Vol. 68 • No.

2 February 2025

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 February 2025
Vol. 68 • No. 2
Satellite & Radio
Communications
CONTENTS mwjournal.com

44 72 One Earth Day

Thirty Earth Days

Perspective
44 Tower Opportunities and Key
Questions for the 6G Evolution
Ed Knapp, American Tower Corporation

Special Reports

20 52 Four Innovative Trends Reshaping

the Microwave Radio Market
Emmy Johnson, Sky Light Research

E> 62 Powering the Future: The Journey

TIM avel to a Handheld Microwave Ablation
<tr System
Eamon McErlean, Emblation®

Mr. Spock, We Need to Print a Technical Features

Circuit!
Stefano Maurri, Stefano Selleri, University of
Florence 18 72 Antenna Communications in the
Lunar Environment
Stuart Golden, Vulcan Wireless

84 Compact UWB Patch Antenna with

Cover Feature Open-Loop Resonator for Dual-Band
Rejection
20 The Art, Science and Magic of Ibrahim Fortas, Electrical Systems Engineering,
Invisibility: Designing Transparent LIST Laboratory, University of M’hammed Bougara;
Antennas Mouloud Ayad, Department of Telecommunications
Baha Badran, Taoglas University of Setif; Bachir Zoubiri, Division Telecom,
Center for Development of Advanced Technologies,
CDTA

ACCESS NOW!
digital.microwavejournal.com 117 Compact IPD Bandpass Filter Design
Qi Zhang, Yazi Cao, Mingzhao Xu and Gaofeng Wang, Hangzhou Dianzi University
e clusive
Digital Content ››› 120 Net Power Measurement Method Considering
Mismatch Correction
Haoyu Lin and Pan Huang, National Institute of Metrology

68 YEARS OF PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

10 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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CONTENTS mwjournal.com STAFF
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 M E > l
T I v e
t r a St ef
urri, nce, Flor
elleri
ano S ence, Italy

<
o Ma e
Stefan sity of Flor
n iver
U

Mr. Spock, We Need to Print a Circuit!

Star Trek is one of the most successful Sci-Fi se- shown on Star Trek: The Next Generation is one
ries ever. It began with Star Trek (1966 to 1969), of the first they produced. In 2005, Quintel was
the first iconic series, followed by Star Trek Next then acquired by Neutronix, a company dating
Generation (1987 to 1994) and several other se- back to 1989, that still operates in the mask
ries and full-length movies. The special effects, es- alignment segment as NxQ.
pecially in the first series, were somewhat naïve. As a personal note from the authors, the RF Mi-
Despite the premise, the futuristic look is very crowave and Electromagnetics lab at the Univer-
recognizable as being in the 1960s and 1980s. sity of Florence used an even older version of a
However, if you have keen eyes and are looking Quintel Q2001. This piece of equipment, shown
at Season 1, Episode 121* of Star Trek: The Next in Figure 2, had an electromechanical timer and
Generation, titled “Datalore,” you will find some a slightly different eyepiece from the one seen
nice eye candy for microwave engineers. in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode.
The episode aired on January 18, 1988, in the It was purchased second-hand in 1992 and is
U.S.2 In the context of the show, the episode now considered an industrial archaeology item.
takes place at a stardate, the fictional time mea- The photo in Figure 2 was taken some time ago
surement scale used by the Star Trek franchise, when the mask aligner was still in use. So, maybe
of 41242.4 on planet Omicron Theta. This is the the one in the Star Trek: The Next Generation
home planet of the android, Data, the second- series was indeed the futuristic version!
officer of the USS Enterprise. An exploration
team from the Enterprise finds a lab that they
learn is the one where Dr. Noonien Soong indeed
built Data. In the panoramic view of the lab, the
Quintel Q2001 mask aligner, shown in Figure
1, appears here, playing the role of a far-future
fantastic item.
Indeed, Quintel Corporation was founded in
1978 to provide an alternate source for OEM-
level product support for the Canon, Kasper
and Cobilt brands of contact mask aligners. In Fig. 1 The Quintel Q2001 Fig. 2 The Quintel Q2001
1986, Quintel introduced its own line of mask mask aligner featured as a mask aligner at the University
alignment exposure systems to serve the micro- “futuristic device” from Star of Florence.
electronic industry better, so the Quintel Q2001 Trek: The Next Generation.

References
1. www.imdb.com/it/title/tt0708698/?ref_=ttep_ep12 *
Or episode 13. The first episode “Encounter at Farpoint,” was split into two
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datalore parts, so “Datalore” is the 12th title but the 13th to be aired.

18 MWJOURNAL.COM FEBRUARY 2025

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 COVER FEATURE
INVITED PAPER

The Art, Science and Magic

of Invisibility: Designing
Transparent Antennas
Baha Badran
Taoglas, San Diego, Calif.

I
magine a world where anten- are placed on transparent, nonmet- multiple custom antenna designs
nas vanish, seamlessly blend- al surfaces, such as glass, plastic or based on this patented transpar-
ing into their surroundings. other clear materials, allowing light ent technology. One custom solu-
Transparent antennas are turn- to pass through without obstructing tion created an 8-in-1 combination
ing this concept into a reality. This visibility. Their transparency enables antenna, integrating cellular, Wi-Fi,
article examines the technical com- concealed antenna placement and GNSS and other antenna technolo-
plexities and approaches involved allows them to be placed on various gies into a single transparent film. In
in designing and manufacturing surfaces, which would previously this particular use case, the edges
transparent antennas for high vol- have been undesirable or unusable of the transparent film were round-
ume production, highlighting the for other antenna types. Typical ap- ed to fit the unique requirements of
interplay between RF design princi- plications include glass surfaces the application and to offer a covert
ples, material science, physics, me- such as windows, screens and sun- appearance.
chanical engineering and advanced roofs of automotive and commer-
manufacturing processes. There are cial transportation, EV charging and DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
numerous applications for transpar- parking bays, digital signage and CONSIDERATIONS
ent antennas, from automotive sun- display screens and point-of-sale Taoglas first began development
roofs to electric vehicle (EV) charg- kiosks. of transparent antennas in 2020 and
ing display screens and more to be Taoglas now offers six different commercially introduced the first
discovered. By unraveling the art, Taoglas Invisible Antenna™ prod-
science and magic behind this invis- ucts in its portfolio. The TFX series
ible technology, this article aims to can be used standalone or in a cus-
inspire further advancements, pav- tom combination to enhance cellu-
ing the way for a future of covert lar, Wi-Fi and GNSS antenna instal-
connectivity. lations. Each antenna comes with a
pre-adhered adhesive for ease of
WHAT IS A TRANSPARENT installation and has an enclosed car-
ANTENNA? rier terminated with a FAKRA or an
Transparent antennas are made SMA connector. Figure 1 shows the
from transparent conductive films TFX62.A, a 5G/4G cellular antenna
and are designed to be virtually with coverage from 600 MHz to 6
invisible to the human eye. These GHz.
ultra-low-profile, flexible antennas Taoglas has also worked on i Fig. 1 TFX62.A, a transparent 5G/
4G cellular antenna.

20 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 RUGGED & RELIABLE AGILE & ADAPTIVE HIGH POWER & VARIETY

RLC Electronics | 83 Radio Circle, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549 | 914-241-1334 | sales@rlcelectronics.com | www.rlcelectronics.com
CoverFeature
three products in the Taoglas Invisible Antenna series in Copper and Transparent Samples -
February 2023 with support for cellular (TFX62.A), Wi-Fi Simulated and Measured
0
(TFX257.A) and GNSS (TFX125.A). The motivation was
to design a solution that was as transparent as possible, –5

building upon the company’s technical knowledge in –10

S11 (dB)
different antenna types, including flexible printed circuit –15
board (PCB) antennas. Flexible antennas are attached –20 Simulated - Copper
Simulated - Transparent
via a “peel and stick” process and can be bent, folded –25 Measured - Copper
or stretched to conform to various shapes and surfaces. –30 Measured - Transparent
This flexibility enables the integration of antennas into –35
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
unconventional locations, such as the curved edges of a
smartphone or the interior of a vehicle. However, these Frequency (GHz)
flexible antennas are typically black and would be high-
ly visible on a transparent surface, such as glass. i Fig. 2 Simulated and measured results for copper and
The core challenge in designing transparent an- transparent material.
tennas lies in reconciling two seemingly contradictory different technologies. Taoglas is thus ideally suited to
properties: conductivity and transparency. Conductive identify technical challenges, propose and evaluate po-
materials, essential for efficient antenna performance, tential solutions and provide expert opinions to ensure
typically absorb or reflect light, making them opaque. technical challenges are overcome.
The more transparent the material, the less conductive Several types of materials can be used for transpar-
it is, which can degrade antenna performance. Trans- ent antennas. Each presents a different compromise
parency is measured in visible light transmission (VLT), between RF performance and transparency. One of the
which is the percentage of visible light that passes materials is a metal mesh conductive film that exhibits
through the material as opposed to being reflected or properties that make it an excellent choice for antenna
absorbed. Finding the right balance between perfor- applications when considering sheet resistance, VLT,
mance and transparency is crucial. power, color and haze.
Taoglas has observed several responses to translat- Transparent films are not solid metals, making it dif-
ing an antenna design from copper to a transparent ficult to solder cables directly. For high volume produc-
material. Whether or not a resonance shift occurs is de- tion, a reliable, repeatable and easy-to-manufacture
pendent on the design of the antenna. More often than connection method is needed. The design has to en-
not, a resonance shift is not seen and the impedance re- sure that the antenna remained invisible, even with the
sponse is fairly similar. However, a drop in performance necessary cables and connections. An electromechani-
for both antenna efficiency and peak gain can be ex- cal connection method is most often required to en-
pected. The designs are also reflected fairly accurately sure an optimal RF connection is in place. This method
in simulation models, as shown in Figure 2. is also the friendliest from production and assembly
Taoglas regularly provides custom antenna solutions points of view.
to customers. These antennas are designed to optimize Another challenge with transparent films is the dif-
RF performance for a specific environment. These proj- ficulty of creating a multi-layer stacked film with a physi-
ects often involve combining and integrating several cal electrical connection between these layers. This

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ZZZ:HLQVFKHO$VVRFLDWHVFRP
22 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
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CoverFeature
structure is similar to using via holes in PCBs. This poses Plastic
a considerable challenge for RF engineers and the abil- 4 Enclosure

ity to create controlled impedance transmission lines 6

Fakra
Connector
such as on-ground coplanar waveguides (CPWG). Connector
2
Finally, there are mounting and adhesion consid- Antenna
Trace
erations. The double-sided adhesive must be clear 1
3 PCB
enough to maintain invisibility and provide strong ad-
T.L
hesion for the expected product lifetime. For instance,
5 Plastic
considering the potential placement of the transparent Enclosure
antenna on a car window, the adhesive cannot yellow
from the sun’s UV rays or lose strength from excessive
heat.

MATERIAL AND CONNECTION METHOD i Fig. 3 The unique PCB adapter board with FAKRA
After experimenting with different materials, a sub- connector solution.
mm metal mesh conductive film was selected for its
100
performance, reliability and transparency. The material 4 mm Acrylic
90
for the housing or carrier is ABS/PC and the material
80
for the antenna is PET. Taoglas Invisible Antenna prod-
70

Efficiency (%)
ucts feature a VLT of greater than 74 percent TCF. Com-
60
pare this to the automotive industry’s standards, which
50
require a VLT of 70 percent for the front windshield. 40
The material is also heat-resistant and UV-protected. 30
The antennas can operate from -40°C to 85°C and can 20
withstand a non-condensing 65°C, 95 percent relative 10
humidity environment. 0
To connect to the cables, a solution was developed 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
that involved a mechanical connection method using Frequency (MHz)
clips to create a consistent RF connection. This was
achieved by feeding the antenna from the edge and i Fig. 4 TFX62 antenna efficiency versus frequency.
using an invisible tail to act as a cable. Figure 3 shows
the unique PCB adapter board with a FAKRA connector placed at least 20 mm from metal to maintain perfor-
solution. mance. Like other antennas, key performance metrics
for transparent antennas include antenna efficiency, im-
ENSURING OPTIMAL RF PERFORMANCE AND pedance matching, gain, radiation patterns and band-
INTEGRATION CONSIDERATIONS width coverage. Figure 4 shows the TFX62.A antenna
While covert, it is important to remember that trans- total efficiency versus frequency when mounted on a 4
parent antennas are still antennas. Ground plane con- mm plastic substrate.
siderations are relevant and each antenna should be Taoglas has added to its Taoglas Invisible Antenna

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CoverFeature
Rear Quarter Rear Door Front Door
or side window lo- new satellite operators are explor-
Back Sun Roof cations. These an- ing how to approach the emerging
Rear Vent
Windshield Front Vent
Front tennas can serve as satellite IoT market. Traditionally re-
Windshield replacements for lying on proprietary protocols, satel-
large external an- lite operators are now exploring the
tennas. Transpar- advantages of leveraging existing
ent antennas can wireless IoT technologies, such as
enhance vehicle- LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, LTE-M and 5G
to-vehicle (V2V) NR Low Power. Integrating these
and vehicle-to- technologies can create seamless
infrastructure (V2I) transitions from terrestrial to satel-
i Fig. 5 Glass placement options on a vehicle.1 communication, lite networks, which are known as
enabling advanced non-terrestrial networks (NTN).
portfolio with SMA connector op- driver-assistance systems and au- This advancement of NTN brings
tions. These include the TFX62.C for tonomous driving features. When new commercial opportunities for
cellular applications, the TFX125.B used in place of external antennas, satellite providers, module and
for GNSS applications and the they provide cost savings and sim- chipset manufacturers, along with
TFX257.B for Wi-Fi applications. plify the installation process, as no antenna providers. The automotive
Modular design allows for customiz- drilling is required and instead use a industry has proposed n256 and
able MIMO configurations. The an- “peel and stick” adhesive. Figure 5 n255 as the industry standard bands
tennas can be placed orthogonally shows some of the areas where co- for the 5G NB-IoT and 5G NR stan-
to each other to maximize coverage vert transparent antennas could be dards. This is in line with the 3GPP
and throughput while minimizing installed. Rel-17. Table 1 highlights the fre-
coupling. One potential application is the quencies and regional use of these
APPLICATION EXAMPLES use of transparent antennas on ve- NTN bands.
hicle glass to enable satellite com- It is interesting to note that band
While transparent antennas can- munication in cars. This would pro- n23 is listed here for the North
not match the performance of solid vide reliable connectivity in remote American region. North America
conductive materials like copper, areas where cellular networks are represents a large market for several
they offer unique benefits. For in- unavailable. Both established and applications. Bands n23 should be
stance, placing a cellular transparent
antenna on a window provides the
closest possible access to external
TABLE 1
signals, improving signal strength, NTN BAND DESIGNATIONS AND REGIONS
coverage and data rates. In auto- NTN Satellite Band Uplink (MHz) Downlink (MHz) Region
motive applications, covertly in- n255 (FDD) 1626.5 to 1660.5 1525 to 1559 Global
stalled transparent antennas can be
placed on automotive glass in the n256 (FDD) 1980 to 2010 2170 to 2200 Europe
front/rear windshield, sunroof and/ n23 (FDD) 2000 to 2020 2180 to 2200 North America

26 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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covered in any antenna design to ensure the solution can
operate in North America. Bands n23 and n256 are simi- 100
lar in terms of start and stop frequency for each channel. QPSK
10-1 8PSK
Designing for a combined n23/n256 solution would not 16QAM
10-2
increase the complexity of the design or the R&D devel-
opment time required. Designing for a combined n23/ 10-3
n256 band provides more commercial opportunities.

BER
10-4
Most of the NTN technologies currently in develop-
10-5
ment are focused on IoT applications. The large latency
and low throughput associated with GEO satellites cur- 10-6
rently limit the range of potential applications. As more 10-7
LEO satellites come online, the potential exists for low
10-8
latency, high-throughput applications in this segment. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
A link budget is required to determine whether spec- Eb/N0 (dB)
ified antenna parameters, such as antenna gain, will re-
sult in a functional system. The link budget considers  Fig. 6 BER for various modulation schemes.
the entire RF path and calculates the received power at high performance connectivity. Typical satcom antennas
a receiver. If the power received is higher than the re- for LEO constellations are passive, omnidirectional and
ceiver sensitivity, the received signals can be decoded. have a peak gain of approximately 3 dBi. Transparent
Additionally, link budgets can be used to calculate the antennas are typically planar and thus inherently om-
bit error rates (BER) of wireless technologies, such as nidirectional, with a low peak gain. To increase the link
NB-IoT. This is done by calculating the Energy Spectral margin in the link budget, this gain could be increased
Density or SNR b NEb0 l and estimating the system noise. by adding additional satcom antennas, thus creating a
Figure 6 shows the SNR versus BER for some represen- distributed antenna system (DAS). Signals from satcom
tative modulation schemes. satellites are circularly polarized, while the transparent
Taoglas has undertaken a research project in collab- antennas are linear.
oration with the European Space Agency. This project A DAS is a network of antennas spaced within a par-
involves designing an array of antennas to increase gain ticular area and connected to a common source. It was
and enable beamforming and beam steering to provide initially envisioned to replace a single high-power an-

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tenna with several low-power antennas. This allowed antennas can be attached to the windows of homes,
for improved reliability and less total power required offices and shopping malls, offering connectivity with-
due to the more localized coverage area. Generally, out compromising aesthetics. Antenna placement on
DAS is intended to provide coverage to several areas windows with cable connections to routers hidden in
independently, such as in a building. Typical use cases the walls can improve a building’s aesthetic and ensure
for DAS are to deliver cellular, Wi-Fi or emergency ser- a seamless connection. Devices like EV chargers and
vice coverage, indoors or outdoors, to hotels, subways, parking meters can benefit from the on-screen place-
airports, hospitals, businesses or roadway tunnels.2 ment of transparent antennas, where traditional exter-
Vehicle-DAS (vDAS) involves locating antennas nal antennas would be visible and intrusive.
around the vehicle to increase the effectiveness of the
DAS. Typically, several antenna technologies exist in THE FUTURE OF ANTENNAS IS CLEAR
modern vehicles. These include GNSS for navigation Antennas are often overlooked, yet they are the un-
and timing, 5G MIMO arrays, vehicle-to-everything sung heroes that enable seamless communication. Tra-
antennas, AM/FM/DAB antennas and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi ditional antennas can be bulky and disrupt the aesthetic
antennas for connecting devices. appeal of many devices or require complex installations,
The compatibility of transparent antennas with a such as permanently drilling into a vehicle’s roof. Trans-
DAS depends on their physical integration into the sys- parent antennas represent a significant breakthrough
tem, their transparency requirements and the overall RF and offer a unique alternative. As this technology con-
technical specifications. Since there is a trade-off be- tinues to advance and evolve, there will undoubtedly
tween RF performance and transparency, an antenna be more applications for transparent antennas, shaping
with the required RF performance may not be transpar- the future of covert connectivity.
ent enough. Increasing the number of antennas in the
DAS while increasing the transparency may alleviate this References
problem. Theoretically, transparent antennas should be 1. “Auto Glass,” AutomotiveConcepts.com, Web: http://www.
automotiveconceptsmd.com/files/automotiveconcepts/wp-con-
able to be integrated into a DAS just like any other an- tent/uploads/Auto-Glass-21093.jpg.
tenna, provided they have an appropriate connector. 2. “What is a Distributed Antenna System (DAS)?,” L-Com, Web:
Feasibility studies into this application are ongoing. https://www.l-com.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-a-
Other applications include smart buildings and in- distributed-antenna-system-das?srsltid=AfmBOopR6yr95Lth16B
w4EQ8cVtyYmQTwjz29mqLWZ_eRy6RAtz33bwg.
dustrial applications. In these applications, transparent

