The VectorStar premium series of microwave VNAs from Anritsu Co. delivers frequency coverage of 70 kHz to 20 GHz, 40 GHz, or 70 GHz; dynamic range of 103 dB at 67 GHz; and a measurement speed of 20 μs/point. The high-performance two-port engine is designed to add future capabilities and is compatible with existing four-port and broadband millimeter-wave systems for 70-kHz to 110-GHz measurements or waveguide banded measurements up to 500 GHz.

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The 70-kHz low end provides seven octaves of additional information below the 10-MHz cutoff of conventional microwave VNAs. This improves the error-prone task of dc-approximation, providing better device models and circuit simulation. The result is designs that work as predicted the first time, eliminating long and costly fabrication cycles. The low-end frequency also improves stability as it eliminates coupler rolloff below 1 GHz, which is found in other VNAs.

VectorStar’s 100-dB dynamic range at 70 GHz creates accuracy never before seen in a microwave VNA, according to Anritsu. Supplementing the wide dynamic range is the MS4640A’s excellent receiver compression level. The VNA’s receiver has a +10-dBm 0.1-dB compression level at 70 GHz. With the new Precision AutoCal for 70 kHz to 40-GHz or 70-GHz calibrations, residual directivity of 42 dB can be achieved at 70 GHz, with up to 50 dB at 20 GHz. This performance enables devices to be more tightly specified with greater confidence.

The MS4640A is built on a Windows XP Pro operating system and offers a 26-cm (10.3-in) touchscreen LCD and USB 2.0, Ethernet, and GPIB connectivity. The VNA has enough memory and graphics capability to offer 16 independent channels, with 16 traces each, 13 makers per trace, and up to 25,000 points per channel. For applications such as time domain that require as many points as possible, 100,000 points are available when VectorStar operates in single-channel mode.

Prices start at $80,950 for the base 20-GHz model. Delivery is in 12 weeks, but is expected to quickly reach four to six weeks.

• Anritsu Co.

The VectorStar premium series of microwave vector network analyzers (VNAs) from Anritsu Co. delivers frequency coverage of 70 kHz to 20 GHz, 40 GHz, or 70 GHz; dynamic range of 103 dB at 67 GHz; and a measurement speed of 20 μs/point.

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