Request for Quotation - E-Band VNA Extender Heads

Tender description

The E-band 1.35 mm coaxial connector has been recently introduced to support applications like 5G and 77 GHz automotive radar sensors. However, there is currently no traceability established for E-band connector measurements. This project will go beyond the state of the art by establishing both dimensional traceability and electrical traceability for E-band connector measurements, allowing industry to perform traceable measurements with known uncertainty. This new 1.35 mm coaxial connector is designed to exploit the WR12 60 - 90 GHz frequency range. This connector is currently being standardised by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for use up to 90 GHz. Establishment of measurement traceability is needed to accelerate the adoption of E-band connectors. The NPL's current VNA setup, a PNA-X with a 1.85 mm connector, can measure s-parameters at a maximum frequency of 67 GHz. Therefore, the WR12 Vector Network Analyzer Extender Heads are an essential purchase for this project, as they will enable our PNA-X to operate in the full 60 to 90 GHz band. They can also be used in the antenna extrapolation range with our LO/IF distribution unit to perform antenna gain, polarisation and pattern measurement. These heads are required to be compatible with the Keysight PNA-X, which will interact with the heads to access and measure at the frequencies in the E-band.