Evaluation Engineering - 30
RF/MICROWAVE TEST
5G will take even longer because they
need a robust 5G network as a base. Most
of the more lofty applications that are
associated with 5G are more realistically
on a 5- to 10-year timeline. Remember,
when 4G was defined, it took about 8
years for 4G and LTE to be rolled out
and considered widely available for consumers. 5G will be no different.
MH: Before anything can be formally
rolled out in 5G, there are many challenges to overcome in the area of RF/
Microwave testing. What are the key
challenges here for vendors, or their
customers?
Yost and Chang: The next-generation
communications network is about more
than fast data rates and greater capacity.
It's about the seamless, real-time interaction between humans and billions of
intelligent devices. Although it presents
vast possibilities, 5G new radio (NR)
presents significant design, prototype,
and test challenges.
Waveforms are wider and more complex, and engineers need to work with
highly complex, standard-compliant
uplink and downlink signals that have
larger bandwidths than ever before.
Additionally, engineers need cost-effective test equipment to configure more
test benches for a shorter time to market. These new benches must support high
linearity; tight amplitude and phase accuracy over large bandwidths; low-phase
noise; extensive frequency coverage for
multiband devices; and the ability to
test for coexistence with other wireless
standards.
Meanwhile, component characterization and validation require more testing.
Engineers must not only test innovative
designs for multiband power amplifiers,
low-noise amplifiers, duplexers, mixers, and filters, but also ensure that new
and improved RF signal chains support
simultaneous operation of 4G and 5G
technologies.
Given the mmWave challenges mentioned above, the industry is consistently looking for new innovations that
can adapt to dynamic telecom requirements. Over-the-air (OTA) testing is one
such technique that has found success
within the industry, but has also proved
difficult and more complex. OTA testing does away with the need for physical connections between each antenna
device-utilizing wireless capabilities for
increased test and measurement accuracy. Ultimately, the move to OTA testing
will help create a system that will be able
to adapt to future testing demands, but
how to do it efficiently and cost-effectively
is a big challenge.
MH: Obviously, 5G is the big topic of discussion right now and will be for years
to come. But with the vast majority of us
still operating on 4G or even 3G connectivity until the fifth generation of wireless communication is available, how are
30
EVALUATION ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2019
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Evaluation Engineering
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Evaluation Engineering
Editorial: Big test topics produce big results
By the Numbers
Industry Report
Portable Instrumentation: Providers challenged to pack robust features into small form factors
Automotive Test: Vendors discuss technology trends, challenges and new solutions in automotive test & design
The evolution of vibration fixturing in the automotive industry
Thermal management for tomorrow's vehicle
RF/Microwave Test: Q&A: 5G antenna miniaturization, component validation are latest wrinkles in RF/Microwave test
Featured Tech
Industry Events
Autonomous Vehicles: Robotic vehicles roll into reality
Evaluation Engineering - Cover1
Evaluation Engineering - Cover2
Evaluation Engineering - 1
Evaluation Engineering - 2
Evaluation Engineering - 3
Evaluation Engineering - By the Numbers
Evaluation Engineering - 5
Evaluation Engineering - Industry Report
Evaluation Engineering - 7
Evaluation Engineering - Portable Instrumentation: Providers challenged to pack robust features into small form factors
Evaluation Engineering - 9
Evaluation Engineering - 10
Evaluation Engineering - 11
Evaluation Engineering - 12
Evaluation Engineering - 13
Evaluation Engineering - 14
Evaluation Engineering - 15
Evaluation Engineering - Automotive Test: Vendors discuss technology trends, challenges and new solutions in automotive test & design
Evaluation Engineering - 17
Evaluation Engineering - 18
Evaluation Engineering - 19
Evaluation Engineering - 20
Evaluation Engineering - 21
Evaluation Engineering - 22
Evaluation Engineering - The evolution of vibration fixturing in the automotive industry
Evaluation Engineering - 24
Evaluation Engineering - 25
Evaluation Engineering - Thermal management for tomorrow's vehicle
Evaluation Engineering - 27
Evaluation Engineering - 28
Evaluation Engineering - RF/Microwave Test: Q&A: 5G antenna miniaturization, component validation are latest wrinkles in RF/Microwave test
Evaluation Engineering - 30
Evaluation Engineering - 31
Evaluation Engineering - Featured Tech
Evaluation Engineering - 33
Evaluation Engineering - Industry Events
Evaluation Engineering - 35
Evaluation Engineering - Autonomous Vehicles: Robotic vehicles roll into reality
Evaluation Engineering - Cover3
Evaluation Engineering - Cover4
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