New thermal power sensor for the precise power level of D-band signals. from Rohde & Schwarz

Rohde & Schwarz introduces the new R&S NRP170TWG(N) thermal power sensor to accurately measure the power level of D-band signals.

It is the only RF power sensor on the market that offers full traceability to National Metrological Institutes (NMIs) in the frequency range of 110 GHz to 170 GHz, an important prerequisite for marketing products in this frequency band.
The R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensor hardware is designed to reduce measurement noise and drift while remaining very accurate and easy to use.
The sensors are fully calibrated plug & play devices that can be easily integrated into any measurement setup with a USB or LAN connection.

Rohde & Schwarz‘s new R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensors are used in general research and development for 6G mobile communications, new communication systems operating in sub-THz bands, sensing, and future automotive radar applications.
Accuracy is fundamental for these complex broadband measurements, so the new sensors are fully calibrated for long-term stability and can compensate for environmental temperature influences in the specified operating range of 0°C to +50°C.
The R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensors have a dynamic range of -35 dBm to +20 dBm and can acquire up to 500 measurements per second, making them extremely fast with outstanding performance and the only RF power sensors reportable to National Metrological Institutes’ standards for D-band.

Ease of use

All Rohde & Schwarz power sensors are easy to use and very stable. They provide excellent connectivity so that researchers, developers and production engineers can focus on more challenging tasks.
R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensors provide stable power readings even at levels below -20 dBm, are drift-free and resistant to external temperature variations and out-of-band signals (such as far infrared (FIR)).
Measurement speed and easy digital access to output data are very important in mass production facilities. The R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensor can be connected via USB or LAN and managed with standard SCPI protocols.

The new sensors integrate seamlessly with Rohde & Schwarz‘s other D-band testing solutions.

Referability to national metrological institutes

In the development of the R&S NRP170TWG(N) sensors, Rohde & Schwarz collaborated with Germany’s national metrology institute: the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt (PTB) and other national metrology institutes as part of a European Union project to establish referability up to 170 GHz.
Previously, referability to national metrological institutes was only possible up to 110 GHz.

Traceability and referability to samples from national metrological institutes is a prerequisite for commercial and industrial use of a given frequency band.
It is necessary to maintain defined power levels throughout the frequency range.
RF power is traced to a DC power reference and compared by different national metrology institutes.

Comments

Daniel Blaschke, head of RF and microwave power meter development at Rohde & Schwarz, says, “Through partnering with the PTB and other NMIs we helped extend traceability into the D-band, preparing commercialization and mass adoption of products operating in this frequency range. Rohde & Schwarz is extremely proud to be the first to transform this technological accomplishment into a commercially viable, traceable RF power sensor up to 170 GHz.“

Dr. Karsten Kuhlmann, head of the High-Frequency Basic Quantities working group at the PTB Metrological Institute, says, “Having accurate and calibrated power levels across the setup in the sub-THz region is no trivial task. Power levels at the DUT measurement plane need to be measured accurately, reliably and traceably to national standards. We are happy to advance the commercialization and mass production of future D-band products with our industry collaboration.“