Microwaves & RF articles from December 2006

Microwaves & RF archives from December 2006

Microwave legends.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I READ YOUR ARTICLE about the legends of microwave research and development in the August 2006 issue of Microwaves & RF ("Microwave Legends," p. 51). I recognized many of the names, especially Packard and Hewlett. It looks like a lot of time...

WiMAX enters the combat zone.(from the editor)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... In the past decade, the proliferation of wireless-communication standards has inspired many RF and microwave designs. The engineers behind these designs felt rewarded because they finally had something to point to that people used in everyday...

China's 3G policy still remains unclear.(the front end)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... EL SEGUNDO, CA -- According to a report from Byron Wu of iSuppli Corp., the Chinese government's slow progress on the issuing of third-generation (3G) wireless licenses mean that 3G services are unlikely to be deployed in the nation until 2007....

Compound semiconductor industry mergers & acquisitions draw Q3 to a close.(the front end)(Acquicor Technology Inc.)(Freescale Semiconductor)(InGaN LED)(Epistar)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON, MA -- The Strategy Analytics GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies (GaAs) Service, releasing its regular analysis of compound semiconductor industry news covering microelectronics, optoelectronics, and materials/equipment...

Intusoft awarded US patent for SPICE simulation templates.(the front end)
December 1, 2006... GARDENA, CA -- Intusoft has announced the awarding of US patent 7,110,929 B1 to the company's president and founder, Lawrence Meares, for the development of "System and Method of Providing Additional Circuit Analysis Using Simulation...

Kudos.(the front end)(Interconnect Devices, Inc.)
December 1, 2006... KANSAS CITY, KS -- Interconnect Devices, Inc. (IDI), a manufacturer of spring contact probes, test sockets, and custom interconnect solutions, was recently recognized for outstanding achievement for website development by the Web Marketing...

Chilean antenna array reaches deep across Space: this internationally funded antenna array seeks to receive faint signals from the far reaches of the universe in 10 millimeter/submillimeter-wave bands from 31.3 to 950 GHz.(Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array)
December 1, 2006... MILLIMETER-WAVE FREQUENCIES are sometimes associated with military missile guidance systems and commercial automotive radars. They are also essential to radio astronomy, including the world's most advanced millimeter/submillimeter wavelength...

QUALCOMM releases financial results.(financialnews)
December 1, 2006... QUALCOMM, Inc. has announced results for the fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal 2006 year ended September 24, 2006 QUALCOMM's fourth quarter revenues under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) were $2.00 billion, up 28 percent...

WPCS International, Inc.(CONTRACTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... WPCS International, Inc. -- Announced that it has recently been awarded a variety of new contracts totaling approximately $3.8 million. Some of the new contracts awarded to WPCS, through its subsidiaries, include projects to be completed for...

Triton Electron Technology Division.(CONTRACTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Triton Electron Technology Division -- Has been awarded a five-year contract valued in excess of $6.3 million by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division for the repair, remanufacture, or replacement of Traveling Wave Tubes in support of...

GigaBeam Corp.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... GigaBeam Corp. -- Announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006. Revenues for the third quarter of 2006 were $2,045,941, compared to $371,238 for the third quarter of 2005. The net loss allocated to common shareholders...

Ansoft Corp.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Ansoft Corp. -- Announced financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2007 ended October 31, 2006. Revenue for the second quarter totaled $20.5 million, an increase of 14 percent compared to $18 million reported in the previous...

CSR.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... CSR -- Released its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of 2006, reporting strong growth in quarterly revenues, up 32 percent to $214.1 million, and operating profit, up 14 percent to $51.0 million, compared with the same period...

EMS Technologies, Inc.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... EMS Technologies, Inc. -- Announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Andrew Corp. for Andrew to buy its EMS Wireless division. The purchase price is $50.5 million, payable in cash at closing. The parties plan to close the...

iSuppli Corp. and Data Garage, Inc.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... iSuppli Corp. and Data Garage, Inc. -- Have combined forces to create an analysis firm that will cover the electronics industry in Japan and around the world.

Quintron.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Quintron -- Announced that its DICES III system was the communications system of choice for the Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket launch on October 30, 2006 to deploy the XM 4 satellite nicknamed "Blues." The XM satellites serve seven million...

Endwave Corp.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Endwave Corp. -- Announced that it has completed the relocation of its corporate headquarters. The new contact information for Endwave is: Endwave Corp., 130 Baytech Dr., San Jose, CA 95134; (408) 522-3100, FAX: (408) 522-3197, Internet:...

Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.(FRESH STARTS)(acquired Alphasem)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. -- Has closed the previously announced purchase of Alphasem, a supplier of die-bonder equipment, from Dover Technologies International, Inc., a subsidiary of Dover Corp. The purchase price was $27.1 million in...

