Feature Articles

51. Automotive Connectivity Enables The Intelligent Transportation System 3/11/2021

    In this white paper, automotive use cases and scenarios are discussed along with technology aspects, specifically for automotive applications. Important test and measurement needs are required to ensure optimal performance of these technologies. 

52. Solving The Challenge Of Many Devices With Multiple Standards In The Connected Home 3/10/2021

    The number of connected devices in our homes continues to rise, and they each can be held to a different wireless standard. These different technologies create challenges for vendors choosing which technologies they would select for their devices, as each type of technology has its own impact in terms of product design. This article presents Qorvo’s solution for managing multiple traffic standards within a connected home to keep communications between devices faster, more efficient, more scalable, and able to receive more data packets. 

53. You’ve Got The Power: 6 Essentials For Brushless DC Motor Control 3/10/2021

    This post includes excerpts from our newly developed Motor Control Fundamentals For Dummies book, providing the key elements of motor control for brushless DC (BLDC) motor management and how it improves efficiency while reducing cost, saving space, and increasing performance. 

54. Know Today's RF Filtering Trends To Better Meet The Needs Of Tomorrow's RF Design Jobs: Part 2 3/10/2021

    In the second part of this two-part series, we expand on these trends by digging into more of the technical trends and providing an overview of the filtering solutions that can help RF filter designers stay on top of those trends.

55. RF Field Probe Specifications And Design Characteristics 3/9/2021

    RF (Radio Frequency) field probes are an essential piece of equipment used for measuring the intensity of radiated RF fields. Although this instrument is crucial in implementing a radiation immunity test system, system specifiers often gloss over this essential element after spending a considerable amount of time and energy selecting amplifiers, antennas, and other equipment to generate the required RF field. Understanding the specification definitions, field probe design characteristics, and other varying features will, in turn, allow a confident and informed decision in choosing a suitable field probe.

56. Head-To-Head Coaxial Interconnect Vs. OTA Testing For 5G 3/9/2021

    The rise of 5G has changed the landscape of wireless testing. One of the biggest changes is the ability of test engineers to perform over-the-air (OTA) testing without connecting anything or having a special setup, something not historically possible with past generations of wireless devices, due to FCC regulation and spectrum licensing law. OTA testing has the potential to revolutionize wireless device testing while enabling innovative testing of both advanced antenna systems (AAS) and antenna array technology. When flexibility, speed and testing diverse antenna configurations are the primary objectives, new methods of OTA testing bring much to the table.

57. The Week in 5G: 3/9/2021 — DISH To Acquire Republic Wireless; India Explores Revamp Of Telecoms Laws 3/9/2021

    Plus, Russia launches its first multi-location 5G network for end consumers, the father of the cell phone weighs in on 5G development, and more, all in this edition of the Week in 5G.

58. From The C Band To The V Band: A Year Of Big RF Spectrum Changes In The US 3/8/2021

    Led by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), multiple portions of the spectrum ranging from the C band to the V band were either opened or auctioned to new uses throughout the year. These changes drive a variety of new opportunities for wireless device manufacturers and broadband and cellular carriers. These new opportunities result in a range of fresh challenges for RF technology vendors to help solve. 

59. Balancing Performance With Compact Quadrature Hybrid Couplers 3/8/2021

    A quadrature hybrid coupler is a basic building block for RF and microwave systems that provides improved input match for unbalanced loads. This article provides a brief overview of how to efficiently use quadrature hybrid couplers and the advantages they offer in different RF applications.

60. XFdtd Simulation Of A Millimeter Wave, Wideband Dielectric Resonator Antenna 3/5/2021

    Dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) are a good choice for millimeter wave applications due to their low loss and high efficiency.  Designing the resonator for a fundamental mode can be complex due to the small size and sensitivity of the resonator to fabrication errors.  In this example, a larger cylindrical dielectric resonator is simulated in XFdtd to show how the excitation of the higher order modes HEM113 and HEM115 can be used to produce wide bandwidth and good gain performance.