Feb 25, 2008 Designed for harsh environments, Labtech Microwave’s LMS902 SPDT (single pole double throw) narrowband switch operates in the 1 to 1.1GHz microwave range and has a power handling capacity of 500 Watts peak. The design provides less than 0.8dB insertion loss and more than 45 dB of isolation and has a switching speed of less than 1 microsecond. Typical of this application, the RF power is not applied during switching.
Commenting on the new product, Alistair Frier, business development manager of Labtech Microwave said: “Prior to the LMS902 our family of PIN (positive intrinsic negative) switches was aimed at the low and medium power, wide band switch markets. Following research in to current availability and in response to fulfilling a number of customer specifications we realised that our existing switch range could be developed further.
The technical challenge was to combine the high power with acceptable switching speed. High power normally implies large devices to handle the associated current, which in turn leads to high capacitance components. This capacitance has to be charged or discharged to operate the device, placing constraints on the drive circuitry, which is optimised to achieve the desired switching time. In addition, to obtain high power it is usually necessary to move to an all-shunt design so that all devices can be mounted directly on the heat dissipating surface to reduce thermal effects and there is no series device limiting the power handing capacity. This has been achieved with the LMS902.”
About Labtech Microwave
Established in 1984, Labtech Microwave provides a total microwave solution with specialist capabilities in design, manufacture, assembly and testing. Highly engineered microwave components and build-to-print microwave manufacturing services are offered to the defence, telecommunications and satellite communication sectors. Located at two dedicated manufacturing centres in the UK, their site at Milton Keynes specialises in microwave component manufacture including MIC (Microwave integrated circuits) assembly whilst the operation in Presteigne is dedicated to microwave printed circuit board manufacture.
Labtech Microwave is part of Intelek plc (AIM: ITK), whose activities include the design and manufacture of electronic systems and components for the satellite, wireless communications and defence sectors as well as aerospace engineering.
