March 2015 Written by E Engineers i ...for Engineers Postscript DUMMY MECHANICAL Sign-Off PRINT PROOF NEW PDF REVISED PDF EE SPECIAL REPORTS PG. COVER I EMC Test Piecing together EMC compliance CIRCLE/ Switching Systems Safeguarding low-level signals RS# LIT# SHOWLINE TEST INTERCONNECT Cables, connectors augment test applications MEDICAL TEST Applying Bayes' Theorem to clinical trials www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-COVER MECH.indd COVERI 2/9/15 3:37 PM I/O CHECK PROD MGR Data Recorder Powerful, portable, easy to use II . Thanks to its compact dimensions, the GEN3i is ideally suited for mobile use, troubleshooting, maintenance or start-up, such as with generators, turbines or motors. The GEN3i is also the ideal instrument for use in laboratory, power test stands or destructive material testing. Q Direct data transfer (streaming) to the storage medium at speeds as high as 200 MB/s Q Up to 96 analog channels Q 21 different data acquisition cards for various use cases Q Easy and convenient carrying Q Compact dimensions (similar in size to a board case) Q Rugged design Q Award winning touchscreen user interface Q Data recording and review in a single keystroke High-speed data acquisition with GEN3i from HBM. More information: www.hbm.com/ee2015 HBM Test and Measurement Q Tel. 800-578-4260 Q info@usa.hbm.com Q www.hbm.com Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-003 EE201503-AD HBM.indd COVERII 2/6/15 7:59 AM March 2015, Vol. 54, No. 3 C O NT E NT S March 2015 AT E Written by E Engineers i ...for Engineers SPECIAL REPORT Switching Systems 14 Safeguarding low-level signals by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor Test Interconnect 24 SPECIAL REPORTS EMC Test EMC Piecing together EMC compliance SPECIAL REPORT EMC Test Switching Systems Safeguarding low-level signals 8 TEST INTERCONNECT Cables, connectors augment test applications Applying Bayes' Theorem to clinical trials . Piecing together EMC compliance by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor C O M M U N I C AT I O N S T E S T MEDICAL TEST RF/Microwave Test 26 www.evaluationengineering.com On our cover Designed by NP Communications Software augments instruments for 5G research by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor Industry Happenings 30 Auto show spans fuel cells to infotainment by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor D E PA R T M E N T S 2 6 28 31 Cables, connectors augment test applications by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor Executive Insight Editorial EE Industry Update EE Product Picks Index of Advertisers 32 Ethernet industry builds on innovation by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor MEDICAL TEST Medical Test 22 Applying Bayes’ Theorem to clinical trials by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor Written by Engineers …for Engineers www.evaluationengineering.com EE-EVALUATION ENGINEERING (ISSN 0149-0370). Published monthly by NP Communications, 2477 Stickney Point Rd., Ste. 221-B, Sarasota, FL 34231. 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BOX 17517, SARASOTA FL 34276-0517 www.ev alua tion e n gin e e rin g.com EE201503-TOC FINAL.indd 1 March 2015 • EE • 1 2/10/15 9:17 AM 1 EDITORIAL When electrical engineering grew up E 2 . lectrical engineering might be traced back over 2,600 years to Thales of Miletus, who noted that rubbing fur on amber would cause an attraction between the two materials. He doesn’t seem to have described any practical applications for this property, however. The inventers of the “Baghdad Battery” (c. 250 B.C.E.), possibly used for electroplating, may have been the first electrical engineers, but few archeologists believe the artifact was, in fact, a battery. In 1600, William Gilbert picked up on the work of Thales of Miletus and invented the versorium, an early electrometer. He also coined the word electricus (“of amber”). Over the next two centuries, the work of Stephen Gray, C.F. du Fay, Benjamin Franklin, Luigi Galvani, Alessandro Volta, Georg Ohm, Michael Faraday, and others laid the groundwork for practical applications, the first large-scale one being the telegraph in the first half of the 19th century. Samuel Morse was behind one particularly successful implementation of the telegraph, but he was no electrical engineer. An artist, he became interested in the instantaneous communication that electricity might enable when, while painting a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette in New York, he belatedly learned of the sudden illness and death of his wife in Connecticut. Delivering a keynote address at DesignCon in January, Thomas H. Lee, professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University, placed the birth of electrical engineering near the time of the completion of the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. The effort was driven in part by Cyrus West Field, who had made a fortune turning around a failing paper mill. William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) contributed the mirror galvanometer, which could detect weak signals at the receiving end. The first cable, completed in 1858, was not a success. Performance went from poor to worse due to deterioration of the insulation, exacerbated by the insistence of Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse, trained as a medical doctor, that the transmit voltage be boosted to 1,500 V. At that point, Lee said, “cable denial” set in, and investors began to think Field had defrauded them. They could no longer tolerate the tinkerers and dabblers like Whitehouse and Morse. (According to Lee, Morse had offered the less than helpful advice that a successful cable would need a small-diameter center conductor—a large conductor would—for reasons Morse did not make clear—slow down the electricity.) Investors wanted solid, scientific evidence that a new cable would work before putting up more money. They got it from participants like Thomson, who realized they even lacked the vocabulary to describe what had caused the original failure. They formally defined the volt, ampere, and ohm. Thomson realized that the cable would need to be large to minimize attenuation, and he estimated the cable could handle five words per minute. As Lee put it, he calculated—he didn’t guess. The cable was completed in 1886, able to handle up to eight words per minute, possibly with the help of data-compression techniques employed by the telegraph operators. As work on the cables proceeded, Maxwell was publishing his equations (completed by 1862), and universities started recognizing electrical engineering as a discipline distinct from physics. In 1882, MIT began offering an EE option within the physics department, and Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) established a chair in electrical engineering. Other institutions followed, leading to the tremendous accomplishments in the field throughout the 20th century and into this one. Lee concluded his DesignCon keynote address by asking, “What’s next? The Internet of Things? Telepathy? Who knows, but history is not over.” Whatever is next, he advised attendees, “You’re going to be making it.” Rick Nelson Executive Editor Visit my blog: www.evaluationengineering.com/ricks-blog/ 2 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-Editorial MECH dB.indd 2 EVALUATION ENGINEERING http://www.evaluationengineering.com EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Rick Nelson e-mail: rnelson@evaluationengineering.com MANAGING EDITOR Deborah Beebe e-mail: dbeebe@evaluationengineering.com SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR Tom Lecklider e-mail: tlecklider@evaluationengineering.com PRODUCTION PRINT/WEB COORDINATOR Glenn Huston e-mail: ghuston@npcomm.com PRINT/WEB COORDINATOR Emily Baatz e-mail: ebaatz@npcomm.com AD CONTRACTS MANAGER Laura Moulton e-mail: lmoulton@npcomm.com AD TRAFFIC MANAGER Denise Mathews e-mail: dmathews@npcomm.com BUSINESS PRESIDENT Kristine Russell e-mail: krussell@npcomm.com PUBLISHER Jim Russell e-mail: jrussell@npcomm.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Michael Hughes e-mail: mhughes@evaluationengineering.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Joan Sutherland ADVERTISING WEST Michael Hughes Phone: 805-529-6790 e-mail: mhughes@evaluationengineering.com EAST Blake Holton or Michelle Holton Phone: 407-971-6286 or 407-971-8558 e-mail: bholton@cfl.rr.com mmholton@cfl.rr.com CIRCULATION SUBSCRIPTIONS / BACK ISSUES e-mail: subscriptions@npcomm.com LIST RENTALS Laura Moulton e-mail: lmoulton@npcomm.com EPRODUCT COORDINATOR Mary Haberstroh e-mail: mhaberstroh@npcomm.com REPRINTS Deborah Beebe e-mail: dbeebe@npcomm.com EE-EVALUATION ENGINEERING is available by free subscription to qualified managers, supervisors and engineers in the electronics and related industries. FOUNDER A. VERNER NELSON e-mail: vnelson@nelsonpub.com NP COMMUNICATIONS LLC 2477 Stickney Point Rd., Suite 221B Sarasota, Florida 34231 Phone: 941-388-7050•Fax: 941-388-7490 Publishers of this magazine assume no responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition, nor do they assume responsibility for statements/opinions, expressed or implied, in the columns of this magazine. Printed in the U.S.A. www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:38 PM 10 MHz Distribution Amplifiers t4JOFXBWFPVUQVUTECN t"NQMJUVEFMFWFMJOH t-PXBEEJUJWFQIBTFOPJTF t)JHIDIBOOFMUPDIBOOFMJTPMBUJPO t)JHISFUVSOMPTT . FS730 and FS735 series ... starting at $1250 (U.S. list) for other applications. Multiple units can be GDLV\FKDLQHGIRUHDV\H[SDQVLRQ 7KH)6DQG)60+]GLVWULEXWLRQDPSOL¿HUV from SRS provide state-of-the-art solutions to challenging signal distribution tasks. 7KHVHGLVWULEXWLRQDPSOL¿HUVXVHDQLQSXWOLPLWHU design, which removes amplitude modulation from the VLJQDOSURYLGHV¿[HGDPSOLWXGHRXWSXWVDQGEORFNV input noise. Virtually any 10 MHz waveform with a duty cycle near 50% may be used as an input. The FS735 model provides fourteen 10 MHz output BNC connectors on the rear panel, with status indicators on the front panel. The half-rack sized FS730 model gives seven 10 MHz outputs and is available in both bench-top and rack-mount forms. Single Sideband Phase Noise (dBc/Hz) Please visit www.thinkSRS.com for details. :LWKPL[DQGPDWFKFDSDELOLW\WKH)6FDQDOVR EHFRQ¿JXUHGZLWK0+]0+]%URDGEDQG DQG&026/RJLFGLVWULEXWLRQDPSOL¿HUVVLGHE\VLGH Stanford Research Systems EE201503-AD StanfordResearch.indd 3 AGC based amplifiers degrade broadband noise. FS730/FS735 uses a limiter to remove spurs and maintain low noise. Frequency Offset from Carrier (Hz) Additive phase noise in 10 MHz Distribution Amplifiers: Limiter vs. AGC Designs (408)744-9040 www.thinkSRS.com 2/6/15 8:03 AM 3 The Aha! moment. Keysight W2211BP Advanced Design System electronic design automation software W2351EP ADS DDR4 Compliance Test Bench We’ll help you feel it. It takes more than silicon to push the limits of DDR memory. It also takes gray matter. The stuff inside your head. A brain capable of genuine insight. If you’re a DDR design engineer, we can give you expert advice from some of the brightest minds in the measurement world. And our end-to-end solutions range from simulation software to advanced hardware. Working together, they can help you determine precisely where your memory challenges are and how to overcome them. HARDWARE + SOFTWARE + PEOPLE = DDR INSIGHTS 4 . Order our complimentary 2015 DDR R memory resource DVD at www.keysight.com/find/HSD-insight USA: 800 829 4444 CAN: 877 894 4414 14 EE201503-AD Keysight-49384.indd 4 © Keysight Technologies, Inc. 2014 2/6/15 2:29 PM Keysight U4154B logic analyzer module for DDR2/3/4 and LPDDR2/3/4 in M9502A chassis m DDR2/3/4 and LPDDR2/3/4 protocol decoder and compliance toolsets available Keysight Inoniium 90000 X-Series oscilloscope DDR1/2/3/4 and LPDDR1/2/3/4 compliance software packages and protocol decoder available Keysight M8020A high-performance hig J-BERT Keysight probes-standard and custom Standard and custom DDR and LPDDR oscilloscope and logic analyzer BGA interposer solutions HARDWARE + SOFTWARE If you’re an engineer on the leading edge of DDR memory design, chances are, you feel challenged to go faster, using less power and a smaller footprint. We can help. Keysight is the only test and measurement company that offers hardware and software solutions across all stages of DDR chip development. From simulation to debug, from validation to compliance, we’ve got you covered. • More than 4,000 electronic measurement tools • Benchtop, modular and software solutions from simulation to compliance • Full line of high-speed, high-density probes PEOPLE Keysight engineers are leading the industry in the design of the next generation of DDR memory standards and solutions. This means that in the future, we can help you solve cutting-edge design challenges by sharing our expertise. It also means that we can rapidly integrate new DDR specs into our hardware and software. So they’ll be fully functional the day you need them. • JEDEC and UFSA Board of Directors Chairman, JEDEC Digital Logic (JC40.5) and UFSA Compliance Committees • Hundreds of applications engineers in 100 countries around the world • Thousands of patents issued in Keysight’s history EE201503-AD Keysight-49384.indd 5 2/6/15 2:30 PM . 