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

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.

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.

The Designer's Primer for IoT showcases recent advances in NI AWR software that help designers meet the challenges of developing cost-effective IoT solutions using a modular design approach that focuses on combining all the relevant components in the RF signal path.

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.

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.

A phased-array antenna is made up of multiple individual radiating elements (antennas), each fed with an RF signal controlled through phase shifters in such a way that the radio waves from the separate antennas are added together to increase the radiation.

Power amplifiers (PAs) are responsible for increasing the strength of a signal with minimal added distortion. By providing enough signal strength to overcome over-the-air losses, PAs play a vital role in the RF/microwave front end of any communication system.

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.

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.