UltraSource, Inc.(FRESH STARTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... UltraSource, Inc. -- Announced the expansion of their cleanroom facilities at their corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Hollis, NH. Citing increased customer opportunities and business expansion, UltraSource has commenced...

Barry names Barnwell as European business manager.(people)(Dr. Peter Barnwell)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Barry Industries has appointed DR. PETER BARNWELL as European business manager. Dr. Barnwell will be based in the United Kingdom. He was previously director of advanced technologies for the Heraeus Circuit Materials Division. [ILLUSTRATION...

Micronetics, Inc.(people)(appointed Kevin Beals as vice president )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Micronetics, Inc. -- KEVIN BEALS to vice president of business development; formerly district sales manager at M/ACOM, Inc.

Motorola, Inc.(people)(appointed Kenneth C. Keller, Jr. as executive vice president )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Motorola, Inc. -- KENNETH C. "CASEY" KELLER, JR. to executive vice president and chief marketing officer; formerly chairman and CEO of Heinz Italy.

Telect, Inc.(people)(appointed Mike Peterson)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Telect, Inc. -- MIKE PETERSON to vice president of sales and marketing; formerly employed with IBM, Cisco Systems, and Eli Lilly.

Cree, Inc.(people)(appointed Robert Pollock as senior vice president )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Cree, Inc. -- ROBERT POLLOCK to senior vice president of worldwide sales; formerly vice president of sales at Philips Lumileds.

Tundra Semiconductor Corp.(people)(appointed Robert Fischer )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Tundra Semiconductor Corp. -- ROBERT FISCHER to vice president of sales; formerly North American sales director.

Avanex Corp.(people)(appointed Marla Sanchez and Yves Le Maitre)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Avanex Corp. -- MARLA SANCHEZ to senior vice president and CFO; formerly interim CFO at a portfolio company for SDL Ventures. Also, YVES LE MAITRE to chief marketing officer; formerly vice president and general manager of the optical components...

UltraSource, Inc.(people)(appointed Jeffto Bergart as chief financial officer)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... UltraSource, Inc. -- JEFF BERGART to CFO; formerly CFO at Digital Equipment Corp. and KROHNE, Inc.

Technical Communities, Inc.(people)(appointed Alfredoas Perez vice president)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Technical Communities, Inc. -- ALFREDO PEREZ to vice president for business development; formerly vice president of sales at IPIX Corp.

Xilinx, Inc.(people)(appointed Iain Morris as executive vice president)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Xilinx, Inc. -- IAIN MORRIS to executive vice president and general manager of the advanced platforms group (APG); formerly senior vice president at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Richardson Electronics Ltd.(people)(appointed Bart Petrini)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Richardson Electronics Ltd. -- BART PETRINI to executive vice president and general manager of the Electron Device Group; formerly president and CEO of Communications & Power Industries, Inc.

RF Micro Devices, Inc.(people)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... RF Micro Devices, Inc. -- JOHN (JACK) HARDING to the board of directors; continues as chairman, president, and CEO of eSilicon Corp.

Nujira Ltd.(people)(appointed David Embree)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Nujira Ltd. -- DAVID EMBREE to vice president and general manager for the Americas; formerly vice president for Wireless Business Management at Lucent Technologies.

QUALCOMM, Inc.(people)(appointed John Gilbert as vice president)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... QUALCOMM, Inc. -- JOHN GILBERT to vice president of investor and industry analyst relations within QUALCOMM's global marketing and investor relations group; formerly vice president of finance for QUALCOMM Wireless Business Solutions (QWBS).

Raytheon Co.(people)(Lee Cooper appointed as ice president of business development )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Raytheon Co. -- LEE COOPER to vice president of business development for Raytheon's Technical Services Co. LLC as well as membership on the Raytheon Integrated Business Development Council; formerly vice president of business development for...

LPKF Laser & Electronics.(people)(appointed Jim Greene)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... LPKF Laser & Electronics -- JIM GREENE to vice president of sales and marketing; formerly national sales manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).(people)(appointed C. Nils Smith)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) -- C. NILS SMITH to assistant vice president of SwRI's Signal Exploitation and Geolocation Division; formerly executive director of the Signal Exploitation and Geolocation Division. [ILLUSTRATION...

Education.
December 1, 2006... SHORT COURSES Besser Associates Short Courses RF CMOS Design February 26-27, 2007 (San Diego, CA) Applied RF Techniques I February 26-March 2, 2007 (San Diego, CA) May 14-18, 2007 (Burlington, MA) RF Transceiver...

CMOS yields 9-to-31-GHz subharmonic passive mixer.(Speed Electronics Research Center at Ericsson Research developed a mixer in complementary metal oxide semiconductor)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... SILICON-CMOS TECHNOLOGY has rarely been associated with millimeter-wave signal-processing applications. But Mingquan Bao and associates from the Microwave and High Speed Electronics Research Center at Ericsson Research (Molndal, Sweden) have...

