Duo collaborate to develop microwave frequency tester

24th August 2016

Mick Elliott

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A collaboration between ATE solution provider Aemulus and Peregrine Semiconductor has been announced. The companies will partner in the development of a new microwave frequency tester. Building on the success of Aemulus’s Amoeba AMB7600 RF tester, this next-generation test solution will extend its support into microwave frequency bands and enable more complex testing.

“This Aemulus microwave tester is the latest project in a series of successful collaborations with Peregrine Semiconductor,” says Sang Beng Ng, CEO of Aemulus. “Our two-year relationship has been an exciting journey as two agile industry leaders move the needle forward in microwave testing. This new tester will not only contribute to growth in test and measurement, but I foresee many opportunities flowing in from other markets with high frequency demands, such as automotive, radar and 5G wireless. With this strategic partnership, we look forward to duplicating the success of previous collaborative projects.”

For this new tester, the Aemulus Amoeba AMB7600 will be upgraded with key peripheral modules to expand into microwave bands X, Ku and Ka.

The AMB7600 is a true multi-site, multi-instance RF tester, and it supports RF, digital and analogue testing.

While the AMB7600 addresses RF front-end devices, the new tester will enable more complex testing, such as the rigorous testing needs of radar products and mixers.

Currently in design development, the new tester will be integrated into Peregrine’s test infrastructure in fall 2016 and will have full implementation by spring 2017.

“As the market demand for high frequency products increases, Peregrine has responded with a robust high frequency product portfolio and has set new records for SOI at microwave frequencies,” says Carl Tulberg, principal engineer, NPI operationsat Peregrine Semiconductor. “But this innovation must be supported by a sophisticated test infrastructure and that boils down to the right test equipment. This Aemulus partnership aligns with our product roadmap and ensures we meet our microwave test equipment needs today and in the future. It also highlights Peregrine’s focus and investment in high frequency product development.”

Peregrine Semiconductor says that its high frequency portfolio includes RF switches, an image-reject mixer and monolithic phase and amplitude controllers (MPACs), debunk the industry’s perceived boundaries of RF SOI technology.