Amplifiers in ATE Systems and with VNAs

The Spanawave/Giga-tronics microwave power amplifiers are often used for boosting test signals to overcome cable and connector loss whenever long cable runs are needed in assembly bays, environmental test chambers or field locations. Significant power can be lost in cables and connections at higher frequencies. The best quality low-loss microwave cable is about 0.35 dB per foot at 20 GHz, and 1 dB per foot at 40 GHz.

With an amplifier near the device-under-test, significant power is still lost in the cable, but full power from the amplifier is available at the DUT. The high gain of the amplifier compensates for the loss in the cable, and puts the amplifier power where it is needed.

The Spanawave/Giga-tronics microwave power amplifiers were originally developed for the purpose of boosting available power from test and measurement instruments such as microwave signal generators and vector network analyzers. Microwave signal generators can provide significant power at microwave frequencies, typically up to +20 dBm (100 mW). There are signal generators with expensive high power options up to +30 dBm (1 Watt), but with much higher harmonics.  Microwave power amplifiers are most often the best solution for increasing available power from signal generators.

The Spanawave/Giga-tronics 2520B Microwave Signal Generator combined with the GT-1000B Microwave Power Amplifier (pictured here) can provide +40 dBm (10 Watts) to 8 GHz and +37 dBm (5 Watts) to 18 GHz.

Microwave vector network analyzers (VNAs) often have limited power available from their output ports. VNA maximum output power levels are typically from +5 dBm to +13 dBm up to 20 GHz and even less at higher frequencies.

Adding an external power amplifier to a microwave vector network analyzer is common in some VNA applications, such as load-pull testing, and the broad frequency range of the Spanawave/Giga-tronics microwave power amplifiers well match 20 GHz, 40 GHz and 50 GHz VNAs.

The amplifier selection guide above provides a quick reference to the Spanawave/Giga-tronics family of microwave power amplifiers.

Spanawave/Giga-tronics Microwave Power Amplifiers deliver outstanding performance and exceptional value. These ultra-broadband amplifiers have excellent pulse performance and modulated signal fidelity, ideal for testing in wireless communications, defense EW and radar testing and general purpose microwave laboratory applications. Have the power you need to overcome cable and switching losses, or to drive higher power mixers, detectors and very high power amplifiers.

Specification Summary