Saturday, December 28, 2013: Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced a line of frequency-extension modules from Virginia Diodes Inc. (VDI), a company that designs, manufactures and sells millimeter-wave and terahertz devices, components and systems, for its signal generators and analyzers.
Covering millimeter frequencies up to 1.1 THz, the VDI modules extend the reach of Agilent’s signal generators and analyzers to address growing needs in early next-generation wireless research, sometimes referred to as 5G. The VDI modules are also ideal for working with millimeter-wave communication backhaul systems and emerging wireless standards such as IEEE 802.11ad, as well as a range of aerospace/defense applications.
As applications move to higher frequencies to support increased modulation bandwidth and seek out an uncrowded spectrum, measurement challenges increase dramatically. Agilent’s signal generators and analyzers, coupled with the new extender modules from VDI, address these challenges by enabling designers to accurately generate and analyze complex millimeter-wave signals.
“Access to innovative measurement solutions is essential to early research into next-generation wireless systems and other millimeter-wave applications,” said Andy Botka, vice president of Agilent’s Microwave & Communications Division. “Working with companies like VDI, we’re able to ensure that our signal generators and analyzers effectively address emerging measurement needs.”
The new VDI modules offer much higher performance than other frequency extenders, enabling better measurement results. The VDI source modules, for example, offer higher output power, while the VDI signal analyzer modules reduce conversion loss and increase sensitivity. Performance specifications such as these provide greater overall dynamic range for a variety of measurements.
The VDI signal analyzer modules offer two modes of operation: standard external mixer and wideband block downconverter. The block downconverter mode enables analysis of wideband modulated signals using either an Agilent signal analyzer or wideband digital oscilloscope running Agilent 89600 VSA software.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
The new VDI frequency-extension modules are now available from Agilent at prices ranging from $21,000 to $53,100, depending on the frequency band of the module. Agilent also re-sells VDI millimeter test heads for its PNA-X family of vector network analyzers.
More information on the VDI frequency-extension modules for Agilent’s signal generators and analyzers is available at www.agilent.com/find/SG_mmwave and www.agilent.com/find/SA_mmwave. Images are available at www.agilent.com/find/VDI_ExtenderModules_images.
