Designing a 5G FR2 phased array antenna module (PAAM) requires over-the-air (OTA) testing to measure parameters like equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and effective isotropic sensitivity (EIS) in addition to traditional radiation patterns. Rohde & Schwarz has joined Fujikura and Avnet to validate their new development kit for 5G mmWave phased array antenna modules. The R&S ATS800B benchtop CATR OTA test system from Rohde & Schwarz is ideal for prototype testing in an open environment.
Fujikura and Avnet have been collaborating to introduce a 5G mmWave phased array antenna development kit. System architects can use the kit to prototype and optimize tuning parameters for 5G mmWave systems using AMD Xilinx’s Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC Gen3 and Fujikura’s FutureAcess Phased Array Antenna Module (PAAM).
Rohde & Schwarz has been working with Avnet to integrate remote controls for Rohde & Schwarz test instruments into the Avnet RFSoC Explorer software. The goal is to both control the entire signal chain from baseband to mmWave and to automate mmWave measurements with a single graphical user and application programming interface.
Now, Fujikura is also working with Rohde & Schwarz and has validated the R&S ATS800B benchtop CATR OTA test system for R&D testing of 5G mmWave phased array antennas. The R&S ATS800B quickly delivers accurate and repeatable measurement results, while allowing easy DUT access. This is extremely valuable in the early stages of design and verification, when the product is still in an R&D open setup and not in the final package. In addition, Fujikura was able to perform simultaneous measurements of their PAAM in horizontal and vertical polarizations thanks to the R&S TC-TA85CP cross-polarized Vivaldi antenna used as a feed antenna in the R&S ATS800B setup. In a next step, Fujikura will expand this collaboration to validate the R&S ATS800R, a rack-mountable anechoic CATR chamber, to obtain more accurate 3D EIRP patterns over azimuth and elevation, and to understand the heat dissipation during the measurements through thermal images. Furthermore, the R&S ATS800R can be equipped with an optional internal enclosure for extreme temperature tests.
The advanced mmWave and OTA test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz help system architects design and prototype phased array antenna modules for 5G FR2 systems. In June, Rohde & Schwarz, Fujikura and Avnet will host a joint workshop on validation with the R&S ATS800B at the IMS 2023 in San Diego. The audience members will be able to choose PAAM configurations, such as frequency, beam direction and output power along with measurements for evaluation, such as traditional compliance tests, combined ACLR-EVM-SEM (adjacent channel leakage ratio, error vector magnitude, and spectrum mask) analyses or distortion analysis.