5 EE INDUSTRY UPDATE For more on these and other news items, visit http://www.evaluationengineering.com/category/industry-update/ German electronics manufacturers defy global turbulence in 2014 German electronics manufacturers overcame challenging international markets to achieve 2.4% year-on-year growth for the 11 months to November 2014, the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association reports. Turnover in the branch is expected to have totaled EUR 171 billion (approximately USD 200 billion) over the year. “German electronics manufacturers faced a testing export environment in 2014, and this was reflected in monthly variations. However, the annual performance is encouraging and a testament to the strength of the sector in Germany,” said Max Milbredt, electronics market expert at Germany Trade & Invest. FuelCell Energy touts Dominion fuel-cell-park performance 6 . FuelCell Energy, a company that designs, manufactures, operates, and services efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, is touting the performance achievements of the 14.9-MW Dominion fuel cell park in Bridgeport, CT, after one year of operation. The fuel cell park, owned by Dominion, consists of five Direct FuelCell power plants, manufactured and installed by FuelCell Energy, that supply Class I renewable power to the electric grid under a 15-year energy purchase agreement. Additionally, the heat from the five power plants is recovered and converted into additional electricity, increasing the efficiency of the installation. Growth seen for semiconductor equipment and materials SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) 2015 convened with the theme “Riding the Wave of Silicon Magic.” The sold-out conference of the industry’s C-level executives highlighted favorable forecasts in the year’s first strategic outlook for the global microelectronics manufacturing industry. The underlying drivers for growth and the next wave emerging from the Internet of Things were discussed from several perspectives. Opening keynoter Scott McGregor, president and CEO of Broadcom, traced the history of the industry’s more than 50 years of exponential improvements in silicon speed, power, and design since Moore’s Law in 1965. McGregor sees the next wave of Silicon Magic as a $15 trillion opportunity that will provide ubiquitous, nonstop, seamless high-speed connectivity. Still, McGregor believes three issues challenge the industry’s growth: patent reform, interoperability, and STEM education. DHS S&T launches conversation on homeland security technology The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) launched a public engagement strategy, titled the National Conversation on Homeland Security Technology, to connect partners and the public on research and development supporting the missions of homeland security. The National Conversation on Homeland Security Technology is a series of online and in-person discussions creating a dialogue between the public as well the nation’s first responders, 6 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-IndustryUpdate MECH dB.indd 6 industry representatives, academia, and government officials. Dialogues will address these topics: responder of the future, enabling the decision maker, screening at speed, a trusted cyber future, and resilient communities. Apple Watch spurs rapid growth of wireless charging market Propelled by the arrival of the Apple Watch, the global market for wireless power and charging in wearable applications is set to attain a gargantuan 3,000% expansion this year compared to 2014, according to IHS Technology. Global revenue this year from shipments of wireless power receivers and transmitters in wearable applications will surge to more than $480 million, up from just $15 million last year. By 2019, wireless charging in wearables will generate revenue exceeding $1 billion. imec demonstrates 22%-efficient crystalline silicon n-PERT solar cell Nanoelectronics research center imec announced that it has improved its large-area n-type PERT (passivated emitter, rear totally diffused) crystalline silicon (Si) solar cell on 6-inch commercially available n-type Cz-Si wafers, now reaching a top conversion efficiency of 22.02% (calibrated at ISE CalLab). This is the highest efficiency achieved for this type of twoside-contacted solar cell on an industrial large-area wafer size. Compared to p-type silicon solar cells, n-type cells do not suffer from light-induced degradation and feature a higher tolerance to common metal impurities. As a result, n-type silicon solar cells are considered as promising alternatives to p-type solar cells for next-generation highly efficient solar cells. Lux Research cites next industrial revolution in the making Just as technologies can be disruptive, the way we make technologies can be disruptive, too. Distributed manufacturing (DM)—local, small-scale, rapid design and production—comes from the ability to engineer and make few parts as cheaply as many, rather than the current model of high-volume, centralized manufacturing. However, it’s not the answer for every product, and its impact will depend on economics and the demand for flexibility, according to Lux Research. “DM is the web browser of manufacturing, with the potential to do to manufacturing what web browsers did to news, music, video, software, and other media,” said Mark Bünger, Lux Research director and the lead author of the report titled, “Distributed Manufacturing: The Next Industrial Revolution.” Astronics completes acquisition of Armstrong Aerospace Astronics, a provider of advanced technologies for the global aerospace and defense industries, announced that it completed the acquisition of Armstrong Aerospace for approximately $52 million in cash on Jan. 14. Astronics previously announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Armstrong on Dec. 24, 2014. www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:35 PM TRUST, but Verify (your equipment...) Switching and Distribution - Modules and Systems - Configurations from 2x1 to 1024x512 - Modules or systems, relays or solid-state - Analog and Digital switching and distribution - Redundant or single power supply and CPU - High reliability for test or communications - Field proven performance, quality and reliability - World-class quality and support (ISO 9001:2008) Low-level highly shielded relay modules Made in the USA Modules and Systems for Switching and Distribution Since 1992, we have been designing and building products for signal switching and distribution. Built in our ISO 9001:2008 certified facilities, our field proven products are best in class. We offer both modules and system level products ranging from low-level ATE to ground station antenna distribution. Simple relays that can be embedded, to sophisticated switching arrays that can be controlled from the other side of the globe. Why would you want to use a supplier that doesn’t have an ISO 9001:2008 certified quality process? ISO 9001:2008 Certified Series G2T has an all new front panel design and a menu driven touchscreen for direct control and monitoring of hundreds of available G2 modules. Being able to mix and match modules in the same unit for ATE applications, the G2T provides connectivity for all digital or analog signals spanning DC-40GHz. So......looking for a cost effective ATE switching and reliable alternative for routing your analog or digital signals? Our comprehensive product can deliver the perfect solution! See our website for additional product information: uswi.com Audio / Video - Digital - L-Band - RF / IF - TTL / LVDS - Microwave 7671 North San Fernando Road Burbank, CA 91505 USA Phn Fax Email Web Twitter +1 818-381-5111 +1 818-252-4868 sales@uswi.com uswi.com @US_Corp Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-008 EE201503-AD Universal.indd 7 2/9/15 9:21 AM . 7 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - EMC TEST Piecing together EMC compliance by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor 8 . The run-up to the EMC Symposium, scheduled for March 15-20 in Santa Clara, puts the test-and-measurement industry’s focus on solving the puzzle of electromagnetic compatibility. And whether they intend to exhibit at the symposium or not, test equipment vendors are highlighting products that can assist in precompliance test, compliance test, debugging, and troubleshooting. Field generators, signal generators, EMI receivers, amplifiers, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and switching and control platforms are all critical pieces of an effective EMC strategy. Some firms focus on EMC and offer instruments and systems dedicated to the topic. Others provide general-purpose instruments that can be adapted to EMC/EMI test—often with the help of software options. AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation is one company focused on EMC. According to Joe Diesso, senior vice president of marketing, “As a leader in EMC test equipment, AR offers a wide array of standard RF/microwave power amplifiers, receivers, and antenna instruments.” In addition, the company makes custom systems for use in emissions and immunity testing. “Products and systems are designed for either precompliance or compliance testing, and when used with AR’s patented emcware testing software, [testing] becomes much faster and more efficient,” Diesso said. “More specifically, AR’s MultiStar MultiTone system can significantly reduce test time while maintaining a high level of test integrity.” Diesso added, “AR takes pride in the ability to offer a wide range of products or systems compatible with either the smallest test lab or largest military or automotive customer. With an eye on standards development, AR is able to respond quickly to a wide variety of EMC test applications.” According to Diesso, “AR products are designed with a long history in EMC. Each product line is developed to differentiate AR from the rest of the market.” He cited several examples: the 700-MHz to 6-GHz bandwidths of the company’s wideband amplifiers, the capability of the FA7000 field analyzer (Figure 1) to characterize signals, and the speed of the FFT-based DER2018 EMI receiver. “We continue to provide the highest power RF and microwave solid-state amplifiers in the marketplace and offer accessories which decrease test time as well as increase measurement accuracy,” he added. New EMI receiver Mark Terrien, EMC business manager at Keysight Technologies, said his Figure 1. FA7000 field analyzer company focuses Courtesy AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation on both compliance and precompliance EMI measurement solutions to address emissions testing at every stage of the product development cycle. For compliance testing, the company offers the new N9038A MXE EMI receiver (Figure 2), which conducts measurements 8 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-EMC MECH GH.indd 8 in accordance with CISPR 16-1-1 and MIL-STD-461F specifications. “For a complete EMI test solution,” he added, “Keysight Solutions Partners provide a single point of contact to combine the MXE with chambers, antennas, software, value-added integration, probes, and more.” In addition, he said, “The Keysight N/W6141A EMI measurement application on the X-Series signal analyzers performs precompliance measurements and diagnostic evaluation of product designs.” Terrien cited differences between compliance and precompliance testing. “In EMC compliance testing,” Figure 2. N9038A MXE EMI receiver he said, “sucCourtesy of Keysight Technologies cess depends on moving products through the test queue quickly and efficiently. Keysight offers the standards-compliant N9038A MXE EMI receiver to fully test devices up to 44 GHz with outstanding accuracy of ±0.5 dB at 1 GHz, enabled by an all-digital IF.” As for precompliance test, he said, “To avoid costly delays that can result from failed compliance testing, product-development engineers can find and fix problems before they enter the test chamber with the N6141A EMI measurement application on the N9030A PXA, N9020A MXA, or N9010A EXA X-Series signal analyzers,” or they can use the W6141A measurement application on the N9000A CXA for a low-cost precompliance test solution. Keysight products also address debugging and troubleshooting. “The Keysight MXE EMI receiver is a diagnostic signal analyzer, so test engineers can identify the cause of noncompliant emissions and provide clients with advice on how to improve test results,” Terrien said. “The Keysight EMI measurement application can troubleshoot devices that did not pass emissions testing.” Terrien cited some specific features of the company’s products. “To streamline EMC measurements,” he said, “the Keysight MXE EMI receiver offers capabilities designed for easier identification and evaluation of noncompliant emissions. It has complete sets of commercial and military resolution bandwidths and diagnostic detectors including peak, quasi-peak, EMI average, and rms average, and the built-in library contains commercial and military limit lines.” In addition, he said, engineers can customize their own solutions with the easy-to-use editor. He said the MXE also features a time-domain scan to reduce overall measurement time, a built-in disturbance analyzer to automate click measurements, a strip-chart function to track and evaluate signal trends vs. time for up to two hours, and an amplitude probability distribution function to prepare for future requirements. In addition, the MXE can monitor the spectrum to make it easier to identify the frequency of peak emissions prior to final measurement. www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 1:47 PM . AR & MVG Team Up To Provide Turnkey Solutions To Meet All Your Most Demanding EMC Needs MVG|EMC, a world leader in anechoic and shielded chamber solutions, has joined forces with AR, the RF/microwave Instrumentation powerhouse. Here is a small sampling of our extensive capabilities: • Pre-Compliance Compact and Mini Compact EMC Chambers • MIL-STD Anechoic, Mode-Stirred, and Antenna Measurement Chambers • High Performance Shielded Rooms and Chamber Upgrades •RF/Microwave Power Amplifiers to 50,000 Watts •RF/Microwave Antennas to 50 GHz •Radiated Immunity Systems to 50 GHz Put the unique power of the AR and MVG to work for you – call 215.723.8181, or visit www.arworld.us/mvg. Come See Us at IEEE EMC Show Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, March 17-19, 2015 – Booth 202 rf/microwave instrumentation ISO 9001:2008 Certified www.arworld.us Other ar divisions: modular rf • receiver systems • ar europe Copyright © 2015 AR. The orange stripe on AR products is Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM. Off. In Europe, call ar United Kingdom +44 1908 282766 • ar France +33147917530 • ar Deutschland +49 6101 80270 0 • ar Benelux +31 172 423000 USA 215-723-8181. For an applications engineer, call 800-933-8181. Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-001 EE201503-AD AR-RF.indd 9 2/9/15 10:39 AM 9 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - EMC TEST Figure 3. DSA800 Series spectrum analyzer Courtesy of Rigol Technologies “In addition to being a fully compliant EMI receiver,” Terrien said, “the MXE also is a diagnostic signal analyzer, so test engineers can identify the cause of noncompliant emissions. Built on an upgradeable platform, the MXE offers an upgradeable CPU, memory, disk drives, and I/O ports as well as the opportunity to add functionality and measurement applications with simple license key upgrades allowing EMC test facilities to keep test assets current and increase instrument longevity.” 