Page 19 - Issue 1 2023

ELECTRONICS

allowing the X-Microwave prototype’s overall performance to the prototype designer is free to focus on what really matters in
much more accurately represent final system performance than their design – RF performance.
a large connection of eval boards. X-Microwave’s GSG jumper X-Microwave prototypes behave significantly more like
connections each have an insertion loss of just fractions of a the end design than a string of evaluation boards, and this
decibel, and as the number of components in the signal chain difference becomes more pronounced as the number of
increases and more interconnects are needed, the difference in components in the RF chain increases. By proving the design
insertion loss between X-Microwave and SMA-linked evaluation with an X-Microwave prototype, you can be much more
boards becomes even more pronounced. confident in your evaluation, minimizing PCB iterations and
The RF blocks are mounted together on a protoplate, with accelerating the development process.
SMA probe blocks attached to the ends of the signal chain to
get the RF signal into and out of the board. X-Microwave also Putting it all together: prototyping your rf
has walls and lids available to enclose RF blocks, allowing you to signal chain
simulate cavity effects. Creating an RF design with X-Microwave is similar to designing
Dedicated bias and control boards mounted on the bottom any other RF signal chain. To quickly find the X-Microwave block
of the protoplate provide power and control signals. Each you need, X-Microwave has a component search function that
individual active RF X-Microwave block pairs with a dedicated can filter by type, specification, and manufacturer. If you’re
bias and control board that has the circuitry needed to supply looking on the IC manufacturer’s site, an X-Microwave banner
the regulated voltages, power sequencing, and digital control is typical on webpages for parts that are supported by the
required by the RF component. The bias and control board ecosystem.
attaches to the bottom of the protoplate directly underneath Once you have selected your parts, the next step is
the RF board it is supporting, making an electrical connection simulating your proposed signal chain. Keysight’s Genesys®
to the RF board above with spring pins. With the power software, an RF simulation tool, has a built-in library with
sequencing and bias taken care of by these dedicated blocks, X-Microwave models. These X-Microwave models simulate

Figure 4: The X-Microwave banner on the HMC8402-DIE webpage.

Figure 2: An X-Microwave signal chain.

Figure 3: A bias and control block (bottom) connecting to an RF block Figure 5: An example of X-Microwave’s parametric search feature, sorted
(top). A protoplate is not pictured. by manufacturer.

EngineerIT | Issue 1 2023 | 19