Copper Mountain touts USB VNAs, reflectometer at IMS

San Francisco, CA. Copper Mountain Technologies (CMT) has introduced two new vector network analyzers and a reflectometer, and the company has teamed up with Farran Technology Ltd. to develop new technology for making millimeter-wave S-parameter measurements. CMT highlighted the new products at IMS 2016 last week in San Francisco.

The result of CMT’s collaboration with Farran Technology is CobaltFx, which, the companies say, provides lab-quality results in a compact and affordable solution.  They say system is the first millimeter-wave frequency extension solution built on a 9-GHz vector network analyzer (VNA) and is available in three dedicated waveguide bands: 50 to 75 GHz, 60 to 90 GHz, and 75 to 110 GHz.

The system is anchored by a 9-GHz vector network analyzer from Copper Mountain Technologies’ Cobalt Series. It features fast sweep speeds down to 10 μs per point and a dynamic range of up to 162 dB, all in a compact USB form factor. The C4209 works seamlessly and exclusively with Farran Technology’s millimeter-wave FEV frequency extenders.

“The high performance of CMT’s Cobalt Series is what made using a 9-GHz VNA, as opposed to the usual 20-GHz VNA, possible,” said Tom Scanlon, director of marketing and sales at Farran Technology Ltd.

The extenders are packaged in small and versatile enclosures that allow for flexible port arrangements with respect to the waveguide. Waveguide ports are manufactured in accordance to the new IEEE 1785-2a standard and ensure industry best alignment and repeatability of connection, allowing for long interval times between calibration.

“Farran Technology is similar to CMT in its effort to create innovative and valuable test and measurement solutions for RF and microwave engineers in any industry. Without their expertise in millimeter-wave frequency extension CobaltFx wouldn’t be the exciting solution it is today,” said Alex Goloschokin, managing director at Copper Mountain Technologies.

Utilizing a lab-quality yet low cost 9 GHz USB VNA and other innovations in the extension modules make CobaltFx more compact and significantly less expensive— about half that of existing solutions in the same frequency range, CMT reports. The size and flexibility of the waveguide ports allow for significant improvements in portability and the lab-quality measurements, making it suitable for many burgeoning RF industries like 5G applications, WiGig at 60 GHz, Backhaul at 70 and 80 GHz, and automotive radar and sensor testing.

Reflectometer

CMT also introduced the patented R60 model, a reflectometer designed to support both emerging and established businesses by increasing access and accuracy in RF testing. This new product weighs 12.3 oz. and connects directly to a device under test (DUT), allowing engineers to have high quality testing equipment that is portable and more affordable without sacrificing testing accuracy. At IMS, CMT demonstrated the R60 sweeping various IoT antennas across the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz ISM bands.

At 6.2” x 2.6” x 1.2”, the R60 is compact, and due to a frequency range of 1 MHz to 6 GHz, it expands on CMT’s existing reflectometer offerings and is suitable for those working with Wi-Fi applications. Additionally, CMT’s patented technology allows R60 to connect directly to a device under test (DUT) improving measurement accuracy by eliminating instability introduced by test cables.

As with all CMT reflectometers, R60 measures the S11 parameter. It has a variety of analysis capabilities that make it suitable for use by specialists working with antenna feeder cables in the field as well as setting and checking/testing devices in any industry. The software interface for the devices is compatible with the latest in Windows notebook and tablet technology.

Expanded VNA line

CMT also announced that it has expanded frequency range of its Compact VNA line to 6.5 and 8.5 GHz. S5065 operates in the frequency range from 20 kHz to 6.5 GHz, while the S5085, operates in the frequency range from 20 kHz to 8.5 GHz. These compact VNAs have a typical dynamic range of 138 dB at 1-Hz IFBW, can make measurements as fast as 70 μs per point, and are fully programmable.

“The rise of the internet of things and 5G has RF engineers searching for test and measurement solutions that fit their changing needs. Smaller, lab-quality USB vector network analyzers help address that,” said Goloschokin. “Increasing the frequency range of our Compact Series will allow even more engineers to make lab-quality measurements for the rapidly growing number of IoT devices they’re creating.”

Every VNA in the Copper Mountain Technologies portfolio is PC-driven, meaning the company separates the measurement module from the processing module so that its software can offload processing of the measurement results to an external PC. This allows for improved processing power, better display capabilities, and more reliable performance. Copper Mountain Technologies also offers customers a range of standard features that include time-domain with gating, fixture simulation (embedding and de-embedding), and frequency-offset mode.

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