Calibration approach stabilizes 100-Mb/s UWB pulse generator.(pulse position generator)(Che-Fu Liang and S.-I. Liu of the Graduate Institute of Electronics Engineering and Department of Electrical Engineering of the National Taiwan University)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... ULTRAWIDEBAND-COMMUNICATIONS technology promises high data rates with low transmit power levels over short distances. To be effective, however, such systems require effective, low-cost pulse generators. For that reason, Che-Fu Liang and S.-I....

High-efficiency power amplifier generates 2.8 W at Q-band frequencies.(Northrop Grumman Corp. develops new amplifier)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... IN SUPPORT OF EMERGING millimeter-wave communications systems, Michael Aust and associates from Northrop Grumman (Redondo Beach, CA) have developed a high-efficiency monolithic power amplifier capable of 2.8 W (+34.5 dBm) output power at Q-band...

Beware of spectrum analyzer power averaging techniques: averaging methods in RF/microwave spectrum analyzers are meant to reduce measurement uncertainty, but not all averaging approaches yield the same results.
December 1, 2006... Averaging is a common technique for reducing the measurement uncertainty inherent in all measurements. Performing the same measurement a number of times and averaging the results can reduce the randomness of the experimental result. Averaging...

Design a simple, low-cost UWB source: using an inexpensive commercial step recovery diode (SRD) and a handful of passive circuit elements, it is possible to design a low-cost impulse generator for pulse-based UWB systems.(ultrawideband communication systems)
December 1, 2006... Ultrawideband (UWB) communications systems promise impressive bandwidths at low power levels through the use of time-coded pulses spread over a wide spectrum. While building a receiver capable of covering wide bandwidths is a challenge,...

GaAs proves reliable at High Operating Temperatures.(gallium arsenide field effect transistor testing)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... MANUFACTURERS OF GALLIUM-ARSENIDE (GaAs) and other semiconductor devices use an accelerated life test to check the reliability of MESFETs. Such tests provide information about failure mechanisms, activation energies, and failure rates. With...

Preamplifiers can help to produce good-quality measurements.(Agilent Technologies Inc. releases white paper on preamplifiers)(Agilent Preamplifiers and System Noise Figure)
December 1, 2006... A PREAMPLIFIER IS OFTEN a low-noise amplifier (LNA) with moderate gain. If a preamplifier with low noise is used, the noise of all of the subsequent stages is reduced by its gain. In addition, the preamplifier's noise is injected directly into...

Low-cost IC simplifies software GPS receivers: this GPS receiver IC with its onboard analog-to-digital converter (ADC) provides the performance and level of integration needed to work with software-driven systems.(global positioning system integrated circuits from Maxim Integrated Products Inc.)
December 1, 2006... Software-aided receiver techniques are often associated with military tactical radios. But such flexible technology also holds great promise for L1-ban civilian Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. Of course, low-cost RF receiver...

Top products of 2006: to celebrate the innovations of the past year, this list provides a representative sampling of the industry's outstanding new components, integrated circuits, and measurement solutions.(product technology)
December 1, 2006... With the inception of wireless networks, the microwaves and RF industry experienced an uptick in investments and innovation. Although the commercial sector has had its ups and downs, this market has generally helped to make the RF segment...

GaN FET generates 81.3 W at 9.5 GHz: this discrete field-effect transistor is the most powerful commercial GaN device yet developed at this frequency and is a strong sign of the technology's high-power potential.(latest gallium-nitride transistor from Toshiba Corp.)
December 1, 2006... Gallium-nitride (GaN) substrates hold great promise for high-power transistors at microwave frequencies. While numerous devices are available for applications at typically around 5 GHz and below (WiMAX bands), the surface has barely been...

Linear amplifier covers 20 to 2500 MHz.(editor's choice)
December 1, 2006... MILITARY APPLICATIONS demand extreme ruggedness from their components. A solid-state, Class AB linear amplifier promises to meet these tough requirements while delivering solid performance. In a single module, the model BME27258-50 operates...

OCXOs tolerate up to 1 g radiation.(editor's choice)
December 1, 2006... STABILITY IS a defining parameter for oscillators of any kind--especially oven-controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs). Through the use of proprietary compensation and stabilization methods, a series of radiation-hardened OCXOs can maintain a...

Double-oven crystal oscillators shrink in size.(editor's choice)
December 1, 2006... IN THE ELECTRONICS market, it seems that smaller is better--despite rising performance needs. At 17 mm, for instance, the C4700 double-oven crystal oscillator (DOCXO) should offer some space savings. It also promises stability with an available...

MMIC receivers span 7 to 28 GHz.(editor's choice)
December 1, 2006... SOME PRODUCTS INTEGRATE components to give engineers space-saving advantages. For example, nine gallium-arsenide (GaAs) monolithic-microwave-integrated-circuit (MMIC) receivers integrate low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), I/Q mixers, and...