MTT-S 2008: Notes From The Exhibition Floor -- Part 1
By
Christine BreareyEditor
Returning to the East Coast for
the first time in five years, the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium
2008 made a
comeback in terms of attendance and participation.
This year's show, held in Atlanta, drew more than 9,000 visitors from over 540 companies,
with about 2,500 technical session attendees. Many new
product introductions, industry announcements, and pre-release demos took
place during the exhibition, making it a successful event for both attendees and
exhibitors.
Acceleware Corp. and Vector Fields announced a partnership to accelerate microwave design by combining Vector Fields' Concerto automation software package with Acceleware's FDTD Accelerator solution (see related story). Concerto software provides a design-simulate-analyze-optimize tool chain for high-frequency electromagnetic applications that, when combined with Acceleware's electromagnetic solver technology, provides a solution for extremely fast electromagnetic simulation.
For more information, visit the Acceleware storefront.
Agilent Technologies announced its nonlinear vector network analyzer (NVNA) capability for its PNA-X microwave network analyzer. With this development, the Agilent NVNA software converts a four-port PNA-X into a high-performance nonlinear analyzer, making it suitable for R&D engineers and scientists researching and designing active RF components.
Agilent EEsof EDA demonstrated its SystemVue system-level design environment for development, simulation, and analysis. Designed for evaluation of conceptual models, SystemVue provides an intuitive block level design interface with model libraries of modulation standards, adaptive control elements, and digital signal processing components.
For more information, visit
the Agilent
Technologies and Agilent
EEsof EDA storefronts.
Anritsu introduced a fully integrated test solution that performs high-speed radio layer measurements on WLAN chip sets. The MT8860C WLAN Test Set combines the capabilities of a power meter, spectrum analyzer, and vector signal generator. Designed to ensure full compliance with IEEE 802.11-2007 standards, the MT8860C provides designers and manufacturers with a single instrument that performs traceable and repeatable measurements on WLAN devices.
For more information, visit
the Anritsu
storefront.
Ansoft
showcased new advances in the performance and accuracy of design automation
software and electromagnetic modeling that enable RFIC designers to achieve first-pass system success for complex mixed-signal radio
circuits. Ansoft's technology features coupling between circuit simulation and
parameterized electromagnetics that allows engineers to include detailed
analysis of packaging and printed circuit board parasitic coupling to analyze
system performance. The combination of HFSS,
Nexxim, and Ansoft
Designer helps avoid the common scenario of a silicon vendor producing a
wireless system-on-a-chip (SoC) that performs flawlessly at the packaged part level, but
fails once it is placed on a system PCB.
For
more information, visit the Ansoft
storefront.
AR featured its RF and microwave amplifiers and accessories, including the S8G20A family used for wireless and EMC testing. This series of solid-state amplifiers covers the 8 to 20 GHz frequency range. Models include the 5 watt 5S8G20A and the 20 watt 20S8G20A. Both of these models are extremely tough, durable, and are full Class A.
For more information, visit the AR storefront.
Avago demonstrated its recently announced VMMK-2x03 amplifiers, which the company claims are the world's smallest RF amplifiers (see related story). The VMMK-2x03 amplifiers leverage Avago's new WaferCap chip scale packaging (CSP) technology. In addition, Avago also launched its new RF product portal, a microsite developed specifically for RF designers to help shorten design cycles and assist with specific RF design questions (see related story).
For more information, visit the Avago storefront.
AWR introduced Version 2008 of its Microwave Office design environment. With more than 100 enhancements and sweeping changes to the user interface, features such as project, elements, layout tabs, and the status window are now fully dockable and floatable, providing a design environment that is fully configurable to suit personal preferences. In addition, the new 2008 version also provides the flexibility needed to streamline design tasks, maximize usable screen space, provide greater insight into designs, and allow bigger designs to be handled more quickly.
For more information, visit the AWR storefront.
