Signal Generator

A signal source is a very common instrument in a RF system or on the lab-bench. It serves often to deliver a possible clean and stable sine wave. Possibly the output level needs to be adjusted within a range or at certain speed, continuously variable or with settable within a certain minimum step-size. Functions like modulation (AM, PM, FM, Pulse, Chirp) may be required.

Millimeter wave signal sources

Especially for signal generation above 50GHz and in waveguide bands is done with a standard lower microwave generator and then the signal is frequency multiplied to get to higher frequencies. The frequency multiplied signal may optionally be filtered to make it spectrally pure and/or amplified to come to an appreciable signal level.

Overview

bsw delivers several signal generators for various purposes:

For the lab-bench we have universal signal sources from AnaPico in the range of 9kHz to 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 20 and 26.5GHz, in handy battery operated cubes or 19" 1U form factor.

For system we have small form factor modules from Phase matrix (NI-Components division) and AnaPico up to 3, 10 and 20GHz.

From various components suppliers we can deliver free-running Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCO's), Dielectric Resonator Oscillators (DRO's), Gunn Oscillators (at micro and millimeter wave)

Specially at millimeter waves we have signal source extenders that make a millimeter wave signal source from your microwave generator. The modules typically include an output/buffer amplifier, an electronically controlled attenuator or some pulse-modulation or strobe possibility.