30 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 OCTAVE BAND LOW NOISE AMPLIFIERS
Model No. Freq (GHz) Gain (dB) MIN Noise Figure (dB) Power -out @ P1-dB 3rd Order ICP VSWR
CA01-2110 0.5-1.0 28 1.0 MAX, 0.7 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA12-2110 1.0-2.0 30 1.0 MAX, 0.7 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA24-2111 2.0-4.0 29 1.1 MAX, 0.95 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA48-2111 4.0-8.0 29 1.3 MAX, 1.0 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA812-3111 8.0-12.0 27 1.6 MAX, 1.4 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA1218-4111 12.0-18.0 25 1.9 MAX, 1.7 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA1826-2110 18.0-26.5 32 3.0 MAX, 2.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
NARROW BAND LOW NOISE AND MEDIUM POWER AMPLIFIERS
CA01-2111 0.4 - 0.5 28 0.6 MAX, 0.4 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA01-2113 0.8 - 1.0 28 0.6 MAX, 0.4 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA12-3117 1.2 - 1.6 25 0.6 MAX, 0.4 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA23-3111 2.2 - 2.4 30 0.6 MAX, 0.45 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA23-3116 2.7 - 2.9 29 0.7 MAX, 0.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA34-2110 3.7 - 4.2 28 1.0 MAX, 0.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA56-3110 5.4 - 5.9 40 1.0 MAX, 0.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA78-4110 7.25 - 7.75 32 1.2 MAX, 1.0 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA910-3110 9.0 - 10.6 25 1.4 MAX, 1.2 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA1315-3110 13.75 - 15.4 25 1.6 MAX, 1.4 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA12-3114 1.35 - 1.85 30 4.0 MAX, 3.0 TYP +33 MIN +41 dBm 2.0:1
CA34-6116 3.1 - 3.5 40 4.5 MAX, 3.5 TYP +35 MIN +43 dBm 2.0:1
CA56-5114 5.9 - 6.4 30 5.0 MAX, 4.0 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA812-6115 8.0 - 12.0 30 4.5 MAX, 3.5 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA812-6116 8.0 - 12.0 30 5.0 MAX, 4.0 TYP +33 MIN +41 dBm 2.0:1
CA1213-7110 12.2 - 13.25 28 6.0 MAX, 5.5 TYP +33 MIN +42 dBm 2.0:1
CA1415-7110 14.0 - 15.0 30 5.0 MAX, 4.0 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA1722-4110 17.0 - 22.0 25 3.5 MAX, 2.8 TYP +21 MIN +31 dBm 2.0:1
ULTRA-BROADBAND & MULTI-OCTAVE BAND AMPLIFIERS
Model No. Freq (GHz) Gain (dB) MIN Noise Figure (dB) Power -out @ P1-dB 3rd Order ICP VSWR
CA0102-3111 0.1-2.0 28 1.6 Max, 1.2 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA0106-3111 0.1-6.0 28 1.9 Max, 1.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA0108-3110 0.1-8.0 26 2.2 Max, 1.8 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA0108-4112 0.1-8.0 32 3.0 MAX, 1.8 TYP +22 MIN +32 dBm 2.0:1
CA02-3112 0.5-2.0 36 4.5 MAX, 2.5 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA26-3110 2.0-6.0 26 2.0 MAX, 1.5 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA26-4114 2.0-6.0 22 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA618-4112 6.0-18.0 25 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +23 MIN +33 dBm 2.0:1
CA618-6114 6.0-18.0 35 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +30 MIN +40 dBm 2.0:1
CA218-4116 2.0-18.0 30 3.5 MAX, 2.8 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA218-4110 2.0-18.0 30 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +20 MIN +30 dBm 2.0:1
CA218-4112 2.0-18.0 29 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +24 MIN +34 dBm 2.0:1
LIMITING AMPLIFIERS
Model No. Freq (GHz) Input Dynamic Range Output Power Range Psat Power Flatness dB VSWR
CLA24-4001 2.0 - 4.0 -28 to +10 dBm +7 to +11 dBm +/- 1.5 MAX 2.0:1
CLA26-8001 2.0 - 6.0 -50 to +20 dBm +14 to +18 dBm +/- 1.5 MAX 2.0:1
CLA712-5001 7.0 - 12.4 -21 to +10 dBm +14 to +19 dBm +/- 1.5 MAX 2.0:1
CLA618-1201 6.0 - 18.0 -50 to +20 dBm +14 to +19 dBm +/- 1.5 MAX 2.0:1
AMPLIFIERS WITH INTEGRATED GAIN ATTENUATION
Model No. Freq (GHz) Gain (dB) MIN Noise Figure (dB) Power -out @ P1-dB Gain Attenuation Range VSWR
CA001-2511A 0.025-0.150 21 5.0 MAX, 3.5 TYP +12 MIN 30 dB MIN 2.0:1
CA05-3110A 0.5-5.5 23 2.5 MAX, 1.5 TYP +18 MIN 20 dB MIN 2.0:1
CA56-3110A 5.85-6.425 28 2.5 MAX, 1.5 TYP +16 MIN 22 dB MIN 1.8:1
CA612-4110A 6.0-12.0 24 2.5 MAX, 1.5 TYP +12 MIN 15 dB MIN 1.9:1
CA1315-4110A 13.75-15.4 25 2.2 MAX, 1.6 TYP +16 MIN 20 dB MIN 1.8:1
CA1518-4110A 15.0-18.0 30 3.0 MAX, 2.0 TYP +18 MIN 20 dB MIN 1.85:1
LOW FREQUENCY AMPLIFIERS
Model No. Freq (GHz) Gain (dB) MIN Noise Figure dB Power -out @ P1-dB 3rd Order ICP VSWR
CA001-2110 0.01-0.10 18 4.0 MAX, 2.2 TYP +10 MIN +20 dBm 2.0:1
CA001-2211 0.04-0.15 24 3.5 MAX, 2.2 TYP +13 MIN +23 dBm 2.0:1
CA001-2215 0.04-0.15 23 4.0 MAX, 2.2 TYP +23 MIN +33 dBm 2.0:1
CA001-3113 0.01-1.0 28 4.0 MAX, 2.8 TYP +17 MIN +27 dBm 2.0:1
CA002-3114 0.01-2.0 27 4.0 MAX, 2.8 TYP +20 MIN +30 dBm 2.0:1
CA003-3116 0.01-3.0 18 4.0 MAX, 2.8 TYP +25 MIN +35 dBm 2.0:1
CA004-3112 0.01-4.0 32 4.0 MAX, 2.8 TYP +15 MIN +25 dBm 2.0:1
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 DefenseNews
Cliff Drubin, Associate Technical Editor

DARPA Exploring Ways to Assess Ethics for Technology Research Center; SAAB, Inc.; Systems &
Technology Research, LLC; and the University of New
Autonomous Weapons South Wales.

T
ASIMOV performers are developing prototype gen-
he Autonomy Standards and Ideals with Mili- erative modeling environments to rapidly explore sce-
tary Operational Values (ASIMOV) program nario iterations and variability across a spectrum of in-
aims to develop benchmarks to objectively creasing ethical difficulties. ASIMOV aims to build the
and quantitatively measure the ethical difficulty of future foundation for defining the benchmark with, which fu-
autonomy use cases and readiness of autonomous sys- ture autonomous systems may be evaluated.
tems to perform in those use cases within the context of ASIMOV is designed to help inform a national and
military operational values. DARPA has awarded seven global conversation. The work being done will be pub-
contracts to an array of research performers, each explor- lic and the tools that will eventually be developed are
ing a different approach to addressing this challenge. intended to be open to the world for testing and uti-
ASIMOV is attempting to tackle one of the chief con- lization.
cerns of its namesake, author Isaac Asimov: the ability
of autonomous systems to follow human ethical norms.
Asimov was a writer (and scientist) deeply concerned
with exploring the unintended consequences of tech-
Lockheed Martin and MDA Demonstrate
nology. He is famous for the “Three Laws of Robotics,” Capability for Defending Guam with
introduced in 1942, which outline a simple, foundation- Successful Flight Test
al ethic for robots. Much of his fiction explores the limi-
tations and edge cases which effectively “break” the
intentions of those laws, often with disastrous conse-

Striving to create the

quences for humans.
The challenges and
opportunities Asimov
predicted in his writing
I n December, Lockheed Martin and the Mis-
sile Defense Agency (MDA), in support of
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Depart-
ment of Defense (DOD), successfully completed Flight
Experiment Mission (FEM)-02. Completion of FEM-02
ethical autonomy remain poignant today. demonstrates significant regional capability with a live
The rapid development exo-atmospheric intercept of a medium-range ballistic
common language. and impending ubiq- missile (MRBM) target using the Aegis Guam System
uity of autonomy and (AGS) from the island of Guam.
AI technologies across “In partnership with the MDA, Lockheed Martin went
both civilian and military applications require a robust from contract award to intercept flight test in less than
and quantitative framework to measure and evaluate two years. This rapid integration of capabilities to dem-
not only the technical but, perhaps more importantly, onstrate the defense of Guam was enabled by lever-
the ethical ability of autonomous systems to follow hu- aging proven systems and Lockheed Martin’s systems
man expectations. ASIMOV is tackling this challenge engineering, production and test excellence,” said Paul
through the development and virtual demonstration of Lemmo, vice president and general manager of Inte-
quantitative autonomy benchmarks. grated Warfare Systems & Sensors at Lockheed Martin.
“We don’t know if what we’re trying to do is even pos- “Lockheed Martin is fully committed to providing 21st
sible, but we know evaluating the ability of autonomous Century Security solutions for Guam.”
weapons systems to comply with human ethical norms is AGS, integrated with the AN/TPY-6 Radar, Vertical
a conversation we have to have — the sooner, the bet- Launching System (VLS) and Standard Missile, could
ter,” says program manager Dr. T. J. Klausutis. “What aid with pacing the Indo-Pacific threats and expanding
we’re doing is wildly aspirational. Through ASIMOV, joint all-domain operations for Guam and the region.
DARPA intends to lead the national conversation around The FEM-02 test took place from Andersen AFB in
the ethics of autonomous weapons systems.” Guam and demonstrated the defense of Guam against
The ASIMOV program is striving to create the ethical an air-launched MRBM. AGS was successful in acquir-
autonomy common language to enable the develop- ing and tracking the tar-
mental testing/operational testing (DT/OT) community get using the AN/TPY-6
to meaningfully evaluate the ethical difficulty of specific radar, planning and
military scenarios and the ability of autonomous sys- conducting the missile
tems to perform ethically within those scenarios. engagement using the
The seven performers on contract for ASIMOV are Aegis system, launch-
exploring multiple theoretical frameworks, as well as ing the interceptor from
quantifiability and safety and assurance. The perform- the VLS on Guam and
ers are CoVar, LLC; Kitware, Inc.; Lockheed Martin; RTX FEM-02_TPY-6 (Source: MDA) intercepting the target

For More Visit mwjournal.com for more defense news.

Information

MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 33

DefenseNews

over the broad ocean area. be deployable on mili-

This test provided DOD a better understanding of the tary operations in the
missile defense system’s ability to counter threats in a re- next five years.
alistic environment and the preliminary analysis indicates The applications of
a significant step forward in the MDA’s efforts to protect quantum clocks ex-
the U.S. and its allies from emerging missile threats. tend beyond precision
timekeeping. Further
improvement to GPS
Atomic Clock (Source: Ministry of accuracy could trans-
Revolutionary UK-Built Atomic Clock Will Defence (U.K.)) form global navigation
Make Military Operations More Secure systems, aiding in ev-
erything from satellite communication to aircraft navi-
Through Quantum Technology gation.

M
Further research will see the technology decrease in
ilitary personnel will use groundbreaking size to allow mass manufacturing and miniaturization,
quantum technology to conduct more se- unlocking a wide range of applications such as use by
cure and precise operations, thanks to a new military vehicles and aircraft.
high-tech atomic clock developed at the top-secret De- Improved clocks, such as this atomic device, will al-
fence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). The low the Ministry of Defence to further support current
quantum clock will be a leap forward in improving intel- and future capabilities.
ligence, surveillance and reconnaissance by decreasing The trial involved key partners, including Infleqtion
reliance on GPS technology, which can be disrupted (U.K.), Aquark Technologies, HCD Research and Impe-
and blocked by adversaries. rial College London, as well as in-house technology de-
The clock’s precision is so refined that it will lose less veloped at Dstl’s quantum laboratory. These prototype
than one second over billions of years, allowing scien- frequency standards were tested in collaboration with
tists to measure time at an unprecedented scale. It is the Royal Navy’s Office of the Chief Technical Officer
the first device of its kind to be built in the U.K. and will and the Army Futures team at the BattleLab.

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 CommercialMarket
Cliff Drubin, Associate Technical Editor

Over 480 Orbital Launches and 43,000 communications networks, emphasizing its pivotal role
in advancing efficiency, scalability and innovation across
Active Satellites Expected by 2032 the evolving 5G landscape.

T he space industry is transforming rapidly as

new reusable rockets and low Earth orbit
(LEO) mega-constellations (1,000+ satellites)
enter the commercial space market. These LEO sys-
tems are quickly becoming the mainstay satellite option
“AI is transforming cellular networks by enabling dy-
namic, agile decision-making and adaptive operations
to address the growing complexity of 5G systems while
laying the foundation for beyond 5G and 6G technolo-
gies,” said Dr. Christina Chaccour, emerging network
tech and AI manager at Ericsson and co-leader of the
for their ability to support low latency and high through- working group.
put network applications and extend terrestrial network The white paper is the first in a series of 5G Americas
coverage. As of 2024, there are over 14,000 satellites white papers focused specifically on AI in the wireless
in orbit, with more than 10,400 actively functioning. Of cellular industry. It highlights critical developments and
these active satellites, over 93 percent are in LEO. The opportunities for AI integration, focusing on enhancing
rise of mega-constellations from the U.S., China and network reliability, optimizing resource utilization and
Europe have become significant drivers in the expan- fostering innovation. As networks transition from 5G
sion of satellite connectivity for the global telecommu- Advanced to beyond 5G and 6G, AI is poised to under-
nications sector, which, according to a new report from pin next-generation services and infrastructure.
ABI Research, will culminate in an annual orbital launch Key Insights from the white paper:
cadence of over 480 launches to support over 43,000 • Layered Analysis: AI enhances network perfor-
active satellites in orbit by 2032. mance at every layer, from optimizing signal qual-
SpaceX and its Starlink network have deployed roughly ity and spectral efficiency in the physical layer (L1)
7,000 satellites in LEO. It is the largest mega-constella- to enabling advanced mobility management and
tion, followed by Eutelsat Oneweb and emerging LEO dynamic resource allocation in data link (L2) and
operators such as Amazon Project Kuiper and Telesat network (L3) layers. Use cases like beamforming
Lightspeed. China is on the rise as a new space tech su- optimization and cross-layer processes, such as life
perpower, with the announcement and launch of several cycle management, are driving transformative effi-
LEO mega-constellations by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite ciencies.
Technology/Spacesail (14,000 satellites), Shanghai Lanjian • Cross-Layer Processes: AI facilitate send-to-end net-
Hongqing Technology (10,000 satellites) and China Satel- work optimization, including intent-driven network-
lite Network Group Ltd. (Guowang to 13,000 satellites). ing and lifecycle management, ensuring a cohesive
“The market is seeing an increased focus on de- and efficient telecommunications ecosystem.
ployments in LEO particularly for communications and • RAN Innovations: AI enhances Radio Access Net-
emerging markets. While satellites with communication works (RAN), including applications in Open RAN
payloads will continue to be dominant in satellite net- architectures that leverage RAN intelligent control-
works up to 2032 (at 88 percent of the market), Earth lers for network programmability and resource op-
observation satellites, signals intelligence and technol- timization.
ogy and training satellites are expected to grow sig- • Generative AI in Telecom: The white paper high-
nificantly throughout the forecast period at an average lights how generative AI is redefining telecommu-
compound annual growth rate of 15 percent. This will be nications by enabling innovations such as intent
driven by demand for greater Earth and space situational prediction, synthetic data generation and dynamic
awareness and synergies with AI, machine learning and customer interaction. Advanced use cases include
machine vision. Therefore, we anticipate that satellite OSS/BSS automation, troubleshooting and seman-
design will continue to support more edge computing, tic communication for more efficient data transmis-
software-defined and regenerative architectures as cus- sion.
tomers seek a total space solution that can handle more • Responsible AI: The paper underscores the impor-
diverse and complex applications,” said Andrew Cava- tance of trustworthy practices, emphasizing trans-
lier, space tech senior analyst at ABI Research. parency, explainability and privacy in AI deploy-
ment. It advocates for robust monitoring systems,
bias mitigation and ethical design principles to en-
5G Americas Publishes Comprehensive sure AI-driven networks maintain public trust and
operational reliability.
Insights on AI’s Role in Cellular Networks As the telecom industry gears up for the challeng-

A new 5G Americas white paper titled “Artificial

Intelligence in Cellular Networks” has been
released. This document dives into the trans-
formative potential of AI/machine learning across tele-
For More
es of 6G, “Artificial Intelligence in Cellular Networks”
provides a roadmap for integrating AI into telecom in-
frastructure. It offers actionable insights for operators,
manufacturers and technologists to navigate the evolv-

Information Visit mwjournal.com for more commercial market news.

MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 37

CommercialMarket
ing landscape of cellular networks. other IoT technologies,”
explained Andrew Zig-
nani, senior research di- Offers robust, long-
Over 100 M Wi-Fi HaLow Devices to Arrive rector at ABI Research. range connectivity
There are several
on the Market by 2029 other additional benefits with low power

A
driving Wi-Fi HaLow’s
ccording to global technology intelligence adoption. With sup- consumption.
firm ABI Research, Wi-Fi HaLow technology, port for multiple chan-
the sub-1 GHz extension of Wi-Fi, is poised nel bandwidths, Wi-Fi
to transform the IoT market with its adoption expected HaLow can enable both large-scale sensor networks
to surge from several million Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled de- with more limited throughput requirements in addi-
vices in 2024 to over 100 million by 2029. This dramatic tion to indoor and outdoor video surveillance appli-
growth is driven by its ability to address key connectivi- cations, which require significantly higher data rates
ty challenges in various industries including smart home of up to tens of Mbps. With low power consumption,
automation, smart building management, connected devices can operate for months or years without fre-
agriculture, industrial IoT and beyond. quent battery replacements, essential for smart homes
“Wi-Fi HaLow offers robust, long-range connectivity and industrial applications. Additionally, by leveraging
with low power consumption, making it an ideal solution unlicensed spectrum like conventional Wi-Fi, it reduces
for whole home, building, facility or neighborhood level TCO through the avoidance of additional subscription,
IoT applications requiring reliable, scalable wireless de- network operation or traffic charges, which can be cost
ployments. By operating in the sub-1 GHz spectrum, prohibitive in deployments of thousands of client de-
Wi-Fi HaLow provides enhanced signal penetration, en- vices. By supporting IP natively, Wi-Fi HaLow can re-
abling operation of beyond 1 km in certain configura- duce any potential network architecture, setup and de-
tions, and up to 10x longer range compared to 2.4 GHz vice management challenges. Finally, Wi-Fi HaLow can
Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, it can support thousands of devices help reduce the burden on congested Wi-Fi frequency
from a single access point, reducing deployment com- bands, enhancing network performance.
plexity and total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to

38 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 power consumption, and retrofit existing infrastructure,
Around the Circuit unlocking new economic opportunities for telecom-
Barbara Walsh, Multimedia Staff Editor munications companies with AI, facilitated by 5G and
6G networks. In joining the alliance, SynaXG will col-
laborate with founding members Arm, DeepSig Inc.,
COLLABORATIONS Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia,
Quantic Wenzel, a business of Quantic Electronics and Northeastern University, NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics,
an industry leader in mission-critical frequency control SoftBank, T-Mobile USA and the University of Tokyo, as
and timing solutions, has partnered with the Austra- well as other alliance members.
lian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for
Engineered Quantum Systems to explore the effects CONTRACTS
of cosmic rays on quartz crystal oscillators. Research
will take place at Australia’s deep-underground Cryo- Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded a $590
genic Experimental Laboratory for Low-background million follow-on production contract from the U.S.
Australian Research (CELLAR) in Victoria’s Stawell Un- Navy for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-
derground Physics Laboratory, an ideal environment to MB) system. NGJ-MB is a cooperative development and
examine how cosmic rays influence quartz crystal os- production program with the Royal Australian Air Force
cillator phase noise and performance. Funded by the (RAAF). The contract includes delivery of shipsets, sup-
ARC’s LIEF scheme, CELLAR’s unique setup shields ex- port equipment, spares and non-recurring engineering
periments from cosmic radiation, enabling conditions support. The U.S. Navy and RAAF will employ NGJ-MB
to study noise limitations in quartz crystal oscillators. on the EA-18G GROWLER® to target advanced radar
threats, communications, data links and non-tradition-
Soitec, a leader in the design and manufacture of in- al RF threats. The system reduces adversary targeting
novative semiconductor materials, announced the ranges, disrupts adversary kill chains and supports ki-
continuation of its research collaboration with the Mi- netic weapons to target. NGJ-MB allows naval crews to
crosystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) of the operate effectively at extended ranges and attack mul-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), fur- tiple targets simultaneously with advanced techniques.
ther solidifying its presence in the North American
semiconductor sector. This initiative aims to diversify Anduril has been awarded a $200 million, five-year
technological collaborations and anticipate the future indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by the
needs of the industry. In the U.S., Soitec is intensifying U.S. Marine Corps to develop and deliver a counter-
its efforts amidst favorable industrial and regulatory unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) engagement system
dynamics supporting semiconductor development. In (CES) for the Marine Air Defense Integrated System
this respect, MIT plays a key role through its MTL, in (MADIS). The MADIS CES Program of Record will pro-
which Soitec is now a member of the Industrial Advisory vide cutting-edge, expeditionary C-UAS capabilities to
Board, which actively contributes to defining strategic protect the Marine Air Ground Task Force from evolving
research directions in microelectronics. air threats. The MADIS CES is part of a block upgrade
program for the Marine Corps’ major expeditionary
As part of its ongoing initiative to provide innovative counter-drone system, designed to enhance lethality
systems solutions for industrial and smart home energy and ensure Marines are equipped with the latest C-UAS
management, NXP Semiconductors announced that technology to defend against rapidly evolving threats.
its continued strategic collaboration with geo (Green
Energy Options Ltd.), the leading provider of residen- The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agen-
tial energy management solutions, enabled the launch cy (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™
of geo’s SeeZero home energy management system research and development organization a $12 million
(HEMS), a revolutionary MatterTM-certified HEMS and contract as part of the High Operational Temperature
one of the first HEMS designed to support true mass Sensors program. Many critical defense and industrial
market deployment. This collaboration leverages geo’s systems, such as hypersonic aircraft and missiles, au-
deep experience in energy management and NXP’s tomotive, jet engine turbine and oil-and-gas systems,
intelligent system solutions for Matter, which integrate operate in extreme temperature conditions. Current
the key building blocks of both software and hardware sensors have limited performance as they cannot oper-
for connectivity, processing and security, allowing the ate in temperatures higher than 225°C. Their capabil-
companies to pioneer this solution. ity is limited by the materials that comprise the sensors
themselves, the accompanying circuitry (e.g., silicon-
SynaXG, a leading provider of AI-RAN solutions, an- based transistor technology) and packaging.
nounced its membership in the AI-RAN Alliance, a
collaborative initiative aimed at integrating AI into Forsway, provider of cost-efficient hybrid satellite terres-
cellular technology to advance radio access network trial solutions and equipment for broadband connectiv-
(RAN) technology and mobile networks. The alliance’s ity, secured a major development funding contract from
mission is to enhance mobile network efficiency, reduce the European Space Agency with support from the

For More
Information For up-to-date news briefs, visit mwjournal.com

40 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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 Around the Circuit
:51DUURZEDQG Swedish National Space Agency. In the new project,

%DQGVWRS)LOWHU Xtend 5G, Forsway will build a next-generation 5G NTN

two-way/hybrid satellite connectivity system enabling
the combined use of satellite and ground infrastructure
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network. Xtend 5G will provide European government,
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sectors with seamless connectivity anywhere, anytime, in
an open or closed network and with full system control.

PEOPLE
Qualcomm Incorporated announced
the appointment of Dr. Baaziz
Achour to the role of chief technolo-
gy officer (CTO), Qualcomm Technol-
ogies, Inc., and the retirement of Dr.
James Thompson, both effective
S Dr. Baaziz Achour February 3, 2025. Dr. Achour first
joined Qualcomm as a systems engi-
([FHHG0LFURZDYH neer in 1993. Over the course of his
GHVLJQVDQGSURGXFHV 'HVLJQHGDQG0DQXIDFWXUHGLQ86$ tenure with Qualcomm, Dr. Achour has held several
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Ζ7$55HJLVWHUHG most recently as deputy CTO since 2023, and has been
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essential in contributing to nearly every generation of
wireless technology. He was a key part of the leadership
&RQWDFW([FHHG0LFURZDYH
  
  
team that enabled the accelerated launch of 5G and
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will lead the evolution of cellular to 6G.

Indium Corpora-
tion® announced
the advancement of
two executives to
top posts in the cor-
poration. Former
CEO Greg Evans
now serves as exec-
S Greg Evans S Ross Berntson utive chair of the
board of directors.
Ross Berntson has been appointed CEO and contin-
ues as president. As executive chair, Evans provides
guidance to the organization, facilitating a constructive
and collaborative agenda that supports the CEO’s lead-
ership. As president and CEO, Berntson is responsible
for the overall strategic direction and key decision-mak-
ing that impacts the company’s future.

Global electronic test and measure-

ment equipment specialist Electro
Rent has appointed Alan Mayer as its
chief revenue officer to spearhead the
company’s growth plans. Mayer joins
Electro Rent with extensive global
customer experience across multiple
segments and verticals in technology
S Alan Mayer companies, from startups to the
Global 500, in both corporate and
public sectors. Mayer brings 22 years of experience at
Dell, where he led sales, services and customer success
teams to champion the evolving needs of customers
across the business.

