Date: 17/04/2011

AWR's software used by NI to develop its Vector Signal Analyzer

National Instruments (NI) has optimized the performance of a 20 Hz to 3.6 GHz downconverter, a key element used within NI's PXIe-5665 Vector Signal Analyzer (VSA) by using AWR Corporation's Microwave Office and Visual System Simulator (VSS) software solutions.

AWR says, as a key design challenge in this project, footprint limitations typically compromise performance parameters such as isolation and RF power, which were not options for development of the 5665 VSA. AWR's software solutions allowed NI to model the downconverter within VSS and then select various components from the Modelithics library in Microwave Office.

"We have used AWR's Microwave Office and Visual System Simulator throughout the process of developing the PXIe-5665 VSA," said Jin Bains, R&D HW Director of RF Products, National Instruments. "The tools are extremely intuitive and they allow us to do critical RF design with a minimum number of iterations. We have also been very impressed with AWR's level of support and documentation."