Rohde & Schwarz, Fujikura, and Avnet validate CATR OTA test systems for 5G mmWave phased array antenna R&D testing

Fujikura and Avnet have been collaborating to introduce a 5G mmWave phased array antenna development kit. System architects can use the kit to prototype and optimize tuning parameters for 5G mmWave systems using AMD Xilinx’s Zynq® UltraScale+™ RFSoC Gen3 and Fujikura’s FutureAcess™ Phased Array Antenna Module (PAAM).

Rohde & Schwarz has been working with Avnet to integrate remote controls for Rohde & Schwarz test instruments into the Avnet RFSoC Explorer® software. The goal is to both control the entire signal chain from baseband to mmWave and to automate mmWave measurements with a single graphical user and application programming interface.

Now, Fujikura is also working with Rohde & Schwarz and has validated the R&S ATS800B benchtop CATR OTA test system for R&D testing of 5G mmWave phased array antennas. The R&S ATS800B quickly delivers accurate and repeatable measurement results, while allowing easy DUT access. This is extremely valuable in the early stages of design and verification, when the product is still in an R&D open setup and not in the final package. In addition, Fujikura was able to perform simultaneous measurements of their PAAM in horizontal and vertical polarizations thanks to the R&S TC-TA85CP cross-polarized Vivaldi antenna used as a feed antenna in the R&S ATS800B setup. In a next step, Fujikura will expand this collaboration to validate the R&S ATS800R, a rack-mountable anechoic CATR chamber, to obtain more accurate 3D EIRP patterns over azimuth and elevation, and to understand the heat dissipation during the measurements through thermal images. Furthermore, the R&S ATS800R can be equipped with an optional internal enclosure for extreme temperature tests.

The advanced mmWave and OTA test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz help system architects design and prototype phased array antenna modules for 5G FR2 systems. In June, Rohde & Schwarz, Fujikura and Avnet will host a joint workshop on validation with the R&S ATS800B at the IMS 2023 in San Diego. The audience members will be able to choose PAAM configurations, such as frequency, beam direction and output power along with measurements for evaluation, such as traditional compliance tests, combined ACLR-EVM-SEM (adjacent channel leakage ratio, error vector magnitude, and spectrum mask) analyses or distortion analysis.

For more information on the R&S ATS800B benchtop CATR OTA test system, visit: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_63493-642314.html

About Fujikura

Fujikura has been providing highly reliable products and services in the four business fields of energy, information and communications, electronics, and automotive electrical equipment since its establishment in 1885. Currently, this company is working in the mmWave wireless communication field as its new business. The company is developing 5G mmWave devices for both licensed and unlicensed bands, making full use of its proprietary technologies of phased array antenna design, flexible printed circuit board manufacturing, and electromagnetic field analysis. https://www.fujikura.co.jp/eng/

About Avnet

As a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider, Avnet has served customers’ evolving needs for an entire century. We support customers at each stage of a product’s lifecycle, from idea to design and from prototype to production. Our unique position at the center of the technology value chain enables us to accelerate the design and supply stages of product development so customers can realize revenue faster. Decade after decade, Avnet helps its customers and suppliers worldwide realize the transformative possibilities of technology. https://www.avnet.com