42 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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MWJPerspective

Tower Opportunities and Key

Questions for the 6G Evolution
Ed Knapp
American Tower Corporation, Boston, Mass.

A
s 5G networks are still work operating in sub-THz bands tower business. High-powered,
rolling out around the should be able to provide down- dedicated spectrum is the key and
world, the telecommu- load speeds that allow upwards of with future 6G frequencies in the 7
nications industry is al- 1 Tbps, which is about 100x faster to 15 GHz and sub-THz bands, op-
ready looking toward the future. 5G than 5G. The enhanced capabilities portunities for new RF platforms
brought improvements in connec- of 6G will enable seamless integra- will open up opportunities for inno-
tivity with faster download speeds, tion of various technologies, such vative technology, radio develop-
lower latency and enhanced net- as communications and sensing, as ment and testing services to opti-
work reliability. With well as expansive use of AI and ma- mize radio placement.
6G, these capa- chine learning for network opti- Spectrum is expensive, so once
bilities will be mization. Figure 1 shows how these new radios are deployed,
even greater wireless infrastructure evolves how do we get more bits per sec-
and meet the with each technology cycle, ond per hertz over their lifecycle?
ever-growing along with the role that tow- Increasing efficiency and lower-
demand for ers play in these networks. ing the cost per bit is where the
connectivity, In the wireless infrastruc- technology roadmap comes into
which now ture business, we look at play. Many cellular technology
stands at a each network generation companies and start-ups create
25 percent cycle through the lens of technologies that become site up-
compound three advancements: spec- grades. For a tower company, our
annual growth trum, technology and site den- customers are continuously adding
rate, effectively sification. to and upgrading existing radios,
doubling every The cycle of each generation enabling more capacity at both the
three years. starts with spectrum, as new spec- site and system level.
A future trum coming onto the market Finally, densifying the infrastruc-
6G net- means new opportu- ture is an important component of
nities for the increasing capacity at the end of a
generation cycle.
To see how the role of towers
has evolved in the wireless eco-
system, we can look back to 4G.
As an early innovator in the tower
space, American Tower purchased
and deployed new towers, en-
abling a cost-efficient, neutral-host
model in which the towers could
44 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
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 MWJPerspective

 Fig. 1 Wireless infrastructure evolution.

 Fig. 2 Evolution of macro tower sites to 6G.

be shared by customers. The early the availability of spectrum and

low-band spectrum, below 2 GHz, device electronics for higher fre-
made pedestrian and mobility ser- quencies such as 3GPP’s frequency
vices in urban, suburban and rural range 2 (FR2) (24 to 71 GHz) and
areas accessible. Mobile phones 6G FR3 (7 to 24 GHz) and even sub-
were less of a luxury as we moved THz? How can we leverage 6G on
to 4G and smartphones began to existing towers for the mainstream
emerge. The introduction of 5G rollout of population coverage and
technology, coupled with massive potentially integrated backhaul?
MIMO, allowed the use of new mo- One may also consider the local
bile spectrum at 3 GHz mid-band area potential of device-to-device
and 28 GHz mmWave. Services or V2X sidelink in connection with
were quickly extended to fixed reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.
wireless access (FWA) and future These can expand access to data-
5G standards will expand cover- driven intelligent IoT services in cit-
age using non-terrestrial networks ies. How do all these radio technol-
such as high-altitude platforms and ogies play together cost-effectively
LEO satellites. Some of these capa- and how do we enable future wire-
bilities still have a way to go before less infrastructure that will be even
reaching the global marketplace, more resilient and more reliable?
but we will soon see them become Infrastructure investments are
fully realized. important to do most economically
We might ask, what type of infra- and we can see how critical these
structure, as shown in Figure 1, will investments are when we look at
we need in the future to maximize the infrastructure evolution over

46 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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 MWJPerspective
Hi-Rel Connectors
for Mission-Critical Resilient 6G Edge – Tower Mesh
&^KĂŶĚ^Ƶďd,nj^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚDĞƐŚZŝŶŐǁŝƚŚ^ŚĂƌĞĚ>Žǁ>ĂƚĞŶĐLJĚŐĞ
Applications ZĞƐŝůŝĞŶĐLJ
WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞĚŐĞ

Resilient and Latency

Sensitive Traffic

6G Backhaul
MNO B
6G NB + Mesh
MNO B

6G Backhaul

Edge Backhaul
Backhaul

vRAN Hub ORU/DU/CUs + Mesh

Mid-haul
Mid-
Mid
All MNOs
Rooftop ORU VRAN DU Multi-MNO
Multi-
Multi MNO MEC Hub
MNO A 6G Backhaul APIs @ Edge/RIC

Cloud on Ramps

MNO A Front-haul
Front-
Front

Urban vRAN Hub ODU + OCU

6G ORU + vCSR + Mesh + Mesh MNOs
MNO C

i Fig. 3 Resilient edge networks.

time, as shown in Figure 2. With tional splits between the tower, the
4G deployments, we introduced base of the tower and the network
OFDMA with two- and four-layer, will depend on the trend to stan-
Maximal single-user MIMO and fiber-fed dardize AI models for single-ended
Performance remote tower-top radio heads. De- or end-to-end (device-to-network)
& Reliability cades ago, placing active radios at and potentially new waveforms like
for Military & Spaceflight the top of towers was difficult, but orthogonal time frequency space
now, it is a common practice. We modulation.
Meets MIL/Space Performance replaced shelters hosting base- The range of capabilities we can
Specifications band equipment and radios with enable on existing towers is criti-
outdoor cabinets. In parallel, the cal to the 6G operator economics.
Miniaturized Solutions for Lower backhaul started to improve with Can we get 80 percent or more of
Weight/Size the use of more and more fiber. the coverage from these higher
Materials Traceability & Single With 5G, cellular operators moved mid-band frequencies to augment
Lot Control to support massive MIMO with ac- and extend what we do today with
Satisfies ESA/NASA Outgassing tive beamforming in the mid-band 5G at mid-band? Fixed wireless is
Requirements spectrum to leverage the large ex- increasingly a big part of the suc-
isting base of 4G macro towers. cess of 5G, so how can we improve
Lowest VSWR, Insertion Loss & Smaller cells were required with these services with 6G? Finally,
RF Leakage the early availability of mmWave, one can envision existing towers
but this technology was limited to with sub-THz radios for backhaul,
providing better access in places FWA and sensing. Short, high
like stadiums, some FWA and other bandwidth links open up the pos-
limited hotspot environments to sibility to leverage our increasingly
enhance the user experience. denser networks to enable a tower-
6G networks, when deployed to-tower mesh, as shown in Figure
using 3GPP Release 21 in 2029 and 3. Can the higher FR2 bands and
See us at Booth 1139 beyond, will require new radios op- beyond provide reliable links with
erating on the same infrastructure larger bandwidths, bringing us new
March 11 – 13, 2025
with even higher mid-band and capabilities to allow sensing of the
Washington, D.C.
potentially sub-THz frequencies. It environment around a tower for
will drive another round of tower detection and control of drones
investment for new radio antennas, and other mobile platforms? Does
power amplifiers, filters and digital wireless connectivity as an overlay
front-end radio processing. Infra- to fiber backhaul networks improve
structure improvements to support overall resiliency for mission-critical
legacy bands with 6G will require applications?
antenna upgrades and more ad- In the wireless access world that
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 MWJPerspective
core platforms for interconnection enables faster decision-making.
to the Internet and other telco net- This will be important while using
works, as shown in Figure 3. How- machine-to-machine applications
ever, when looking at the future for which real-time data process-
of enabling 6G edge applications ing is critical, such as autonomous
from an API platform perspective, vehicles, drones, electric vertical
very few independent software de- take-off and landing aircraft and
velopers will write a latency-sensi- real-time video and sensing to im-
tive multi-access edge computing prove safety in smart cities.
(MEC) application that uniquely The future need for orchestrat-
leverages only one access network ing a service employing specific
or results in vastly differing perfor- AI agents, after moving from train-
mance across users due to varying ing to inferencing, will be spread
routing and hops across multiple throughout the infrastructure, from
access networks. Developers need hyperscale data centers to devices.
consistency for the system to scale, We need the AI orchestrator to
or they fall back to common solu- piece together what workloads to
tions. High performance edge ap- run in which location. If you are try-
plications need to run in localized ing to talk to a device that is not a
neutral-host locations. smartphone but another input de-
Application developer reve- vice to “help solve this problem,” is
nues are maximized when they cut there a visual component? Is there
across a fully converged set of wire- an uplink challenge? How do I pro-
line and wireless access networks cess this?
by operating in neutral colocation At American Tower, we are fo-
data centers. The challenge for cused on leveraging our assets to
the industry is the need to invest answer those questions. We are
in the data center infrastructure in working on a MW scale modular
advance to support future low la- aggregation edge data center in
tency mission-critical or real-time Raleigh, N.C., with partners. We
inferencing applications. Perfor- also seek to repurpose our older
mance dictates the need to peer shelters and leverage them for lo-
or exchange access traffic horizon- cal workload processing and data
tally, east to west, not simply south access. The data today is not avail-
to north, to different processing lo- able at local sites, so we need to
cations by each operator. The traf- add the local breakout and evolve
fic routing problem is solved if we to where the user plane function
could put in a 6G-enabled wireless can deposit the traffic anywhere
mesh at the higher frequencies and across the edge continuum with
use all the tower infrastructure to specific intent and purpose.
create another layer of resiliency on Despite the challenges that 6G
top of the existing fiber network, will require, such as significant in-
not to replace but to augment vestment in infrastructure, includ-
with a deterministic latency bound ing new antenna systems and the
across multiple access networks for need for regulatory bodies to es-
a subset of the traffic. We can make tablish the allocation of frequen-
it both timely and cost-effective to cies to ensure network efficiency,
bring traffic uniquely to a multi- the future is bright. 6G will change
MNO MEC hub site (e.g., edge the landscape of communication,
aggregation site) and process ap- enabling faster, more reliable and
plications for all users that require more immersive connectivity than
low latency, such as workloads re- ever before. With advancements in
quiring an AI inferencing model or AI, traditional and new radio band
agent. communications, sensing and edge
Edge computing, where data computing, 6G will usher in an era
processing occurs close to the of connected technologies that will
source of data generation, goes enhance every aspect of our lives.
together with 6G. By reducing the 6G will open the door to greater
distance that data needs to travel digital and AI enterprise and con-
to be processed, edge computing sumer transformation in the com-
lowers the end-to-end latency and ing decades

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SpecialReport

Four Innovative Trends

Reshaping the Microwave
Radio Market
Emmy Johnson
Sky Light Research, Scottsdale, Ariz.

M
icrowave radios have long been Microwave radios are making great strides
a key component in transport- in energy efficiency by integrating genera-
ing mobile backhaul traffic be- tive AI into their offerings. Although creat-
tween towers and the central ing generative AI models is initially energy-
office. As wireless networks evolve, micro- intensive, it is hoped that the energy savings
wave radio development becomes a crucial achieved over time will outweigh the energy
enabler. Advancements in energy efficiency, required for their development. Generative
traffic management and capacity thresholds AI models have the power to transform the
are collectively moving the market forward operation and management of microwave
to meet the requirements of advanced 5G radios by optimizing network performance,
and 6G networks. predicting maintenance needs, enhanc-
ing energy processes and improving signal
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: A GOLD processing capabilities. These technologies
STANDARD enable operators to optimize resource utili-
Energy efficiency is a key metric for mo- zation, reduce operational costs and main-
bile networks, as energy sources are only tain high service quality. Deep sleep mode,
expected to be further strained. According in particular, represents a leap forward in
to research by Morgan Stanley,1 energy re- energy-saving potential, aligning well with
quirements for generative AI could grow by industry goals of greater efficiency and sus-
70 percent each year. By 2027, the energy tainability.
consumption of generative AI alone could Deep sleep mode is a power-saving fea-
match Spain’s total energy usage in 2022. ture in microwave radios designed to reduce
According to the Energy Information Ad- energy use during times of reduced network
ministration’s International Energy Outlook,2 demand. This capability is particularly use-
global energy consumption could increase ful in multi-carrier configurations, like 2+0
by 34 percent between 2022 and 2050. It or 4+0 configurations, where full capacity
is statistics like these, as well as increasing is not needed 24 hours a day. Using gen-
energy costs, that make energy efficiency erative AI-powered traffic-aware algorithms,
important in the minds of customers like mo- the system monitors traffic patterns specific
bile operators, enterprises and government to each link. By examining past trends and
agencies. current conditions, it identifies the best op-
52 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
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SpecialReport
portunities for activating deep sleep offers a more substantial reduction nation of AI-powered deep sleep
mode while avoiding any risk of in energy consumption, making it a functionality and traffic-aware out-
overloading the network. This ap- valuable tool for improving network put power adjustments for multi-
proach ensures that inactive carriers efficiency. carrier links resulted in energy sav-
are temporarily powered down only Ericsson’s MINI-LINK microwave ings of 20 percent over five years,
when it is operationally safe, de- radio is an interesting example of with negligible impact on user ex-
livering significant energy savings how deep sleep mode using AI can perience or service availability. This
without degrading service quality. save the operator money on energy. significant reduction in power con-
Compared to standard operational In a case study of a medium-sized sumption highlights the energy-sav-
states or lighter power-saving meth- network with 5,000 2+0 links, Erics- ing potential of AI-enhanced deep
ods, AI-powered deep sleep mode son demonstrated that the combi- sleep technology and its ability to
contribute to more environmen-
Energy Savings for Network Accumulated Energy Saving tally-friendly microwave networks.
Traffic-Aware Output Power Traffic-Aware Output Power
Fixed-Hour Deep Sleep with Traffic-Aware Output Power Fixed-Hour Deep Sleep with Traffic-Aware Output Power Figure 1 shows Ericsson’s energy
AI-Powered Deep Sleep with Traffic-Aware Output Power AI-Powered Deep Sleep with Traffic-Aware Output Power savings using no deep sleep, fixed
deep sleep and AI-powered deep
Energy Saving for Full Network (%)

25 12
sleep for the traffic-aware output

Assuming 5,000 Links (GWh)

Accumulated Energy Saving
20 10 power.
8
15 YOU CANNOT IMPROVE IT IF
6 YOU CANNOT MEASURE IT
10
4
Predictive maintenance is anoth-
er area where AI has made a signifi-
5 2 cant impact by providing hardware
0 0 degradation alerts and high-tem-
1 2 3 4 5 perature early warnings. This al-
Year lows for proactive management of
potential issues, preventing costly
i Fig. 1 Ericsson energy savings for various network configurations. Source: Ericsson
emergency repairs and enhancing
Microwave Outlook, 2022.
overall network efficiency. Gen-
erative AI models can also forecast
network traffic growth, enabling
operators to proactively optimize
resource allocation and energy us-
age, thereby maintaining smooth
network operations while preparing
for future demands. Often, a tech-
nique called automated root cause
analysis (RCA) is employed to help
monitor and improve signal man-
agement.
One of the key applications of au-
tomated RCA is the detection and
mitigation of antenna misalignment
issues. By collecting and analyzing
performance data at frequent in-
tervals (i.e., every 10 seconds), link
quality is assessed with high preci-
sion. This enables the detection and
diagnosis of signal degradation, dis-
tinguishing between causes such as
radio interference, obstructions, rain-
fall or alignment shifts before out-
ages occur. These systems can de-
termine whether immediate action
is necessary or if an issue is tempo-
rary. For example, during periods of
heavy rainfall, the systems can identi-
fy the weather as the probable cause
of a signal drop, allowing operators
to monitor the situation rather than
dispatching a maintenance team un-
54 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
Components & Modules

to 70 GHz
Modern hybrid MIC/MMIC design
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SpecialReport
Extending 10 GBPS Links Further with Multi-Band
ity service. escalate. Additionally, the tool’s
An excellent ex- preventative monitoring capabilities
E-Band Extended
Distance ample of using AI enable operators to mitigate poten-
E-Band
Short Distance
to streamline net- tial outages, while remote mainte-
80 GHz
work management nance features reduce operational
is Ceragon’s Insight expenditures and enhance network
Multi-Band Longer Tool. In the last 24 performance. By addressing these
Eg: 11 + 80 GHz Distance
months, Ceragon critical aspects, AI-powered plat-
has reshaped its forms, like Ceragon’s Insight Tool,
Multi-Band Extended Distance Longest
11 GHz + 80 GHz (Dual Channel E-Band) Distance approach to net- are becoming integral to modern
Link work management microwave networks. These tools
Distance*
0 1-3 2-5 4-10 8-15 with the integra- help operators achieve greater effi-
km km km km
tion of AI and ma-
*Dependent on Geographic/Rain Region and Availability Target
ciency and reliability in increasingly
chine learning. By demanding environments.
i Fig. 2 Link distance for Aviat 4800 options. Source: Aviat leveraging AI, the
Networks. platform provides THE BRASS RING: MAXIMIZING
necessarily. This targeted approach comprehensive CAPACITY WITH LOW LATENCY
to troubleshooting and maintenance oversight of network performance, Besides using resources more
has led to significant reductions in enabling operators to tackle com- efficiently, increased capacity is on
site visits. By minimizing site visits, plex challenges more effectively top of mind for all operators. Ad-
network efficiency improves while and use network resources more vanced 5G and 6G networks use
operational costs and energy con- efficiently, saving them time and large amounts of data, which re-
sumption decrease. Combined with money. Key features of the plat- quire large amounts of capacity. It
energy-saving processes like deep form include the ability to corre- is central for operators to be able
sleep modes and AI-based man- late alarms and incidents for faster to scale their existing resources to
agement processes, operators can troubleshooting, analyze link perfor- keep pace with customer demands.
enhance energy efficiency, reduce mance to detect irregularities and There are a few ways in which to in-
costs and reduce their carbon foot- manage traffic predictively to an- crease capacity: increase the chan-
print, all while maintaining high-qual- ticipate capacity issues before they nel size, adopt higher modulation
schemes (up to 16K-QAM), add
another carrier or implement multi-
band technology.
Multi-band technology is becom-
ing a more common way in which
operators are maximizing their links
for both distance and capacity. Multi-
band technology combines high ca-
pacity frequencies, like E-Band, with
lower frequencies that offer higher
availability and longer hop lengths,
significantly boosting capacity. This
approach leverages the strengths of
both frequency bands to extend the
reach and increase the capacity of
traditional microwave links.
The Aviat Networks WTM 4800
family of products is a proven exam-
ple of efficient multi-band technolo-
gy. By leveraging E-Band’s capacity,
in parallel with one or more micro-
wave channels, Aviat can extend the
10+ Gbps link to more than 10 km.
Aviat’s 4800 product family is com-
pelling because it offers several op-
tions, including E-Band in a single
box for vendor-agnostic multi-band,
multi-band in a single box and ex-
tended-distance multi-band con-
figurations. The extended-distance
multi-band configuration is a unique
option, featuring two separate box-
es with four channels that share a
56 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
 Advanced
dvanced Phased Arrays and High-Speed
High Speed
High-S
Communications for Lunar and Earth Orbits.

TSAB Encryption
Space Flight Proven
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SpecialReport
single antenna. One box contains and distance without the need for tions, ETSI has been working on
two E-Band channels, while the oth- additional antennas or equipment. new backhaul key performance
er houses two microwave channels, Figure 2 shows the link distances indicators, known as backhaul traf-
all seamlessly integrated through for these options from Aviat’s 4800 fic availability (BTA). BTA takes into
the shared antenna. Other features product family. account the operator’s RAN traffic
include integrated L1-LA traffic ag- Although Aviat has found suc- statistics to minimize over-engineer-
gregation, no requirement for an in- cess with multi-band configurations, ing of the link, ensuring efficiency
door unit and optimized low power particularly in rural areas of the U.S., without compromising the end-user
consumption. By deploying radios Europe and the Middle East, have experience. Multi-band, along with
that combine multiple frequency been using multi-band E-Band for BTA, is just another example of how
bands in a single unit, operators a while. To make the best use of layering innovative processes can
can enhance link capacity, reliability resources in multi-band configura- take network efficiency to another
level while significantly reducing
backhaul costs.
We’ve Got You Covered D-BAND: ANOTHER OPTION
50 Years of High Quality RF, Microwave & mmWave Solutions FOR ULTRA-HIGH CAPACITY
By accessing higher frequencies,
Ultra-Broadband operators can transmit more capac-
Coverage New
Beamformers ity. Just like with multi-band, tradi-
to 40 GHz tional microwave bands add more
have arrived capacity by utilizing E-Band in the
80 GHz range. D-Band is yet an-
other frequency band that provides
Couplers up to 110 GHz even more capacity by using a wide
• Directional: 0.3 –110 GHz range of spectrum in an even higher
• ULTRA+ : 0.5–40 GHz
• Dual Directional: 1–65 GHz frequency range of 130 to 157 GHz.
Butler Butler with Monopulse Although D-Band technology is
Matrix Phase Shift Comparators relatively new, advancements in the
Over technology demonstrate the ability
300 to push past traditional benchmarks
standard of 20 Gbps. This can be done while
off-the- preserving important metrics like
3 dB Hybrid shelf power, latency and efficiency. In-
Couplers products novations like compact, high gain
• 90°: to 44 GHz
in stock antennas help make these systems
• 180°: to 40 GHz SPACE even more adaptable to urban small
& Thermal Vacuum
Qualified Products cell networks, while the wide chan-
• Directional Couplers nel bandwidths enable faster and
• Power Dividers more efficient data transmission,
• Hybrids enhancing deployment flexibility.
• Coaxial Terminations
MLDD Power Dividers NEW! There have only been a few trials
• 2-Way: 0.5–45 GHz Quantum & with D-Band, Nokia’s trial in France
• 4-Way: 0.5–40 GHz Cyrogenic is one of the first live trials and the
• 8-Way: 1–18 GHz Products only trial using frequency-division
Coaxial Adapters • Couplers duplexing (FDD). By using FDD,
DC–67 GHz • Power Dividers
Terminations • SMA • 3.5mm • Terminations with simultaneous transmission and
DC to 67 GHz • 2.4mm • 2.92mm reception over a single channel,
• Coaxial Nokia effectively doubles capac-
• End Launch ity compared to traditional time-
Detectors Coaxial Limiters
0.5 to 18 GHz division duplex (TDD) transmission
to 50 GHz
• Broadband • Pin Schottky while keeping latency low. Nokia re-
• Pin-Pin
Bias Tees ported that with FDD D-Band, they
• Directional 0.5 to 40 GHz
were able to achieve 10+10 Gbps
VERSA
N
NI R capacity, meaning 10 Gbps each
50
A

for uplink and downlink, using a

Years single 2 GHz channel. Further, they
19
75 — 2025 were able to increase spectral ef-
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58 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

SpecialReport
Energy efficiency is also enhanced, access higher frequencies, along Global Microwave Radio Unit Forecast
with a 100 percent improvement with other microwave technology 2M
Traditional Microwave
over TDD systems due to the elimi- advancements, solve technical ca- Millimeter Wave
nation of switching between trans- pacity and latency barriers in wire-
mission and reception modes. Ad- less backhaul and fronthaul tech-

Units
ditionally, hardware costs decreased nologies, which enable efficient 5G
by up to 50 percent due to a simpli- Advanced and 6G networks.
fied design that requires fewer com- Sky Light Research does not ex-
ponents, employs more streamlined pect commercial D-Band shipments 2023 2025 2027 2029
deployment and follows a stan- until after 2027, with significant
dardized approach for various ap- shipments occurring no sooner than i Fig. 3 Microwave radio forecast
plications. Innovations like this that 2029. As of now, traditional micro- and segmentation. Source: Sky Light
Research.

wave radios make up the bulk of the

shipments, while E-Band radios are
driving growth. Figure 3 shows Sky
Light’s latest forecast for the trends
of traditional microwave versus E-
Band radios.
By investing in D-Band technol-
ogy now, the industry is laying the
groundwork for next-generation net-
works. Moreover, D-Band radios pro-
vide a practical solution for high ca-
pacity wireless links in places where
fiber installation is challenging. This
will offer a valuable complement to
existing network infrastructure.
Microwave radios are steadily
advancing to meet the growing
demands of advanced mobile net-
works, focusing on improving ener-
gy efficiency, capacity and reliability.
Innovations like AI-powered deep
sleep modes, predictive mainte-
nance, multi-band configurations
and the emerging use of D-Band
frequencies are reshaping how op-
erators think about wireless back-
haul. These developments not only
cut costs and energy consumption
but also enhance network perfor-
mance, enabling operators to han-
dle the massive data demands of
5G and lay the foundation for 6G.
While traditional microwave radios
remain a critical part of network
infrastructure, technologies like E-
Band and D-Band are gradually
pushing the boundaries of what is
possible in wireless backhaul, pav-
ing the way for more efficient and
scalable networks.