10 . Precompliance, debug, and troubleshooting Rigol Technologies also addresses EMC test. “We realize that almost every design has EMC challenges,” said applications engineer Jason Chonko. “Our goal is to help customers overcome those challenges as quickly and painlessly as possible.” Rigol’s products are primarily used throughout precompliance, debug, and troubleshooting, he added. According to Chonko, “Our main EMC offering is centered around our spectrum analyzers. The DSA800 family is our most recent platform. Models in this family are available in 1.5-GHz, 3.2-GHz, and 7.5-GHz max frequency, and all can accommodate tracking generators and EMC-focused software upgrades.” He added, “Our spectrum analyzers feature an easy-to-use software tool, the EMI Test System, that allows users to set up scans, set limit lines, and ease precompliance data collection.” The analyzers (Figure 3) also feature an optional EMI firmware upgrade (DSA800-EMI) that enables FCC bandwidth selection, EMI filtering, and a quasi-peak detector. In addition, Chonko said, the company offers RF signal sources like the DSG3000 series, arbitrary waveform generators like the DG1000Z and DG5000 series, and oscilloscopes that range from 50 MHz to 1 GHz. Tektronix also provides instruments for EMC test. According to Matt Maxwell, product manager for spectrum analyzers, the RSA306 spectrum analyzer with SignalVu-PC, the RSA5100B spectrum analyzer, and the MDO4000B mixed-domain oscilloscope can all be used in EMI diagnostics applications. MDO4000B Series product manager Lisa Beiker added, “The MDO4000 series combines the functionality of a spectrum analyzer with a mixedsignal oscilloscope. This integration enables the unique capability to time-correlate spectrum analysis with analog and digital signals, VPC’s VTAC High Speed Data (HSD) connectors allow engineers in multiple industries to test devices that communicate at greater speeds and require higher data rates.The VTAC HSD insert features a data transfer rate of 12.5+ Gbps per differential pair. Each VTAC HSD 50 μ" gold-plated, self-aligning contact has been tested and verified to 10,000 cycles without signal degradation. VTAC HSD insert WWW.VPC.COM/SPEED » Modular: VTAC contacts work in both the iSeries and 90 Series connector families » Scalable: Customize between 8-272 individual contacts » Reconfigurable: Arrange VTAC inserts in desired location and rearrange to fit requirement needs » Compatible: With multiple HSD standards USB 3.0, Serial ATA, HDMI, DVI & DVI-1, RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, QSFP, Twinax and Infiniband (more standards available) EE201503-SpecRep-EMC FINAL.indd 10 2/9/15 3:56 PM so problems can be isolated more precisely and faster than with conventional tools.” Maxwell said the spectrum analyzers can serve in precompliance test, debugging, and troubleshooting while Beiker said the MDO4000B can minimize the time it takes to find sources of interference when debugging and troubleshooting EMI issues. Both agree on this point: “We find customers across many segments with similar problems in consumer wireless, medical, aerospace, and automotive applications.” Maxwell noted that the real-time capabilities of the RSA306 and the RSA5100B have been useful for EMI diagnostics and troubleshooting, allowing engineers to find signals that other analyzers and most traditional EMI receivers miss. “This feature on the RSA306 is particularly interesting because it allows for quick troubleshooting,” he said. “Because of very fast processing, the spectrum display updates very quickly.” He said the real-time spectrum is shown as a color bitmap representing hundreds or thousands of FFTs, resulting in a display that includes infrequently occurring events. “These are the very kind of events that can cause headaches when a design is sent to an EMI compliance lab—tracking down and fixing issues that can cause testing failures can be very time-consuming and expensive. Real-time technology can help uncover these signals.” He cited several features of Tektronix spectrum analyzers, including continuously variable RBW and span settings as well as real-time triggers on signal density. “Also,” he said, “only Tektronix offers displays like DPX Zero Span, which gives up to a 50,000 waveforms-per-second update on a traditional Zero Span display for more insights.” He added that the way the RSA5100B and SignalVu are set up makes it easy to connect different domains and observe signal behavior over time. “This last feature can be very helpful as it could, for example, let you correlate time, frequency, and other domains with markers that automatically link across multiple displays,” he added. Finally, he said, both the RSA306 and RSA5100B support CISPR +Peak detection, and both can use the MIL-STD filters, which can be useful in precompliance, diagnostics, and troubleshooting. In addition, the RSA5100B supports a CIPSR quasi-peak detector, which can be helpful in EMI precompliance. Beiker elaborated on the MDO4000, whose time-correlation function facilitates www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-SpecRep-EMC FINAL.indd 11 fast and precise EMI troubleshooting. “In troubleshooting EMI, the engineer needs to physically locate the problem (such as transient emission) and then electrically identify the source of the problem so it can be fixed,” she said. “The MDO4000 combines an oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, logic analyzer, and protocol analyzer in one box. A single trigger controls all of the inputs on the MDO4000—the four analog channel oscilloscope inputs, the 16 logic channel inputs, and the spectrum analyzer input. A single acquisition can contain a seamless time capture of the signal activity on all of these inputs.” As a result, engineers can observe activity of all the signals simultaneously on one time-correlated display (Figure 4). “With . Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-009 March 2015 • EE • 11 2/9/15 3:56 PM 11 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - EMC TEST Figure 4. MDO4000 frequency- and time-domain views Courtesy of Tektronix 12 . the spectrum analyzer, the user can zero in on the EMI problem,” Beiker said. “Using the universal trigger and capture of all inputs, the user can study the time-domain characteristics of the RF signal as well as surrounding signals on the circuit board to quickly and more precisely isolate problems. The MDO4000 has the versatility and power to provide a complete system view of coincident events in your device.” Generators and amplifiers losses by increasing the size of the amplifiers. “We have challenged the traditional assumption that delivering a higher field strength requires more power, and we are bringing a game-changing technology to the market,” said Bryan Sayler, senior vice president of ETS-Lindgren. “For labs looking to test in the 1-GHz to 6-GHz range, the EMField Generator provides a highly efficient and portable alternative to the traditional amplifier and antenna configuration.” The EMField Generator combines amplifiers, directional couplers, power meters, and an antenna array into one simplified design. In related news, Rohde & Schwarz announced that it has expanded its R&S OSP modular platform for wiring RF test equipment and DUTs (Figure 5). The company said the modular R&S OSP gives test engineers in production facilities, test labs, and R&D departments a range of options for quickly setting up RF wiring configurations and controlling them manually or via a computer. A new I/O module makes it possible to control external equipment via differential lines. It offers 16 differential RS-422 outputs and four analog output voltages for controlling antenna systems, for instance. Two new transfer relay modules (DPDT) each have two SMA or N relays, making it easier to implement cross-wiring between two RF paths. Also new is a nonterminated octuple changeover relay (SP8T). In addition, Rohde & Schwarz has complemented the universal SPDT and SP6T monostable relay modules with bistable versions. And power sensors in the R&S NRP-Z family now can be integrated into the R&S OSP, enabling users to set up compact configurations for power measurements. The company said that its application-specific modules make the open switch and control platform suitable for setting up EMC and over-the-air test systems. Other companies with recent product introductions, as covered in our January issue, include ETS-Lindgren and Instruments for Industry (IFI). The latter, a unit of AMETEK Compliance Test Solutions through AMETEK’s acquisition of IFI parent company Teseq, recently debuted a dual-mode, solid-state amplifier that combines continuous and pulse operating modes. The new S31-500-900P amplifier has been optimized for performing 600-V/m radar pulse Planning for the EMC Symposium radiated immunity testing in the 0.8-GHz to 3.1-GHz band.1 The At the upcoming EMC Symposium, AR is likely to highlight its amplifier has a 500-W continuous rating along with the capability line of amplifiers. “One main area of emphasis is the highest power to deliver more than 900 W in the pulse mode. RF and microwave solid-state amplifiers on the market,” Diesso Suitable for labs and many automotive OEMs, the S31-500-900P said. In addition, the company’s MultiStar products, including supports tests in accordance with specifications set by Ford and the MT06000 MultiTone tester, the FA7000 field analyzer, the General Motors and followed by other manufacturers. The unit DER2018 FFT-based EMI receiver, and the 200-W solid-state offers a peak power rating that allows it to generate a 600-V/m test class A 700-MHz to 6-GHz amplifier as well as improvements in with either high-gain, narrowband antennas or a single wideband emcware will be demonstrated. antenna. When used with narrowband antennas, the S31-500Terrien at Keysight said, “We’ll have all of our compliance 900P has sufficient power to allow overtesting or provide greater and precompliance products at the symposium, and we will be coverage of the EUT to reduce testing time. highlighting our new 3.6-GHz MXE EMI For its part, ETS-Lindgren unveiled its receiver model and real-time diagnostic EMField Generator, which the company capability available on our precompliance describes as integrating separate compoinstruments.” And Chonko at Rigol said, nents into a compact, modular, and efficient “We will be featuring the DSA875-TG 7.5testing tool. The company noted that for GHz spectrum analyzer and the DSG3060 decades radiated immunity testing has been RF signal source.” performed using bulky RF power ampliReference fiers, and immunity systems have been 1. Nelson, R., “Vendors target conductinherently inefficient, losing up to half of ed, radiated immunity,” EE-Evaluation their power to heat, cable loss, couplers, Figure 5. OSP open switch and control Engineering, January 2015, p. 27. and other hardware components. Until now, platform modules engineers have had to compensate for these Courtesy of Rohde & Schwarz 12 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-EMC MECH GH.indd 12 www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 1:52 PM Measure with conodence. . 34401A 34461A The next-generation Keysight 34461A Digital Multimeter (DMM) delivers more than numbers, it empowers insights. This replacement to the previous industry-standard 34401A has an easy-to-use, color LCD display and you can now visualize histograms and trend lines. Capturing, analyzing and documenting is simple with BenchVue software and Keysight’s Truevolt technology assures accurate measurements. Best of all, the latest thing in DMMs is from the same company that you’ve trusted for years. Let the insights begin. Keysight 34461A Truevolt Digital Multimeter DC volt accuracy 0.0035% reading + 0.0005% range Reading rates up to 1000 readings per second Memory: 10,000 readings internal, 32 MB with USB Flash Temp measurements with RTD/PT00 and thermistor Compatible with Keysight BenchVue software 100% drop-in replacement for Keysight 34401A DMM Trend chart to see trends over time. 6½ digit view. Find test challenge application briefs and videos. www.microlease.com/keysight/dmm Buy from an Authorized Distributor 866 436 0887 © Keysight Technologies, Inc. 2014 EE201503-AD Agilent 49473.indd 13 2/6/15 2:22 PM 13 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - SWITCHING SYSTEMS Safeguarding low-level signals by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor 14 . Accurately measuring very low-level signals requires more than just good instrumentation. Special care is needed throughout the measurement system because the very small size of low-level signals exposes error sources that usually can be ignored with larger signals. Differential circuitry often is used with low-level signals because it minimizes noise pick-up problems. Ideally, external noise will couple equally to both sides of a differential signal and can be removed by a circuit’s common-mode rejection. To ensure equal coupling, the two conductors needed for each differential signal must be identically routed on a PCB. Twisted-pair wiring is used between assemblies. Differential circuitry also avoids the single-ended signal corruption caused when imperfect PCB layouts allow ground current mixing. All low-level signals are subject to thermally induced voltage offsets based on the Seebeck effect. A junction of dissimilar metals, such as found in reed relays, produces a small voltage when a temperature gradient exists along the length of the conductors. The connection between the nickel-iron relay blade and the associated copper lead wire forms a thermocouple, but the junction itself isn’t the problem. The Seebeck effect states that any conductor generates a voltage when a temperature difference exists along its length. When two different kinds of conductors are joined, the voltages generated by each don’t cancel as they could were only one type of metal used. Nevertheless, compared to electromechanical relays with exposed contacts, reed relays have many advantages. The contacts are hermetically enclosed in a sealed glass tube so no external contamination can affect them. On the other hand, the 50:50 nickel-iron alloy often used for the reed blades isn’t a good conductor and typically is plated in the contact area. According to a Pickering Electronics technical paper, “Commonly used materials are ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium…. Tungsten is often used for high power or high voltage reed switches due to its high melting point.”1 The type of plating and size of the contacts govern the quality of the reed switch. Figure 1. Reed relay cutaway drawing Courtesy of Pickering Electronics 14 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-Switch MECH dB.indd 14 Reed relays VTI Instruments’ Tom Sarfi, vice president of Product Management and Support, said, “…the biggest challenge we see with low-level switching is when an end user is interested not only in switching low-level signals, but also high levels as well with the same relay. Customers often think that if a relay is capable of switching 20 amps, it should also be capable of switching milliamps. The relays that are best suited for high-level switching are electromechanical, and these relays typically are specified with path resistances when switching a measureable load. Consistent contacts are made only when switching some level of load [because] this ensures that arcing occurs to remove any oxidation that may have been formed on the contacts. “ Sarfi emphasized the benefit of hermetically sealed switches that avoid this problem. He said, “We have designed two different switch modules (one used on the eCASS Navy program) that use hermetically sealed relays that are designed for highand low-level switching. Hermetically sealed relays prevent oxidation from occurring on the contacts, and therefore the higher load is not required to ensure low path resistance when switched.” When reed relays are used in higher current applications up to about 2 A, self-heating can be a problem. In reference 1, the author touched on many interrelated factors when discussing carry current—the current that the reed relay can support through its contacts without long-term damage. “The carry current is determined primarily by the contact resistance of the relay and the heat sinking to the environment. As the current increases, the temperature of the reed blades increases until it reaches a temperature where the material is no longer ferromagnetic (Curie temperature). Once that temperature is reached, the relay contacts may open since the blades no longer respond to the magnetic field. “The blade temperature is clearly dependent upon the current and relay path resistance. The normal assumption is that this is a square law (with current) relationship. In reality, the temperature rise is significantly more than a square law since the metallic resistance also increases with temperature, the magnetic field drops with temperature because of the coil resistance rise, and the mechanical properties of the blade can change. Consequently, like all relays, exceeding the rating can result in a kind of thermal runaway.”1 For very low-level signals, reaching the Curie temperature is not a concern, but thermal offset voltages still can be generated by heating within the relay structure. Minimizing the power dissipated in the relay coil is one way to reduce this effect. Power = I2 x R, so power and the associated temperature rise can be minimized by maximizing the coil resistance. For comparison purposes, a general-purpose Littlefuse type HE3600 500-mA, 200-VDC reed relay has a nominal 5-VDC coil voltage and draws about 10 mA. This means that the coil resistance is approximately 500 Ω. In contrast, the resistance of some Pickering Electronics Series 100 5-V relay coils is 3,300 Ω. In terms of power, the Littlefuse relay dissipates 25/500 = 50 mW vs. 25/3,300 = 7.6 mW for the Pickering relay. Figure 1 shows construction details for a typical Pickering “soft center” reed relay. www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:41 PM . Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-006 EE201503-AD Pickering.indd 15 2/6/15 12:03 PM 15 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - SWITCHING SYSTEMS A relay’s symmetrical construction also can mitigate the generation of thermal offsets. If both blades and connecting wires experience the same but opposite thermal gradients, the effects will cancel. A relay can be made with two identical Form A switches in the same coil so it can be used differentially to reduce thermal offsets. The differential connection ensures that thermal offsets will closely match each other even though self-heating causes unequal temperatures across the package. Of course, a differential relay is needed to handle many low-level signals that also are differential. 16 . Regardless of a reed relay’s design, some amount of thermal error voltage still will be generated. A National Instruments technical paper discussed several approaches to eliminating this error. The basic idea is to measure a relay’s contact resistance when a small test current is passed through the closed contacts. Because the relay is actuated, self-heating will develop a thermal offset voltage. The voltage measured across the relay contacts will include that voltage. A second measurement made with the current source off will only measure the thermally generated voltage in series with the closed contacts. Subtracting the second measurement from the first allows the relay contact resistance to be accurately calculated.2 This approach is technically sound but must be used with some care. Time also is a factor because a greater temperature differential is created when the coil is energized for a long time than when it is driven by a short pulse. So, to obtain the greatest accuracy from the two-measurement method, you need to drive the coil in the same way that the relay will be used in your application. In addition, because the relay’s environment affects heatsinking, the relay’s mounting should be representative of how it actually will be used. You also need to provide power to any nearby external sources of heat. Product examples Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-004 16 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-Switch MECH dB.indd 16 Thermal effects Multiplexers specified as having Nx2 channels are intended to be used with differential signals. Some of these products also list a x1 configuration, typically with twice as many channels as for the differential x2 connection. An example is the National Instruments NI PXI-2503 24-channel relay multiplexer/matrix. This product uses electromechanical relays and quotes a differential thermal offset <2 µV for the x2 configuration. The single-ended x1 thermal offset is not quoted. The higher density NI PXI-2530B reed-relay-based switch module provides 128 single-ended channels or 64 twowire channels (Figure 2). The typical x1 thermal offset voltage is quoted as <50 µV. The differential thermal offset is not given. Neither the PXI-2503 nor the PXI2530B is specifically recommended for very low-level signal switching, although either easily handles general-purpose signal switching. The reason for comparing them is to highlight the very large www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:42 PM Figure 2. NI PXI-2530B multiplexer Courtesy of National Instruments difference that may exist between single-ended and differential thermal offsets. You need to understand which specification applies to your application and what level of thermally induced voltage can be accommodated without significantly affecting measurement accuracy. Keysight Technologies’ Dave Tenney, product manager, GP instruments, discussed the various switching selections compatible with the company’s 34970A/34972A data acquisition/ switch unit. The Models 34901A and 34902A both are two-wire multiplexers with a built-in cold junction reference for use with thermocouples. The 34901A is based on electromechanical relays, supports up to 1-A loads, and quotes thermal offset <3 µV. The 34902A uses reed relays and has a maximum current of 50 mA and thermal offset <6 µV. The advantage of the reed relay version is 250-ch/s switching speed vs. only 60 ch/s for the 34901A with electromechanical relays. Because a low-level switch manufacturer has control of both the actual switching element and the surrounding electrical and thermal environment, very low thermal offsets can be guaranteed even for single-ended switches. For example, Pickering Interfaces’ Shaun Fuller, switching product manager, referred to the Model 40-525A switch matrix that claims <5 µV single-ended thermal offset, achieved through careful design techniques. He also mentioned the 40-620 23-channel PXI multiplexer with a differential thermal offset specification of <1 µV. On the other hand, suboptimal signal connections and cabling that the user provides from the source to the switching product’s terminals can significantly degrade overall performance. Enhancements and trade-offs High-density assemblies necessarily place relays close to each other. Without magnetic shielding, the magnetic field from the coil of one reed relay can affect the pull-in/drop-out actuation of adjacent relays. This effect can be minimized by using relays with integral mu-metal shielding. Crosstalk from a large signal on one relay to a small signal on another is a function of relay proximity as well as wiring layout and impedances. For the Astronics Test Systems Model 1260-43HS VXI switch matrix, crosstalk within any one of the three 8x24 single-wire matrices is specified <-70 dB at 100 kHz, <-55 dB at 1 MHz. Thermal EMF is listed as <10 µV. www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-SpecRep-Switch FINAL.indd 17 . Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-002 Taking Switching to Extremes! Programmable Switching Systems for Automated Test and Data Acquisition Automated Accurate Measurements of: • Resistances to 100 Tera Ohms • Currents as low as 100 Femto Amps • Voltages below 5 uV or as high as 25 KV • 1xN, NxM, Group Switches, Custom Need a switch that no one seems to make? Call us or e-mail, we can help! 2555 Baird rd. Penfield NY 14526 1-800-346-3117 sales@cytec-ate.com 1-585-381-4740 cytec-ate.com Quality Products, Excellent Service, Reasonable Prices Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-011 March 2015 • EE • 17 2/9/15 3:45 PM 17 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - SWITCHING SYSTEMS 18 . In general, crosstalk (dB) = 20 log10 (voltage ratio). So, 70 dB = a voltage ratio of 3,162:1, or a 1-V, 100-kHz signal on one channel can produce a voltage of 316 µV on another. It’s clear that even if the crosstalk specification were -100 dB rather than -70 dB, you can’t mix volt-level signals and microvolt-level signals. Depending on how the matrix signals are routed to the module’s front-panel connectors, it might be possible to reduce crosstalk for the 1260-43HS by routing all larger signals to one of the three physically separate matrices and small signals to one of the other two—for example, just use the upper and lower sections (Figure 3). For applications that need a much higher level of isolation, Universal Switching’s Series 70000 and RS70000 coaxial relay assemblies are available in configurations from 1x2 up to 1x24. Both series use a machined aluminum housing to mount the BNC signal connectors and as part of the channel-to-channel shielding. Greatly reducing the relay density and providing continuously shielded signal paths Figure 3. VXI 1260-43HS switch matrix yield typical isolation as Courtesy of Astronics Test Systems high as 160 dB at DC, 140 dB at 10 MHz, and 120 dB at 100 MHz. In contrast to crosstalk, which is a measure of the isolation between signal paths, passive intermodulation (PIM) distortion is proportional to signal path nonlinearity. PIM is caused by nonlinearities in the signal path that allow mixing products to form when two or more carrier frequencies are present. The cable itself, relay contacts, and connectors can all contribute to a system’s PIM. Dow-Key Microwave has developed a range of special low-PIM coaxial switches that is guaranteed to exhibit <-160dBc PIM at 1,870 MHz when tested with +43-dBm carriers at 1,930 MHz and 1,990 MHz—a typical test requirement. In comparison, a standard switch’s PIM might be 30 dB higher. Leakage is another switch-related issue that’s especially important when dealing with high-impedance signal sources. Charles Greenberg, senior product marketing manager at Astronics Test Systems, explained that the company developed a low-level parametric test system that supports two- and fourwire measurements of devices up to 4,000 pins. “The systems can measure low-level resistance, capacitance, inductance, and leakage without damaging low-voltage structures on a device,” he said. “Reed relay switches were selected for their low leakage and capability to operate over millions of operations. Low-leakage cables to the test head were an important part of achieving system performance.” Cytec’s CEO Nick Turner said that the company often bases designs on low-leakage reed relays, adding that, “Getting down below 500 femtoamps leakage is almost an art. It requires a lot of prep and hand assembly work. Circuit board material tends to 18 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-Switch MECH dB.indd 18 charge and discharge so a lot of the signal wiring is done above the circuit board material. The boards have to be cleaned well, baked to remove any moisture, and then handled with gloves to avoid contamination. Relays, connectors, wire, and shielding are all picked based on isolation specifications. And then there still is a certain amount of settling time involved before you can take accurate readings. The only way around settling time,” he concluded, “is to use a driven guard circuit which greatly speeds up the measurements but adds another layer of expense since everything has to be wired to maintain the guard circuit.” Figure 4 is a simplified schematic of a multipurpose module Cytec often provides for low-level applications. It can be used with high-isolation BNC or SHV connectors to achieve <1-pA leakage and with triax connectors when both a driven guard and grounded noise shield are needed. Supported configurations include dual 1x4, 1x8, and 2x4. Application examples As Figure 3 shows, in spite of VXI being very much a legacy technology, its size continues to make it an attractive format for large switching applications. LXI has proven to be a good alternative in some situations. Pickering’s Fuller described an application that involved replacing a customer’s existing VXI-based low-thermal EMF switch matrix because of slow switching speed and obsolescence concerns. Figure 4. Low-level multiplexer simplified schematic Courtesy of Cytec www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:42 PM Touch. Discover. Solve. . Oscilloscopes redeoned. We’ve improved on the proven. The new Keysight 3000T oscilloscope is the next-generation of the InfiniiVision X-Series. With its zone touch triggering, you can trigger on any signal in just two steps. So you can isolate a signal in seconds—much faster than with any competing scope. The 3000T is also a 6-in-1 instrument. Along with your oscilloscope, you can get an MSO, WaveGen function generator, protocol analyzer, DVM and counter. Get in touch with the future of scopes. Take the Trigger Challenge today. Models Keysight 3000T X-Series* Tektronix MDO3000 Series** Bandwidth 100 MHz-1 GHz 100 MHz-1 GHz Update Rate Uncompromised 1M wfms/s Up to 280K wfms/s Touch Screen 8.5-inch Capacitive No Zone Touch Triggering Yes No Sample Rate 5 GSa/s 2.5 GSa/s (>= 500 MHz) 5 GSa/s (1 GHz) Take the Trigger Challenge at: www.keysight.com/ond/triggerchallenge USA: 800 829 4444 CAN: 877 894 4414 © Keysight Technologies, Inc. 2015 * Refer to Keysight document 5992-0140EN for product specs, and 5989-7885EN for update rate measurements. ** Competitive oscilloscopes are from Tektronix publication 48W-30020-3 EE201503-AD Keysight-49486.indd 19 2/6/15 3:33 PM 19 Sponsored by SPECIAL REPORT - SWITCHING SYSTEMS 20 . Fuller said, “LXI was chosen as the most suitable solution due to its large form factor. Constructing a matrix of this size (56x33) would both be clumsy and have restricted performance if implemented using small form factor modules such as PXI. Connecting multiple modules together would require complex cabling, and besides the obvious cost/size penalties, the interconnection process would lead to the generation of unacceptable thermal EMFs—an important parameter for this requirement. In addition, test program generation using multiple modules would be more complex when compared to programming a single entity.” Electromechanical relays were used in this 2U-high, 19-inch rack-mount solution because the customer’s application also involved higher voltages. The design is available as a standard product, and there also is a reed-relay version that features faster operating speed. Universal Switching’s Norton Alderson, vice president of marketing at the company, described an application recently addressed for a client that operated a survivability and vulnerability lab. “This facility contracted us to automate the connectivity and distribution of a large number of vibration sensors, thermocouples, accelerometers, and strain gages. The requirement initially called for 160 of these various sensors to be connected to a nonblocking full fan-out switching system and specified that the system must be capable of expanding to Always The Best Values In Small Vibration Test Systems And Digital Vibration Controllers! SINCE 1974 100 lbf Vibration Testing System $7,410 Complete with Vibrator, Trunnion, low-noise %ORZHUORZGLVWRUWLRQ/LQHDU$PSOLÀHU 500 lbf Vibration Testing System $25,095 Complete with Vibrator, Trunnion, Blower, ORZGLVWRUWLRQ/LQHDU$PSOLÀHU,QVWUXPHQW&DELQHW Evolution NEW! Accelerometer Cal System 25 - 600 lbf Electrodynamic Vibrators &RPSOHWHZLWK9LEUDWRUORZGLVWRUWLRQ/LQHDU$PSOLÀHU DQGDFDOLEUDWLRQVWDQGDUG$FFHOHURPHWHU 40 lbf Vibration System at least 256 inputs. The inputs needed to be differential to help eliminate noise and ground loops since all the sensors were physically located in, on, and around the UUT in another room.” Alderson continued, “The output of the unit was to initially connect to 192 individual channels