Four-Port RF Component Analyzer Whisks Away With 5-ms/Point Sweep

Feb. 16, 2004

Unleashing a 5-ms/point sweep speed, Advantest America's R3860A 20-GHz RF component analyzer targets RF hybrid modules and multiport devices. It's equipped with four receiver ports, and its 125-dB dynamic range at 8 GHz suits it for evaluating...

Roger Allan

The R3860A's lower-frequency range goes down to 300 kHz, not just 10 or 40 MHz. It provides 20-GHz calibration and uses Advantest's AutoCal modules for automated calibration over the entire frequency range for the instrument's two-, three-, and four-port versions. Separate internal receive and stimulus sources allow the analyzer to accurately measure harmonic and frequency converting devices.

Advantest's proprietary Windows-based WMT architecture provides 16 independent sweep channels. With its 12.1-in. SVGA TFT LCD, measurement windows can be divided into as many as 16 split windows. The R3860A's base configuration, available in a two-port 8-GHz model, costs $49,200 and is available within six weeks.

Advantest America Measuring Solutions www.advantest.com (866) 414-0870

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About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.