Innovative RF/Microwave Solutions up to 40 GHz
and Integrated Software Defined Radio Technology
Test & Measurement
Test & Measurement Product Line Overview
A major area of specialization at Elcom Technologies is the design and manufacture of high tuning speed, low phase noise microwave frequency synthesizers. Elcom’s microwave synthesizer products find widespread applications in demanding test and measurement installations. For many test configurations, the switching speed of the synthesizer drives test throughput, and increasing throughput translates directly to reduced costs. Elcom’s UFS direct analog synthesizers have tuning speeds of 200 nanoseconds, and IBS indirect PLL based synthesizers have tuning speeds of 100 microseconds, providing cost effective solutions for high throughput test configurations. Both synthesizer families feature a wide tuning range of 0.1 GHz to 18 GHz standard, small frequency step size, 1 Hz, exceptionally low phase noise, and low spurious.
Elcom’s proprietary PLL technology provides exact frequency synchronization to the reference oscillator, internal or external, for any frequency step size. No digital round off errors are present in the frequency synthesis which would otherwise result in fractional-Hz error in the output frequency. This exact frequency synchronization can be essential in many critical testing scenarios. For the UFS direct analog synthesizer, options available include full band phase coherency, ultra wideband FM modulation, and IF injection which allows for precision vector signal generation. Standard packaging configurations offered for the UFS and IBS wideband instruments are 19-inch rack mount and VME. VXI and PXI formats are under development.
For requirements of sub-octave tuning range, Elcom offers compact, single-module frequency synthesizer designs. There are several product families. These modular synthesizers are often configured for custom requirements, and they are typically supplied to OEMs for integration into precision microwave and fiber optics test and measurement instruments. Like the wideband instrumentation products, Elcom’s modular frequency synthesizers feature fast tuning speed, small frequency step size, low phase noise, and low spurious. Elcom’s modular synthesizers are integrated as an LO in Elcom’s frequency converter products. These up-converters and down-converters are ideal for a wide range of test and measurement systems where fast tuning, low phase noise and low spurious are essential.
Applications
Military ATE
- Radar Test
- EW Simulation
- Antenna Test
- Anechoic Chambers
- Flight Line Testing
Commercial ATE
- Cellular Base Stations
- Semiconductor Test
- Satellite Base Stations
- Cell Amplifiers Test
OEM Components for Bench Top Instrumentation
- Spectrum Analyzer
- SIGINT Receivers
- Tuners
- Fiber Optics
Technology
- FPGA based DDS provides wide bandwidth and flexible modulation options
- Proprietary fractional N single loop, fast tuning VCO based indirect synthesizer
- Ultra wide frequency range from 0.1 up to 40 GHz in a single unit
- Fast tuning speed reduces ATE time by a factor of 1000
- Unique multiple modulation scheme that provides at the same time FM chirp and IQ on a pulse for advanced signal simulation
Products
IBS
The IBS wideband low phase noise microwave frequency synthesizer covers the full 50 MHz to 20 GHz tuning range with a tuning step size of 10 Hz and with tuning speed of less than 200 microseconds. Based on Elcom's proprietary PLL indirect frequency synthesizer technology which utilizes high speed digital signal processing, the IBS is a cost-effective solution for a wide range of demanding frequency synthesizer applications. An AM modulator, a fast pulse modulator, and multiple 60 dB range variable attenuators are integrated within the IBS system. While the IBS is often used as stand-alone laboratory instrument, with its exceptional RF performance, signal control features, and options for interface and packaging, the fast tuning IBS is ideal in the ATE environment and in OEM systems.
Application of the latest semiconductor technologies for microwave and digital circuitry within the IBS reduces parts count and reduces power dissipation, leading to high system MTBF. The IBS is offered in two standard packaging and interface configurations: 19 inch rack-mount with GPIB interface, and 3 slot VME format.
Download IBS FEI ElcomSPDRO
Elcom Technologies’ miniature SPDRO sources employ a unique technique to phase-lock a microwave DRO to a 5 or 10 MHz crystal reference. The technique utilizes a single loop for reliable phase-lock performance. By using one loop, size, power consumption and cost are minimized. These units are ideal for digital Radio, SATCOM and instrumentation.
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