Resonators are the building blocks used to create filters. In the past, we published a blog post that discussed two different types of resonators – coaxial ceramic and dielectric. In this post, we will cover the details of a third type of resonator – the cavity resonator.

At Knowles Precision Devices, we are well known for our expertise delivering high-performance mmWave filtering options. But did you know we also excel at providing a wide variety of lower frequency filtering options using a lumped element filter construction? In this blog post, we explore the basics of lumped element filter design, general lumped element filter characteristics, and how we can push lumped element filter design limits to develop a wide variety of high-performance low-frequency filtering options.

Since our acquisition of Integrated Microwave Corporation (IMC) in 2020, we have extended our range of RF and microwave filtering solutions to include a wide variety of ceramic coaxial resonators, lumped element filters, and cavity filters from the VHF to the Ka band. During this time, we’ve also continued to innovate on and expand our product offering for one of our most popular filter types – the microstrip filter.  

In an AC/DC converter, power factor correction (PFC) circuits are required to ensure the input current is in phase with and proportional to the input voltage, improving power quality and efficiency. But the high-frequency switching that occurs in the PFC circuit can generate significant electromagnetic interference (EMI). To prevent this noise from disrupting nearby electronics or violating regulatory limits, EMI filters are essential. This blog post provides a comprehensive guide for selecting the appropriate safety capacitors to perform EMI filtering in the PFC stage of an AC/DC converter.

As engineers embed receivers for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), like GPS and Galileo, into systems ranging from autonomous vehicles to precision agriculture, the RF environment is becoming more crowded, and it’s more difficult to maintain signal integrity.  

Inductors are a fundamental component in electronic circuits, but not all inductors perform equally across different frequency ranges. At high frequencies, standard power inductors suffer from increased losses, reduced efficiency, and undesirable parasitic effects. RF inductors, specifically designed for radio frequency and microwave applications, address these challenges by minimizing resistive losses, optimizing self-resonant frequency, and maintaining signal integrity.

Here, we examine the distinguishing characteristics of RF inductors, highlighting how they differ from other inductor types and why they are essential in high-frequency applications.

By utilizing stacked configurations and advanced dielectric materials, capacitor assemblies optimize performance in power conversion and radio frequency (RF) signal management. These assemblies are designed to meet the demands of power electronics and radio frequency applications, where stability, efficiency, and compact design are important design considerations. 

X2Y^® technology, which was originally developed by X2Y Attenuators, LLC, is based on a proprietary electrode arrangement embedded in passive components that can be manufactured using a variety of dielectrics. Using this innovative technology, Knowles Precision Devices manufactures high-performance multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) that we then use to create a variety of off-the-shelf and custom bypass and noise decoupling capacitors and electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters. Let’s look at how building these components with X2Y is different than using a traditional ceramic MLCC and the resulting benefits.

Electronic warfare (EW) systems are an increasingly critical component of modern warfare. They seek to control and exploit the electromagnetic spectrum to gain an advantage over adversaries while preventing them from reciprocating. This includes detecting and denying the use of radar systems and GPS. There are three main sectors within electronic warfare. Electronic attack (EA) focuses on acts designed to disrupt, degrade, destroy or deceive. Electronic protection (EP) seeks to diminish the effectiveness of adversarial EA systems. Electronic support (ES) extracts signal information for intelligence purposes.

In complex radio frequency (RF) applications, “wideband” has varying definitions depending on both the application of interest and the portion of the RF circuit you’re focused on. Wideband can be used to describe the entire spectrum shown in Figure 1 or large portions of it.