References
1. www.morganstanley.com/ideas/sustain-
ability-industry-trends-energy-transition-
AI.
2. www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/
international-issues/eia-expects-glob-
al-energy-consumption-to-increase-
through-2050.

60 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

SpecialReport

Powering the Future: The

Journey to a Handheld
Microwave Ablation System
Eamon McErlean
Emblation®, Stirling, Scotland

M
icrowave ablation has emerged tion of microwave ablation, especially in out-
as a transformative technology patient or resource-constrained settings.
in the medical field, particu- Developing a handheld microwave abla-
larly for the minimally invasive tion system presents a range of unique chal-
treatment of cancerous tumors. Traditional lenges. One of the primary hurdles is manag-
systems operating at 2.45 GHz have often ing size and weight constraints. Unlike con-
been bulky, expensive and challenging to ventional systems, a handheld device must
maneuver in clinical environments. Embla- be both compact and lightweight, all while
tion® is addressing these challenges with maintaining the performance standards re-
the SwiftPro® device, the first commercially quired for effective ablation. Another critical
available FDA-cleared compact handheld consideration is power efficiency. Microwave
microwave ablation system. At the heart of ablation requires precise delivery of high fre-
this solution is a highly integrated 8 GHz quency electromagnetic energy. In a hand-
microwave source module, which is crucial held device, this requirement demands care-
for achieving the compact size, efficiency ful optimization of power consumption and
and performance required for a handheld advanced thermal management to ensure
device. This article explores the design and reliable operation without excessive heat
development challenges, with a special fo- generation. Integration of microwave com-
cus on the thermal management technology ponents also poses significant challenges.
that makes compact microwave ablation Achieving miniaturization without compro-
possible. mising the performance or reliability of cru-
Traditional microwave ablation systems cial components requires rethinking design
rely on magnetron-based technology, known approaches and engineering methods. Fi-
for its effectiveness but also its considerable nally, user safety and ergonomics are essen-
drawbacks. The equipment is large, oper- tial factors. A handheld ablation device must
ates at high voltage and requires bulky cool- be not only safe for the patient and user but
ing mechanisms, making it cumbersome and also comfortable and easy to use for medical
costly to operate. These limitations restrict professionals during extended procedures,
the use of such systems to surgical operating emphasizing the importance of ergonomic
environments, hindering the broader adop- design and user-friendly controls.
62 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
Enhance Automotive Safety,
Convenience & Efficiency
Multi-function, multi-chip modules and solutions from Skyworks reduce part count and simplify
essential circuits in a wide variety of applications. From RF front-end modules for diversity receivers
and navigation, and reference clocks for central computers, to isolated gate drivers, amplifiers
and data transceivers for power management and traction controls, the solutions are available in
various packages and qualifications.

Discover Skyworks multi-function, multi-chip modules and solutions at:

www.richardsonrfpd.com/skyworks-auto-solutions
 SpecialReport
To overcome key design chal- At the heart of this module is
lenges that include performance, the Qorvo QPA1010 MMIC ampli-
weight, power efficiency and ther- fier, shown in Figure 2. This device
mal management, Emblation de- is an X-Band GaN-on-SiC amplifier
veloped the highly integrated mi- operating from 7.9 to 11 GHz. The
crowave source module shown in QPA1010 amplifier provides 15 W
Figure 1. The microwave source of saturated output power with 38
module, which is intentionally percent power-added efficiency and
blurred, is mounted on a copper a large signal gain of 18 dB. This
carrier. The printed circuit assembly device is powered by a 24 V supply
is a six-layer, double-sided board with IDQ = 600 mA and includes an
combining microwave laminate/FR4 integrated power detector in the
with embedded copper coins. 24-lead 4.5 × 5.0 × 1.72 mm air cav-
ity laminate pack-
age. To achieve the
desired linearity,
R6, R17, C5 and
C14 are required
as extra bypassing
components.
The QPA1010
incorporates mul-
tiple amplifier
i Fig. 1 SwiftPro microwave source module. stages, bias circuits
and control logic
into a single MMIC
chip. This integra-
tion significantly
reduces the MMIC
size, parasitic loss-
es and overall size
of the amplifier,
which are all crucial
factors when de-
VG VD1 VD2 signing a portable
GND GND GND device that oper-
VREF VDET
ates at microwave
C5
GND C1
C6
frequencies. The
QPA1010’s com-
C2 R6
R1 R7 R8 R9 pact form factor al-
R2 lows it to be easily
GND integrated with oth-
er components of
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16

the ablation device,

NC
VG12
VD1
NC
VD2
VD2
VD2
Vref Top
Vdet Top

GND
1
GND
15
GND
such as power man-
RF IN
2
RF In RF OUT
14
RF OUT
agement and con-
GND
3
GND GND 13 GND trol systems while
maintaining opti-
VG12

Vdet
VD1

VD2
VD2
VD2
Vref
NC

NC

mal performance.
10
11
12
4
5
6
7
8
9

Ensuring that the

R11 GND handheld ablation
R16
device could sup-
R12 R17
R18 R19 ply 10 W of oper-
C9
C13
ating power to the
C10 C14
antenna and meet
GND
GND
GND VREF VDET the performance
GND
requirements while
operating at 8 GHz
VG VD1 VD2
required extensive
Note: Power Detector V
DELTA =V –V
REF DET
simulation and
modeling. Circuit-
i Fig. 2 Qorvo QPA1010 application circuit and package. level modeling
64 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
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Vista, CA 92081
Phone
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A Pioneer of RF & Microwave Filters
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Telonic Berkeley Engineers are ready and anxious to provide innovative

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 SpecialReport
of the thermal management strat-
egy was the use of copper coin
technology, a common practice in
high-power electronic devices that
enhances heat dissipation. The cop-
per coin serves as an efficient ther-
mal bridge embedded directly into
the printed circuit board beneath
the component, providing an ef-
ficient path for heat transfer to the
thermal mass heat sink. With its high
thermal conductivity, the integrated
copper coin is placed in direct con-
tact with the component’s base,
where the most heat is generated,
minimizing thermal resistance and
allowing for rapid heat transfer. It is
thermally connected to a compact
thermal mass heat sink strategically
positioned to dissipate the trans-
i Fig. 3 Compact size of microwave
ferred heat from a number of spe-
source module circuit assembly.
cific circuit locations, maintaining
techniques were used to optimize a lightweight and compact design
key performance metrics, including while ensuring efficient cooling.
gain, output power, stability and ef- Copper coin technology sig-
ficiency. These simulations guided nificantly enhances thermal per-
the integration of the QPA1010 am- formance by enabling rapid heat
plifier with pre-amplifier gain stages removal, maintaining optimal op-
to make sure that the complete am- erating temperatures and helping
plifier met the performance speci- maintain performance in concert
fications needed for effective abla- with thermal compensation tech-
tion. This was particularly challeng- niques. This efficient heat transfer
ing given that the source module also allows for a smaller heat sink,
design had to meet a 60 mm × 25 which helps keep the overall device
mm footprint, as shown in Figure size and weight to a minimum. Ad-
3, which has also been intentionally ditionally, effective heat manage-
blurred. With the limited space, the ment ensures that the overall device
design and integration used very remains cool to the touch, improv-
short transmission lines between ing user comfort during extended
components, which prevented the procedures. This requirement was
use of tapers or bends to adjust for subsequently verified using FLIR
variations in the dimensions of the measurements during prolonged
component connection pads. In ad- use analysis testing, with results
dition, the compact design and cas- shown in Figure 4.
caded high-gain stages were prone Once the microwave design was
to feedback and oscillations, which finalized, it was integrated into the
were overcome through careful fil- overall ablation device. This required
tering of device supply inputs. coordination between the micro-
The high power density of the wave design team and other teams
handheld microwave ablation sys- working on power management,
tem necessitated advanced cooling control electronics, firmware, user in-
techniques. These include selective terface (UI), product design and me-
heat-sinking strat-
egies for specific
areas of concen-
trated heat and
specialized thermal
interfacing to main-
tain the amplifier
within safe operat-
ing temperatures.
A key component i
Fig. 4 Thermal camera images of the SwiftPro device
during simulated prolonged usage.

66 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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 SpecialReport
chanical design. The amplifier’s pow- The custom-designed PDU plays
er requirements had to be managed a vital role in supporting the dynam-
to ensure efficient operation while ic bias control strategy. Engineered
minimizing battery drain. A custom to provide stable and efficient pow-
power distribution unit (PDU) was er across varying load conditions,
designed to provide stable power the PDU delivers precise voltage
to the amplifier, even under varying and current to the amplifier during
load conditions. This PDU also had both active and idle states. The PDU
to power the higher voltage micro- incorporates adaptive power deliv-
wave circuitry and all other electron- ery techniques, managed in firm-
ics from a low-voltage 3.7 V lithium ware, continuously adjusting output
cell-based battery supply or via an based on the amplifier’s current bias
optional main-derived DC power requirements to minimize wasted
input. Integrating an efficient power power and maximize overall energy
management system was crucial for efficiency. These adaptive power
the device, balancing the need for delivery techniques ensure that the
high performance with the goal of amplifier receives the exact amount
minimizing battery consumption. of power needed at any given mo-
This power management effort ment, optimizing performance while
was another important challenge for conserving battery life.
the design. Traditional microwave In addition to managing power
power amplifier designs often main- delivery, the PDU includes battery
tain a constant quiescent bias, result- conservation features such as low-
ing in continuous power consump- power “sleep” modes and rapid
tion even when the device is idle. This wake-up capabilities. These fea-
inefficiency can significantly impact tures enable the SwiftPro device to
battery life in a portable device, lim- transition quickly between standby
iting the practicality of handheld de- and active states, reducing power
vices in clinical environments where consumption during prolonged
mobility and extended operation are downtime without compromising
essential. To address this challenge, the device’s readiness. This intelli-
the SwiftPro device implements a gent power management system is
power management strategy cen- governed by software and firmware
tered around dynamic bias control. algorithms that monitor the device’s
This approach dynamically adjusts operational state, battery levels and
the amplifier’s bias via firmware con- usage patterns, making real-time
trol to reduce power consumption adjustments to optimize power
during idle periods and between ev- consumption. The integration of
ery energy treatment pause. Full bias these algorithms with the UI pro-
is only engaged when active energy vides healthcare professionals with
delivery is required at the point of real-time feedback on battery status
treatment delivery. and energy usage, allowing them to
The dynamic bias control mecha- make informed decisions about de-
nism of the ablation device allows vice operation during procedures.
the amplifier to rapidly ramp up bias The UI was designed with the
during energy delivery and remove needs of medical professionals in
it when the device is not in use. This mind, prioritizing ease of use and
required coordination between the intuitive operation. The interface
amplifier’s control circuitry, the PDU provides controls for adjusting abla-
and the overall system logic to en- tion parameters of power level and
sure smooth transitions without af- time, allowing users to quickly adapt
fecting the quality or precision of the device’s settings to suit specific
the ablation process. By minimizing clinical requirements. Custom soft-
power draw during idle periods, the ware and firmware were developed
device can operate for extended to ensure seamless communication
durations, delivering hundreds of between the UI and the amplifier’s
treatment applications on a single control logic. This UI was also spe-
battery charge. This feature makes cifically designed to maintain the
the device attractive for multiple ease of use and usability of the ex-
procedures in outpatient or remote isting Swift® product from Embla-
settings since it does not require fre- tion, coupled with the energy pro-
quent recharging. tocols that healthcare professionals
68 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
 New
Release
MRFXF0090
2 GHz+ Performance,
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 SpecialReport
were already familiar with. This user-
centric approach allows the ablation
device to be easily integrated into
clinical workflows, even for practitio-
ners who may be new to microwave
ablation technology.
Following the initial design and
simulation phase, prototypes were
developed and tested under vari-
ous use conditions to validate per-
formance and identify areas for im-
provement. These prototypes were
subjected to stringent performance i Fig. 5 SwiftPro microwave ablation
requirements under the 60601 device and docking stand.
medical device standards, including strumental in optimizing the design
the IEC 60601-2-6 standard specific and functionality, ensuring that the
to microwave medical equipment. needs of healthcare professionals
Managing the heat generated by were met in real-world settings. A
the amplifier during operation was comprehensive training program
a primary challenge due to the com- was also developed to support cli-
pact design and significant heat nicians in adopting the new tech-
output of the high-power micro- nology, including detailed tutorials,
wave amplifier. in-person demonstrations and dedi-
The regulatory journey is as rigor- cated customer support.
ous as its technical development. As
a medical device intended for direct CONCLUSION
clinical use, ablation devices must The successful delivery of the
meet stringent regulatory standards SwiftPro device to the market rep-
in multiple markets. The SwiftPro resents a significant milestone in
device achieved FDA 510(k) clear- the evolution of microwave ablation
ance (K222388, K240518) in the technology. The performance and
U.S. and CE marking in Europe is compact, portable design open new
currently pending. possibilities for microwave ablation
Manufacturing the SwiftPro in- procedures outside of traditional
volved scaling up production while surgical suites. The device and the
maintaining strict quality control technology can be used in outpa-
standards. The in-house production tient clinics, remote locations and
process was designed to ensure potentially even home-based care
consistency and reliability, with each environments in the future. This ex-
device undergoing comprehen- panded accessibility has the poten-
sive testing before shipping. Key tial to greatly enhance patient care
components, particularly the GaN- by providing more treatment options
based amplifier, were sourced from in a broader range of settings.
leading providers of semiconductor Beyond its current use in tissue ab-
solutions with established reputa- lation, there is future potential for ex-
tions in the industry. This careful panding the technology’s use in other
selection of suppliers helped to en- medical applications such as derma-
sure a reliable supply chain, reduc- tology and podiatry. These applica-
ing the risk of component shortages tions may include the treatment of
or inconsistencies that could impact benign and malignant skin conditions
the device’s performance. The final and a variety of other dermatological
SwiftPro device, along with its dock- conditions. Future developments at
ing stand, is shown in Figure 5. Emblation may include software en-
A pilot program involving key hancements, expanded clinical appli-
opinion leaders and leading clini- cations and new treatment protocols
cians supported the market intro- to further increase the device’s versa-
duction. These early adopters pro- tility and clinical value.
vided valuable feedback on the de-
vice’s performance, ergonomics and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
clinical utility, helping to refine the Emblation received funding un-
final product. The insights gained der the 1906 Eureka Singapore
from these pilot programs were in- UKRI Grant number 105977.

70 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

TechnicalFeature

Antenna Communications in the

Lunar Environment
Stuart Golden
Vulcan Wireless, Carlsbad, Calif.

M
ost satellite landers tiple SDRs for lunar operations within extreme lunar environment. The key
and orbiters today use NASA Commercial Lunar Payload communication performance metric
either a dish or a single Services (CLPS) programs. Shown that is used is the number of data
fixed antenna. This ar- in Figure 1 are past and upcoming bits that the lunar lander can exfil-
ticle will examine the benefits of CLPS missions. Specifically, Vulcan trate per Earth day. A larger num-
using different antenna designs in Wireless has SDRs in Firefly’s Blue ber of exfiltrated bits means more
the lunar environment. Specifically, Ghost Mission 1, Firefly’s Blue Ghost sensor data and more images can
the article will focus on a lunar orbit Mission 2 and Firefly’s Lunar Orbiter. be captured and analyzed back on
on the far side of the moon, where These missions are depicted in Fig- Earth. The communication perfor-
Vulcan Wireless has contributed to ure 1 as item numbers 3 and 4. mance in the presence of interfer-
the development of advanced lunar Note that some near-side lunar ence will be discussed. The article
communication devices for upcom- missions can communicate directly will show how Vulcan Wireless’s
ing missions. Using a typical lunar with the Earth without the use of a phased array antenna can be used
orbit, the article examines the link lunar orbiter. However, far-side mis- to combat interference and signifi-
performance for a particular op- sions require an orbiter for com- cantly increase the exfiltration rate.
erating scenario. The operational munication. To communicate to a For the communications proto-
scenario that will be considered far-side lunar lander/rover, a basic col, a number of different commu-
has three devices on the lunar sur- approach involves the use of a di- nication waveform protocols can
face, where all three devices are in a rectional satellite dish on the or- be used. The Vulcan SDR, shown in
band and trying to exfiltrate sensor biter. This article will examine the Figure 2, supports many different
data back to Earth. communication performance in this Consultative Committee for Space
Landing and surviving on the moon
require careful attention to both radio
and antenna design. As an example,
environmental conditions include ex-
treme temperature changes ranging
from -410°F (-246°C) to 250°F (121°C)
on the lunar surface. Several upcom-
ing missions will be utilizing both Vul-
can Wireless’s software-defined radio
(SDR) and cryogenic antenna for S-
Band. This article compares the per-
formance of this system with a Vulcan
Wireless phased array antenna that is 1 Astrobotic Peregrine
Mission - 1
4 Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2
Landing Site: Lunar Farside and Orbit
6 Intuitive Machines IM-1
Landing Site: Malapert A
currently in development and avail- Landing Site: Sinus Viscositatis Lander Name: Blue Ghost Lander Name: Nova-C
Lander Name: Peregrine CLPS Contract Award: TD CS-3 and CLPS Contract Award: TD 2-IM
able for future deployments. The CLPS Contract Award: TD 2-AB CS-4
basic metric that will be utilized for 7 Intuitive Machines IM-2
2 Intuitive Machines IM-3 2 Team Draper Landing Site: Shackleton
link performance is the data exfiltra- Landing Site: Reiner Gamma
Lander Name: Nova-C
Landing Site: Schrodinger Basin Connecting Ridge
Lander Name: Series-2 Lander Name: Nova-C
tion rate. This is the amount of data, CLPS Contract Award: TD CP-11 CLPS Contract Award: TD CP-12 CLPS Contract Award: TD Prime-1
typically sensor data, that the lander 3 Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 8 Astrobotic Griffin Mission - 1
Landing Site: Mare Crisium
or rover can transmit back to Earth on Lander Name: Blue Ghost
Landing Site: Mons Mouton
Lander Name: Griffin
an average Earth day. The article will CLPS Contract Award: TD 190 CLPS Contract Award: TD 2DA (Viper)
describe ways to maximize this data.
Vulcan Wireless is producing mul- i Fig. 1 Lunar landers and lunar orbiters in the NASA CLPS program.

