Diode power sensor

The NRP-Z31 from Rohde & Schwarz is claimed to be the first diode power sensor to operate up to 33 GHz. It does not require a base unit and it can be connected to a PC via the USB interface with its power measurements displayed on the PC screen by the accompanying PC software.

In addition to delivering cost and space benefits, it offers good performance for manufacturers of satellite communications systems (Ka band), RF/microwave components and radio-relay link systems.

The sensor is claimed to achieve double the measurement accuracy of 0.119 dB and its 4 ms measurement speed is faster than other sensors by a factor of 10.

The company has integrated its multipath technology into the sensor; measurements are performed simultaneously on three separate diode paths that cover different power ranges. Each path is weighted differently depending on the measured power.

As a result, modulated signals can be measured independently of their RF bandwidth. The power ranges of the paths overlap to improve the linearity in the transition ranges. The result is maximum measurement accuracy over the entire dynamic range of 90 dB.

The device is suitable for many applications. Amplifiers for satellite-system ground stations and satellites can be measured due to the high frequency range of up to 33 GHz.

Users who perform multiple tests will benefit from fast measurement speed and the sensor continues to offer maximum precision at these speeds. The sensor is suitable for performing maintenance directly on ground stations. Service technicians can carry out the required measurements simply by using a laptop - no base unit required.

Measurement modes including trace, timeslot and gated are possible. The embedding function allows storage of the influence of adapters or attenuators in the sensor so that these values can be included in the measurement.