Pasternack Blog

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) are automated systems designed to perform electrical, thermal, and physical testing without the direct interference of a person. Usually ATE systems are employed to speed up testing, perform repetitive tasks, or to enhance the repeatability and consistency of a testing system. Often, an ATE system is designed to do all of ..

RF Frequency filters, or just filters, are components/devices that modify a signal’s amplitude and phase angle based on frequency. Filters are either passive or use active tuning electronics. Filters are designed with a predetermined frequency dependent transmission response and are predominately used to attenuate portions of the spectrum where undesirable signal components, interference, or noise ..

Low noise amplifiers (LNAs) are a critical component for telecommunication and sensing systems, as the weak receive signals often need to be at a higher signal level for optimal demodulation, digitization, driving another circuit, or for measurements to be made. LNAs are also used throughout signal chains to add gain to low power signals when ..

RF devices are active elements in the RF signal chain and are used in almost all RF systems with exception of purely passive systems. Active RF devices are distinguished from passive RF devices in that electrical power or electrical control signals are used to energize the device and change its performance. In many cases, active ..

RF passive components are used in virtually every RF assembly and system for communications, sensing, and test and measurement applications. Hence, testing RF passives is critical to all applications. RF passives testing may be for characterization, quality control/verification, or maintenance/troubleshooting depending on the use case of the RF passive and if it is under development, ..

Virtually every country around the world has some type of electromagnetic compliance (EMC) policy in place to prevent hazardous emissions, susceptible electronics in the marketplace, and to avoid an overabundance of interference. Given the complex nature of EMC, most compliance codes are very strict and the cost of failure is that a product cannot be ..

An RF Signal Chain is generally composed of a series of RF devices and components, each with their own unique behavior. In every case, however, each component and device within the signal chain presents an impedance at their input ports and output ports. Moreover, the interconnect between devices and components within a signal chain also ..

Though there are many RF applications, especially those with operating frequencies in the upper microwave and millimeter-wave spectrum, that rely on hand assembly and testing, there are now an increasing number of RF applications that require automated test equipment (ATE) and systems. For instance, the sheer volume and repetitiveness of semiconductor wafers and chips is ..

Load Pull measurements is a class of non-50 Ohm measurements that is used during the design, model extraction, and performance testing of a variety of RF/Microwave devices. A main topic of discussion with load-pull testing is the evaluation of amplifier designs in a large signal sense. Load-pull testing essential consists of taking signal measurements from ..

Passive intermodulation distortion (PIM), is a prevalent issue with cellular networks and other wireless systems with relatively high broadcast power and dense channel plans. The results of PIM can be the desensitization of the receiver, dropped calls, and harmonic interference that can affect receivers for other frequency bands and services well outside of the carrier ..