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Renaissance Wireless Edge
Newsletter
Volume
6, Issue 9
November
2007
1) “No Wine Before ItsTime”
2) WiMAX (ITU) Approval
3) Latest Developments in MEMS Switch Matrices:
18A7NF-1 MEMS Based 8X8 Switch Matrix
4) Cost vs. Performance Benefits
5) High Power Circulators
1)
“No Wine Before it’s Time”
New
component development is a Renaissance forte. As the planning process
clarifies the expectations, we often have to set off along radically new
directions to achieve them. What follows is an iterative refinement of
the design and associated fixtures based on test results. Revised
customer requirements sometimes have to be accommodated during the
development process. Lead times are confirmed after Renaissance has
arrived at an optimal design.
The engineering and production departments have a proud history of
meeting commitments to customers. On rare occasions material from our
suppliers may not produce the desired results and adjustments are
required. Sometimes a minor circuit change can compensate for the
material variation. But there are times when the design needs to be
overhauled, resulting in longer lead times. On such occasions, we
initiate a dialog with the customer and agree on revised delivery dates.
While we will do everything possible to meet our commitments, we will
ship no wine before it’s time.
2)
WiMAX (ITU) Approval
WiMAX has been
approved as an official International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
mobile wireless standard, according to the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) 802.16e Working Group.
News that WiMAX is now officially a member of the IMT-2000 family of 3G
standards should make it easier for operators to deploy networks in
markets where spectrum is allocated specifically to IMT technologies.
Initially this ruling will affect the so-called "UMTS Extension Bands"
i.e. frequencies from 2.5 GHz to 2.6 GHz. European regulators are due to
start allocating this spectrum from January 2008.
The band is also the key focus for WiMAX vendors and operators.
Another benefit of the decision is that it enables WiMAX to play a
fuller role in the ITU Advanced 4G program. It also paves the way for
WiMAX supporters to participate on a more equal footing in the upcoming
World Radio Congress 2007 which begins later this month in Switzerland.
While undoubtedly good news for WiMAX, the ITU decision should be read
in context. IMT-2000 is not binding on national regulators, and some
markets, such as the U.S. and the U.K., already lean towards
technology-neutral spectrum allocation. So even without IMT status,
WiMAX could have been deployed if market conditions warranted it.
The other snag is that the ITU, under pressure from lobbies, has
identified WiMAX as a Time Division Duplex (TDD) technology and has not
approved its use in the Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) bands that
account for upwards of 80 percent of the world's licensed spectrum.
This has little significance in the short term. TDD is predominant now
on mobile WiMAX. There is a move to do an FDD profile, but it's still
work in progress.
The Renaissance 3G4NWM will acquire relevance when the FDD applications
are approved. The TDD applications do not require additional isolation
since the transmitter and receiver are switched at the same frequencies.
View Data Sheet
3)
Latest Developments in MEMS Switch Matrices;
18A7NF-1 MEMS Based 8X8 Switch Matrix
1) Reciprocal
2) Blocking (not a fan-out/fan-in) no splitters
3) MEMS (10 dBm Hot switching) (33 dBm Cold switching)
•
10 Billion cycles
•
2 Watts CW
•
DC to 2.5 GHz
•
VSWR 1.4:1
•
Insertion Loss 6 dB
•
Isolation 40 dB
•
Speed ≤100µ sec
•
Actuation: 5 vdc @ 10 ma
•
Size 7.85” X 7.43” X 2.8”
•
Ethernet Control, Drivers provided TCP/IP
•
SMA – Female connectors
While a number of companies have disclosed either development efforts or
limited sampling of advanced prototypes, only two suppliers have MEMS
switch products available in production quantities at present.
Renaissance MEMS uses a conventional silicon micromachining approach to
produce a very high force cantilever switch structure, along with a
wafer bonded hermetic package. Although the stiffness of this cantilever
structure results in higher operating voltages (90 V), switching times
are reduced to 10 ms. Electrical connection is provided by wire bonding
from the top surface of the chip to a chip carrier or directly to the
printed circuit board.
MEMS switch prices are currently competitive with alternative switch
technologies. Prices will continue to decrease as manufacturing volumes
increase, making MEMS switches a viable option for some of the most
price-sensitive consumer applications. Today, most commercial
applications take advantage of one or more of the unique features of
these devices: small size, low (repeatable) loss, high linearity and
broad bandwidth. Leading applications include high speed digital channel
switching in Automated Test Equipment, antenna switching in wireless
communications and filter bank switching in instrumentation, military
and aerospace applications.
A number of MEMS switch development activities are still underway at
leading companies and research institutions worldwide.
Three key trends will drive new applications for MEMS Switches over the
next three to five years: a widening variety of product configurations,
substantial improvements in reliability, and significant reductions in
switch size and cost.
Despite lingering concerns about the reliability of this technology, a
handful of MEMS switch manufacturers are finally delivering the first of
a new family of high performance, high reliability switch products.
These products are already finding high volume applications in automatic
test equipment, instrumentation and communications. The list of
applications is expected to swell as customers take advantage of all the
benefits that MEMS Switches have to offer.
Contact the Renaissance Switch Product Group for more information:
Mike Snee,
msnee@rec-usa.com or
Gabe Romero, gromero@rec-usa.com
View Data Sheet
4)
Cost vs.
Performance Benefits
Renaissance
Electronics has long been known for its component expertise, but a newer
development is its RF Subsystem product line. Our component capability
enables us to develop smaller designs with better electrical
characteristics. Moreover, the integration of these two streams of
expertise reduces material cost and labor, resulting in a lower selling
price.
The Renaissance Subsystem line has produced customized units integrating
isolators, filters, duplexers, programmable attenuators, LNAs, switches,
delay lines, phase shifters, modulators and combiners.
Please contact Shane Delmore,
sdelmore@rec-usa.com, for more information.
View Data Sheets
5)
High Power Circulators
Over the past couple
of years, Renaissance Electronics has seen a significant increase in the
number of applications in the low frequency, VHF/UHF bands, at various
power levels including extremely high power, (>100kW peak).
Utilizing the heritage from both Renaissance Electronics and P & H
Laboratories, (whom we acquired in 2003), Renaissance Electronics has
been able to develop a number of sophisticated designs for both ground
and airborne applications.
An excellent example of our engineering/manufacturing expertise is our
HD Radio Model series, 3A1NBV. This 1500 W (CW) Circulator is designed
for the emerging HD Radio market and is available at set FM radio
frequencies between 88.1 and 107.9 MHz. The circulator is capable of
continuous operation and is designed to protect the digital transmitter
from over-powering analog signals. Follow these links to the data sheet
of our HD Radio Circulator and an overview of where and when to use it:
View Data Sheet
When & where to use the REC HD Radio Circulator
For more information about Renaissance Electronics
Corporation and our diverse product line of Ferrite Circulators /
Isolators; Coaxial Switches and Switched based products; Switch
Matrices and Wireless Base Station Products, please visit our website at
www.rec-usa.com
or call us at 978-772-7774.
Thank You!
Renaissance Electronics Corporation |
