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Category: Filters

LTCC Filter Innovations Enable Next Generation Aircraft Internet Links​

LTCC Filter Innovations Enable Next Generation Aircraft Internet Links

For all the headlines and personal anecdotes lamenting how commercial air travel isn’t what it used to be, there are some clear benefits enabled by recent advances in technology we might be taking for granted. One of these is in-flight internet service. Whether domestic or international, most flights now offer internet service via satellite, allowing passengers to remain connected for personal and business use throughout the majority of their journey.

For most aircraft in service today, the satellite up/downlink connection is achieved with a mechanically steerable antenna mounted to the top of the fuselage. The antenna has a limited range of motion to maintain connection with the satellite while compensating for the movements of the aircraft during normal flight operation. These mechanical systems are now giving way to electronically steerable systems using phased array antennas to deliver more reliable connectivity with lower costs of operation and maintenance for the carriers.

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Exploring the Fundamentals of Thin-Film Filter Technology in RF & Microwave Applications

Exploring the Fundamentals of Thin-Film Filter Technology in RF & Microwave Applications

Finding the right filter for frequency ranges above the 3 GHz range is a perennial challenge for RF system engineers. Designers are typically looking for repeatable performance at production volume and a small, surface-mount form factor robust enough to withstand reflow onto their existing printed wiring board (PWB). Lumped element filters utilizing discrete wire-wound inductors and chip capacitors meet these criteria handily for passbands below about 3 GHz, but frequency response becomes more sensitive to variations in the physical structure of the device and temperature at higher frequencies, rendering this approach impractical.

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Every Block Covered: Cascaded P1dB and IP3 in a 26 GHz 5G Front-End

Every Block Covered: Cascaded P1dB and IP3 in a 26 GHz 5G Front-End

The goal of this article was to provide students and designers alike with a deeper understanding of the equations behind the cascading of P1dB and IP3 as the system expands to include multiple nonlinear components such as those utilized in the RF, frequency conversion and IF sections of a receiver chain. A 5G RF front end was presented for the 24.25 – 25.1 GHz portion of the 5G n258 frequency band comprised of all SMT parts. Calculated data for linearity parameters was presented for individual components in the signal chain as well as cascaded at each stage. The equations used to calculate those results were provided, and an examples were given showing how to calculate cascaded linearity parameters OP1dB and OIP3 from one stage to the next.

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Figure 1: Cross section illustration of a traditional stripline filter construction.

Understanding Suspended Substrate Stripline Filters

To manage signal purity in communications and test systems, no component is more important than RF filters. To meet the needs of these advanced systems, Mini-Circuits’ suspended substrate stripline filter products offer state-of-the-art performance featuring unique passband, stopband characteristics and outstanding reliability in harsh operating environments. The range of available filter types supports the needs of military, aerospace and commercial systems, including instrument systems, ultra-broadband receivers, laboratory testing, 5G and many other wideband communications systems.

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Figure 1: 5G band n258 front-end block diagram.

Every Block Covered: Noise and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in a 26 GHz 5G Front-End

The 24.25 to 27.5 GHz frequency range is also known as the “wider 26 GHz band” or 5G band n258. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) “recognized that the wider 26 GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) band was at the forefront of the delivery of mmWave 5G wireless broadband services globally.”2 Consequently, in April 2021, a major portion of that spectrum was auctioned off to operators, predominantly in the 25.1 to 27.5 GHz frequency range.2 The 24.25 to 24.7 GHz band was identified for indoor use and the 24.7 to 25.1 GHz band for indoor/outdoor use.2 For the purposes of the RF front end in this application note, our focus will be on this lower, 24.25 to 25.1 GHz portion of the Australian 5G frequency range.

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Reflectionless Filters Eliminate Spurs & Intermods

Reflectionless Filters Eliminate Spurs & Intermods

Mini-Circuits’ reflectionless filters are the only commercially available filters that absorb and internally terminate stopband signals rather than reflecting them back up the signal chain. Based on a novel, patented filter topology and produced with Mini-Circuits’ industry-leading MMIC design and manufacturing capability, these devices are a revolutionary solution to a number of unwanted effects related to embedding conventional filters in system designs. Our customers are finding innovative ways to achieve new levels of performance with these revolutionary products. Learn more below, and be sure to check out our full selection to see what they can do for your design!

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Linearity – Cascaded P1dB and IP3 for a Simple Microwave Front-End

Linearity – Cascaded P1dB and IP3 for a Simple Microwave Front-End

When examining a device data sheet, linearity parameters P1dB and IP3 are straightforward and relatively easy to apply during the design process. Once several components are connected in series in a design, complex equations governing cascaded P1dB and IP3 must be utilized to determine the overall linearity performance of the system or subsystem. The equations utilized to compute P1dB and IP3 provide a means of achieving accurate results in the absence of expensive simulation software. Even though the effect of VSWR interactions between stages is not included when performing the calculations, the results are a good first order approximation of the cascaded performance of the system. The purpose of this application note is to review P1dB and IP3 in general, and to compute these parameters for a basic, three-component RF front end. Other application notes in this series will delve further into the cascading of P1dB and IP3 as the system includes additional nonlinear components such as those utilized in frequency conversion and the accompanying IF components.

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MMIC Technologies: Integrated Passive Devices (IPD)

MMIC Technologies: Integrated Passive Devices (IPD)

Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) with no active elements such as transistors, and containing only passive elements such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, are referred to as Integrated Passive Devices (IPD). These devices do not need DC power to operate, and do not perform frequency conversion as in the case of frequency mixers or frequency multipliers.

What’s the big deal about IPDs? The short answer is they perform vital functions which active elements cannot such as filtering, equalization, balanced-to-unbalanced line conversion (or vice versa) and many more as we will describe later.

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Figure 1: Point-to-point microwave front end block diagram.

Every Block Covered: Noise and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in a Simple Microwave Front-End

When a technical discussion turns to noise, especially with several cascaded components involved, the calculations and terminology should be straightforward, but often they become more cumbersome than necessary. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is another parameter that should be routinely calculated by the designer but that still creates uncertainty. The purpose of this short applications note is to square-up noise, noise floor, bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in general, and to compute these parameters for a basic, three-component RF front end. Other application notes in this series dive deeper into the cascading of noise figure (NF), P1dB and IP3.

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Using LTCC Thru-Lines as Filter Placeholders

Using LTCC Thru-Lines as Filter Placeholders

Experienced engineers often take some creative license inserting filters into component cascades to filter out a myriad of undesired signals. For example, mixer spurs at the IF port can be complex, and it’s difficult to predict the net effect of the IF filter on these undesired signals. Often, engineers will first examine the raw, unfiltered mixer spurs in detail as a test to choose the appropriate IF filter. The savviest of these engineers understand the importance of having thru lines in their repertoire with standard footprints to serve as placeholders for filters they may choose to add to the signal chain later in the design process. Sometimes, PC board footprints for filters are added as risk mitigation. In cases where no filtering is ultimately required, thru lines are inserted into these slots to stay.

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Aharon

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