| Inside TRACK with Alexander Chenakin, Vice President, Advanced Technologies, Micro Lambda Wireless Interview by CHRIS DeMARTINO, Technology Editor, Microwave & RF (November 2016 Issue) |  |
| Dr Alexander Chenakin, vice president, advanced technologies at Micro Lambda Wireless Inc. is responsible for overseeing the development of advanced signal-generator products. Chenakin is well-recognised in the field of frequency synthesis. He has written more than 40 technical articles, holds two U.S. patents, and is the author Frequency Synthesizers: Concept to Product. he is a senior IEEE member and has been an invited speaker for several IEEE sponsored events. |  |
This is your second stint with Micro Lambda Wireless. How has the industry changed since the first time you were with the Company?
Micro Lambda Wireless offers a variety of components (such as YIG oscillators, filters and frequency synthesizers), for complex microwave subsystems and instruments. In the past, microwave instruments were built using individual connectorised modules, connected with coaxial cables. The designer could easily isolate and refine individual blocks to make them perfect. These days, such complex assemblies have to be made on a common printed-circuit-board (PCB), using tiny surface-mount parts.
For example, we have a synthesizer (to be announced soon) that measures only 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.65 in., while showing quite remarkable noise characteristics (-125dBc/Hz at 8GHz output, 100kHz offset). A great effort is required to minimise interactions between individual devices sitting on the same board in such a crowded space. Furthermore, many parts are reused to accomplish different functions, which are distributed through the whole assembly. The net result is a significant increase in "design intensity", meaning both component count and functionality per square inch. This seems to be a "must" approach these days.
When it comes to frequency synthesizers, what are some of the most demanding requirements you see today?
As a general trend, the modern equipment tends to be faster, smaller and less expensive. For frequency synthesizers, they say "less is more", meaning lower phase noise, lower spurs, lower power consumption and lower cost. To complete the picture, low settling time - or in other words, fast switching speed - becomes increasingly valuable as dictated by the ongoing increase of the data rates of modern microwave systems. These characteristics are easily achievable separately. However, they can represent a certain challenge if they have to be met simultaneously; that's normally the case.
Micro Lambda Wireless offers a variety of components (such as YIG oscillators, filters and frequency synthesizers), for complex microwave subsystems and instruments. In the past, microwave instruments were built using individual connectorised modules, connected with coaxial cables. The designer could easily isolate and refine individual blocks to make them perfect. These days, such complex assemblies have to be made on a common printed-circuit-board (PCB), using tiny surface-mount parts.
For example, we have a synthesizer (to be announced soon) that measures only 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.65 in., while showing quite remarkable noise characteristics (-125dBc/Hz at 8GHz output, 100kHz offset). A great effort is required to minimise interactions between individual devices sitting on the same board in such a crowded space. Furthermore, many parts are reused to accomplish different functions, which are distributed through the whole assembly. The net result is a significant increase in "design intensity", meaning both component count and functionality per square inch. This seems to be a "must" approach these days.
When it comes to frequency synthesizers, what are some of the most demanding requirements you see today?
As a general trend, the modern equipment tends to be faster, smaller and less expensive. For frequency synthesizers, they say "less is more", meaning lower phase noise, lower spurs, lower power consumption and lower cost. To complete the picture, low settling time - or in other words, fast switching speed - becomes increasingly valuable as dictated by the ongoing increase of the data rates of modern microwave systems. These characteristics are easily achievable separately. However, they can represent a certain challenge if they have to be met simultaneously; that's normally the case.