of various test equipment such as numerous data recorders, oscilloscopes, and analyzers. The test equipment was single-ended coaxial type and located near the switching system. In addition to being able to connect a given sensor to multiple destinations (analyzer, recorder, etc.) at the same time, a few additional requirements were that the unit must be able to verify a signal path with nonintrusive signal injection, accept ±10V DC coupled signals, and have >80 dB of crosstalk isolation (DC - 100 kHz), <0.1 dB of gain accuracy, >200-kΩ input impedance (differential), SMB signal connectors, and a 10/100 LXI Ethernet control port.” He concluded, “We provided a solution based on our modular System S2562E that can be configured as small as a 32x32 and as large as a 256x256 in only 5RU of rack space. In addition to this switch box, we also included our input buffer chassis and our output buffer chassis for a total of 15RU.” Also discussing a multichannel system, Cytec’s Turner described a challenging resistance-measurement job. He said, “… the customer wanted to measure insulation resistance between any two points on a device with 128 pins. The specification that made it difficult was the need to measure resistance in the range of 50 TΩ [1 TΩ = 1,000,000,000,000 Ω]. While this wouldn’t be too bad for a small system such as an 8x2, it becomes increasingly difficult as you make the system bigger because all of the relays are in parallel and the resistance across open relays and to ground divides as the system scales up. Luckily, we have switch modules that can measure leakage down into the femtoamp range so the system worked well even as a 128x2 matrix.” Turner concluded, “The bigger issue… is related to all the complexities associated with these types of measurements such as environmental conditions, charge times, and grounds. Systems like this are extremely sensitive to anything going on around them that can contribute negatively to the measurement.” $7,749 NEW! Digital Vibration Controller Systems Each includes an Expansion Card and Software Package WRFRQYHUW\RXU3&WRD'LJLWDO9LEUDWLRQ&RQWUROOHU (computer not included) Low-Distortion Linear Amplifiers Sine $5,995 Random $5,995 NEW! 4-Channel Swept-Sine, Random & Classical Shock ZLWK%XLOW,Q&XUUHQW6RXUFHV $7,990 Head Expander 7x7 $1,323 Vibration Stress Screening Systems for production lines Digital Controllers 3OHDVHGRZQORDGGHPRGLVNIURPRXUZHEVLWH Digital Controllers Programmed For Windows Operation! VTS Vibration Systems for modal testing, research and development, product qualification, vibration screening and vibration demonstration. VIBRATION TEST SYSTEMS 10246 CLIPPER COVE, AURORA, OHIO 44202 330/562-5729 Fax 330/562-1186 www.VTS2000.com Made in the U.S.A. Rare-earth-plated reed relays have been the standard solution to low-level switching applications for many years. However, solid-state switching continues to make inroads. Pickering Interfaces’ Model 40-680 PXI solid-state multiplexer features virtually unlimited service life, a low thermal offset <2 µV, no bounce when changing states, and typically 1-nA off-state leakage current. However, because it is a FET-based design, each of the 160 channels is limited to 20-mA continuous current and has an on-state resistance between 150 Ω and 350 Ω. Various configurations are possible from a single 160-to-1 multiplexer to a 20-bank 8-to-1 multiplexer. References 1. Mallett, K., “The mystery of reed relays: Understanding specifications,” Solid State Technology, October 2014. 2. Removing Thermal Offset Errors from Contact, Switch, and Relay Resistance Measurements Tutorial, National Instruments, White Paper, October 2014. Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-007 20 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-SpecRep-Switch FINAL.indd 20 www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 3:46 PM . EE201503-AD HOUSE.indd 21 2/10/15 11:15 AM 21 MEDICAL TEST Applying Bayes’ Theorem to clinical trials by Tom Lecklider, Senior Technical Editor O 22 . ver the years, many writers have implied that statistics can provide almost any result that is convenient at the time. Of course, honest practitioners use statistics in an attempt to quantify the probability that a certain hypothesis is true or false or to better understand what the data actually means. The field of statistics has been developed over more than 200 years by famous mathematicians such as Laplace, Gauss, and Pascal and more recently Markov, Fisher, and Wiener. Pastor Thomas Bayes (1702-1761) appears to have had little influence on mathematics outside of statistics where Bayes’ Theorem has found wide application. As described in the FDA’s 2010 Guidance… for the Use of Bayesian Statistics in Medical Device Clinical Trials, “Bayesian statistics is an approach for learning from evidence as it accumulates. In clinical trials, traditional (frequentist) statistical methods may use information from previous studies only at the design stage. Then, at the data analysis stage, the information from these studies is considered as a complement to, but not part of, the formal analysis. In contrast, the Bayesian approach uses Bayes’ Theorem to formally combine prior information with current information on a quantity of interest. The Bayesian idea is to consider the prior information and the trial results as part of a continual data stream, in which inferences are being updated each time new data becomes available.”1 Bayes’ Theorem As explained in the FDA’s Guidance document, prior information about a topic that you wish to investigate in more detail can be combined with new data using Bayes’ Theorem. Symbolically, p(A|B) = p(B|A) x p(A)/p(B) where: p(A|B) = the posterior probability of A occurring given condition B p(B|A) = the likelihood probability of condition B being true when A occurs p(A) = t h e p r i o r p r o b a b i l i t y o f o u t c o m e A occurring regardless of condition B p(B) = the evidence probability of condition B being true regardless of outcome A Reference 2 discusses the application of Bayes’ Theorem to a horse-racing example. In the past, a horse won five out of 12 races, but it had rained heavily before three of the five wins. One race was lost when it had rained. What is the probability that the horse will win the next race if it rains? We want to know p(winning | it has rained). We know the following: p(it has rained | winning) = 3/5 = 0.600 p(winning) = 5/12 = 0.417 p(raining before a race) = 4/12 = 0.333 22 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-MedicalTest MECH GH.indd 22 Markov graph of transition probabilities between states A, B, and C7 Courtesy of Skye Bender-deMoll From Bayes Theorem, p(winning | it has rained) = 0.600 x 0.417/0.333 = 0.75. Taking into account the horse’s preference for a wet track significantly changes its odds of winning compared to 0.417 when rain is not considered.2 Typically, actual situations are not this simple but instead involve many variables and dependencies. Also, the discrete probabilities of the horse-racing example are replaced by probability density functions (PDFs). Common PDFs, such as the familiar bell curve of the normal distribution, show the likelihood that a variable will have a certain value. Often, researchers need to know that a quantity is larger or smaller than some limit or that it falls within a certain range, which requires integrating part of the area under the PDF curve. Dr. John Kruschke, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, described a learning experiment in which a person is shown single words and combinations of two words on a computer screen. The object is to learn which keys to press in response to seeing a word or combination of words. The lengths of all the response times (RT) between a new word or combination appearing and the correct key being pressed comprise the test data. All together, there were seven unique words or combinations, called cues, randomly presented to learners often enough that each cue repeated many times. There were 64 learners involved in the study. The objectives were to “…estimate the overall baseline RT, the deflection away from the baseline due to each test item, and the deflection away from the baseline due to each subject.”3 This example is not nearly as large or complex as many medical trials but still was addressed through the Bayesian inference using the Gibbs sampling (BUGS) computer program initially developed by the Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit in Cambridge, U.K. A great deal of information is www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 9:55 AM contained in the posterior distribution, and Kruschke made it clear that “…the posterior is a joint probability distribution in a high-dimensional parameter space…. [Example PDFs are]… only the marginal distribution[s] of individual parameters, like pressing a flower between the pages of a heavy book. In other words, the posterior specifies the credible combinations of all the parameter values.”3 A joint probability distribution is the probability distribution of a multidimensional vector—each dimension representing a separate variable within a study. In general, the overall PDF cannot be expressed in a closed form and must be integrated using numerical methods. Analysis As discussed in Reference 4,“A major limitation towards more widespread implementation of Bayesian approaches is that obtaining the posterior distribution often requires the integration of high-dimensional functions. This can be computationally very difficult, but several approaches short of direct integration have been proposed….” For many studies, each data point is independent. Here, a data point is the value of a multidimensional vector—the set of answers that a certain respondent gave to a questionnaire. The set of responses given by all the respondents often is considered to be a Markov process, or more particularly a Markov chain because there is a finite number of discrete states that the vector assumes. In a Markov chain, the next value only depends on the current state—neither the preceding states nor their order is important. The successive states observed when repeatedly flipping a coin comprise a Markov chain. Another concept that is key to addressing practical applications of Bayes’ Theorem is Monte Carlo integration. The Monte Carlo approach can be thought of as a massively parallel set of random trials that is evaluated to estimate a solution. Stanislaw Ulam, who developed the technique when working at Los Alamos in 1946, wrote, “The question was what are the chances that a Canfield solitaire laid out with 52 cards will come out successfully? After spending a lot of time trying to estimate them by pure combinatorial calculations, I wondered whether a more practical method than ‘abstract thinking’ might not be to lay it out say one hundred times and simply observe and count the number of successful plays.”5 Monte Carlo integration approximates an integral by first decomposing the integrand h(x) into the product of a separate function f(x) and a probability density p(x) . If this can be done, then the second integral is equal to the expected value Ep(x)[f(x)] of f(x) over the interval [a,b]. For large n, this is approximated by where each xi is randomly drawn from the p(x) PDF. Rather than flipping a single coin and recording successive outcomes, the Monte Carlo approach to determining that a coin has equal probability of coming up heads or tails is to simultaneously flip thousands of identical coins and then www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-MedicalTest MECH GH.indd 23 compare the number of resulting heads and tails. A Monte Carlo simulation, on the other hand, would accumulate a very large number of random-value samples from the interval [0,1], assigning heads to values >0.5 and tails to those <0.5. The quantities of each would then be compared to determine bias. Reference 6 combines the two ideas: “Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a collection of sampling methods that is based on following random walks on Markov chains.” Markov chains for which there is a finite probability of transitioning from any state to any other are termed ergodic. The PDF describing the frequency with which the various states of an ergodic chain occur approaches a stationary distribution after a sufficiently large number of transitions—the so-called burn-in time. The transitions from one state to the next form a multidimensional path—a random walk. Gibbs sampling performs a special kind of random walk in which, “…at each iteration, the value along a randomly selected dimension is updated according to the conditional distribution.” Bayes’ posterior joint probability distribution is defined as the product of conditional distributions, and Gibbs sampling is said to work well in this case.6 Review The initial design of a medical survey largely influences the usefulness of the results. Bayes’ Theorem allows results from a previous study to be combined with the current study, and it also provides the opportunity to monitor data as the study progresses. However, correctly analyzing the complex joint probability distributions characteristic of this approach requires a statistician trained in the use of Bayes’ Theorem. As stated in the FDA’s Guidance document, “Different choices of prior information or different choices of model can produce different decisions. As a result, in the regulatory setting, the design of a Bayesian clinical trial involves prespecification of and agreement on both the prior information and the model. Since reaching this agreement is often an iterative process, we recommend you meet with the FDA early to obtain agreement upon the basic aspects of the Bayesian trial design. “A change in the prior information or the model at a later stage of the trial may imperil the scientific validity of the trial results. For this reason, formal agreement meetings may be appropriate when using a Bayesian approach.”1 References 1. Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff: Guidance for the Use of Bayesian Statistics in Medical Device Clinical Trials, FDA, Feb. 5, 2010. 2. Boone, K., “Bayesian Statistics for Dummies,” 2010. 3. Kruschke, J. K., “Bayesian data analysis,” WIREs Cognitive Science, 2010. 4. Walsh, B., “Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Gibbs Sampling,” Lecture notes for EEB 581, April 2004. 5. Eckhardt, R., “Stan Ulam, John Von Neumann, and the Monte Carlo Method,” Los Alamos Science Special Issue, 1987. 6. Lebanon, G., “Metropolis-Hastings and Gibbs Sampling,” November 2006. 7. Skye Bender-deMoll, “Information, Uncertainty, and Meaning,” May 16, 2001. March 2015 • EE • 23 2/9/15 9:51 AM . 