Rohde & Schwarz Vector Network Analyzer and Spectrum Analyzer Solve Measurement Challenges at RF-Lambda
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Rohde Schwarz announced today that RF and microwave component manufacturer RF-Lambda has chosen the company’s R&S ZVA vector network analyzer and R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer after an in-depth analysis. The instruments delivered the high degree of accuracy and repeatibility for the demanding measurement applications.
Columbia, MDÂ — RF-Lambda, which manufactures a broad line of passive and active RF and microwave components and subsystems, based its selection on the ability of the candidate instruments to solve actual measurement problems the company was encountering. The measurements evaluated performance parameters that are essential for optimizing the performance of RF-Lambda’s components and modules for their end-users. RF-Lambda’s product testing faces tough measurement challenges on a daily basis due to the performance requirements such as high dynamic range and linearity, low noise floor, high peak to average ratios, and ultra-wide frequency bandwidth. The components selected for the comparative tests were the Model RFDAT0118G8A and RFDAT0040G5A digital control step attenuators, Model RFPSHT450M1D8 digital step phase shifter, RLNA00M50GA high gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), and a custom transmit/receive module for an airborne application at 67 GHz.
The RFDAT0118G8A is an 8-bit, 0-to-128 dB digitally-controlled attenuator that operates from 1 to 18 GHz. RFDAT0040G5A is a 5-bit 0-to-32dB digitally-controlled attenuator that operate from 0.1-40GHz entire band. The RFPSHT450M1D8 is a digital dispersive phase shifter with a step size of 1.4 degrees, which operates from 400 to 500 MHz. The RLNA00M50GA has an extremely broad bandwidth of 100 kHz to 50 GHz, with a noise figure of 4 dB, gain up to 34 dB, and RF output power greater than 20 dBm across its entire bandwidth.
RF-Lambda was having difficulty achieving repeatable measurements of phase continuity over the full bandwidth of the attenuator and phase shifter components. The engineers worked with Rohde & Schwarz engineers who made the same measurements using the R&S ZVA vector network analyzer. The R&S ZVA was able to make measurements that represented the true performance of the components across the measurement band.
RF-Lambda also highly ranked the R&S ZVA‘s ability to allow phase and amplitude to be adjusted in very fine increments, which is very important when testing digital controllable step attenuators and phase shifters which are widely used in OFDM and Phase Array Radar Systems. The instrument also provided the best combination of low noise, high linearity, and dynamic range.
Finally, the very low noise floor of the R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer allowed the design team to measure phase noise performance of the transmit/receive module directly without having to use corrective noise cancellation techniques and external mixers. As the R&S FSW67 was able to measure frequencies up to 67 GHz, the need for a separate dedicated phase noise test system was eliminated.
“We’re extremely pleased with the results we obtained from the Rohde & Schwarz instruments,” said RF-Lambda Director of Engineering Michael Liu, “and by evaluating them using measurement challenges we were actually facing, their superior characteristics became all the more evident. In addition, the Rohde & Schwarz technical support team was very responsive and helped us optimize our test results. Together, these factors made the R&S ZVA and R&S FSW the best overall choices.”
More information about the R&S ZVA vector network analyzer and R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer is available from Rohde & Schwarz at www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/zva and http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/fsw.
About RF-Lambda
RF-Lambda USA LLC located in Plano Texas and San Diego California, is an ISO 9001:2008 certified and ITAR registered company that designs and manufactures RF and microwave products for the wireless infrastructure, satellite communications, medical, consumer, and defense sectors. RF-Lambda’s products include RF Active components such as low noise amplifier, power amplifier, RF PIN diode switch, phase shifter, digital and voltage control attenuator, power detector, power limiter. Passive components include circulator, isolator, attenuator, load termination, divider, coupler, hybrid, filter and duplexer. With strong active and passive components design and manufacturing experience, this enables RF-Lambda to offer complicated TR module systems with complex die processing which are widely used in military and defense industry. For detail of RF-Lambda product, please visit www.rflambda.com.
Rohde & Schwarz
The Rohde & Schwarz electronics group is a leading supplier of solutions in the fields of test and measurement, broadcasting, secure communications, and radiomonitoring and radiolocation. Founded 80 years ago, this independent global company has an extensive sales network and is present in more than 70 countries. It has around 9300 employees and achieved a net revenue of EUR 1.9 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in fiscal year 2012/2013 (July 2012 through June 2013). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany.
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