72 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

HIGH POWER RF SYSTEMS

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www.OphirRF.com
TechnicalFeature
Data Systems (CCSDS) protocols on the moon, a lu- One Earth Day
that are used in space and lunar ap- nar orbit derived
plications. Specifically, it supports from the expected
CCSDS telecommand (TC), CCSDS ephemeris of up-
telemetry (TM), CCSDS proxim- coming launches
ity and CCSDS DVB-S2, which are is used as an ex-
critical for ensuring reliable and ample. The tracks
standardized data transmission. are shown in Fig-
The SDR has been used for uplinks, ure 4. The upper
downlinks and crosslinks. The SDR image in Figure 4
also has support for precision navi- shows the track for
gation and timing. Software config- one Earth day and
urations allow the radio to be used there are three dis- Thirty Earth Days
for both time transfer and ranging tinct tracks. These
applications. The SDR exceeds ex- are three passes
pectations in radiation testing at the that would occur
NASA Goddard facility and it is also during a 24-hour
available with military-grade top se- Earth day. The
cret and below encryption. lower picture has
The simulations use the antenna many tracks, which
profile of the Vulcan Wireless cryo- correspond to all
genic S-Band antenna shown in the passes within
Figure 3. NASA has approved this a 30-day Earth
antenna to withstand the lunar night, month. The yellow
which can reach -410°F (-246°C). The markings on both
lunar surface is particularly challeng- images in Figure 4
i Fig. 4 Lunar orbiter track and simulation analysis locations.
ing due to the temperature extremes indicate the loca- Rover 0
Carrier to Noise (dB-Hz)

60
accompanying the change between tions used in the
50
lunar day and lunar night. A lunar simulation analysis. 40
day and lunar night are equal to one Figure 4 identi- 30
Earth month, which is 30 Earth days. fies three hypothet- 20
ical rover locations 10
SINGLE ANTENNA POINTING to be used in the 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
AT THE LUNAR LANDER simulations. The Time (Earth Days)
To understand data exfiltration location of Rover 0
is at the proposed Instantaneous Data Rate (kbps)
500
location for Lunar
Data Rate (kbps)

400
Surface Electro- 300
magnetics Experi- 200
ment Night. The
100
location of Rover 1
0
is at the South Pole 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
at an upcoming Time (Earth Days)
planned lunar mis- ×10 4 Rate of Data Exfiltration = 3339.67 kb/Earth Day
sion site and the 12
Rover 2 location is 10
Data (kb)

8
on the near side in
6
Mare Crisium. 4
Figure 5 shows 2
the simulation re- 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
sults for Rover 0
i Fig. 2 Vulcan Wireless SDR. pointed at a single
Time (Earth Days)

orbiter with no oth-

er rovers transmit- i
Fig. 5 Single orbiter pointed at Rover 0, other rovers not
transmitting.
ting. The top sub-
plot shows the car- er 1 pointed at a single orbiter with
rier-to-noise density over time, the no other rovers transmitting. Figure
middle subplot shows the data rate 7 shows the data presentation for
over time and the bottom subplot Rover 2 pointed at a single orbiter
shows the total amount of exfiltra- with no other rovers transmitting.
i Fig. 3 Vulcan Wireless cryogenic tion data over time. Figure 6 shows In this hypothetical comparison,
antenna. the same data presentation for Rov- the orbital satellite and the rovers

74 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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TechnicalFeature
Rover 1 Rover 2

Carrier to Noise (dB-Hz)

Carrier to Noise (dB-Hz)

50 80
40 60
30
40
20
20
10
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time (Earth Days) Time (Earth Days)

Instantaneous Data Rate (kbps) Instantaneous Data Rate (kbps)

10 5000

Data Rate (kbps)

Data Rate (kbps)

8 4000
6 3000
4 2000
2 1000
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time (Earth Days) Time (Earth Days)

Rate of Data Exfiltration = 368.9 kb/Earth Day ×10 5 Rate of Data Exfiltration = 12333.77 kb/Earth Day
12000 4
10000 3

Data (kb)
Data (kb)

8000
6000 2
4000 1
2000
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time (Earth Days) Time (Earth Days)

i Fig. 6 Single orbiter pointed at Rover 1, other rovers not i Fig. 7 Single orbiter pointed at Rover 2, other rovers not
transmitting. transmitting.
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TechnicalFeature
all have consistent and realistic link parameters, such as nificantly, as in the case of Rover 0. But for some rover
transmit power and antenna gain. They are kept con- locations, a pass is very consistent. This is the case for
stant across the data examples to make realistic com- Rover 1, located at the South Pole. The three hypotheti-
parisons. From the data plots, it can be observed that cal rover locations used in the simulations and the re-
Rover 1 has the lowest exfiltration of the three. That is, sulting average exfiltration rates shown in Figures 5 to 7
Rover 1 can exfiltrate 0.37 Mb/day on average, while are summarized in Table 1.
Rover 0 is able to exfiltrate almost 10x that, at 3.3 Mb/
day and Rover 2 is able to exfiltrate the most, at 12.3 SINGLE ANTENNA POINTING AT THE LUNAR
Mb/day. LANDER WITH INTERFERENCE
As the data shows, the location of the lunar lander To illustrate the effect of unintentional co-channel
can have a significant effect on the amount of exfiltra- interference, this section considers the case when the
tion data that can be captured. Note that for some rover orbiter is communicating with Rover 1, but Rover 0 is
locations, the amount of data per pass can change sig- transmitting in the same band. That is, Rover 0 is caus-
ing interference with Rover 1 communicating to the or-
TABLE 1 biter. This may be the case when Rover 0 is deployed
ROVER LOCATION USED IN SIMULATIONS AND from a country that does not participate in widely ac-
AVERAGE EXFILTRATION RATE PER EARTH DAY cepted spectrum allocations and standards. For exam-
Lunar Lunar Lunar Exfiltration
Identifier Location Latitude Longitude Rate (Mb/ TABLE 2
Site (0) (0) day) DATA EXFILTRATION IN THE PRESENCE OF
Far side: near INTERFERENCE
Rover 0 Van de Graaff 23.8 S 182.2 E 3.34 Identifier Exfiltration Rate (Mb/day)
Crater
Rover 0 interfering with Rover 1 0.18
South Pole:
Shackleton Rover 1 without Rover 0
Rover 1 89.5 S 137.3 W 0.369 0.37
Connecting interfering
Ridge
Rover 0 interfering with Rover
Near side: 1 and the orbiter has a phased 5.90
Rover 2 17 N 59.1 E 12.334 array antenna
Mare Crisium

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TechnicalFeature
Rover 0 Interfering with Rover 1
ple, in this scenario, the country may not have gotten
CINR approvals from the National Telecommunications and
Carrier to Noise (dB-Hz)

50
Information Administration (NTIA).
40 In this case, Rover 0 degrades Rover 1’s performance.
30 This is illustrated in Table 2. The instantaneous data rate
20 and carrier-to-noise density are shown in Figure 8. Note
10 that the interference from Rover 0 degrades the perfor-
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
mance significantly on some passes and insignificantly
Time (Earth Days) on others. The overall performance reduces the exfil-
tration rate by over 50 percent of the non-interfering
Instantaneous Data Rate (kbps) exfiltration rate. Specifically, without interference, Rover
10
0 was able to exfiltrate 0.37 Mb/day, but in the pres-
Data Rate (kbps)

8
ence of interference, that result gets reduced to 0.18
6
Mb/day.
4
2 PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA POINTING AT THE
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 LUNAR LANDER WITH INTERFERENCE
Time (Earth Days) The other interesting result shown in Table 2 is the
improvement in the data exfiltration rate when the or-
Rate of Data Exfiltration = 182.83 kb/Earth Day
6000 biter has a phased array antenna, even when Rover
5000 0 is interfering with Rover 1. For this application, Vul-
Data (kb)

4000 can Wireless has developed the S-Band phased array

3000 shown in Figure 9. The phased array antenna is a smart
2000 antenna that autonomously determines the direction of
1000
arrival of both the desired source and the interference.
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 The performance curves for Rover 0 interfering with
Time (Earth Days) Rover 1 when the orbiter uses a phased array radar are
shown in Figure 10. Comparing the results of Figure 10
i Fig. 8 Rover 0 interfering with Rover 1 with the orbiter
with the results of Figure 8, it is clear that the phased ar-
pointed to Rover 1.

80 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

TechnicalFeature
ray improves the
performance by Rover 1 with Phased Array Orbiter and Interference

Carrier to Noise
more than an or- 60

(dB-Hz)
der of magnitude 40
over the single 20
antenna case in 0
the presence of 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time (Earth Days)
interference. The
hardware for the Instantaneous Data Rate (kbps)

Data Rate (kbps)

phased array SDR 150
and smart an- 100
i Fig. 9 Vulcan Wireless S-Band tenna leverages 50
phased array antenna. the flight-proven 0
technology of a 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
previous generation of phased array antennas. Time (Earth Days)

×10 5 Rate of Data Exfiltration = 5902.25 kb/Earth Day

CONCLUSION 2.0
This article has discussed data exfiltration from the

Data (kb)
1.5
lunar surface back to Earth. It has looked at several cas- 1.0
0.5
es to illustrate how the data exfiltration rate depends
0
upon the location of the rover relative to the orbiter. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
A significant degradation in data exfiltration rate has Time (Earth Days)
been observed when a second rover is broadcasting
its data to a secondary orbiter. However, introducing
a phased array antenna on the orbiter increases the i Fig. 10 Rover 0 interfering with Rover 1 and orbiter using
phased array antenna.
gain to the desired user and helps to mitigate the ef-
fects of the in-channel interferences. Even in the pres- rover by more than an order of magnitude versus the
ence of interference, this architecture has been shown best-case performance of a single antenna with no
to increase the amount of data exfiltration by a lunar interference.

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82 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

TechnicalFeature EW BOA
VI

RD
RE
MWJ
A
PP

D
ROVE

Compact UWB Patch Antenna

with Open-Loop Resonator for
Dual-Band Rejection
Ibrahim Fortas
Electrical Systems Engineering, LIST Laboratory, University of M’hammed Bougara
Boumerdes, Algeria
Mouloud Ayad
Department of Telecommunications University of Setif
Setif, Algeria
Bachir Zoubiri
Division Telecom, Center for Development of Advanced Technologies, CDTA
Algiers, Algeria

A
n innovative design for a GHz, by Federal Communications material structures, based on their
compact ultra-wideband Commission regulations estab- unique electromagnetic proper-
(UWB) patch antenna lished in 2002.1 This expansive fre- ties, particularly negative permit-
with improved frequency quency range includes numerous tivity and negative permeability, to
rejection features integrates a dual- narrow bands, such as WiMAX (3.3 achieve enhanced performance as
ellipse structure in the patch geom- to 3.7 GHz), 5G sub-6 GHz (3.4 to band-reject filters.13 This technique
etry fed by a coplanar waveguide 3.8 GHz), WLAN (5.15 to 5.75 GHz) employs precise control over the
(CPW). The antenna is constructed and others, causing significant in- metamaterial’s response to electro-
on a low-profile FR-4 substrate mea- terference. magnetic waves; however, the pro-
suring 18 × 19 × 1.5 mm. Four open- A band-notch refers to a spe- cess of designing a compact UWB
loop resonators are incorporated cific frequency range within the antenna employing metamaterial
between the patch and the ground broader frequency spectrum that is structures that effectively reject un-
plane to provide rejection capabili- intentionally suppressed or attenu- wanted bands is challenging.
ties for two specific undesired fre- ated. Band notching is commonly This article describes an UWB
quency bands: WLAN (5.2 to 5.8 employed in antenna design to patch design featuring a compact
GHz) and X-Band satellite downlink reject or minimize interference.2 dual elliptical shape fed by CPW.
(7 to 8 GHz). The prototype exhibits Several techniques are used, e.g., Four open-loop resonators are
promising UWB performance and slots,3,4 defected ground struc- used to reject radiation across two
dual-band rejection using metama- tures (DGSs),5,6 electromagnetic separate frequency bands: WLAN
terials, providing valuable insights band gaps (EBGs),7,8 resonators9,10 (5.2 to 5.8) GHz and the satellite
into compact UWB antenna design and metamaterials.11,12 downlink band (7 to 8 GHz). Re-
for applications in wireless commu- These techniques are employed jection is significantly increased by
nication. to reject certain frequency bands, integrating metamaterials between
In the field of wireless communi- although some exhibit suboptimal the patch and ground plane.
cations, the use of UWB technology rejection performance. While cer-
seeks to achieve high data rates at tain techniques are complex, i.e., METAMATERIAL UNIT CELL
limited distances. UWB technology they can only be realized by spe- DESIGN
is defined by its capacity to func- cialized technologies, others fall Figure 1 illustrates the open-
tion across an extensive frequency short of achieving a compact de- loop resonator metamaterial unit
spectrum, typically 3.1 to 10.6 sign. Researchers have used meta- cell printed on a 1.5 mm thick FR-4

84 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 TechnicalFeature
y

z Lu

M1 M2
Lm

Am
m Wu
Gm Wm Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

k
M3 M4
H M1 M2

i Fig. 1 3D metamaterial unit cell.

4 frequency and en- Stub

Im(μ) ables metamateri- Step 4 Step 5
3 Re(μ) al characterization
through the calcu- i Fig. 4 Antenna design evolution.
Permeability (μ)

2
lation of S-param- W
1
eters and the retrieval of effective
0 electromagnetic characteristics εeff
and µeff.
–1 Rw1
To further investigate the impact
–2 of metamaterials, a standard pa- Rl1
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 rameter retrieval technique is used
Frequency (GHz) Rl2 L
to calculate the effective magnetic
14,15 Rw2
permeability. Real and imagi-
i Fig. 2 Real and imaginary parts of
nary components of the magnetic a
retrieved permeability. Wf
permeability are acquired with CST b
Lf
Studio software (see Figure 2). It is Wg
Lg g c
40 evident that the planar representa-
Re(μ) Lm = 5.5
30 Im(μ) Lm = 5.5 tion of the metamaterial structure
Re(μ) Lm = 5.0 exhibits a frequency range charac-
Permeability (μ)

20 Im(μ) Lm = 5.0 SMA

Re(μ) Lm = 4.5 terized by negative permeability in Connector
10 Im(μ) Lm = 4.5 a specific band. This evaluation is
0 an estimation. Nevertheless, simu-
–10 lation and permeability retrieval i Fig. 5 Antenna geometry.
–20
do provide a reasonable indication rameters’ impact, particularly re-
of the presence of metamaterial garding negative permeability.
–30
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 properties, even at the individual
Frequency (GHz) cell level. This not only facilitates ANTENNA DESIGN
resonator design but also offers an The design process (see Figure
i Fig. 3 Permeability for different alternative justification for the re- 4) begins with the creation of an ini-
values of Lm. sults obtained. tial elliptical patch antenna in CST
epoxy substrate with a relative per- Figure 3 shows the retrieval of Studio. Then, a double-ellipse con-
mittivity, εr, of 4.3 and a loss tan- the metamaterial’s permeability, in- figuration fed by coplanar wave-
gent of tan, δ, of 0.025. A plane cluding both its real and imaginary guide with an impedance of 50 Ω is
electromagnetic wave incident in parts, for various unit cell lengths, used to achieve UWB performance.
the x-direction approaches the Lm. The results indicate a direct Finally, four metamaterial open-
unit cell, with the magnetic field influence of unit cell length on the loop resonators are integrated into
oriented along the z-axis and the frequency at which the band effect the design to effectively reject two
electric field along the y-axis. Per- manifests. This reveals an inversely unwanted frequency bands while
fect electrical conductors serve as proportional relationship between further improving antenna perfor-
boundary walls along the y-axis (at the unit cell’s length and the fre- mance.
the x/z-oriented sides). This con- quency of observed bands in the The antenna is printed on a low-
figuration facilitates the design of metamaterials. This enhances the profile FR-4 substrate with εr of 4.3
rings that resonate near the desired understanding of the design pa- and δ of 0.025. Figure 5 shows the
MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 85
TechnicalFeature
final design’s structural layout and key components. sign16 (see Figure 4, Step 1). Instead, it uses a dual-
Table 1 lists the dimensions of key parameters. intersecting ellipse configuration (see Figure 4, Step
This UWB patch antenna represents an innovative 2) to improve UWB characteristics. The impedance
departure from the conventional single ellipse de- bandwidth with the dual-ellipse structure shown in
Figure 6a is greater than that of the reference single
TABLE 1 ellipse design, effectively covering the UWB spectrum
ANTENNA PARAMETERS from 3 to 10.5 GHz.
In this design, metamaterials are used to reject un-
Value Value Value
Parameter
(mm)
Parameter
(mm)
Parameter
(mm) wanted bands. Two metamaterial unit cells, M1 and
M2, are positioned above the ground (see Figure 4,
Lm
L 19 Rw1 2
(M1, M2)
4.15 Step 3). Equation 1 determines the center frequency
of the band-notch for a given effective dielectric con-
W 18 RI2 2.5 Am (M1, M2) 3.25 stant and Equation 2 determines εeff:
Lm C
Lf 6.38 Rw2 2
(M3, M4)
3 Fn = (1)
L m f eff
Am 1+f
Wf 3 A 1
(M3, M4)
2.1 f eff = 2 r (2)
Lg 7.3 B 2.08 Wm 2 Where:
Wg 3.5 C 4.8 Gm 0.3
Lm is the length of the resonator
C is the speed of light
RI1 3.5 G 0.2 M 0.2 εr is the di-
Lu 5 Wu 5 electric constant
of the substrate.
Figure 6b
10 shows -4 dB |S11|
Step 1 at the center fre-
0
Step 2 quency (fn1) of
the first unwant-
ed band (5.2 to i Fig. 7 Prototype UWB antenna.
–10 5.8 GHz); how-
ever, the integra-
| S11 | (dB)

–20 tion of metama-

terials in Step 3
introduces a no-
–30
ticeable degra-
dation in antenna
–40 matching, par-
ticularly above 7
–50 GHz. To address
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 this effectively,
Frequency (GHz) two rectangular
(a)
stubs are added i Fig. 8 Measurement setup.
5
0 Simulated
Step 3 Measured
0 Step 4
Step 5 –5
–5
–10

–10
–15
| S11 | (dB)
| S11 | (dB)

–15 –20

–20 –25

–25 –30

–30 –35

–35 –40
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)
(b)

i Fig. 6 Refection coefficient for design Steps 1, 2 (a) and i Fig. 9 Simulated and measured antenna reflection
Steps 3 through 5 (b). coefficients.

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TechnicalFeature
(see Figure 4, Step (7.2 to 7.8 GHz). |S11| reaches ap-
A/m
10 4) and |S11| is re- proximately -4 dB at the center fre-
9 duced to under quency of fn2 = 7.6 GHz.
8
7 -10 dB.
6 Finally, in Step PROTOTYPE FABRICATION AND
5
4
5, two additional MEASUREMENT RESULTS
3 unit cells, M3 and An antenna prototype, shown in
2
1
M4, are integrat- Figure 7, is fabricated to verify the
0 ed. This results in simulations experimentally. Mea-
fn1 = 5.6 GHz fn2 = 7.6 GHz significant rejec- surements of |S11| are made using
tion over the sec- a Keysight N5224A vector network
i Fig. 10 Simulated antenna current distributions at the ond targeted band analyzer, as shown in Figure 8.
notch center frequencies.
Figure 9 compares simulated and
measured results, showing a close
correspondence.
To provide a more comprehen-
High Frequency sive illustration of the characteristics
associated with the dual band-notch
Chip Resistors features, Figure 10 shows simulated
current distributions at frequencies
S0202AF50R0FKB
fn1 and fn2. It reveals a concentration
• DC to 40 GHz 2.0 of current around metamaterial unit
1.9 cells M1 and M2 within the WLAN
• 0202, 0402, 0505, 0603, 0705 cases
1.8 band. Within the satellite data link
• Solderable band, current clusters around meta-
1.7
• Wire Bondable materials M3 and M4.
1.6
Radiation patterns are measured
VSWR

• Single Surface Flip Chip 1.5

in both the E-plane (YZ-plane) and
• Wraparounds 1.4 H-plane (XZ-plane) at 4.3, 6.6 and 9
1.3 GHz, with the results shown in Fig-
1.2 ure 11. The results show bidirec-
1.1 tional characteristics in the E-plane
1.0 and omnidirectional characteristics
0 8 16 24 32 40 in the H-plane for all frequencies of
Frequency (GHz) interest. Minimal changes at high
frequencies are attributed to sub-
strate power loss.
When engineers need high reliability chip Figure 12 shows the measured
and simulated peak gain, demon-
resistors for mission critical applications they choose State of
strating close agreement. Gain re-
the Art. All of our resistive products are designed for the rigors mains stable across the entire UWB
of space. Our supply of MIL-PRF-55342 and high reliability resistor range, reaching a maximum of 3.7
products to many military and space programs makes State of dBi at 10.3 GHz. This is accompa-
the Art uniquely qualified to meet your mission nied by a significant decrease at
requirements for high frequency resistors. fn1 (-3.8 dBi) and fn2 (-3.7 dBi). It
validates the effectiveness of the
metamaterials technique for reject-
ing radiation within the two unde-
sired frequency bands.
A comprehensive comparison
of this with other related works
Mission Critical? is shown in Table 2, highlighting
Choose State of the Art resistors. distinctive aspects such as dimen-
sions, frequency range, rejected
bands, employed techniques,
State of the Art, Inc. complexity and design technol-
ogy. This design is compact and
RESISTIVE PRODUCTS features a simple rejection tech-
Made in the USA. nique based on metamaterials.
The use of a single-faced CPW
configuration not only simplifies
its construction but also enhances
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www.passiveplus.com
TechnicalFeature
practicality and ease of integration into diverse an- CONCLUSION
tenna systems. A novel approach to the design of a compact UWB
patch antenna with improved rejection capabilities in-
tegrates a dual-ellipse structure in the patch geometry
fed by CPW. It also employs four open-loop resonators
Simulated
E-Plane Measured H-Plane to selectively target undesirable frequency bands, spe-
dBi 0
330
dBi 0
330
cifically WLAN (5.2 to 5.8 GHz) and the satellite down-
30 30
0 0
link band (7 to 8 GHz). Experimental results closely
–10 –10

–20
60 300
–20
60 300 align with the simulation, verifying the effectiveness
–30 –30
of the open-loop resonators in enhancing rejection.
–30
90 270
–30
90 270 The final design, incorporating metamaterials, dem-
–20 –20 onstrates UWB performance with dual-band rejection.
120 120
–10 240 –10 240 The use of metamaterials to reject radiation in undesir-
0
150 210
0
150 210 able frequency bands provides insight into the devel-
180 180
(a) 4.3 GHz
opment of compact UWB antennas for applications in
wireless communication systems.
Simulated
E-Plane Measured H-Plane
dBi 0 dBi 0 References
0
30 330 0
30 330 1. “First Report and Order, Revision of Part 15 of the Commission’s
–10 –10 Rules Regarding Ultra-Wideband Transmission Systems,” Federal
60 300 60 300
–20 –20 Communications Commission, 2002.
–30 –30 2. K. L. Wong, Y. W. Chi, C. M. Su and F. S. Chang, “Band‐Notched
90 270 90 270 Ultra‐Wideband Circular‐Disk Monopole Antenna with an Arc‐
–30 –30

–20 –20
120 240 120 240
–10 –10 10
0 0
210 210
Measured
150 150 8
180 180 Simulated
(b) 6.6 GHz
6
Simulated
E-Plane Measured H-Plane 4
dBi 0 dBi 0
330 330 2
Gain (dBi)

0
30 0
30
–10 –10
60 300 60 300 0
–20 –20

–30 –30 –2
90 270 90 270
–30 –30

–20 –20
–4
–10 120 240 –10 120 240 –6
0 0
150 210 150 210 –8
180 180
(c) 9.0 GHz
–10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Frequency (GHz)
i Fig. 11 Simulated and measured antenna radiation patterns
at 4.3 (a), 6.6 (b) and 9 (c) GHz. i Fig. 12 Simulated and measured antenna peak gain.

