The introduction of the PXIe format in microwave multiplexers includes the entire range from 3 GHz to 67 GHz.
According to Pickering's switching product manager, Steve Edwards: "The key applications for these higher frequency microwave multiplexer modules are ATE systems for aerospace, military and automotive radars, high frequency communications plus 5G telecommunications and semiconductor testing."
The new 67 GHz 40/42-785C and 60-800 & 60-803 multiplexers are available in unterminated SP4T and SP6T forms using the SMA-1.85 connector interface. The components used offer virtually identical performance up to 50 GHz compared to existing 50 GHz switches. This helps maintain the performance characteristics of legacy test systems that previously relied on 50 GHz components. Furthermore, the relays used in Pickering's 67 GHz multiplexers have the same life expectancy—2 million operations—as the company's lower-frequency products and twice that of competitors.
The new 67 GHz SP4T and SP6T relays can now also be specified in Pickering's LXI microwave switching and signal routing subsystems. Test engineers can specify their required combination of switch types (SPDT, transfer, etc.), frequency, and interconnect, as well as any non-switching RF products, to create a custom solution for a specific test requirement.
The new microwave multiplexer modules will be showcased at Pickering's booth 1841 at the International Microwave Symposium, June 8-10, 2021, in Atlanta, GA.
