NEWS BRIEFS

4timing.com, December 2003

Z-Comm Releases 530 MHz to 670 MHz VCO

Z-Communications Inc. has released its CLV0600A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which is used primarily in the test equipment market.  The frequency range is from 530 MHz to 670 MHz within 1 Vc to 4.5 Vc of tuning voltage.The oscillator offers phase noise at -110 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset and linear tuning at better than 1.1:1 ratio.  It is guaranteed to operate in temperatures ranging from -40° C to +85° C.

Micro Lambda Announces Frequency Synthesizers up to 16 GHz

Micro Lambda Wireless Inc. has released new frequency synthesizers.The MLSN-series of 2 GHz tuning band synthesizers has been expanded to include standard models up to 16 GHz.Special 2 GHz frequency bands within this range can be specified by the user.  The applications for these models include telecom, satellite communications, and radar.

Centellax Announces Multi-modulus Divider ICs from DC to 40 GHz

Centellax Inc. has announced the release of a new, multi-modulus divider IC for various applications including telecom circuit testing, digital radios, electronic warfare and satellite communications.The new model UXC40C, operating at up to 40 GHz, provides simultaneous divide-by-2, divide-by-4, and divide-by-8 outputs that can be employed in: 1) generation of low-jitter, low-frequency reference signals; 2) use in phase-locked loops requiring low l/f noise; and 3) broad-bandwidth test instruments.  The UXC40C boasts DC coupling on all inputs and outputs via CML logic levels, and operates off of a single -3.3 V power supply. It can operate with either single-ended or differential inputs.

Maxrad Introduces New Wi-Fi Antennas

Maxrad Inc. has announced the introduction of over 20 new antenna models designed for Wi-Fi networks operating in ISM, UNII-3 and HiperLAN frequencies.  The new models are part of Maxrad's XtremeWave line of broadband wireless and wireless LAN antenna solutions.  All the new antennas are designed to operate in either 5.1 GHz to 5.3 GHz HiperLAN or 5.7 GHz to 5.8 GHz ISM/UNII-3 frequencies.  The new 802.11a antennas are available now.

MaxStream’s 900 MHz Wireless OEM Module

MaxStream Inc. has announced the release of its 9XCite 900 MHZ wireless Module that has a power output of 1 mW.  The transceiver boasts a -108 dBm receive sensitivity, which allows the 9XCite to compete with modules operating at 10 times the power output (10 mW), the company says.  The 9XCite will communicate 300 feet (90 meters) indoors and in urban environments, and 1,000 feet (300 meters) line-of-sight with dipole antennas.  The 9XCite module accepts 2.85 VDC to 5.50 VDC.  The transmit and receive current is < 50 mA, and power down current can operate as low as 20 µA.Data throughput is user selectable at 9600 bps or 38400 bps, and provides interface data rates from 1200 bps to 57600 bps.  Frequency hopping or single channel modes are also user selectable.  Support for RS-232 is available for peer-to-peer, point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multi-drop networking topologies.

Elpida Shipping 1Gbit DDR2 DRAMs in Module Form

Elpida Memory Inc has announced the release of its new product 1-Gbit DDR2 synchronous DRAM devices.  The 1-Gbit DDR2 devices were used on 2-Gbyte registered modules intended for evaluation within server designs.  They are organized as 256-Mword by 4-bits and and 128-Mwords by 8-bits, respectively.  The devices are produced at Elpida's state-of-the-art 300mm fabrication facility in Hiroshima, and they utilize Elpida's newly developed 0.10-micron process technology to create a 68-ball FBGA package.  The 1-Gbit devices transfer data at up to 533-Mbit/s.

Intel's 90-nm Process Ramping, Readies for Prescott Chip

Intel, which claims its own process is on schedule, initially plans to ship a 90-nm version of its Pentium 4 microprocessor, code-named Prescott.  This 32-bit processor is expected to be one of the fastest ramping products in the company's history.  Some believe the issues will be resolved later than sooner.  Prescott, the 90-nm successor to P4, and Dothan, has been sharply clock rate reduced, from 2.8-plus-GHz, to 2.2 to 2.4 GHz, both signs of lingering thermal issues.

Miniature Ultra-high Speed Synthesizer for 2.25 to 18 GHz Applications

A new miniature wide band frequency synthesizer has been introduced that operates from 2.25 to 18 GHz, permits 3 ms tuning, exhibits a volume of 334.3cc (20.4 in3 ), consumes just 22 W of DC power and provides a clean RF output spectrum with an absolute accuracy better than 10 kHz.  The ultra-high switching speed of this new synthesizer (typically 1000 times faster than similar devices), its ability to seamlessly cover an extremely broad bandwidth range, low power draw and low phase noise characteristics make it ideal for a variety of applications for test equipment, simulator systems and as local oscillators (LO) in fast tuning super-heterodyne receiver systems.  The design of the new synthesizer is based upon wide band frequency locking a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to a clock reference.  In this configuration, a pair of sub-octave VCOs are doubled and then re-doubled to provide single band 2.25 to 18 GHz frequency coverage, substantially enhancing its versatility and usefulness.  Its small size (only 12.7 x 195 x135 mm) and low power requirement opens a variety of new application possibilities, especially when combined with its fast acquisition time and enhanced accuracy.