guinness Book of World Records.” I used to dip in and out of it searching for the craziest extremes of human experience, be they through human achievement or simply the result of extremes of natural human variation. It was not until many years later that I discovered a much less well-known but arguably much more important book called the “Mackeson Book of Averages.” Mackeson is also a brewer of stout and hence rival to the much larger Guinness Company so they thought they would poke fun at Guinness’ second most famous product being the Book of Records.

X-parameters: Commercial implementations of the latest technology enable mainstream applications

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

1 Comment

X-parameter technology has developed rapidly since its pioneering introduction by Agilent with the Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzer (NVNA) in 2008. See [8] for a recent introduction. Agilent provides a complete set of mainstream interoperable SW and HW tools based on X-parameters that are already redefining how the industry characterizes, models, and designs nonlinear components and systems. Several real customer applications are presented illustrating the power and ease-of-use of X-parameters to solve a broad spectrum of important industry problems where modern components exhibit both high-frequency and nonlinear behavior.

Solving the RFIC Design for Yield and Verification Dilemma

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

0 Comments

This article presents the role and evolution of simulation-based performance verification and yield for today’s highly integrated RFICs for digital wireless communications. Along the way, we will look at this problem from the foundry, EDA and designer perspectives to hopefully give a comprehensive picture of where we are today and what choices exist to improve RFIC verification and design for yield.

Microwave Oscillator Design using the Open-loop Cascade Method

January 6, 2011

Microwave Journal

0 Comments

In the Agilent/MWJ Innovations in EDA webcast on “Discrete Oscillator Design Tools and Techniques”, Randy Rhea presented a discrete oscillator design using the Genesys product from Agilent, using techniques outlined in his new book “Discrete Oscillator Design: linear, nonlinear, transient and noise domains”. The method outlined by Rhea begins with a linear analysis as a first step.