TABLE 2
COMPARISON WITH OTHER WORK
Dimensions Frequency Rejected Bands Rejection Design
Reference Complexity
(mm) Range (GHz) (GHz) Technique Technology
5.1 to 6.0
17 28 x 18 x 0.8 3.5 to 12 Slots Low Microstrip
7.83 to 8.47
3.3 to 3.7 Slots and
18 24.6 x 38.1 x 1.5 3 to 7.5 High Microstrip
5.15 to 5.825 Resonators
3.3 to 3.8
19 42 x 50 x 1.6 2 to 11 5.15 to 5.825 EBG High Microstrip
7.1 to 7.9
3.4 to 3.9
EBG and
8 20 x 26 x 1.52 3.1 to 11.8 5.15 to 5.82 High CPW
Resonators
7.25 to 7.75
3.39 to 3.82
20 40 x 30 x 0.81 2.85 to 11.52 5.13 to 5.40 Metamaterials Low Microstrip
5.71 to 5.91
Open-Loop
5.2 to 5.8
This Work 18 x 19 x 1.5 3 to 12 Resonator Low CPW
7 to 8
(Metamaterials)

90 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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 TechnicalFeature
Shaped Slot,” Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol.
45, No. 3, May 2005, pp. 188–191.
3. D. K. Naji, “Miniature Slotted Semi-Circular Dual-Band Antenna
for WiMAX and WLAN Applications,” Journal of Electromag-
netic Engineering and Science, Vol. 20, No. 2, April 2020, pp.
115–124.
4. S. Modak, T. Khan and R. H. Laskar, “Penta-Notched UWB Mono-
pole Antenna Using EBG Structures and Fork-Shaped Slots,” Radio
Science, Vol. 55, No. 9, September 2020, pp. 1–11.
5. A. Sarma, K. Sarmah, S. Goswami, K. K. Sarma and S. Baruah,
“DGS Based Planer UWB Antenna with Band Rejection Fea-
tures,” International Conference on Wireless Communications,
Signal Processing and Networking, March 2017.
6. A. Dharmarajan, P. Kumar and T. J. Afullo, “A Human Face
Shaped Ultra Wideband Microstrip Patch Antenna with En-
hanced Bandwidth,” IEEE International Multidisciplinary Infor-
mation Technology and Engineering Conference, November
2019.
7. L. Peng and C. -L. Ruan, “UWB Band-Notched Monopole An-
tenna Design Using Electromagnetic-Bandgap Structures,”
IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 59,
No. 4, April 2011, pp. 1074–1081.
8. A. Abbas, N. Hussain, J. Lee, S. G. Park and N. Kim, “Triple
Rectangular Notch UWB Antenna Using EBG and SRR,” IEEE
Access, Vol. 9, December 2020, pp. 2508–2515.
9. T. Arshed and F. A. Tahir, “A Miniaturized Triple Band‐Notched
UWB Antenna,” Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol.
59, No. 10, July 2017, pp. 2581–2586.
10. G. Gao, L. He, B. Hu and X. Cong, “Novel Dual Band‐Notched
UWB Antenna with T‐Shaped Slot and CSRR Structure,” Micro-
wave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 57, No. 7, July 2015,
pp. 1584–1590.
11. A. Ali and Z. Hu, “Metamaterial Resonator Based Wave Propa-
gation Notch for Ultrawideband Filter Applications,” IEEE An-
tennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 7, March 2008, pp.
210–212.
12. D. K. Ntaikos, N. K. Bourgis and T. V. Yioultsis, “Metamaterial-
Based Electrically Small Multiband Planar Monopole Anten-
nas,” IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 10,
September 2011, pp. 963–966.
13. C. Milias, R. B. Andersen, P. I. Lazaridis, Z. D. Zaharis, B. Mu-
hammad, J. T. Kristensen, A. Mihovska and D. D. Hermansen,
“Metamaterial-Inspired Antennas: A Review of the State of the
Art and Future Design Challenges,” IEEE Access, Vol. 9, June
2021, pp. 89846–89865.
14. X. Chen, T. M. Grzegorczyk, B. I. Wu, J. Pacheco Jr. and J. A.
Kong, “Robust Method to Retrieve the Constitutive Effective
Parameters of Metamaterials,” Physical Review E, Vol. 70, No. 1,
July 2004.
15. J. Li, J. -B. Zhao, J. -J. Liang, L. -L. Zhong and J. -S. Hong,
“Metamaterial-Based Planar Compact MIMO Antenna with
Low Mutual Coupling,” Microwave Journal, Vol. 61, No. 5, May
2018, pp. 116–126.
16. S. N. Mishra, D. Konhar, D. Mishra and R. K. Mishra, “On the
Possibility of Linear Polarization in Elliptical Microstrip Patch An-
tenna,” Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 61, No.
4, April 2019, pp. 1048–1051.
17. W. -A. Li, Z. -H. Tu, Q. -X. Chu and X. -H. Wu, “Differential
Stepped-Slot UWB Antenna with Common-Mode Suppression
and Dual Sharp-Selectivity Notched Bands,” IEEE Antennas
Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 15, October 2016, pp. 1120–
1123.
18. G. Gao, L. He, B. Hu and X. Cong, “Novel Dual Band‐Notched
UWB Antenna with T‐Shaped Slot and CSRR Structure,” Micro-
wave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 57, No. 7, July 2015,
pp. 1584–1590.
19. N. Jaglan, B. Kanaujia, S. D. Gupta and S. Srivastava, “Triple
Band Notched UWB Antenna Design Using Electromagnetic
Band Gap Structures,” Progress In Electromagnetics Research C,
Vol. 66, July 2016, pp. 139–147.
20. M. J. Jeong, N. Hussain, H. U. Bong, J. W. Park, K. S. Shin, S.
W. Lee, S. Y. Rhee and N. Kim, “Ultrawideband Microstrip Patch
Antenna with Quadruple Band Notch Characteristic Using Neg-
ative Permittivity Unit Cells,” Microwave and Optical Technology
Letters, Vol. 62, No. 2, February 2020, pp. 816–824.

92 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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ProductFeature

Miniaturized
Power Dividers and
Packaging for New
Space Applications
Marki Microwave
Morgan Hill, Calif.

COMPACT AND RELIABLE put ports, preventing signal interference and

INNOVATIONS FOR MODERN SPACE enhancing overall system efficiency. Wilkin-
SYSTEMS son dividers also feature excellent amplitude

M
odern satellite systems demand and phase balance, ensuring uniform signal
compact, high performance distribution across antenna elements and
components to meet increas- enabling improved beamforming and reso-
ingly stringent operational and lution for phased arrays.
environmental challenges. As satellites in- While Wilkinson power dividers are typi-
corporate phased array antennas or other cally designed using quarter-wave trans-
high channel count systems, component formers, Marki Microwave’s new MMIC pow-
size and weight become more relevant. er dividers use a lumped-element approach,
The advent of lumped-element Wilkinson replacing traditional, bulky quarter-wave
power dividers and chip scale packaging structures and reducing component size by
(CSP) offers groundbreaking advancements, a factor of 10. This compact solution is cru-
enabling efficient and reliable technologies cial for densely packed systems where space
critical for space applications. is at a premium. For LEO satellite constel-
lations, where size and weight must be re-
MINIATURIZATION REVOLUTION: duced as much as possible, these compact
LUMPED-ELEMENT WILKINSON power dividers seamlessly integrate into
POWER DIVIDERS high performance architectures. However,
Wilkinson power dividers are the pre- achieving such integration demands more
ferred splitter/combiner technology for than just miniaturized die designs; a com-
phased array systems due to their excep- pact packaged solution is needed to ensure
tional performance. These splitter/combin- efficient assembly and reliability in con-
ers ensure minimal insertion loss and excel- strained spaces. Figure 1 (a) shows Marki
lent impedance matching, which are critical Microwave’s lumped-element transmission
for maintaining signal integrity across mul- line approach and Figure 1 (b) shows how
tiple channels. Additionally, their inherent this method is incorporated into a four-way
design provides high isolation between out- Wilkinson splitter design.
94 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025
 ProductFeature
CHIP SCALE PACKAGING:
A GAME-CHANGER IN
PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY
Marki Microwave’s patented CSP
eliminates performance limitations
MLIN
associated with traditional wire
ID = TL2 bonding techniques. CSP uses hot-
W = 12 mil via technology, eliminating bond
L = 218 mil
wire parasitic effects and achieving
die-level performance in a dramati-
~0.25 in. ~500 micron
(~0.019 in.)
cally smaller footprint.
CSP technology offers:
• Significant Miniaturization: Re-
ducing component size by up to
75 percent compared to legacy
QFN packages.
• High Frequency Performance:
(a) (b)
Supporting operations up to 85
GHz, making them suitable for
i Fig. 1 (a) Quasi lumped-element transmission line. (b) ADS four-way Wilkinson
advanced systems.
splitter with Quasi transmission lines.
• Streamlined Integration: Com-
patibility with automated manu-
facturing processes simplifies
system assembly.
Figure 2 shows Marki Micro-
wave’s CSP offering by product
category, along with comparative
package sizes.

CSP LUMPED-ELEMENT
WILKINSON DIVIDER
PERFORMANCE
Marki Microwave’s new family of
CSP Wilkinson power dividers in-
clude both two-way and four-way
splitter designs with frequency cov-
erage up to 70 GHz. Figure 3 shows
i Fig. 2 CSP product offering and physical scale. performance curves from Marki Mi-
crowave’s new MPD4-0422CSP2,
Insertion Loss (dB) Non-Adjacent Port Amplitude Balance (dB)
0 1.00 a 4 to 22 GHz four-way Wilkinson
–2 Output 1
Output 2
0.75 power divider.
–4 Output 3 0.50 The MPD4-0422CSP2 features:
Output 4 0.25
–6 • Insertion Loss: Approximately 1
–8 0 dB excess insertion loss above
–0.25 Output 1 to 3
–10 Output 1 to 4 the theoretical 6 dB loss for a
–0.50 Output 2 to 3
–12
–0.75 Output 2 to 4
four-way splitter.
–14
–1.00
• Amplitude and Phase Balance:
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 Less than 0.5 dB and 3 degrees,
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz) respectively, across the opera-
Non-Adjacent Port Isolation (dB) Non-Adjacent Port Phase Balance (°)
tional bandwidth.
0 10.0 • Isolation: 30 dB typical isolation
–5 Output 1 to 3 7.5 between output ports.
Output 1 to 4
–10 Output 2 to 3 5.0 • Size: Available in Marki Micro-
–15 Output 2 to 4 2.5 wave’s 2.5 mm CSP2 chip scale
–20 2.0 package.
–25 –2.5 Output 1 to 3
Output 1 to 4 These performance results and
–30 –5.0
–35 –7.5
Output 2 to 3
Output 2 to 4
metrics highlight the capability of
–40 –10.0
Marki Microwave’s CSP Wilkinson
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 dividers. These characteristics en-
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz) able them to meet the rigorous per-
formance demands of phased array
i Fig. 3 MPD4-0422CSP2 electrical performance.

MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 95

ProductFeature
applications while minimizing size and weight for new structural conditions. These tests confirm their resil-
space applications. ience and operational reliability for critical space mis-
sions. The majority of Marki’s components, from bare
RIGOROUS SPACE QUALIFICATION FOR die, surface-mount and connectorized devices to wave-
RELIABILITY guides, can be upscreened and qualified for space ap-
LEO satellite constellations have significantly trans- plications. Marki Microwave follows MIL-PRF-38534,
formed the space industry by emphasizing cost reduc- MIL-PRF-35835, MIL-PRF-27 and NASA EEE-INST-002
tion and rapid deployment. Unlike traditional geosyn- standards. These standards serve as guidelines to
chronous satellites with decade-long missions, LEO screen and qualify commercial components to standard
systems have shorter lifespans, requiring cost-effective military levels or the highest level of reliability for space.
solutions without compromising reliability. This shift has Space qualification protocols ensure that CSP compo-
driven the adoption of upscreened commercial off-the- nents meet the reliability thresholds for extreme envi-
shelf (COTS) components. By adapting and qualifying ronments.
these components for space use, manufacturers achieve Key testing phases include:
substantial cost savings and faster development cycles. • Comprehensive Screening: Encompasses visual in-
Upscreening ensures that COTS components meet spection, electrical validation and thermal cycling.
the performance and durability requirements for LEO • Robust Qualification Testing: Covers life tests, me-
satellites, which must operate in dynamic and harsh or- chanical shock resistance and environmental stress
bital conditions. The approach involves rigorous testing analysis.
to validate components against thermal cycling, radia- Marki Microwave partners with customers to tailor
tion exposure and mechanical stress requirements. For testing and qualification processes to specific mission
phased array systems in LEO satellites, upscreened needs, balancing cost, reliability and timelines for opti-
components provide a reliable yet economical option mal outcomes.
to achieve optimal signal distribution and system effi-
ciency.
Marki Microwave
CSP components such as Marki Microwave’s new
Morgan Hill, Calif.
Wilkinson splitters can undergo extensive qualifica-
markimicrowave.com
tion, verifying performance under extreme thermal and

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˗d˗ Έ˧̥ʇ˗ ˧̛̛˧̥ u˗ʇ ʇ̓Ր
˗d ˗ Έ˧̥ʇ˗˧̛̛˧̥

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ƍ˧̥
ƍ  d NJ˧̥̓˧̛̓Ր
˧ L˧u̥̓̓˗dNJ˧̥̓˧̛̓Ր
L˧ ̓ ̓ ˗d
L˧u̥̓̓ ˧ ̓ ˧̛̓ D̓ ̛̛̥̓Έ̥d̓
̛̛̥̓ Έ̥d̓
˧ː̛ʇ˗ƛ˗ʇŸ̥˧̥ːՏΈʇ
 ˧ː̛ʇ˗
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˧  Έʇ ˧΄̥өӨӨӨ̛
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̛̛ ̓ Lʇd̥̥̓΄ʇ̓Ր
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Έ˧̥ʇ˗Έʇ
˧  ՟ өՏӮӨӨ
Ӯ d  ̓ɥ̥˧ːʇ˗du̓
d
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̓ ɥ̥˧ː
˧ ʇ˗ du̓ ̥y˗d
˗du̓ ̥y ˗d

dːʇ
d  ̥˧̓̓
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dːʇ̥˧̓̓ ˧ d
NJ˧̥dՐ
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ƍ˧ʇ ΄˗ ̓Տ ʇ˗udʇ˗ y˧u˗
̓Տʇ˗udʇ˗y˧u˗
˗ d ̓ ̥ʇΑʇʇ
˗ʇ˗du̓
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ʇ˧˗Έʇ
˧ Έʇ ˧΄̥ӮӨΑʇʇ
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˧ Ӯ Αʇ
ӮӨ ʇʇ ˧̥̓ɥ̥˧ː̥˧̓̓
˧̥̓ ɥ̥˧ː ̥˧̓̓ ̛̥˧ɥ̓̓ʇ˧˗̓ ˗d Έ˧ː˗ ΄˗ ̓Ր
̛̥˧ɥ̓̓ʇ˧˗̓˗dΈ˧ː˗΄˗
  ˧
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96 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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ProductFeature

Multichannel Rubidium
Frequency Calibrator/Analyzer
Pendulum Instruments Inc.
Redwood City, Calif.

P
endulum’s new CNT-104R is the lat- traditional numeric and statistical param-
est addition to its high performance, eters, on the large color graphic display.
multichannel frequency and time- Featuring a time resolution of less than 7
interval calibration analyzer family. ps, 12 to 13 digits/sec frequency resolution
This compact benchtop unit combines an and variable gate time setting from 50 nsec
ultra-stable 10 MHz Rubidium frequency to 1000 sec, the analyzer is purpose-built
reference with a four-channel advanced fre- and optimized for demanding metrology
quency analyzer, allowing users to verify and applications. All four input channels support
calibrate up to four oscillators/clocks in par- gap-free, zero-deadtime counting, provid-
allel on four input channels simultaneously. ing back-to-back measurements without los-
The unit is shown in Figure 1. ing any cycle, even over extended measure-
The unit can also be equipped with an ment periods. The standard frequency range
optional multiband GNSS receiver that dis- for each channel is up to 400 MHz. However,
ciplines the built-in Rubidium clock. This input channel C can support microwave fre-
eliminates any small intrinsic drift due to quencies up to 24 GHz via different software
aging and provides exceptional accuracy upgrade options.
for both portable and laboratory test appli- The CNT-104R is also a high perfor-
cations. The GNSS control not only enables mance modulation domain analyzer for
continuous disciplining of the Rubidium the advanced user. The analyzer has a high
time base, but it allows the user to reset any speed design and sample rates of up to 20
accumulated aging when operated in previ- million measurements per second for four
ously GNSS-denied environments. parallel input signals. This allows very fast
The GNSS receiver pro- frequency variations or phase/time changes
vides an uncertainty of 10 ns to be captured in real-time.
rms to UTC. This enables the The unit is offered in its standard config-
calibration of one to three uration with one 10 MHz reference output
external sync signals with un- with frequency stability of 1 × 10-12 over a
precedented accuracy. The 24-hour average when the optional inte-
internal phase/time reference grated GNSS receiver controls the Rubidium
functionality allows users to oscillator. Additional, highly stable 10 MHz
view drift over time and fre- outputs are achieved when the unit is used
i Fig. 1 CNT-104R frequency quency distribution, including in conjunction with Pendulum’s FDA-301A
calibrator/analyzer.

98 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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MICROWAVE, RF, WIRELESS
AND RADAR EVENT

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JAARBEURS UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS
21 - 26 SEPTEMBER 2025

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paper for one or more of the three
conferences, all you have to do is:
1. Visit our website www.eumw.eu
2. Click on `CONFERENCES’ to view
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on abstract submission
Ȑ!'*3 *'!2'-,Ğ Organised by: Co-sponsored by: Co-sponsored by:

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ProductFeature
speed, with block tings. Valuable signal information,
measurements given in multiparameter displays,
occurring at up removes the need for other instru-
to 170k measure- ments like DVMs and scopes for
ments per second, quick signal verification. Measured
reduces test time results are presented in numerical
in ATE test systems and graphical formats. Graphical
compared to exist- presentation of results like distribu-
ing solutions. tion, trends etc., gives a better un-
A large, color derstanding of the nature of jitter. It
touch screen, also provides a much better view of
along with an in- changes versus time (e.g., drift). A
tuitive menu struc- toggle function allows test data to
i Fig. 2 Four simultaneous signals on CNT-104R display. ture, allows simple be viewed in numerical, statistical,
navigation and set- distribution and timeline modes. It
frequency distribution amplifier. up of instrument test parameters. is quite easy to capture and toggle
This amplifier multiplies the number The unit is equipped standard with between views of the same data
of outputs by a factor of 4, 8 or 12 a Gbit Ethernet interface, offering set. Figure 2 shows a typical dis-
over copper or 6, 12, or 18 via fiber complete flexibility for remote con- play of four simultaneous signals.
interfaces, depending on the out- trol and test result data transfer. Us- This display makes it easy to see
put module configuration. ers can also operate the unit using why the CNT-104R can be consid-
The four-channel CNT-104R a wireless mouse and a connected ered as four instruments in one.
design enables four parallel fre- USB dongle. A built-in web server Pendulum’s frequency counters/
quency measurements. This means allows the unit to be accessed and analyzers are reputable and well-
that the CNT-104R can replace four controlled from your lab bench or known as industry-leading time
frequency counters in a test sys- almost anywhere in the world via a and frequency measurement in-
tem, decreasing the effective cost PC or mobile device using the inte- struments. For over 60 years, Pen-
per counter. It can also provide grated web interface. This enables dulum Instruments has served the
an ultra-stable 10 MHz reference wired Gigabit Ethernet or wireless aerospace and defense, telecom,
frequency to the test stand. This Wi-Fi connectivity to provide flex- metrology and R&D industries
makes the CNT-104R the equiva- ible remote control capability. worldwide. Contact us to learn how
lent of five separate instruments Notable features of the CNT- the CNT-104R can be configured
in a single box, reducing space re- 104R are the menu-oriented set- according to your specific needs
quirements and capital investment. tings in the graphic display. Intelli- and/or budget demands.
You can choose between Ethernet gent AUTO SET configures the best
or WLAN as a communication in- settings for each measurement. Pendulum Instruments Inc.
terface to a variety of devices, in- Thanks to the guided instruction Redwood City, Calif.
cluding PCs, laptops, tablets or on most setting pages, the non- www.pendulum-instruments.com
the test system controller. The bus expert can easily make correct set-

100 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

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ProductFeature

Photonic Microwave Oscillator

Offers Ultra-Low Phase Noise
QuSine
Potsdam, Germany

Q uSine, a spin-off from the Heinz

Nixdorf Institute at the Univer-
ity of Paderborn, Germany, in-
troduces the QuSine PureWave
Photonic Microwave Oscillator (PMO) prod-
• Operating temperature range: Opti-
mized for laboratory and high-precision
environments, the PureWave functions
best in the temperature range of 18°C to
23°C.
uct family. Designed to redefine precision in This combination of specifications makes
RF signal generation, the PureWave PMO the QuSine PureWave PMO a best-in-class
series offers excellent phase noise perfor- solution for high performance RF signal gen-
mance, critical for today’s advanced applica- eration where phase noise and signal stabil-
tions in telecommunications, radar systems, ity are paramount requirements.
quantum computing, aerospace and be- The PureWave PMO leverages a photon-
yond. With specifications that surpass con- ic-based architecture for signal generation.
ventional electronic signal generators, the In a conventional RF signal generator, a mi-
QuSine PureWave PMO, with an example crowave oscillator phase locks to a low noise
shown in Figure 1, sets new benchmarks for electronic reference oscillator, typically an
signal clarity, stability and precision across a oven-controlled quartz oscillator. By phase-
broad frequency range. locking, the microwave oscillator inherits
The QuSine PureWave PMO offers per- the phase noise characteristic of the low
formance metrics designed to address the frequency electronic reference. Optical os-
most demanding requirements in RF and cillators such as mode-locked lasers or opti-
microwave applications: cal frequency combs generate optical pulse
• Phase noise: At 10 GHz, the PureWave trains, which offer significantly better phase
PMO achieves a measured value of -154 noise than any electronic oscillator technol-
dBc/Hz at a 100 kHz offset. ogy. In QuSine’s PMO, the microwave oscil-
• Jitter: The oscillator boasts lator phase locks to an optical reference os-
a jitter of just 6.3 femtosec- cillator, inheriting the superior phase stabil-
onds over a 1 kHz to 100 ity of the optical oscillator. This new concept
MHz frequency range for ensures outstanding phase noise and jitter.
excellent timing precision. The oscillator phase noise is much better
• Frequency range: The than most conventional RF signal generators.
product family covers a With its exceptional jitter performance, the
range from 3 to 60 GHz, QuSine PureWave PMO series ensures that
with 250 MHz intervals, of- even demanding applications like high speed
fering flexibility for a variety data converters and precise timing systems
of applications. can rely on its stability and performance.
• Output power range: The By offering different frequencies, the
output power range is se- QuSine PureWave PMO family addresses
lectable from -20 to +13 various applications. These include next-
i Fig. 1 PureWave Photonic Microwave dBm. generation telecommunications technolo-
Oscillator.

