6G D-band power sensors offer ease use and traceability
The latest NRP170TWG(N) power sensors from Rohde & Schwarz are used in general R&D for 6G mobile communications, novel sub-THz communications, sensing and future automotive radar applications.
Accuracy is vital to such complex wideband measurements and the power sensors are fully calibrated for long-term stability and can compensate for environmental temperature influences within the specified operating range from 0°C to + 50°C. The sensors have a dynamic range of –35 dBm to +20 dBm and are capable of up to 500 measurements per second, making them extremely fast with outstanding performance and the only NMI-traceable RF power sensors for the D-band.
Ease of use
All Rohde & Schwarz power sensors are easy to use and stable with excellent connectivity, letting researchers, developers and production engineers focus on more challenging tasks. The sensors provide stable power readouts even at levels below -20 dBm, have no drift and are resilient to external temperature changes and out-of-band signals (such as far infrared (FIR). Fast measurement speeds and easy digital access to data output are very important in mass production facilities. The NRP170TWG(N) can be connected via USB or LAN and operated with standard SCPI protocols. The new sensors perfectly complement other D-band test systems from Rohde & Schwarz.
NMI traceability
When developing the NRP170TWG(N) sensors, Rohde & Schwarz collaborated with Germany’s national metrology institute: the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt (PTB) and other NMIs as part of a European Union project to establish traceability up to 170 GHz. Previously, NMI traceability was only possible up to 110 GHz. NMI traceability is a prerequisite for commercial and industrial utilization of a frequency band. Defined power levels need to be maintained throughout a frequency range. RF power is traced to a DC power reference and compared by different national metrology institutes.
Daniel Blaschke, head of development for RF and Microwave Power Meters at Rohde & Schwarz, says: “Through partnering with the PTB and other NMIs we helped extend traceability into the D-band, preparing commercialization and mass adoption of products operating in this frequency range. Rohde & Schwarz is the first to transform this technological accomplishment into commercially viable, traceable RF power sensors up to 170 GHz.
Dr. Karsten Kuhlmann, head of the working group High-Frequency Basic Quantities at PTB, says: “Having accurate and calibrated power levels across the setup in the sub-THz region is no trivial task. Power levels at the DUT measurement plane need to be measured accurately, reliably and traceably to national standards.”
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