The IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium (RWS), held last week, January 17-19 in San Diego, CA, provided a meeting place for 125+ exhibitors to gather and showcase their newest products. If a show’s success can be measured by the number of product announcements, RWS 2006 certainly proved to be well-received. Here are just a few products that Microwave Journal editors had the opportunity to peruse while browsing the show floor with our apologies to the companies we may have missed. Agilent Technologies Inc. showcased its most recent solutions in ADS/Eagleware applications, Agilent’s CSA spectrum analyzer, Agilent’s new series 8000 Infiniium Scopes and VSA software, component test solutions, cellular R&D solutions and the Bluetooth/ZigBee/WLAN one box tester. These products for wideband systems accelerate the design of high speed wireless devices and networks. Analog Devices Inc. extended its portfolio of radio frequency integrated circuits with a new analog-control variable-gain amplifier that offers good linearity over a broad frequency range for wireless infrastructure applications, such as cellular base station radio transceivers. The model AD8368 is optimized to maintain dynamic range of base station radio transceivers, ensuring that both weak and incoming call signals are effectively handled and maintained. Anritsu announced the ML2490A series peak power meters that feature industry-best bandwidth and rise time to conduct highly accurate pulse measurements on rapid rise time radar signals and complex new modulation techniques used in 4G applications and wireless systems such as WiMAX. Also introduced at RWS was the MT8860B WLAN test set, a protocol-based single-instrument test solution for analyzing performance of 802.11b/g devices and consumer products. AR Worldwide Modular RF has designed and built a custom amplifier module for the emerging wireless access market. The model KMS1070 was created in 45 days to meet a client’s selected frequency band and a very demanding linearity specification. The KMS1070 is a 3.4 to 3.7 GHz solid-state power amplifier module for the wireless broadband network. This 20 W, 43 dBm output linear power amplifier offers a scaleable gain of 20 to 50 dB and is designed to meet WiMAX 802.16d specifications. It can be modified to meet various types of OFDM or NPR requirements. Cascade Microtech displayed its WinCal 2006 software that addresses the testing challenges brought on by the increase in the volume of complex, high speed semiconductors designed and tested for use in mobile communications products. Also on display at the Cascade booth was the eVue™ digital imaging system that enables dramatic productivity gains in semiconductor wafer navigation and testing. More recently, the company announced that its Pureline™ wafer probing systems have been purchased by five of the world’s top 20 semiconductor manufacturers in the United States, Asia, Japan and Europe. Cacade also featured Pureline wafer probing systems that allow semiconductor manufacturers to model, characterize and test the latest generation of integrated circuits required for today’s demanding applications. With its seventh-generation high voltage (HV7) RF LDMOS technology, Freescale Semiconductor has achieved the RF power transistor performance required for use in WiMAX base stations operating in the 3.5 GHz band. Freescale claims this achievement marks the first time RF laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor technology from any manufacturer has met these challenges. Keithley Instruments Inc. introduced its new model 2910 RF vector signal generator that offers capabilities and ranges making it ideal for production testing of today's sophisticated mobile handsets as well as for applications such as communications research, the testing of mobile communications infrastructure, RFICs and wireless connectivity devices. The model 2910's continuous frequency range of 400 MHz to 2.5 GHz spans key mobile wireless bands. Lark Engineering Co. featured its family of surface-mount combline filters from 5 to 15 GHz, with a bandwidth from 3 to 20 percent and exceptionally low insertion loss. M/A-COM was displaying model MAAPSS0076, a RoHS-compliant, DECT power amplifier for applications that require dual power modes, high gain and small size at a low cost. Also on display was model MAATSS0022, a RoHS-compliant 5-bit serial controlled attenuator for applications that require high accuracy and monotonic performance at a low cost. The model TU-3840 wideband ELINT tuner is designed for use in high end signal processing military applications and is based on the company’s successful, SEI-certified, SMR-3822 RF microwave sweeping receiver technology. Model MA4PBL027 HMIC silicon beam lead PIN diode is the most recent addition to the beam lead PIN diode group.
Mimix Broadband showcased several products while highlighting model CMQ1432, a 32 dBm power amplifier module that operates form 13.75 to 14.50 GHz. Features include a low cost 4x4 mm, 24-pin plastic QFN package, 31 dB gain, 32 dBm saturated output power, RoHS-complaint and is self-contained.
Peregrine Semiconductor featured its 75 ohm UltraCMOS™ switches that provide good isolation, linearity and ESD tolerance for today’s most demanding CATV and DTV applications. Also on display were UltraCMOS phase-locked loops, prescalers and mixers that are manufactured on the company’s proprietary UltraCMOS™ silicon-on-sapphire process technology. These products draw from many years of high performance RF CMOS and mixed-signal IC experience. Wireless UltraCMOS™ switches feature high isolation, high ESD tolerance and low insertion loss, providing an optimal solution for most any wireless application.
Radio Waves Inc. announced a breakthrough in microwave antenna technology with a new generator of the company's HP3-11 3' high performance dish. The new HP3-11 provides FCC Cat A performance for the 11 GHz band in a three-foot dish. Previously network designers and operators were required to utilize a four-foot dish for links to be considered Cat A complaint. By utilizing a three-foot dish, network planners can easily pass local zoning rules in regards to antenna size on building structures.
RF Micro Devices Inc. announced the commercial launch of its complete POLARIS 2™ TOTAL RADIO™ Module solution, which is comprised of a cellular transceiver module and a cellular transmit module for handsets operating on the GSM/GPRS and GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. The performance, size and cost advantages of the POLARIS 2 TOTAL RADIO Module solution enable handset manufacturers to quickly and cost-effectively introduce smaller, more feature-rich handsets capable of delivering the advanced levels of functionality and services for today's high data-rate networks. Rohde & Schwarz introduced the R&S SMA100A analog signal generator, which provides good signal quality and short level and frequency-setting times in a compact footprint that requires only two 19” rack units. The R&S SMA100A delivers extremely-pure output signals over its operating frequency range of 9 kHz to 3 GHz. Also on display was model R&S ZVA24, the company's new flagship vector network analyzer, which is available with either two or four test ports and offers a measurement frequency range of 10 MHz to 24 GHz.
Skyworks Solutions Inc. announced its highly innovative CMOS switches for satellite receiver applications that are gaining significant market traction and have commenced volume production in support of several customers throughout Asia and Europe. The model SKY13264-340LF and model SKY13272-340LF, which were first launched in June 2005, offer high isolation direct broadcast satellite complementary metal oxide semiconductor switches that deliver higher levels of integration, are easier to implement, and offer customers a lower cost alternative.
Southwest Microwave featured its SSB family of high density interconnect solutions, which are designed for microwave and digital applications. TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. introduced a high power antenna switch for CDMA applications. The new product, TQP4M3019, is in a 2x2 mm, 12-lead STSLP package. The part, in single-pole, triple-throw (SP3T) configuration, provides good cross-modulation and isolation performance while exhibiting low insertion loss in all frequency bands including PCS, cellular and GPS.