23 TEST INTERCONNECT Cables, connectors augment test applications by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor I 24 . nterconnect technology has a key role to play in test-and-measurement applications, whether you need to make a few connections on a benchtop or many connections in an automated test system. Specifications you’ll need to keep in mind when choosing interconnect components might include electrical parameters like insertion loss, passive-intermodulation distortion, and phase and amplitude stability as well as the capability to accommodate high-speed digital signals compliant with standards such as USB 3.0, Serial ATA, HDMI, DVI and DVI-1, RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, Low-PIM cable assemblies Courtesy of Pasternack QSFP, Twinax, and Infiniband. As for mechanical characteristics, you’ll need to consider factors like di- environments. They come with a six-month ameter, flexibility, connector type, and the product guarantee. number of connect/disconnect cycles that The cables provide 24-dB typical return can occur without degrading performance. loss and insertion loss as low as 0.27 dB, making them suitable for applications RF/microwave connectors including production test stations, R&D Gore PHASEFLEX microwave test assem- labs, environmental and thermal test blies focus on applications up to 110 GHz chambers, RF field testing, and cellular requiring precise, repeatable measurements infrastructure site testing. in a flexible cable. At 18 GHz and with the Times Microwave now offers a swept cable wrapped around a 75-mm-radius right angle for standard SilverLine benchmandrel, typical phase stability ranges from use test cables in unarmored configura±3 degrees to ±8 degrees, depending on tions. These part numbers begin with SLU, cable type, and typical amplitude stability SLULL, SLUSF, SLUTT, and SLU75. is ±0.05 dB. Swept right angles are a good alternative The cables can withstand continuous when customers require uncompromised flexing, wide temperature ranges, and RF performance, are working at frequenfrequent connect/disconnect cycles to an cies above 18 GHz, and are using a less instrument or device under test. They find common interface series but must still use in benchtop testing, RF production test, have a 90-degree configuration. The new and EMC test. feature is a retrofit to existing hardware, Mini-Circuits also offers flexible cables allowing virtually every connector in the for RF/microwave applications. The com- standard product line to become available pany’s new CBL-NM-75+ series 75-Ω in a right-angle configuration. A new reviprecision test cables feature N-male to sion of the standard SilverLine datasheet N-male connectors and rugged yet flex- will be the fi rst to indicate swept right ible cable construction for easy bending angle availability. Prices will be slightly and connections in tight spaces. Like all higher than straight connectors but less of the company’s test cables, these new than cube right angles. 75-Ω models are performance-qualified MegaPhase also offers test cables, to 20,000 flex cycles to withstand heavy including the BT Series for benchtop testuse and frequent bending common in test ing of CATV, video, IPTV, and broadcast 24 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-TestInterconnect MECH dB.indd 24 products. A selection of 75-Ω connectors complements the cables, which operate to a maximum frequency of 8 GHz, are designed to survive in rugged test environments, and provide stable performance under flexure, enabling repeatable measurements between calibrations. The cables are available in phase-matched sets and can be color-coded. Specs include a 66% nominal propagation velocity, 1.21-ns/ft time delay, and 15.8-pF/ ft nominal capacitance. Shielding effectiveness is -110 dB minimum (cable only), and dielectric withstand voltage is 3 kV at 60 Hz. The company recently released an improved BT Series cable with an insertion loss of 0.316 dB/ft at 8 GHz, 18% lower than standard versions. For applications sensitive to passive intermodulation distortion, Pasternack Enterprises recently introduced a series of low PIM cable jumpers with formable coax. These new assemblies are designed for low passive-intermodulation (PIM) applications including use in black boxes, test equipment racks and cabinets, distributed antenna systems, and lab testing. Pasternack’s low PIM cables are made using a tin-filled braid that produces a hand-formable, solid outer conductor wall. The cables are available with two different coax diameters sizes including 0.163 inch and 0.276 inch. Connector options include 7/16 DIN, 4.1/9.5 mini-DIN, Type N, and SMA. The connectors’ TriMetal plating, soldered connection point, and precise coaxial cable construction produce reliable low PIM performance for the life of the assembly. PIM performance is -160 dBc, and VSWR is 1.25:1. Between-series configurations can be ordered with SMA, type N, and 7/16 DIN connector combinations while in-series cables using 4.1/9.5 Mini DIN connectors also are available. The low PIM jumpers operate from DC up to 6 GHz. The assemblies are available for same-day shipment in 100-cm and 200-cm lengths; custom lengths are available with www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 9:58 AM longer lead times. Each assembly is 100% RF and PIM tested prior to shipment. HUBER+SUHNER makes cables and assemblies for communications, transportation, medical, and industrial applications, including analog and digital RF test. Examples of the company’s products include EACON assemblies, which are light, waterproof (IP68), and flexible cables that can be assembled in the field and serve industrial and defense applications to 18 GHz. Mass interconnect For making multiple contacts, VPC’s VTAC High Speed Data (HSD) connectors allow engineers in multiple industries to test devices that communicate at greater speeds and require higher data rates. The VTAC HSD insert features a data transfer rate of 12.5+ Gb/s per differential pair. Each VTAC HSD gold-plated, self-aligning contact has been tested and verified to 10,000 cycles without signal degradation. VTAC contacts work in both the iSeries and 90 Series connector families. The connectors are scalable and can be customized to accommodate between eight and 272 individual contacts. They are reconfigurable, with VTAC inserts arranged in a desired location, and they can be rearranged to fit requirement needs. They are compatible with multiple HSD standards including USB 3.0, Serial ATA, HDMI, DVI and DVI-1, RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, QSFP, Twinax, and Infiniband. MAC Panel recently introduced the XBEAM performance optical connectors, which reliably join both single-mode and multimode optical fiber cables in the vendor’s SCOUT, TITAN, and Series 64 mass-interconnect systems. Since there is no physical fiber-to-fiber contact, there is no wear, cracking, or degrading of contact performance. The vendor’s expanded beam connection technology eliminates the need for cleaning. Typical insertion loss is 1.2-dB single-mode and 0.7-dB multimode. Typical power-handling capability is 500 mW. Connector and cable tools If you are assembling cables and connectors yourself, you’ll speed up the job and ensure proper performance of your assemblies with the appropriate tools. HUBER+SUHNER, for example, offers an assembly toolkit to easily connect the company’s BNC, N, QMA, and TNC connectors to its EACON cables. And Times Microwave recently introduced its CCT-02 cable cutting tool, which replaces the older CCT-01 model. It is suitable for cutting any of the company’s LMR cables in preparation for connector termination. The CCT-02 tool provides a clean, sharp cut without leaving any metal or plastic residue across the face of the dielectric, and it allows the cable to retain its shape without distorting its geometry, thereby preventing any added return loss, which may be of particular concern at higher frequencies. New features of the CCT-02 tool include a unique safety locking mechanism to keep the tool positively closed until needed or when stored in a pouch and a streamlined design that allows it to fit more easily into a Times or other type of tool pouch. The CCT-02 cable cutting tool has a list price of $48.00 each, the same as the tool it replaces. Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-010 www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-TestInterconnect FINAL.indd 25 March 2015 • EE • 25 2/9/15 3:48 PM . 25 RF/MICROWAVE TEST Software augments instruments for 5G research by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor A 26 . s standards develop and evolve, engineers need flexibility to keep pace as their designs progress and test-equipment requirements change. Software has a key role to play as the standards-development effort leads from models to physical systems. The rollout of 5G technology, discussed in a February article,1 provides a good example of the complementary role for test hardware and design and test software. Recently introduced applicable software products include the SystemVue 5G Baseband Exploration Library from Keysight Technologies and the NI LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite from National Instruments. Sangkyo Shin, a 5G library product planner and application developer at Keysight, said the 5G Exploration Library combines into the SystemVue platform reference models for 5G waveform development. It includes source code written in C++ for 5G physical-layer research. Customers—including communications system architects, algorithm developers, and standards researchers—can modify the source code and maintain full control of their IP without exposing their own source code. The library offers several key features:2 • advanced digital signal processing blocks for 5G candidate waveform technologies; • end-to-end physical-layer transmit and receive simulation models; • signaling schemes for multiple input and output (MIMO) channels including spatial multiplexing, space-time coding, and multiple detection methods; • adaptive digital beamforming modeling examples; • synchronization, channel estimation, and MIMO receiver functions; • reference waveform generation to verify RF circuit design; • system-level performance evaluation and BER/FER testing; and • MIMO modeling blocks. Shin, who specializes in wireless communications, digital signal processing, physical-layer modeling, and simulation, said, “Customers need to explore different waveforms and compare new proposed technologies, and those are time-consuming tasks.” The reference library saves time and reduces risk. The library’s usefulness extends from research through design simulation and prototype system validation using test-and-measurement instrumentation for signal generation and analysis. The 5G library connects to Keysight’s 4G library so existing customers can compare 4G and 5G technologies and investigate technology convergence, he said. Roger Nichols, Keysight 5G program manager, added that the licensing scheme the company devel- NI LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite Courtesy of National Instruments 26 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-RF-Micro MECH dB.indd 26 oped for the 5G Exploration Library provides customers with source code to offer them two significant dimensions of flexibility. “First, we will continue to update and add to this to allow for an expanding array of exploration topics,” he said. “Second, researchers appreciate the ability to change their environments—this is critical to expand the horizons of what they do and to make focused changes in the capability of the software as they try out new ideas.” In addition to commenting on the 5G Exploration Library, Nichols also cited Keysight’s vector signal analysis software, to which the company continues to add new features. “Some recent examples include the addition of broadband group-delay measurements and impulseresponse measurements for assessment of broadband channels (channel sounding).” The company also offers a comprehensive library of signal-generation software, which will create standards-compliant signals when coupled with Keysight’s RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave signal sources. “Since there is no 5G standard, we also have added the capability for flexible OFDM generation,” he said. Flexibility in instrumentation is critical, too, and Nichols cited the smart-mixing capability of its signal analyzers and multiplier modules for signal sources. “These allow frequency extensions to existing tools for measurements where customers need them,” he said. “We can extend our vector signal analysis capability as far as 1.1 THz.” In addition, he said, Keysight’s modular high-speed digitizers/digital-downconverters can be combined to provide up to 40 phasecoherent channels at a 1.6-GHz sample rate with 12-bit resolution. He concluded, “Our 63-GHz digital oscilloscopes can provide four phase-coherent channels for measurements and analysis of high-speed digital as well as radio frequencies. We have a broad range of test capability that is well-suited for 5G research and for development when that stage comes.” www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 9:31 AM Flexible hardware and software National Instruments also is addressing 5G rollout with a flexible hardware and software approach. Charles Schroeder, director of product marketing for RF and wireless communications at NI, said, “At the core of NI’s 5G solutions is the LabVIEW reconfigurable I/O (RIO) architecture, which combines LabVIEW software with reconfigurable off-the-shelf hardware.” Systems are available in two form factors and at several price points, with the hardware sharing a consistent architecture that includes a floating-point processor, an open industry-standard FPGA, and RF signal-analysis and generation capability. “The LabVIEW software and IP ports connect seamlessly across the different hardware targets,” he added. “As 5G solutions, let alone standards, are still in exploration and research,” he said, “no one can describe with certainty how test equipment needs will evolve for 5G. This uncertainty reinforces the need for a flexible test and measurement instrumentation platform such as PXI that allows for changing I/O requirements, higher bandwidths, and new waveform implementations. In contrast, organizations invested in legacy, vendor-defined box instruments incur significant capital costs as they replace fleets of obsoleted instruments with the arrival of each new generation of wireless communication.” Schroeder added that combining a design environment like LabVIEW and flexible hardware like the NI-USRP (Universal Software Radio Peripheral) or PXI instrumentation can support the prototyping of the next-generation 5G systems. Success at the prototyping stage provides a good indication that these same platforms will be ready to test 5G solutions when they arrive. He added, “The open software architectures of NI’s RF modules, for instance, allow the instruments to rapidly evolve with the emergence of new RF waveforms such as GFDM [generalized frequency division multiplexing] and FBMC [fi lter bank multicarrier].” Further, he explained, the tight synchronization inherent in the PXI backplane makes PXI suitable for testing evolving MIMO standards, and the modularity of PXI allows engineers to incrementally add new hardware capabilities as needs evolve. www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-RF-Micro MECH dB.indd 27 On the software side, NI offers the LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite. “From a test perspective, most traditional test instruments are designed as single-function measurement devices,” Schroeder said. A unique feature of the NI platform, he added, is the open, software-designed nature of the products. “NI customers can see and modify any element of the software and firmware stacks of our RF instruments. Taking advantage of the