Boonton, a Wireless Telecom Group company, highlighted its new 4540 series of power meters. The 4540 series includes single- or dual-channel RF power meters that can measure modulated or CW signals using peak and average power sensors. Applications include pulsed RF signals such as radar, TDMA, and GSM, and pseudorandom or noise-like signals such as CDMA, WLAN, and WiMAX.
For more information, visit the Wireless Telecom Group storefront.
Cadence focused on its recent EM analysis and verification technology for wireless ICs (see related story). Based on the company's Virtuoso custom design platform, this new solution enables designers to deal with the challenge of integrating RF with analog/mixed-signal baseband. The complete solution includes Cadence's Virtuoso RF Designer, which brings a full-wave fast planar electromagnetic (EM) field solver to the RF/wireless designer's desktop.
For more information, visit the Cadence Web site.
Computer Simulation Technology (CST) previewed its next generation of electromagnetic simulation software, CST STUDIO SUITE 2009, including its flagship product CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (CST MWS) (see related story). CST STUDIO SUITE 2009 will also be enhanced by two new members: CST PCB STUDIO and CST CABLE STUDIO. Enhancements to the 2009 version include transient EM/circuit co-simulation, MPI based parallelization, and the porting of the user interface to 64 bit.
For more information, visit the CST storefront.
EMAGWARE, a newly launched division of EMAG Technologies Inc., announced the release of EM.CUBE (Electro-Magnetic Collaborative Userware By EMAG), a modular CAD environment for electromagnetic simulation and design. It is the outcome of integrating EMAG's previous CAD products into a new versatile software environment. EM.CUBE currently features four modules: CAD, FDTD, Propagation, and EM.GRID.
For
more information, visit the EMAG
storefront.
Giga-tronics announced the new GT-8550A series of USB power sensors, suitable for testing in wireless communications applications and defense EW systems (see related story). The GT-8550A includes four models that deliver up to 26.5 GHz frequency range, 2,000 readings per second typical, wide dynamic range of -60 to 20 dBm, and ultra-low VSWR of 1.09:1. Giga-tronics also featured its Series 8000 Microwave Switch Instrument Line with Ethernet LAN based microwave switch modules (see related story). The Series 8000 Ethernet LAN is available in multiple, customizable configurations.
For more information, visit the Giga-tronics storefront.
Greenray focused on the YH518, a low phase noise miniature VHF OCXO available at any frequency between 110 MHz and 250 MHz. The low noise characteristic of this OCXO is facilitated by using a precision SC cut crystal. In addition, the YH518 is suitable for applications such as frequency translation, LO sources, and clocking of high-speed data converters and gate arrays.
For more information, visit the Greenray storefront.
Integra Technologies unveiled a wide range of new products, ranging from a high-power LDMOS for avionics with 20:1 VSWR tolerance to discrete 200 watt, S-band bipolar devices. In addition, the company expanded its lineup of internally matched, LDMOS-based gain blocks to include low and high S band at 15 watt and 30 watt power levels. Integra also provided a glimpse into the future of S band and C band with LDMOS-based 150 watt 2.7 to 3.1 GHz and 15 watt, 5.3 to 5.9 GHz devices.
For more information, visit the Integra Technologies storefront.
JFW demonstrated the latest addition to its line of RF test systems, the transceiver test system. The system provides transceiver testing up to 18 GHz in an omnidirectional design that allows for complete interconnectivity and amplitude control. Both 50 and 75 ohm systems are available, in addition to custom designs upon request.
For more information, visit the JFW Industries storefront.
Johanson focused on its high-frequency ceramic solutions for cellular, WLAN, Bluetooth, RF/microwave, millimeter-wave, and fiber optic applications. Specifically, Johanson showcased the 0915AT43A0026, a 915 MHz, ISM band, ceramic chip antenna designed for space-constrained applications such as RFID and Zigbee. In addition, the company also distributed its recent product catalog.
For more information, visit the Johanson Technology storefront.