102 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

ProductFeature

TABLE 1
–45
Benchmark
PUREWAVE PMO FAMILY PERFORMANCE –55 QuSine QSPMO10G
Frequency Phase Noise –65 QuSine QSPMO10G (SMLL Option)
Part Number

Phase Noise (dBc/Hz)

(GHz) (dBc/Hz at 100 KHz offset) –75
–85
QSPMO03G 3 -154
–95
QSPMO06G 6 -154 –105
–115
QSPMO08G 8 -154
–125
QSPMO10G 10 -154 –135
QSPMO20G 20 -148 –145
–155
QSPMO30G 30 -144 –165
QSPMO40G 40 -142 10 Hz 100 Hz 1 KHz 10 KHz 100 KHz 1 MHz 10 MHz 100 MHz
Offset Frequency
QSPMO50G 50 -140
QSPMO60G 60 -138
i Fig. 2 10 GHz phase noise performance comparisons.
gies to precise laboratory measurements and aerospace mance improve signal resolution and target detec-
communication systems. Table 1 shows the phase noise tion capabilities in radar applications.
for different frequency options available from the Pure- • Telecommunications: The broad frequency range
Wave PMO family. and stable signal generation enhance the perfor-
Users can select from the available frequency ranges mance of next-generation communication systems,
for their specific requirements. The oscillator output ensuring high-quality, low-error data transmission.
power, ranging from -20 to +13 dBm, can be chosen • Quantum computing: Quantum systems require
to customize signal strength for particular application precise timing and low noise environments to op-
needs. The adaptability of the PureWave PMO family erate effectively. The jitter and phase noise perfor-
ensures that it can meet the exacting demands of any mance aids in controlling qubits and maintaining
project, whether it be in a research environment or an system coherence.
industrial setting. • Aerospace and satellite communication: The wide
frequency range and robust output power ensure
SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR PHASE NOISE stable and reliable data links, even in challenging en-
Achieving ultra-low phase noise is the cornerstone of vironments, for high frequency communication sys-
the PureWave PMO design. The product’s phase noise tems in aerospace applications.
at 10 GHz is over 10 dB better than the best laboratory- • Test and measurement: The PureWave PMO offers
grade RF signal generators, allowing for highly accurate the precision and flexibility needed for accurate test-
and trustworthy measurements. Figure 2 shows phase ing and measurements in RF and microwave technol-
noise comparisons at 10 GHz for QuSine products ver- ogy research and development.
sus an industry benchmark.
Phase noise is a critical factor in many applications CONCLUSION
that prioritize signal purity. In radar systems, low phase The QuSine PureWave PMO is a high performance
noise improves range and resolution by enhancing the addition to the RF signal generator market. With its
radar’s ability to distinguish between nearby objects ultra-low phase noise, minimal jitter and wide range
and reducing clutter. Using Doppler measurements of frequency options, the PureWave PMO series offers
to distinguish slow-moving targets from the environ- high precision and flexibility for various applications. By
ment is easier with superior phase noise performance. leveraging photonic technology, QuSine has been able
In wireless communications, low phase noise generally to push the boundaries of what is possible in microwave
improves the receiver’s signal to noise ratio and error signal generation, making the PureWave family the
vector magnitude, reduces reciprocal mixing with in- best-in-class choice for advanced research, telecommu-
terferers and improves signal integrity in multi-carrier nications, radar, quantum computing and more.
modulation schemes. Broadband digital-to-analog con- For engineers, researchers and developers looking
verter digital-to-analog converter and analog-to-digital for a high performance, reliable signal generator, the
converter precision degrades with clock jitter, so reduc- QuSine PureWave PMO provides the ultimate solution.
ing clock jitter can improve the effective resolution of As technologies continue to evolve and demand even
these devices. greater precision, the PureWave series allows users to
stay ahead of the curve. It offers the low noise, high
APPLICATIONS frequency performance needed to drive innovation in a
The QuSine PureWave PMO addresses a wide range wide range of industries.
of applications that require high-precision signal gen-
QuSine
eration:
Potsdam, Germany
• Radar systems: The phase noise and jitter perfor-
qusine.com

104 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 EUROPE’S PREMIER
MICROWAVE, RF, WIRELESS
AND RADAR EVENT

THE EUROPEAN
MICROWAVE
EXHIBITION
JAARBEURS UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS
23 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2025
• 10,000 sqm of gross exhibition
space
• Around 5,000 attendees
• 1,700 - 2,000 Conference delegates
• In excess of 300 international
exhibitors (including Asia and US
as well as Europe)

INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING?
Please contact one of our International Sales Team:
Richard Vaughan, Victoria and Norbert Hufmann, Germany,
International Sales Manager Austria & Switzerland
rvaughan@horizonhouse.co.uk victoria@hufmann.info
Gaston Traboulsi, France norbert@hufmann.info
gtraboulsi@horizonhouse.com Katsuhiro Ishii, Japan
Mike Hallman, USA amskatsu@dream.com
mhallman@horizonhouse.com Jaeho Chinn, Korea
inter11@jesmedia.com

CALL +44(0) 20 7596 8742 OR VISIT WWW.EUMW.EU

TechBrief
Multichannel Ultra-
Broadband Software-
Defined Radio
N
xbeam has expanded its of 500 Msps per channel and a raw and power solution for customers
product portfolio with the data rate of up to 4 Gbps per chan- seeking high performance, energy-
introduction of a multi- nel. The SDR includes built-in digital efficient systems.
channel ultra-broadband predistortion technology to ensure Nxbeam was founded in 2018
software-defined radio (SDR) based high linearity. For radar applications, with the mission to deliver the
on the RFSoC-DFE platform, which the transmitter can generate linear next generation of wireless com-
provides a fully hardened subsys- chirp waveforms with bandwidths munication infrastructure products
tem, including DDC, DUC, FIR, Resa- up to 1 GHz, while the receiver func- to power the future of information
mpler, FFT, Mixer and DPD and CFR. tions as both a radar receiver and a communication technology. With a
This product features four receivers data acquisition system. The inte- focus on compound semiconduc-
and four transmitters, providing ver- grated FPGA offers robust radar sig- tor solutions using GaN and InP
satile functionality tailored to various nal processing capabilities, making technologies, Nxbeam develops
use cases in communication and ra- the system suitable for demanding both standard and custom prod-
dar applications. For communication radar applications. ucts that support customers in the
applications, the transmitters and re- The SDR is packaged in a com- satellite and 5G communication
ceivers can be configured for QAM pact CubeSat form factor. It sup- markets.
or DVB-S2X modulations, with ad- ports high speed LVDS data trans-
justable output frequencies reaching mission and 10G-BaseR SFP optical
up to C-Band, based on customer Ethernet connectivity. With low DC Nxbeam Inc.
requirements. The ultra-wideband power consumption, the system Los Alamitos, Calif.
transmitter supports symbol rates provides an optimal size, weight www.nxbeam.com

Catch up on the latest industry news with the bi-weekly video update
Frequency Matters from Microwave Journal @ www.microwavejournal.com/frequencymatters

The Art, Science and Magic of Antenna Communications in

Invisibility: Designing the Lunar Environment
Transparent Antennas
Four Innovative Trends
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Questions for the 6G Evolution Radio Market

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106 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 M A K I N G
ADSY1100 Video Automated Valet
Check out Analog Devices ADSY1100-
series: A 4 Tx/Rx, 3UVPX
Parking Simulation
Tuner+Digitizer+Processor SOM, impres- Watch Anritsu’s brief video to learn about
sively contained within a single 1 in. pitch the test solutions that improve Type-2 AVP
chassis. reliability.
Analog Devices Anritsu
www.analog.com/en/ https://bit.ly/3sVsv9k
resources/media-center/
videos/6355240460112.html

Vector Network Analyzer Measurement of

S-Parameters in a Pulsed RF System
Copper Mountain Technologies’ Senior Design Engineer Brian Walker
demonstrates how to make pulsed S-parameter measurements with an external
pulse and a Cobalt VNA.
Copper Mountain Technologies
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT2iTTbFPPY

GaAs Switches Are

a High Performance
Alternative to SOI for
MACOM Reaches Test & Measurement
75 Years Instrumentation
In this application note, Mini-Circuits’ discuss why GaAs
MACOM kicked off 2025 as a mile- switches are re-emerging as an attractive option in test
stone year, their 75th anniversary. and measurement due to technology advances, and the
Some 2024 company highlights key metrics that make choosing a GaAs RF switch an easy
include: the acquisition ENGIN-IC, the decision.
selection to a lead advanced GaN-on- Mini-Circuits
SiC semiconductor technology devel- blog.minicircuits.com
opment project by CHIPS and joining
PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index.
MACOM
www.macom.com

Cybersecurity Matters —
Boost IoT Confidence with
Qorvo Matter Technology
Stay ahead in IoT security with Qorvo’s IoT Dev Kit for the
QPG6200L. Explore energy-efficient solutions, advanced security features
and insights to meet evolving standards and drive success.
Qorvo
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MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 107

 NEW PRODUCTS
FOR MORE NEW PRODUCTS, VISIT WWW.MWJOURNAL.COM/BUYERSGUIDE
FEATURING STOREFRONTS

DEVICES/ 30 dB, ±1.8 dB. Frequency sensitivity is Super Wideband, Double-Balanced,

±1.8 dB.
COMPONENTS/MODULES KRYTAR Inc.
Passive Mixer
www.krytar.com
V-Band Bandstop Filter
ED2’s ED2-0024 is a
0.3-50 GHz Ultra-Wideband 2-Way super wideband,
Power Divider/Combiner double-balanced,
passive mixer in an
advanced 2.5 × 2.5
mm glass SMT BGA
package. The ED2-0024 mixer can be used
as an up-converter or down-converter for LO
and RF frequencies from 20 to 65 GHz and
MIcable 0.3 to 50 GHz ultra-wideband 2-way covers IF bandwidths from DC to 20 GHz.
power divider/combiner can accept and The mixer provides excellent LO to RF and
divide a 0.3 to 50 GHz signal into two LO to IF isolation and is ideal for use in
output signals with equal amplitude wideband mmWave systems for communica-
unbalance (±0.5 dB maximum) and phase tions, defense and test and measurement
unbalance (±7 degrees maximum). Due to applications.
Exceed Microwave’s BSF-W-00208 is a extremely wide bandwidth, excellent VSWR RFMW/ED2
WR19 bandstop filter that provides >15 dB (1.6:1 maximum), insertion loss (5.8 dB www.rfmw.com
rejection across a very narrow bandwidth of maximum) and isolation (16 dB minimum).
50.2 to 50.4 GHz. The filter passes 46 to It can be widely applied in 5G, test & mmWave Block Converter
49.9 GHz and 50.69 to 53 GHz. Both sides measurement, instruments and other
Spectrum Control
of the passband have low insertion loss of wideband applications.
introduced a new
0.2 dB typical with 0.6 dB at the band MIcable
standard product to
edges and a minimum 15 dB return loss. www.micable.cn
its RF+ System in
Exceed Microwave Package (SiP)
www.exceedmicrowave.com MMIC Attenuators platform. The
SCRS-00-1001 RF+ SiP down-converts
Surface-Mount Failsafe Mini-Circuits’ wideband mmWave signals between 18 to
Electromechanical Relay Switches BAT-series GaAs 40 GHz into standard 2 to 18 GHz bands for
MMIC attenuators direct sampling and processing. This first
provide fixed standard SiP expands Spectrum Control’s
Fairview Microwave RF+ SiP platform that delivers unrivaled
attenuation with low loss from DC to 60
has announced its miniaturization of integrated microwave
GHz. They handle 2 W power while fitting tiny
latest offering: the assemblies (IMAs) and was designed, tuned
six-lead QFN-style surface-mount packages
Quartz Series of and tested inside the company’s new RF+
measuring just 0.059 × 0.059 in. (1.50 ×
surface-mount failsafe Digital development pipeline, which reduces
1.50 mm). Ideal for electronic warfare, radar
electromechanical the typical IMA productization timeline by 75
and satellite communications applications,
relay switches. These percent.
these passive 50 Ω devices exhibit 20 dB
precision switches Spectrum Control
typical input return loss over the full
come in a pioneering, micro-sized package www.spectrumcontrol.com
bandwidth. They are available in a wide
and offer an extensive frequency bandwidth
range of fixed attenuation values, including
from DC up to an impressive 26 GHz. The
0, 5, 15 and 30 dB.
Quartz Series also stands out for its robust
power handling, capable of managing up to
Mini-Circuits CABLES & CONNECTORS
www.minicircuits.com
40 W average power during hot switching.
Fairview Microwave
Micro RF Connector
www.fairviewmicrowave.com
Reflective Switch Hirose has developed
a micro RF connector
Directional Coupler Quantic PMI Model that features a low
P6T-2G18G-55-R-512- profile of only 1.2 mm
SFF-ROHS is a high when mated. Offering
KRYTAR, Inc. design flexibility, the
speed, single pole, six
announced a new space-saving K.FL2 Series connector is
throw, reflective switch
directional coupler available in two versions: an RF cable
capable of switching
operating in the mating type and an FPC-to-board mating
within 15 ns. The
wideband frequency range of 0.5 to 26.5 type. Both versions support high density
frequency range is 2
GHz (L- through K-Bands) offering nominal mounting to further save valuable PCB real
to 18 GHz and has over 55 dB of isolation.
coupling of 30 dB. The new coupler offers estate. Compatible with pick-and-place
This model was designed to produce
solutions for emerging designs and test and mounting, the K.FL2 Series connector is
extremely low transients of 15 mV peak to
measurement applications, including commonly used in consumer applications,
peak and a video transient spectral content
wireless communications, radar and including laptop computers, smartphones,
of -65 dBm maximum. Package size is 1.0 ×
satellite communications. This new tablets, VR/AR glasses, routers and more.
1.4 × 0.3 in. with SMA female connectors.
directional coupler, Model 152630, offers Hirose
RoHs compliant and COTS availability.
superior performance ratings, including www.hirose.com
Quantic PMI
nominal coupling (with respect to output) of
www.quanticpmi.com

108 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 frequency crystal oscillators and modules to fall time, slew rate, totalize and voltage
the U.S. market. Developed and manufac- parameters.
NewProducts tured by Q-Tech’s recently acquired European Pendulum Instruments
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BookEnd
Review by: Reena Dahle
Bookend
EW 103: Tactical Battlefield Communications
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eXclusive
Digital Content ›››
TechnicalFeature

EW BOA
VI

RD
RE
MWJ
A

Compact IPD
PP

D
ROVE

Bandpass Filter Design

Qi Zhang, Yazi Cao, Mingzhao Xu and Gaofeng Wang
Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China

A
compact high out-of-band rejec- In this article, a novel compact high out-
tion bandpass filter (BPF) is fab- of-band rejection 5G BPF is introduced.
ricated using Si-based integrated It uses Si IPD technology and a topology
passive devices (IPD) technology. consisting of two modified π-sections. This
It is designed with a modified topology for topology generates four TZs near the pass-
5G applications. It contains two cascading band, achieving very high out-of-band rejec-
modified π-sections and can generate four tion. It measures 1.3 × 0.8 × 0.3 mm with
transmission zeros (TZs) near the passband, upper stopband suppression greater than
which greatly improves frequency selectiv- 20 dB up to 16 GHz.
ity. It is just 1.3 × 0.8 × 0.3 mm in size and
achieves an insertion loss of less than 1.2 dB BPF DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
with a return loss of better than 18 dB in the The two modified π-sections are analyzed
passband and an upper stopband suppres- first. The first section consists of a TZ reso-
sion level greater than 20 dB up to 16 GHz. nator in the main branch with a TZ resona-
With advancements in wireless communi- tor and a grounded capacitor in the shunt
cation systems, BPFs have attracted a great branches. This topology is shown in Figure
deal of attention. BPFs with low insertion 1a. Its simulated transmission coefficient,
loss and high out-of-band rejection have shown in Figure 1b, shows two TZs near the
received much research focus.1-5 In general, passband and a TZ at DC. The TZ in the up-
these filters are mainly made using three fab- per band is generated by the TZ resonator
rication processes: IPD,4-6 low-temperature in the main branch, while the TZ in the lower
co-fired ceramic (LTCC)1,2,7 and substrate- band is generated by the TZ resonator in the
integrated waveguide (SIW).3,8,9 shunt branch.
To improve out-of-band rejection, con- Its ABCD matrix is given by Equation 1:
trollable TZs1,8 and different coupling mech-
c m=c mc mc m
anisms2,7,9 have been introduced in LTCC A B 1 0 1 Z1 1 0
and SIW filters. However, these filters are C D Y1 1 0 1 Y2 1
usually large, which is not suitable for 5G
=c m
1 + Z 1 Y2 Z1
miniaturized communication systems ap- Y1 + Y1 Y2 Z 1 + Y2 Y1 Z 1 + 1
plications. For IPD filters,4-6 the chip size
(1)
can be greatly reduced in comparison. Lyu
et al.10 reported on a BPF with a center fre- Where the Y1, Z1 and Y2 variables are giv-
quency of 3 GHz, an insertion loss of 1.2 dB en by Equations 2-4:
and an upper stopband attenuation of more
than 44 dB up to 30 GHz (> 10ƒ0). Its size, -~ 2 C4 L 3 + 1
Y1 = j~L 3 (2)
however, is 2.16 × 0.90 mm, which is still too
large for the chip miniaturization. Sitaraman 1 - ~ 2 L 1 C2
j~ ^ -~ L 1 C1 C2 + C1 + C2 h
Z1 = 2 (3)
et al.,11 designed a BPF with a layout area of
less than 1 mm2; however, with only two TZs
in the upper stopband, it is not suitable for Y2 = j~C5 (4)
high-selectivity applications.

MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 117

TechnicalFeature
C3 C3
Where the Y3, Z2 and Y4 variables
are defined in Equations 10 – 12:
Y3 = j~C5 (10)
L2 Port 1 L2 Port 2 jwL 2
Port 1 Port 2
L4 L4 Z2 = (11)
1 - ~ 2 C3 L 2
j~ ^ C7 - ~ 2 C6 C7 L 4 h
C5 C7 C5 C7
C6 C6
Y4 = (12)
1 - ~ 2 C7 L 4 - ~ 2 C6 L 4
(a) (a) Where ω is the transmission fre-
quency of the filter. When S12 = 0,
0 0 the values of ω are defined in Equa-
tion 13 and Equation 14:
–6
–10
1
~1 = L C (13)
|S12 | (dB)
|S12 | (dB)

–12 2 3
–20 1
L 4 ^ C6 + C7 h
–18 ~2 = (14)
–30
–24
It is assumed that C5 = 0.01 pF,
–40 –30
C6 = 0.69 pF, C7 = 0.53 pF, L2 = 3.15
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20 nH and L4 = 1.14 nH in the second
(b)
Frequency (GHz)
(b)
Frequency (GHz) modified π-section. The two TZs are
at 2.44 and 5.66 GHz, respectively.
 Fig. 1 First modified p-section:  Fig. 2 Second modified p-section: The BPF topology with high out-
topology (a) and simulated |S12| (b). topology (a) and simulated |S12| (b). of-band rejection shown in Figure
Where ω is the transmission fre- main branch with a TZ resona- 3a comprises the two modified
quency of the filter. S-parameters tor and a capacitor in the shunt π-sections. By cascading them,
can be derived from the ABCD ma- branches, as shown in Figure 2a. Its four TZs are generated near the
trix in Equation 5: simulated transmission coefficient, passband, as shown in Figure 3b.
shown in Figure 2b, has two TZs It achieves an insertion loss of less
2 ^ AD - BC h generated near the passband. The than 1.2 dB and an upper stopband
S12 = B (5)
A + Z + CZ 0 + D second modified π-section achieves suppression level greater than 20
0 a bandpass performance. The TZ in dB up to 16 GHz.
When S12 = 0, the values of ω can the upper band is generated by the
TZ resonator in the main branch, FABRICATION AND
be determined by Equations 6-8:
while the TZ in the lower band is MEASUREMENT
~1 = 0 (6) The BPF is fabricated using Si-
generated by the TZ resonator in
C1 + C2
~2 = L1 C1 C2 (7) the shunt branch. based IPD technology. The Si sub-
C1 + C3 The ABCD matrix of its two- strate has a thickness of 250 mi-
~3 = L1 L3 C1 C2 (8) port network can be obtained from crons, a relative dielectric constant,
It is assumed that C1 = 1.22 pF, Equation 9 to analyze the second εr, of 11.69 and a loss tangent, tanδ,
C2 = 4.0 pF, C4 = 3.31 pF, C5 = 0.34 modified π-section as follows: of 0.003. It includes three copper
pF, L1 = 0.51 nH and L3 = 1.72 nH metal layers (M1, M2 and M3) with
c m =d nc mc m
A B 1 0 1 Z2 1 0
in the first modified π-section. The thicknesses of 2, 6 and 8 microns,
C D Y3 1 0 1 Y4 1 respectively. In this design, the in-
three TZs are at DC, 2.10 GHz and
=c m
1 + Z 2 Y4 Z2 ductors are in the M3 layer. The
7.28 GHz, respectively.
The second modified π-section Y3 + Y3 Y4 Z 2 Y3 Z 2 metal-insulator-metal capacitors are
consists of a TZ resonator in the (9) in the M1 and M2 layers, separated

0
C1 C3
–10

–20
|S12 | (dB)

Port 1 L1 C2 L2 Port 2
C4 L4 –30

C5 C7 –40
C6
L3 –50
0 5 10 15 20
Frequency (GHz)
(a) (b)

 Fig. 3 BPF topology (a) and simulated |S12| (b).