openness, customers use the instruments to both measure RF characteristics and prototype new communications algorithms. This unprecedented level of openness makes them equally good for RF test and RF algorithm design.” Facilitating collaboration “NI is working with leading 5G wireless researchers to provide the fastest path from design to prototype,” Schroeder said. “NI’s approach combines LabVIEW system design software with the software-defined radio platform to help researchers reduce the time from theory to results by testing their designs in a real-world environment.” He added, “NI customers have identified four key research areas that will have the largest impact on progressing 5G: massive MIMO, new waveforms, dense networks, and millimeter-wave communications.” He cited one customer’s collaborative initiative. By using NI’s integrated hardware and software baseband platform, he said, Nokia plans to expedite its research and rapidly demonstrate the viability of highfrequency millimeter wave technology as an option for 5G radio access. Schroeder quoted Lauri Oksanen, vice president of research and technology at Nokia, as saying, “Our experimental 5G proof-of-concept system will be implemented using NI’s LabVIEW and PXI baseband modules, which is the state-of-the-art experimental system for rapid prototyping of 5G air interface available today.” Other test and measurement companies, too, recognize the role of software and the importance of collaboration. According to Bob Kersey, marketing director for wireless test solutions at Anritsu, “As the industry turns its focus to real networks and devices, the major companies work closely with leading test equipment manufacturers, such as Anritsu, to accelerate their time to market.” He noted that developing the test capability ahead of early devices is critical for successful technology rollouts, and such capabilities played a significant role in the early start-up of 3G and 4G services. He added that partnerships may be the only way to resolve the typical paradoxes that result when new technologies push the boundaries of what is possible with current hardware and software. “Test equipment continues to play a central role as 5G grows toward mass deployment,” Kersey added. “Device problems that escape into the hands of potentially millions of users are difficult and expensive to rectify and in some cases can cause real business damage. Each new technology pushes the scope of testing upwards—not only because of the specific challenges that technology introduces, but also because the number of potential interworking scenarios doubles.” Andreas Roessler, technology manager at Rohde & Schwarz, said Rohde & Schwarz is involved in several 5G activities and projects worldwide. “The Future Forum in China is one example,” he said, adding that another is “…our participation in the 5G Innovation Centre driven by University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Rohde & Schwarz also is a sponsor of the 5G Lab spearheaded by the Technical University of Dresden and the well-known industry veteran Prof. Gerhard Fettweis.” In addition, he said, “Rohde & Schwarz contributes to important research projects under the European Union initiative called Horizon 2020. We further support key customers with our test and measurement solutions and testing expertise.” The work will continue. Nichols at Keysight said that the fundamental measurement capabilities that customers put to use today will be needed for research and further development when systems start to be designed to early standards. “What really makes this feasible is the flexibility we have in our software,” he concluded. References 1. Nelson, R., “Test to play key role in 5G rollout,” EE-Evaluation Engineering, February 2015, p. 12. 2. W1906BEL 5G Baseband Exploration Library, Keysight Technologies, Data Sheet, Oct. 10, 2014. March 2015 • EE • 27 2/9/15 9:31 AM . 27 EE PRODUCT PICKS Scope Enhancements Enhancements to the R&S oscilloscope portfolio include new models, applications, and accessories. Among the enhancements is a high-definition mode that increases the vertical resolution of the R&S RTO and R&S RTE digital oscilloscopes to up to 16 bits via low-pass filtering—a 256-fold improvement over the 8-bit resolution available in the standard mode. The company also has added a 200-MHz bandwidth model to its R&S RTM bench oscilloscope family. The history and segmented memory option, which expands the maximum memory depth to 460-Msample per channel, is available for all bandwidth models. A new digital voltmeter option enables the R&S RTM to measure values such as AC, DC, peak, and crest factor with three-digit accuracy regardless of the oscilloscope’s triggering. The scope now features a seven-digit frequency counter as well. Rohde & Schwarz, www.rsleads.com/503ee-197 Probe-Station Control Software 28 . Velox 2.0, the latest version of probe-station control software, combines the best attributes of the company’s Nucleus and ProberBench legacy probe-station control platforms and is backwards-compatible with all of the current probe systems. Velox 2.0 simplifies setup and execution of automated measurements using WaferSync, an exclusive two-way communication link between Velox and Keysight Technologies’ WaferPro Express automated on-wafer measurement software. Velox 2.0 can create an environment in which the prober is the common platform for the test executive, turning a probe system into the host for the test and measurement instrumentation. The VeloxPro test automation software option sequences wafer handling, alignment, temperature control, Z-profiling, and stepping as a single automated test flow. Cascade Microtech, www.rsleads.com/503ee-198 USB AWG Board USB-AO-ARB1 is a new 8-MHz, 16-bit USB arbitrary waveform output board featuring flexible ranges and configurable digital I/O lines. BNC connectors are used for the analog waveform output and the gate control input. The USB-AO-ARB1 measures 3.550 x 3.775 inches and ships inside a steel powdercoated enclosure with an anti-skid bottom. The OEM USB/104 option size and predrilled mounting holes match the PC/104 form factor (without the bus connections). This ensures easy installation using standard standoffs inside most enclosures or systems. The board also utilizes a high-speed custom function driver optimized for a maximum data throughput and 28 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-ProductPicks MECH.indd 28 includes a free Windows and Linux (including Mac OS X)-compatible software package with sample programs and source code in Visual Basic, Delphi, and Visual C++ for Windows. ACCES I/O, www.rsleads.com/503ee-199 Ethernet DAQ The new E-1608 Ethernet-based multifunction data-acquisition device provides both analog and digital I/O. It features 250-kS/s sampling and 16-bit resolution with eight analog inputs, eight digital I/O channels, one counter input, and two analog outputs. The device is supported in Windows and Android operating systems and will add Linux support in the near future. An OEM board-only version also is available. Microsoft Windows software options for the E-1608 include DAQami and TracerDAQ to display and log data along with comprehensive support for C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, and Visual Basic .NET. Drivers for DASYLab and NI LabVIEW also are provided. Android support for the E-1608 allows users to develop DAQ applications for tablets and smart phones. Free sample applications are available for download on Google Play. $499. Measurement Computing, www.rsleads.com/503ee-200 True-DC RF Switch The UltraCMOS PE42020 is a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) true DC RF configurable 50-Ω absorptive or open reflective switch. It handles 30 dBm at 0 Hz and 36 dBm at 8 GHz. It also has linearity of 62 dBm IIP3, total harmonic distortion of -84 dBc, and a 0.1-dB power compression point of 38 dBm at 8 GHz. The PE42020 features a 10-μs switching time, a settling time of 35 μs, and an ESD rating of 1,000 V HBM on all pins. In addition, it can handle DC or AC peak voltages in the range of +10 V to -10 V on the RF ports and DC current through RF active ports of up to 80 mA. Offered in a RoHS-compliant, 20lead 4 mm x 4 mm QFN, the PE42020 is $14 each for 1kquantity orders and $11.35 each for 5k-quantity orders. Peregrine Semiconductor, www.rsleads.com/503ee-201 MOSFET Design Kit A new silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET design kit facilitates evaluation of the company’s MOSFET and Schottky diode performance in a configurable half-bridge circuit. The kit provides easy access to critical test points, enabling simple and accurate measurements including VGS, VDS, and IDS, and is easily configured to several different buck or boost power conversion topologies. The kit features two 80-mΩ, 1,200-V MOSFETs; two 1,200-V, 20-A Schottky diodes in standard TO-247 packages; a half-bridge-configured design board equipped with isolated gate drives; power supplies; and all of the other components necessary to assemble the power www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 9:27 AM stage. Also included are a gate driver schematic and layout reference for a TO-247-packaged MOSFET and a comprehensive user manual and sourcing sheet with basic block diagrams and specifications. Cree, www.rsleads.com/503ee-202 Emergency and Public Warning Test The MD8475A signaling tester with SmartStudio Manager Windows-based control software now provides multi-operator support for Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) Carrier Acceptance Test (CAT) packages. Separate packages offer 2G, 3G, and LTE radio technology support. By simulating a realworld network environment, the MD8475A establishes a simple, cost-efficient, and accurate process for validating UE performance. The MD8475A is a complete network-in-a-box, simulating the radio access as well as the core network and server functions, and supports the full range of communications standards. Running the MX847503A SmartStudio Manager software on a PC with Windows allows simultaneous execution of multiple test cases and at-a-glance display of test results. The MD8475A and SmartStudio Manager combine to provide engineers involved with each carrier’s ecosystem a costeffective platform for CMAS and other application tests. LTE, LTE-Advanced, W-CDMA/HSPA/HSPA Evolution/DCHSDPA, GSM/EGPRS, CDMA2000 1X/1xEV-DO Rev. A, and TD-SCDMA/TD-HSPA are supported by the MD8475A. Anritsu, www.rsleads.com/503ee-203 Signal Conditioner The new VSC7112 8.5-Gb/s VSC7112 quadchannel signal conditioner is targeted at signal-integrity challenges related to blade servers, enterprise storage, and cloud computing. The VSC7112 repeater is claimed to deliver increased layout flexibility and overall lower systems costs in applications where short PCIe links are not possible. Based on a production-proven silicon platform with a failure-in-time rate well below 10 ppm, the VSC7112 delivers input equalization and output pre-emphasis enabling 30-dB loss compensation over a 50-inch channel with multiple connectors. This ensures sufficient system margin over and reliable connectivity between PCIe hosts and peripherals. Independent testing has confirmed the applicability of the VSC7112 in PCIe Gen 3.0 repeater applications. Vitesse Semiconductor, www.rsleads.com/503ee-204 IP, TDM, and PSTN Fax Testing Fax Testing Solutions over IP, TDM, and PSTN networks accommodate technology communication over a wide www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-ProductPicks FINAL.indd 29 variety of networks. Support for simulation of Fax over IP in the pass-through mode (using G.711 PCMU and PCMA) is based on the vendor’s MAPS standard framework for emulating signaling and traffic associated with IP, TDM, and wireless protocols. The recently introduced bulk (100s) call Fax Emulator software is capable of transmitting and receiving faxes over many T1 E1 timeslots or through two-wire FXO and FXS lines. The FaxScan application processes two-wire and four-wire voice-band capture for T.30 frames and PCAP captures for T.38 packets. Users can extract a fax TIF image and decode general call-flow indicators for detail analysis. PacketScan software supports capturing and decoding of fax (T.38 data) calls over VoIP. GLInsight also helps in decoding and analysis of prerecorded fax transmissions. GL Communications, www.rsleads.com/503ee-205 BERT with ISI Capability The J-BERT M8020A high-performance BERT now has an adjustable and integrated inter-symbol interference (ISI) capability. All high-speed digital receivers are specified to tolerate a certain amount of total jitter, which typically includes some ISI caused by channel loss. During receiver characterization and compliance test, engineers need to emulate this loss. Each pattern-generator channel of the J-BERT M8020A allows engineers to emulate a certain channel loss. The J-BERT M8020A accelerates insight into digital designs. It offers fast and accurate receiver characterization for single- and multilane devices operating at data rates up to 16-Gb/s and 32-Gb/s. The built-in ISI functionality is programmable for each pattern-generator channel, simplifying receiver test automation by eliminating cabling and switching of external traces for data rates up to 16-Gb/s. Keysight Technologies, www.rsleads.com/503ee-206 Medical Imaging The Embedded Radeon HD 7850 GPU with OpenCL enables cutting-edge application performance for the Analogic bk3000 ultrasound system. Analogic accessed the GPU via OpenCL to achieve a 3x improvement in the amount of information in each ultrasound image and reduce time from capture to presentation. Going to a software-based solution using OpenCL helps to lower the development cost and provides improved long-term value because the software can be used across product lines and through generation shifts. The Embedded Radeon HD 7850 is based on the company’s Graphics Core Next architecture to advance the visual growth and parallel processing capabilities of embedded applications. In addition to ultrasound, other uses include complex parallel applications such as terrain and weather mapping, facial and gesture recognition, and biometric and DNA analysis. AMD, www.rsleads.com/503ee-207 March 2015 • EE • 29 2/9/15 7:52 AM . 