Krytar showcased its line of DC to 50 GHz broadband microwave components. Among featured product offerings were the company's coaxial adapters, available in frequency ranges of DC to 27 GHz, DC to 40 GHz, and DC to 50 GHz. In addition, Krytar displayed its directional couplers, available in a variety of frequencies and bandwidths.
For more information, visit the Krytar storefront.
Microwave Technology (MwT) released its new 2008 product selection guide, featuring the company's complete line of MMICs, hybrid modules, GaAs FETS, and PHEMTS that can be utilized in wireless, WiMAX, military, and other applications. In addition, MwT showcased some of its recent MMIC products, including the MHA-054020-89, a 50 to 4000 MHz, broadband, cascadable MMIC amplifier suitable for driver amplifiers or gain blocks in wireless applications.
For more information, visit the MicroWave Technology storefront.
Modelithics announced the release of version 5.1 of the company's CLR Library of component models (see related story). The new version adds 20 models, each representing entire ranges of values for capacitor, resistor, and inductor components from vendors such as ATC, Murata, Johanson, KOA Speer, and Vishay. In addition, Modelithics also released a free sample model library for RF designers using Cadence Spectre (see related story). The company is planning to release its full CLR Library for Cadence in the third quarter of 2008.
For more information, visit the Modelithics storefront.
Remcom focused on the new enhancements to Wireless InSite, its electromagnetic wave propagation and RF planning software launched earlier this year (see related story). Release 2.4 of Wireless InSite offers many new features, including a communication system analysis module, improved analysis of wideband signal propagation, modeling of atmospheric ducting effects, and plane wave sources for modeling airborne and satellite-based transmitters.
For more information, visit the Remcom storefront.
Skyworks announced its new line of energy management products for the wireless home (see related story). There is a current demand for an economic RF solution to efficiently collect, report, and monitor utility usage by both service providers and consumers. Skyworks' Linear Products division is meeting this demand with increased volume production. Skyworks also introduced a line of bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters for customer premise equipment (CPE) to allow coexistence between wireless local area networks (WLANs) in the home and enterprise, and WiMAX networks in wider areas, including neighborhoods and cities (see related story). The SKY33107 is a Wi-Fi reject/WiMAX pass BAW filter, and the SKY33108 is a Wi-Fi pass/WiMAX reject BAW filter; both feature low in-band insertion loss and input and output return loss.
For more information, visit the Skyworks Solutions storefront.
Summitek launched the latest version of its Spartan Automated Test & Data Management software (see related story). Spartan is a software application used to automate S-parameter and/or passive intermodulation (PIM) measurements. At the show, Summitek used Spartan to demonstrate the full characterization (S11, S21, S22) of a bandpass filter in less than 3 seconds. Version 4 of Spartan expands upon prior versions with a focus on accelerating test definition and execution through enhancements in usability and instrument interaction.
In the photo below, Liz Cuniak, RF Globalnet customer relationship manager, presents Rick Hartman, president of Summitek, with a plaque recognizing the company's Portable PIM Analyzer as RF Globalnet's Editor's Choice product for April 2008.
For more information, visit the Summitek Instruments storefront.
TriQuint Semiconductor announced the release of two new HV-HBT (high voltage-heterojunction bipolar transistor) devices created at the company's San Jose, CA de,sign center, formerly WJ Communications (see related story). These HV-HBT devices integrate two stages into a single package and allow designers to reduce the number of discrete amplifier components in a system. TriQuint demonstrated that ,when using these devices in a typical base station high-power amplifier (HPA) design, a 25% cost reduction and a PCB area savings of 12 square centimeters are possible.
For more information, visit the TriQuint Semiconductor Web site.
Zeland demonstrated the newest version of its IE3D software, its method-of-moments-based electromagnetic (EM) software for high-performance network distributed simulation and optimization. Version 14.1 features full implementation of OpenMP multi-CPU support for the major processes of the IE3D full-wave simulation engine. It also boasts a further improved GUI to simplify the layout editing and visualization.
For more information, visit the Zeland Software storefront.
Click here for MTT-S 2008: Notes From The Exhibition Floor -- Part 2.