NI launches 5G mmWave RFIC transceiver and power amplifier tester

NI of Austin, TX, USA, which provides a software-defined platform that helps to accelerate the development and performance of automated test and automated measurement systems, has launched the mmWave Vector Signal Transceiver (VST) to address the test challenges of 5G millimeter-wave RFIC transceivers and power amplifiers. The product is being demonstrated at NIWeek 2019 (20-23 May) in multi-site production test configurations for packaged part and wafer-level test and in validation test configurations using over-the-air measurements.

With chipmakers racing to commercialize 5G mmWave technology, engineers face the challenge of accelerating product schedules combined with new and often unsolved technical requirements, notes NI. The firm’s mmWave test solutions address these challenges in both the R&D lab and the high-volume manufacturing environment, delivering:

measurement quality to meet rigorous technical requirements;
an architecture designed to scale to the specific needs of production test for mmWave chips;
a unified software experience that simplifies measurement and automation; and
identical instrumentation in validation and production to simplify correlation efforts and reduce development time.

NI’s mmWave VST combines an RF signal generator, an RF signal analyzer and integrated switching with 1GHz of instantaneous bandwidth at frequencies up to 44GHz. In addition to existing PXI-based characterization systems in the lab, the instrument natively integrates into the NI Semiconductor Test System (STS) for deployment in high-volume manufacturing applications. 5G mmWave STS configurations support up to eight mmWave VST instruments, with integrated IF capabilities, and up to 72 mmWave ports in a tester configuration that is optimized for EVM performance. Choosing a tester built on the modular PXI platform helps engineers adopting STS to quickly integrate new measurement capabilities like 5G into their test cells more cost-effectively and with less risk of delaying time to market, says NI.

“In the race to bring 5G technology to market, traditional approaches to RF semiconductor test are struggling to deliver on the flexibility and cost expectations of 5G devices,” says NI’s president & chief operating officer Eric Starkloff. “The mmWave VST is yet another example of NI’s ability to combine our industry-leading platform with deep customer insight to enable customers’ disruptive innovations.”

The product features several innovations to address the test requirements of 5G mmWave devices. The new calibrated integrated switching for up to 32 channels enables improved accuracy of beamforming and phased-array measurements without additional infrastructure. The modular head design delivers accurate and cost-effective measurements while preserving forward compatibility with future 5G bands. Engineers can hence simultaneously perform measurements at both 5-21GHz and 23-44GHz.

The mmWave VST complements NI’s modular instrumentation portfolio of more than 600 PXI products, ranging from DC to mmWave, and its measurement software for 2G, 3G, LTE Advanced Pro, 5G NR, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5 and more, with support for many languages including LabVIEW and C# .NET.

Tags: Semiconductor test instrument

Visit: www.ni.com/5g

Visit: www.vuzix.com