118 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 TechnicalFeature

TABLE 1
COMPARISON WITH OTHER WORK
f0 Upper
Insertion Number
Reference Size (mm2) Stopband Process
(GHz) Loss (dB) of TZs
(dB)
1 3.5 1.35 6.1 x 6.8 5 20/2.2 f 0 LTCC
2 3.1 1.9 8.55 x 6.7 4 20/3.1 f 0 LTCC
(a)
3 6.08 0.56 5.7 x 3.4 4 20/3.4 f 0 SIW
0 4 3 1.77 1.63 x 0.62 3 20/34.6 f 0 GaAs IPD
Si-based
S-Parameters (dB)

–10 This work 3.75 1.2 1.3 x 0.8 4 20/4.3 f 0 IPD

–20 offers a good balance between high less Technology Letters, Vol. 33, No. 6,
performance and chip size, which February 2023, pp. 651–654.
–30 |S11 | Simulated 4. Y. Jiang, L. Feng, H. Zhu, W. Feng,
|S12| Simulated is attractive for 5G communication H. Chen, Y. Shi, W. Che and Q. Xue,
–40
|S11 | Measured systems. “Bandpass Filter with Ultra-Wide Up-
|S12| Measured
per Stopband on GaAs IPD Technol-
5 10 15 CONCLUSION ogy,” IEEE Transactions on Circuits and
Frequency (GHz) Systems II: Express Briefs, Vol. 69, No. 2,
(b) A compact Si-based IPD high February 2022, pp. 389–393.
out-of-band rejection BPF uses two 5. W. Chen, Y. Wu, Y. Yang and W. Wang,
 Fig. 4 BPF micrograph (a) and
modified π-section BPF topologies. “IPD-Based Miniaturized Wideband
simulated and measured S-parameters (b).
By cascading the two sections, four Bandpass Filter with Frequency-Depen-
by a dielectric layer with εr = 7.46 TZs are generated near the pass- dent Complex Source and Load,” IEEE
Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 49,
and tanδ = 0.002. band, improving frequency selec- No. 3, March 2021, pp. 1115–1120.
The BPF is simulated and its tivity and out-of-band rejection. 6. D. -M. Kim, B. -W. Min and J. -M. Yook,
graphic design system layout is Simulated and measured results are “Compact mmWave Bandpass Filters
generated with the EM simulator in good agreement. With high out- Using Silicon Integrated Passive Device
Technology,” IEEE Microwave and Wire-
UltraEM from Faraday Dynamics. of-band performance, it is a good less Components Letters, Vol. 29, No.
A micrograph of the filter is shown candidate for 5G communication 10, October 2019, pp. 638–640.
in Figure 4a with a chip size of 1.3 systems applications. 7. X. Y. Zhang, X. Dai, H. -L. Kao, B. -H.
× 0.8 × 0.3 mm. It is measured on- Wei, Z. Y. Cai and Q. Xue, “Compact
chip using a Keysight N5244A PNA- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS LTCC Bandpass Filter With Wide Stop-
band Using Discriminating Coupling,”
X vector network analyzer and Cas- This work was supported by the IEEE Transactions on Components, Pack-
cade summit-11000 probe station. National Natural Science Foun- aging and Manufacturing Technology,
Simulated and measured S-pa- dation of China under Grants Vol. 4, No. 4, April 2014, pp. 656–663.
rameters are shown in Figure 4b. 92373202 and 62141409, the Na- 8. G. Lin and Y. Dong, “A Compact, Hy-
brid SIW Filter with Controllable TZs
Compared with the circuit simulat- tional Key Research and Devel- and High Selectivity,” IEEE Transac-
ed results, both the EM simulation opment Program of China under tions on Circuits and Systems II: Express
and measurement show an extra Grant 2019YFB2205003 and the Briefs, Vol. 69, No. 4, April 2022, pp.
TZ in the upper stopband, which is Zhejiang Provincial Key Research & 2051-2055.
caused by parasitic effects that are Development Project under Grant 9. Y. Zheng and Y. Dong, “Miniaturized
Hybrid Filter Using Stripline and LC-
neglected in the circuit simulation. 2021C01041. Loaded SIW Resonators,” IEEE Transac-
The measured BPF achieves an in- tions on Circuits and Systems II: Express
sertion loss of less than 1.2 dB and References Briefs, Vol. 69, No. 9, September 2022,
a return loss greater than 18 dB 1 W. Zhao, Y. Wu, Y. Yang and W. Wang, pp. 3719–3723, 2022.
“LTCC Bandpass Filter Chips with Con- 10 Y. -P. Lyu, Y. -J. Zhou, L. Zhu and C. -H.
across the operating band. The up- trollable TZs and Bandwidths Using Cheng, “Compact and High-Order On-
per stopband suppression level is Stepped-Impedance Stubs,” IEEE Trans- Chip Wideband Bandpass Filters on
greater than 20 dB up to 16 GHz. actions on Circuits and Systems II: Ex- Multimode Resonator in Integrated Pas-
Measurements are in close agree- press Briefs, Vol. 69, No. 4, April 2022, sive Device Technology,” IEEE Electron
pp. 2071–2075. Device Letters, Vol. 43, No. 2, February
ment with the simulation. 2. W. Feng, X. Gao, W. Che, W. Yang and 2022, pp.196–199.
This performance is compared Q. Xue, “LTCC Wideband Bandpass Fil- 11. S. Sitaraman, V. Sukumaran, M. R. Pulu-
in Table 1 with several previously ters with High Performance Using Cou- gurtha, Z. Wu, Y. Suzuki, Y. Kim, V. Sun-
reported BPFs based on different pled Lines with Open/Shorted Stubs,” daram, J. Kim and R. R. Tummala, “Min-
technologies. For LTCC and SIW IEEE Transactions on Components, iaturized Bandpass Filters as Ultrathin
Packaging and Manufacturing Technol- 3-D IPDs and Embedded Thinfilms in
technologies,1-3 the BPFs all occu- ogy, Vol. 7, No. 4, April 2017, pp. 602– 3-D Glass Modules,” IEEE Transactions
py larger areas and have narrower 609. on Components, Packaging and Manu-
stopbands. The GaAs IPD BPF4 has 3. H. Tian and Y. Dong, “Wideband Low- facturing Technology, Vol. 7, No. 9, Sep-
a higher insertion loss. This design Loss Filter with Compact Size and Wide tember 2017, pp. 1410–1418.
Stopband Based on Folded Planar
Waveguide,” IEEE Microwave and Wire-

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TechnicalFeature EW BOA
VI

RD
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MWJ
e clusive A
PP

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Digital Content ››› ROVE

Net Power Measurement

Method Considering Mismatch
Correction
Haoyu Lin and Pan Huang
National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China

T
his article describes a net power S 2
measurement methodology based C3 = S21 (2)
31
on a three-port directional coupler 2
that demonstrates high relative and 1
C4 = S (3)
42
absolute accuracy while being unaffected by
the mismatch. The measurement method Although Equation 1 is straightforward
and the evaluation of uncertainty are both and commonly used, it is only an approxima-
simple and convenient. It is demonstrated to tion. Due to the inevitable impact of imped-
be useful for E-field probe calibration, which ance mismatch, if a precision measurement is
makes the method applicable to radio me- required, the mismatch correction should be
trology. performed. Kanda and Orr5 derived the exact
Net power measurement is common in net power (Pexact) as shown in Equation 4:
the field of RF metrology.1-3 Xie et al.4 de- 2 2 2
scribed a method that calculates the net Pexact = P3 g - P4 C 2 h (4)
power delivered into a transverse electro- Where the parameters are defined in
magnetic (TEM) cell using a dual-directional Equations 5 to 12:
coupler. The port orientation of this dual-di-
F B +A E
rectional coupler is shown in Figure 1 for an g = D1 A1 - F 1C 1 (5)
1 1 1 1
E-field probe calibration application.
Two power sensors are used to measure B1 F1 + A1 E1
h = B D -E C (6)
1 1 1 1
forward and reverse power and the net pow-
er is calculated using Equation 1: A1 = S31 ^ 1 - S44 C 4 h + S34 S41 C 4 (7)
Pnet = C3 P3 - C4 P4 (1) B1 = S41 (1 - S33 C 3 ) + S34 S31 C 3 (8)
P3 and P4 are the readings of the power
C1 = (S31 S42 - S32 S41) C 2 (9)
Forward Reverse sensors for the two arms. C3
3 4 and C4 are the forward and re- D1 = S31 (1 - S22 C 2) + S32 S12 C 2 (10)
Input Output
verse coupling coefficients of E1 = S12 (1 - S33 C 3) + S31 S32 C 3 (11)
1 Dual Directional Coupler 2 the coupler. The C3 coefficient
is calculated in Equation 2 F1 = (S31 S42 - S34 S12) C 4 (12)
and the C coefficient in Equa- Γ2, Γ3 and Γ4 are the reflection coeffi-
 Fig. 1 Dual-directional coupler block tion 3: 4 cients (RCs) of the load and power sensors
diagram.

120 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 TechnicalFeature
E a1 S21 b2
power sensor on its Inserting Equations 18 and 19
coupled arm and a into Equation 17 and eliminating a3
load connected to and b3 yields Equation 20, which is
ΓG
S11 S31 S23
S22 ΓL its output is shown the final expression of the net pow-
in Figure 2. E is the er received by the load, considering
S12
RMS amplitude of the mismatch correction.
b1 a2 the signal genera- Ps
S13 S32 tor (SG) output. ΓG, Pnet = 2
a3 ΓS and ΓL repre- 1 - Cs
b3
S33 2
b
sent the RCs of the S21 S21 S33 l
SG, the power sen- S31 + Cs S23 - S31
ΓS sor and the load, 1 - CL
2
respectively. S-pa- 2 ^ 20 h
 Fig. 2 Three-port directional coupler signal flow graph. rameters are those 1 - C L b S22 - 21
S S32 l
of the directional S31
connected to Ports 2, 3 and 4, re-
spectively, while the S-parameters coupler. Equation 13 and Equation
are those of the directional coupler. 148 are derived from Figure 2 using The right side of Equation 20
Because these calculations are more microwave network theory. can be divided into three parts. The
Ps
complicated than the approxima- first part is 1 - CS 2 , which is the cor-
b2 = b3 : S21 + C S b S23 - 21 D+
S S S33 l rection to the forward coupled pow-
tion using Equations 1 through 3,
31 S31 er output at Port 3, considering the
they add difficulty to the determina-
a2 b S22 - 21
tion of net power. S S32 l mismatch of the power sensor. If the
S31 (13)
6
Song and Meng compared two mismatch is not considered, Γs = 0
methods for measuring net power. and this part becomes Ps.
One is based on a dual-directional a2 = b2 CL (14) The second 2
part is
S b S23 -
S21 S21 S33 l
coupler and scalar coupling coef- S31 + C S31 . This is the cor-
ficients, VSWR and directivity. The Eliminating a2 yields Equation rection to the ratio of the insertion
other is a transfer method, which 15: loss to the coupling coefficient of
the coupler. If the mismatch of the
b2 = b3 : S21 + C S b S23 - 21 D
can be traced back to a power stan- S S S33 l
dard system. The principles for the 31 S31 power sensor is not considered, 2
Γs
selection of the two methods are = 0 and this part becomes SS21 ..
1 31

also discussed in the article. (15) The third part is the correction to
1 - C L b S22 - 21
S S32 l
To guarantee measurement ac- S31 reflection occurring at the interface
curacy, all methods based on a of the coupler and the load. If the
dual-directional coupler require the The net power received by the mismatch of the load is not consid-
coupler to be ideal or quasi-ideal load is Pnet, and its expression is ered, ΓL = 0 and this part equals 1. If
with high directivity. Otherwise, ac- given by Equation 16: all mismatches are not considered,
cording to the IEEE 1309-2013 stan- b2 2 a2 2 the net power expression becomes
P = Equation 21, which is a commonly
Z0 - Z0 (16)
7
dard, when a transmitting antenna net
having a VSWR of 1.5:1 is connect- used approximate expression of the
ed to Port 2 and the coupler has a In this expression, Z0 is the char- net power measured using a three-
directivity of 25 dB, the uncertainty acteristic impedance of the trans- port directional coupler.
in the net power due to finite di- mission line. Inserting Equations 2
S
rectivity is +0.19/-0.22 dB. This is 14 and 15 into Equation 16 yields Pnet = Ps S21 (21)
31
considerable and may become the Equation 17:
main component of uncertainty in All effects on the net power cal-
Pnet = culation caused by mismatches are
the net power measurement.
|b3 | 2 S21 2 considered in the net power expres-
S b S23 -
However, a three-port directional S21 S33 l
Z 0 S3 1 + C S31 sion of Equation 20. It is a compre-
coupler can be used for net power
measurement with mismatch correc- 2 hensive and exact expression for
1 - CL the net power measurement of a
tion performed. In this article, a net 2 (17)
1 - C L b S22 - 21
power measurement that provides S S32 l three-port directional coupler.
high accuracy is described. This S31
method is based on a three-port di- MEASUREMENTS
rectional coupler with the effects of The power received by the power Two experiments are presented.
mismatch removed. Measurements sensor is Ps, as expressed in Equation The purpose of Experiment (A) is to
validate the technique and the final 18, with a3 defined in Equation 19: validate this proposed method by
uncertainty is evaluated. b3
2
a3
2 comparing net power measurement
Ps = Z - Z (18) results using different methods
0 0
METHOD with the reference net power. Ex-
a3 = b3 Cs (19) periment (B) applies the proposed
The signal flow graph for a three-
port directional coupler with a method for E-field probe calibration
MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 121
TechnicalFeature
0.7 45
0.6 40

Reflection Coefficient
35
0.5

Directivity (dB)
30
0.4 25
0.3 RC of PS1 20
RC of PS0
15
0.2 RC of PS2
Directivity 10
0.1 5
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Frequency (GHz)

 Fig. 5 Power sensor RCs and coupler directivity.

 Fig. 3 Experiment (A) configuration.

RF Signal

1.6 GTEM Cell

SG PA DC
1.4 ∆P1 z
∆P2 y
1.2 ∆P3
Error (dB)

1.0 x
PS
0.8
E-Field Probe
0.6
0.4 Readout Device PM Fiber
0.2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Frequency (GHz)  Fig. 6 Experiment (B) block diagram.

 Fig. 4 Measurement errors of net power calculated using Where Pnet(20), Pnet(21) and Pnet(1) are net powers cal-
different methods. culated using Equations 20, 21 and 1, respectively.
The frequency range is from 1 to 18 GHz with 1 GHz
and compares the calibration results with different net frequency steps and all the power sensors are cali-
power measurement methods. brated against a traceable standard. All the RCs and
Experiment (A): Net Power Measurement Based on a S-parameters are individually measured using a vector
Dual-Directional Coupler network analyzer. Pnet0 is kept at a constant value of 19
A dual-directional coupler with a nominal coupling dBm by manually adjusting the SG output power at
coefficient of 20 dB is used, as shown in Figure 3. Port each frequency with a resolution of 0.01 dBm. In this
1 is connected to the SG, which can provide a maxi- way, the effect on ∆P1, ∆P2 and ∆P3 caused by drift and
mum of 30 dBm output with the high-power option. A stability of Pnet0 is less than 0.01 dBm. The results are
power sensor (PS0) is connected to Port 2 as a load to shown in Figure 4.
directly obtain the net power (Pnet0) absorbed by the The following conclusions are drawn, validating the
load. This is treated as the reference net power. Ports 3 proposed net power measurement method:
and Port 4 are connected to two other power sensors, Relative Accuracy: ∆P1 is smaller than ∆P2 and ∆P3
PS1 and PS2, to measure forward and reverse power, at all the frequency points and the maximum differenc-
respectively. es appear at 18 GHz, where ∆P1 is 1.46 dB and 0.73 dB
To validate the proposed method, net power is cal- smaller than ∆P2 and ∆P3, respectively. Therefore, the
culated using Equations 20, 21 and 1, respectively. For method to calculate net power based on Equation 20
Equations 20 and 21, the coupler is treated as a three- is more accurate than the methods based on Equations
port directional coupler, which means that PS2 is used 1 and 21.
only as a load connected to Port 4 and its reading is not Absolute Accuracy: The maximum value of ∆P1 is
used. In this condition, the reading of PS1 is the PS ap- 0.13 dB at 18 GHz, where the RC of the load is extreme-
pearing in Equations 20 and 21 and the reading of PS0 ly large, having a value of 0.60, as shown in Figure 5. At
is the reference net power (Pnet0). ∆P1, ∆P2 and ∆P3 are other frequency points, ∆P1 is always smaller than 0.1
the measurement errors of the net powers calculated dB. Therefore, the absolute accuracy of the proposed
using Equations 20, 21 and 1. The calculations for these method is high enough for the measurements of net
measurement errors are shown in Equations 22 to 24. power using couplers.
Effect of Mismatch: Because the mismatch is not
DP1 = Pnet (20 ) - Pnet 0 (22) considered in Equations 1 and 21, the net power cal-
culated using the two equations is affected by the mis-
DP2 = Pnet (21 ) - Pnet 0 (23)
match. From Figure 4, ∆P2 and ∆P3 tend to increase in
DP1 = Pnet (1 ) - Pnet 0 (24) a sinusoidal fashion with frequency, which is in accor-
dance with the variation of the RC of PS0, in general.

122 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025

 TechnicalFeature
power corresponds again to make the net power cal-
to one standard culated using Equation 21 equal to
E-field strength. A Pnet at each frequency point and the
schematic diagram E-field strength of the z-axis, Ez(21),
of this experiment is recorded. ∆Erel is the deviation of
is shown in Figure E(21) relative to E(20). This is shown in
6. The system com- Equation 25:
prises an SG, pow-
EZ (21) - EZ (20)
er amplifier (PA), DErel = (25)
EZ (20)
directional coupler,
PS, power meter, The frequency range is from 300
E-field probe and MHz to 3 GHz. Figure 8 shows that
a readout device. although the net power fed into
The RF signal emit- the GTEM cell, calculated using
(a) ted by the SG is Equations 20 and 21 individually,
amplified by the is the same, the generated E-field
PA and fed into the strengths are different and the maxi-
GTEM cell through mum relative deviation is 4.63 per-
the directional cou- cent at 3 GHz. This means that if the
pler. The electric net power is calculated using Equa-
field occupies the tion 21, the error in the standard
test volume of the E-field strength caused by the net
GTEM cell. power calculation error can reach
In this setup, a 4.63 percent, which is considerable
dual-directional compared with a normal expanded
coupler is used as uncertainty of 10 percent of the E-
a three-port direc- field probe calibration. Using the
tional coupler with proposed method to calculate net
(b)
the reverse cou- power is, therefore, meaningful for
pling port connect- E-field probe calibration, which can
 Fig. 7 Input port of the GTEM cell (a) and arrangement in ed to a matched reduce the error in the generated
the GTEM cell (b). load, as shown in standard E-field strength.
34 5.0
Figure 7a. The
4.5 three-dimensional UNCERTAINTY
32 Ez(20)
E-Field Strength (V/m)

E-field probe is Net power measurement uncer-

Relative Deviation (%)

Ez(21) 4.0
30 ∆Erel 3.5 placed at the test tainty is an important component in
28 3.0 point and the three RF metrology, so it should be taken
2.5
26 2.0
sensors are aligned into consideration and appropriate-
24 1.5 with the three com- ly evaluated. In Equation 20, there
1.0 ponents of the E- are many parameters and most of
22 0.5 field, respectively, them are complex numbers. There-
20
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
0
3000
using a laser level. fore, using the method described
Frequency (GHz) This setup is shown by GUM9 to evaluate the uncertain-
in Figure 7b. How- ty makes the process very compli-
 Fig. 8 Measured E-field strength and the relative deviation. ever, only the read- cated and time-consuming.
ing of the z-axis of To facilitate the uncertainty
However, ∆P1 does not exhibit this the E-field probe is used because evaluation process, a Monte Carlo
tendency; its variation is flatter than it is parallel with the primary com- method is used based on the NIST
that of ∆P2 and ∆P3. Therefore, the ponent of the E-field. The power Uncertainty Machine.10 The input
effect of mismatch is removed using meter, together with the PS, records and out quantities are modeled as
the proposed method. the forward power fed into the random variables with the mean
Experiment (B): Net Power GTEM cell. and standard deviation equal to the
Calculation and E-Field Probe The SG output power is first corresponding estimate and stan-
Calibration adjusted to a proper level and the dard uncertainty. Their probability
The TEM cell, Gigahertz TEM readings of the PS and the E-field distributions are used to character-
(GTEM) cell and standard gain horn strength in the z-axis, Ez(20), at each ize measurement uncertainty.11
antenna are the E-field generators frequency point are recorded. The The absolute and relative stan-
commonly used in E-field probe net power (Pnet) is then calculated dard measurement uncertainty (u
calibration. The E-field strength using the recorded reading of the and urel) of Pnet calculated using
generated is associated with the PS based on Equation 20. Finally, Equation 20 in Experiment (A) is
net power fed into them; one net the SG output power is adjusted evaluated. The values and standard

MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025 123

TechnicalFeature

ated experiments and uncertainty evaluation have been

TABLE 1 performed to validate this method. The results show
UNCERTAINTY EVALUATION AT ALL that the relative and absolute accuracy of the method
FREQUENCY POINTS are both high and not affected by the mismatch.
Frequency (GHz) Mean (W) Std (W) urel (%) It is also proven that this method is meaningful for
1 0.0799 0.0010 1.20 E-field probe calibration, which can reduce the error in
the standard E-field strength. Besides having high accu-
2 0.0802 0.0010 1.20
racy, the net power calculation and the uncertainty eval-
3 0.0800 0.0010 1.20 uation are both simple and convenient. Therefore, the
4 0.0806 0.0010 1.20 proposed method has application in the field of radio
metrology represented by E-field probe calibration.
5 0.0798 0.0010 1.22
6 0.0803 0.0010 1.22 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
7 0.0796 0.0010 1.23 This work is supported by Quality and Technology
8 0.0790 0.0010 1.25
Foundation Capacity Building (ANL2306).
9 0.0824 0.0011 1.30 References
10 0.0771 0.0011 1.36 1. Y. -P. Hong, J. -I. Park, T. -W. Kang, J. -G. Lee and N. -W. Kang,
“Ka-Band Electric-Field Probe Calibration System with Rotating
11 0.0818 0.0011 1.36 and Linear Motion,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and
Measurement, Vol. 70, January 2021.
12 0.0797 0.0011 1.37 2. M. Ali, M. Perenzoni and D. Stoppa, “A Methodology to Measure
13 0.0843 0.0012 1.38 Input Power and Effective Area for Characterization of Direct THz
Detectors,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measure-
14 0.0806 0.0011 1.32 ment, Vol. 65, No. 5, May 2016, pp. 1225–1231.
15 0.0806 0.0010 1.27 3. F. Musolino, “Measurement of IC-Conducted Emissions by Em-
ploying a Backward-Wave Directional Coupler,” IEEE Transac-
16 0.0823 0.0010 1.34 tions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 59, No. 7, July
2010, pp. 1983–1985.
17 0.0770 0.0013 1.85 4. X. Liu, M. Xie, D. B. Li and J. Y. Li, “A Method to Calculate the Net
18 0.0772 0.0016 2.25 Power Delivered into a TEM Cell Using a Directional Coupler in a
Probe Calibration,” Applied Mechanics and Materials.
uncertainties of all the S-parameters are from the cali- 5. M. Kanda and R. D. Orr, “A Radio-Frequency Power Delivery Sys-
bration certificates. The readings of PS1 are from the tem: Procedures for Error Analysis and Self-Calibration,” Techni-
experiment and the uncertainty is from the calibration cal Note (NIST TN) – 1083, U.S. National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md., 1985.
certificate. 6. D. Li, Z. Song and D. Meng, “Comparison of Two Measurement
The uncertainty evaluation results at all the frequen- Methods on Net Power Delivery with Dual Directional Couplers,”
cy points are shown in Table 1. Where the mean un- IEEE Conference Antenna Measurements & Applications, De-
certainty is the common estimate of the actual value of cember 2017.
Pnet and the standard deviation is the common evalu- 7. “IEEE Standard for Calibration of Electromagnetic Field Sensors
and Probes (Excluding Antennas) from 9 kHz to 40 GHz,” IEEE
ation of u. The minimum value of urel is 1.20 percent Standard 1309, IEEE, November 2013.
at 1 GHz and the maximum value is 2.25 percent at 18 8. D. Gentle, “Mismatch Corrections for the Extrapolation Range,”
GHz. Comparing Figure 5 and Table 1, urel is strongly National Physical Laboratory, Technical Report, Teddington, Mid-
related to the RC of PS0 and when the RC is lower than dlesex, U.K., 2006, Unpublished.
9. “Evaluation of Measurement Data – Guide to the Expression
0.3 (VSWR lower than 1.86), urel is less than 1.3 percent. of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM),” JCGM 100:2008, Joint
Therefore, for most of the loads commonly used in RF Committee for Guides in Metrology, September 2008.
metrology, the uncertainty is small enough. 10. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Web:
https://uncertainty.nist.gov/.
CONCLUSION 11. T. Lafarge and A. Possolo, “NIST Uncertainty Machine — User’s
Manual,” National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaith-
A net power measurement method based on a three- ersburg, Md., November 2020.
port directional coupler has been proposed. The associ-

124 MWJOURNAL.COM  FEBRUARY 2025