New applications for millimeter-wave technology are often found by taking familiar designs and applying them in unfamiliar ways. To realize a working prototype, the design process typically involves sketching out a block diagram showing the configuration of standard millimeter-wave components. This is usually followed by an analysis to determine the expected system performance and selecting available components for integration into a working prototype.
Eravant can facilitate the prototype-development process by providing block diagrams for a variety of subassemblies that are commonly encountered in millimeter-wave systems. Many design examples include technical notes that describe basic operating principles. Block diagrams typically indicate the product families that comprise various components in the subsystem. Many block diagrams also include suggested part numbers from Eravant’s expansive selection of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products. By emphasizing wide bandwidth as a primary design goal for its COTS product families, Eravant ensures that suitable components are available for a wide range of prototyping needs.
The block diagrams offer system designers advanced starting points to conceptualize prototypes. They are also helpful for exploring various configuration options. Eravant can suggest COTS components that are immediately available for prototyping. Eravant can also construct and test integrated subassemblies to further reduce the time between an original concept and a working prototype.
Furthermore, the most COTS components offered by Eravant are designed for immediate bolt-together integration to avoid or minimize the waveguide inter-connections for direct integrations and compact packaging.
Radar Sensors
Eravant has a long history of designing and building radar sensors for a variety of commercial, military and space-based applications. A library of technical resources includes Industry Primers such as “Products for Radar System Applications” (www.eravant.com/resources). Block diagrams include basic configurations for applications ranging from simple Doppler radar sensors (Fig. 1) to FMCW monopulse radar front ends (Fig. 2).
Fig. 1a – Basic Doppler radar sensor configuration
Fig. 1b – Doppler radar sensor head, V band, SSP-60310-S1-B
Fig. 2a – FMCW monopulse radar subassembly configuration
Fig. 2b – Monopulse radar antenna, Ka band, SAY-3433632750-28-U5-MP
Industrial and Scientific Applications
Additional block diagrams are provided in the document “Industrial and Scientific System Applications”. This resource describes a variety of special-purpose subassemblies including receivers, transponders, radiometers, reflectometers, material testing systems, body scanners, and ECM surveillance systems.
A typical example is an eight-channel FMCW radar transceiver that is suitable for scanning objects using multiple antennas (Fig. 3). A specific implementation of the subsystem is available fully assembled as model number SSC-7337331202-1212-B1, which operates from 70 to 75 GHz. The transceiver includes a digitally controlled synthesizer, frequency multipliers, a single side band modulator, a SP4T switch, four quadrature mixers, and eight rectangular horn antennas.
Fig. 3a – Multi-channel body scanner subsystem block diagram
Fig. 3b – A multi-channel body scanner radar subassembly operates from 70 to 75 GHz.
Communication Systems
Another application note, “Products for Communication System Applications”, provides several block diagrams for commonly encountered communication transceivers (Fig. 4). Specific implementations of transmit and receive modules are also described (Fig. 5). The document incudes a survey of Eravant component families that are frequently used in communication systems. Descriptions include antennas, amplifiers, oscillators, synthesizers, frequency multipliers, mixers, circulators, switches, attenuators, power dividers, directional couplers, filters, waveguide sections, connectors, cables, and adapters. Examples of integrated subassemblies are also described (Fig. 6), as well as antennas and test equipment that support the testing of communication systems.
Fig. 3b – A multi-channel body scanner radar subassembly operates from 70 to 75 GHz.
Fig. 5 – A versatile W-Band transmitter module includes a frequency multiplier, an IF amplifier and a modulator. The components are pre-assembled and tested to provide optimum performance in prototype communication systems.
Fig. 6 – Examples of integrated subassemblies for communication system applications include a V-Band transmitter module that operates from 54 to 64 GHz.
Conclusion
By assembling COTS components into application-specific prototype subassemblies, prototype systems can be developed and modified easily while controlling development costs and reducing design cycle times. Eravant offers proven starting points for subassembly designs used in many radar, communication and instrumentation systems. The design examples are easily modified to meet specific performance goals, and working subassemblies are assembled quickly using Eravant’s wide selection of COTS components.
Additional technical resources are available at: www.eravant.com/resources