29 s ening p p a try H Indus Rick n NelseoEditor tiv Execu g ineerin n Eng io t a alu FL EE-Ev Sarasota, 30 . Auto show spans fuel cells to infotainment The Automotive Testing Expo held in Novi, MI, last fall provided an opportunity to investigate the design and test of an array of components and assemblies, including fuel tanks, batteries, fuel injectors, electric motors, and CAN FD buses.1 The New England International Auto Show, held Jan. 15-19 in Boston, offered an opportunity to see how all the parts come together. Although test drives were not available, the show provided an opportunity for Toyota to bring its hydrogen-fuel-cell powered Mirai to New England. It looks like California will remain the key proving ground for novel automotive technologies in the United States, as Toyota will begin selling the Mirai there in the fall. Nevertheless, there is hope that those of us in the rest of the country will eventually get to buy one, should we choose to do so. A Toyota spokesperson said you can expect to see the Mirai in dealerships in other regions in 2016, when the hydrogen infrastructure expands from 20 stations to 48 nationwide (still a tiny amount for a vehicle that gets about 300 miles on one tank). She added that the company has been working on fuel-cell technology since 1992 and that the fuel cells have proved to be reliable in all combinations of extreme temperatures and altitudes. Meanwhile at the show, Charles A. Myers, president of the Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition, seemed more upbeat about hydrogen infrastructure in the state than the Toyota spokesperson. He told Megan Turchi of Boston.com2 that people could expect to see fuel-cell cars on Massachusetts roads by yearend and that there already is a hydrogen station in Billerica, MA. (That’s not too convenient for me, but of course everything in Massachusetts is within the car’s 300mile range, so that at least offers a workaround.) The Mirai and forthcoming fuel-cell cars from Honda and Hyundai certainly aren’t for everyone. Turchi2 quotes Don Delias, a Toyota expert on the Mirai, as saying the cars are for “trailblazers” and “people who want to lead change. It is more about the way people think and if they want to be a part of something new.” He added that the cars are already on the road in Japan and that Toyota is looking to increase production. Mirai also put in an appearance at the DC Auto Show in January, where Nihar Patel, Toyota’s vice president of North American business strategy, said, as reported in a press release, “Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles launched between 2015 and 2020 will require a concerted effort and collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers.” He called on Congress to reinstate the tax 30 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-IndustryHappenings MECH dB.indd 30 incentives for hydrogen companies that build refueling stations. Patel also noted that with the expiration of the federal fuel cell credit last year purchasers of zero emission plug-in electric vehicles receive a $7,500 tax credit, but buyers of zero-emission fuel-cell electric vehicles receive no credit. “Consumers and the investment community need a clear signal that government is not choosing winners or losers in the zero emission vehicle race. These vehicles should be treated equally to allow the market to decide,” he said. Toyota had previously announced—at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January—that it will make about 5,680 hydrogen-fuel-cell patents available royalty-free, including ones developed for the Mirai. At the DC Auto show, Patel cited that decision to release global patents to competitors as part of Toyota’s efforts to help move from a hydrocarbon to a hydrogen-based society. Meanwhile those of us looking for a low- or zero-emission vehicle on the Boston show floor will have to settle for something like a BMW i3, Chevy Volt, Ford Fusion, MercedesBenz B-Class, or Volkswagen e-Golf. Also at the show, Ford was touting improvements to traditional internal combustion engines to boost efficiency. The company cited its EcoBoost engine technology, which a spokesperson described as employing direct injection with turbocharging. The company will soon debut an F-150 pickup with a 2.7-l EcoBoost engine with a compacted graphite iron block. In addition to EcoBoost, the new F-150 will feature a 360-degree camera-and-light system that would let you, from the driver’s seat, see the shoes of someone standing next to your vehicle. You might not want to examine shoes, the spokesperson said, but the feature could be useful at a worksite or in your driveway where you want to avoid toys and pets. Another company emphasizing improvements in ICE fuel efficiency was Mazda, which highlighted its SKYACTIV technology. For the most part, manufacturers seemed to count on their vehicles’ style to attract attention on the show floor. There were few banners touting horsepower or infotainment features. Exceptions included Nissan; the company highlighted its NissanConnect technology, which supports voice commands or touchscreen inputs to handle navigation, entertainment, and communications tasks—you can update your Facebook page from your vehicle. Nissan also highlighted its Safety Shield technology and a Rogue with object-avoidance technology. And Buick exhibited a vehicle with side radar sensors and forward and rear www.evaluationengineering.com 2/9/15 4:02 PM L I T E R AT U R E M A R K E T P L A C E cameras for collision avoidance. Buick also highlighted its IntelliLink infotainment system, which enables voice input for playing music or making hands-free calls. In addition, Subaru featured its EyeSight crash-prevention technology, which the company describes as an extra eye on the road and, if necessary, foot on the brake. Specific features include adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and precollision braking and throttle management. And finally, Volkswagen highlighted its Car-Net, a suite of security features, maintenance assistance capabilities, and navigation tools. A feature called Family Guardian lets you know when your family members have exceeded speed limits or driven beyond permissible boundaries. It also can help locate your vehicle should it become stolen or should you forget where you’ve parked it. The event was held in the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center in the transportation-challenged Seaport District. Ironically, show organizers advised attendees to take public transportation to get there. References 1. Nelson, R., “Hardware, software support automotive test,” EE-Evaluation Engineering Online, Jan. 13, 2015. 2. Turchi, M., “Hydrogen-Powered Cars Will Be in Mass. in the Not So Distant Future,” Boston.com, Jan. 15, 2015. Web MIL-STD-750-4 Method 4031.4 Test Solutions AVR-EB2A-B: Condition A, for low current diodes AVR-EB4-B: Condition B, for medium current diodes AVR-EB5-B: Condition B, for PIN diode lifetime characterization AVR-CC2-B: Condition C, for high power diodes AVR-CD1-B: Condition D, for medium current and MOSFET parasitic diodes Avtech Electrosystems Ltd. Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-360 PRODUCT SAFETY TEST EQUIPMENT ED&D, a world leader in Product Safety Test Equipment manufacturing, offers a full line of equipment for meeting various UL, IEC, CSA, CE, ASTM, MIL, and other standards. Product line covers categories such as hipot, leakage current, ground, force, impact, burn, temperature, access, ingress (IP code), cord flex, voltage, power, plastics, and others. ED&D Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-361 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Advertiser REVERSE RECOVERY TIME TESTERS Page AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation ....... www.arworld.us/mvg...........................................9 Avtech Electrosystems Ltd ................... www.avtechpulse.com .......................................31 CertifiGroup........................................... www.CertifiGroup.com .......................................31 Cytec Corp ............................................ www.cytec-ate.com ...........................................17 DCC Corporation ................................... www.dccCorporation.com..................................31 Educated Design & Development. Inc. .. www.ProductSafet.com .....................................31 GL Communications .............................. www.gl.com .......................................................17 HBM, Inc................................................ www.hbm.com/ee2015.....................................IFC IP CODE & NEMA TESTING CertifiGroup offers a full UL, CSA, IEC and CE, ISO 17025 Accredited International Product Test & Certification Laboratory. The lab includes a unique indoor wet-lab, where CertifiGroup specializes in IP Code & NEMA testing for products subject to dust, water ingress and similar hazards. The CertifiGroup indoor IP Code Wet Lab is one of the world’s largest and most cutting-edge. IP Code capabilities up to IP69K! CertifiGroup Hioki USA Corp...................................... www.hiokiusa.com .......................................... IBC JFW Industries, Inc. .............................. www.jfwindustries.com .....................................16 Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-362 Keysight Technologies .......................... www.keysight.com/find/HSD-insight ............... 4-5 Keysight Technologies .......................... www.microlease.com/keysight/dmm ................13 Keysight Technologies .......................... www.keysight.com/find/triggerchallenge..........19 Morehouse Instrument Co,.................... www.mhforce.com .............................................25 National Instruments ............................ ni.com/automated-test-platform ...................... BC Pickering Interfaces Inc. ....................... www.pickeringtest.com/advantage ...................15 Stanford Research Systems ................. www.thinkSRS.com .............................................3 Universal Switching Corp ..................... www.uswi.com ....................................................7 Vibration Test Systems ......................... www.VTS2000.com ............................................20 Virginia Panel Corp. .............................. www.vpc.com/speed .........................................10 W L Gore ............................................... www.gore.com/test............................................11 This index is provided as a service. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions. www.evaluationengineering.com EE201503-IndustryHappenings MECH dB.indd 31 DO IT FASTER, BETTER AT LESS COST DCC’s new HotSpot PLUS welder offers several attachments to facilitate simple spot, stud, pin and thermocouple welding functions. HotSpot PLUS handles welding of heavy wires, light gauge studs and pins to metal surfaces, wire harness strapping, insulation blanket installation and strain gauge fixturing. See pricing, specifications and video at www.dccCorporation.com. Your sensor problem? Your solution. DCC Corporation Visit www.rsleads.com/503ee-363 March 2015 • EE • 31 2/10/15 12:40 PM . 31 EXECUTIVE INSIGHT Ethernet industry builds on innovation by Rick Nelson, Executive Editor 32 . This year is shaping up to be an active one for Ethernet as the industry builds on innovations that occurred in 2014. The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), an independent provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry, stands ready to support the industry with expanded interoperability testing and support for 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet (40G/100G), according to Jeff Lapak, senior manager, Ethernet Technologies, at UNH-IOL. The lab sees considerable interest in 40G technology and is beginning to test 100G products. Specifically, Lapak said in a recent phone interview, the lab is focusing on four areas: 40G/100G Ethernet including 25-Gb/s serial lanes, Power over Ethernet (PoE), Backplane Ethernet, and Automotive Ethernet. The activity is taking place within several of the UNH-IOL’s consortia and collaborative testing programs. The lab in its more than 32,000 squarefoot facility supports both interoperability test as well as compliance test. Interoperability testing shows what your equipment will work with today, Lapak said, while compliance ensures it will continue to work with other compliant products in the future. “Interoperability has been a defining feature of Ethernet since its start,” said Lapak, adding that since the lab began its first testing of Ethernet technology in 1988, “member companies have turned to us for reliable interoperability results to build consumer confidence and support their go-to-market strategies.” “Repeated multivendor testing is no less important today than when the IEEE ratified the 40GbE and 100GbE standard in 2010,” added John D’Ambrosia, chairman of the Ethernet Alliance, in a statement released by UNH-IOL. 32 • EE • March 2015 EE201503-ExecInsight MECH dB.indd 32 Jeff Lapak Senior Manager, Ethernet Technologies, University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory The goal of a UNH-IOL-hosted plugfest, he said, “…is to demonstrate multivendor interoperability, which will accelerate adoption and broaden the market for both 40GbE and 100GbE.” Lapak cited 10G Backplane Ethernet, or 10Gbase-KR, as a topic of particular interest, with a focus on channel training and channel modeling. Over the year from June 2013 to June 2014, Lapak said, membership in the UNH-IOL Backplane Ethernet Consortium nearly tripled. Also of interest, he said, is PoE, including IEEE 802.3af and 802.11at. PoE can serve in a variety of applications areas, including wireless access points, IP security cameras, IP phones, and industrial automation equipment. New PoE standards are in the works, he said, including a one-pair power-over-dataline implementation and a higher power four-pair configuration that can serve cameras with pan and zoom capability. Automotive Ethernet is another technology gaining momentum, Lapak said. UNH-IOL offers a BroadR-Reach Physical Medium Attachment (PMA) test station and the Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS)/PHY Control Test Tool. Two years ago, the automotive industry’s OPEN (One-Pair Ether-Net) Alliance endorsed the UNH-IOL as the first laboratory to test BroadR-Reach, a standard that enables 100-Mb/s Ethernet connectivity in automotive networking applications. Ethernet increasingly plays a role in automated driving assistance and infotainment systems, Lapak said, although functions such as braking-byEthernet remain in the future. The UNH-IOL is working closely with test and measurement manufacturers to upgrade its test equipment—particularly for 25-Gb/s Ethernet solutions, Lapak said, adding that the lab has a special relationship with the manufacturers. “Customers want to recreate test setups we offer,” he said, adding that the lab provides a neutral third-party environment where instrument makers can make sure that the measurements from disparate pieces of equipment align. “Manufacturers of test equipment gain a lot by participating,” he said. In addition to commercial test equipment, he said, the lab offers several unique capabilities. For bit-level PHY analysis and verification, for example, the lab has developed a PCS custom test tool that enables testing at the single-bit level to ensure that Ethernet chips can handle an array of challenging network conditions—a capability not available with commercially available test equipment. Lapak added that the lab participates in standards development with a focus on making sure the standards can be adequately tested. Lapak said the lab works with companies at all stages of the product-development cycle. The fee for participation in UNH-IOL Ethernet consortia ranges from $15,000 to $24,000, and lab facilities are available to members on a round-robin basis. UNH students writing test suites form the bulk of the lab’s workforce, he said. Paid an hourly rate, they don’t receive course credit but do gain valuable experience that prepares them well for future employment in the industry. www.evaluationengineering.com 2/6/15 4:39 PM From the Field to Your Office Through WiFi . 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