Noise-measuring equipment

Tender description

VNA Frequency Extension Modules (upgrade to a Keysight PNAX that will allow S-Parameter and Noise Measurements in the frequency range 140 to 330 GHz). The Advanced Radio Instrumentation Group (ARIG) is a cross school (schools of Physics and Astronomy and Electronic and Electrical Engineering) research group at the University of Manchester, specialised in the design of high performance Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA) and other high frequency components, primarily for use in, but not limited to, radio astronomy instrumentation. Based on the success of previous projects with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), ARIG have recently been awarded a project from ESO to design prototype LNAs in the 125 to 211 GHz and the 211 to 375 GHz frequency bands. The project aims to demonstrate cutting edge, high performance LNAs by pushing the boundaries of state-of-the-art semiconductor transistor technologies and to compare the performance of these LNAs with that of the current alternative technologies that are used in radio astronomy receivers in these frequency bands.