Published date: 18 July 2017

Last edited date: 18 July 2017

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 14 August 2017

Contract summary

Industry

  • Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) - 38000000

  • Measuring instruments - 38300000

Location of contract

B15 2TT

Value of contract

£900,000 to £1,100,000

Procurement reference

SC5726/17

Published date

18 July 2017

Closing date

14 August 2017

Contract start date

14 October 2017

Contract end date

14 November 2022

Contract type

Supply contract

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The University of Birmingham invites tenders for the supply of the following equipment:
THz Vector Network Analyser System

The system shall be capable of measuring, to a high degree of accuracy, the full two-port scattering parameters, (both magnitude and phase) of microwave devices in the frequency range 10 MHz to 1.1 THz.
The system shall include a base vector network analyser system covering 10 MHz to a suitable upper frequency (Band 1). The base VNA shall be usable on its own via a coaxial interface to cover Band 1, and usable in conjunction with a series of frequency converter units covering the waveguide bands from 140 GHz to 1.1 THz. Any gap in coverage between the top end of Band 1 and the lower frequency limit of the waveguide band converters should be kept to a minimum.

The frequency converter units, supplied in pairs to permit full two-port measurements, shall extend the frequency range over which full two-port measurements can be performed, to the following specific bands, and the measurement ports shall use the rectangular waveguide standards listed for each band:
o Band 2. 140 - 220 GHz, WR-5.1
o Band 3. 220 - 330 GHz, WR-3.4
o Band 4. 325 - 500GHz, WR-2.2
o Band 5. 500 - 750GHz, WR-1.5
o Band 6. 750 -1100 GHz, WR-1.0
The frequency converter heads shall meet the following requirements:
o Self-contained thermal management - no additional measures are needed to cool them.
o Individually characterised by the manufacturer in terms of conversion efficiency and output power.
A precision calibration kit shall be provided for each of the bands 1 to 6
The interface between the base VNA and the frequency converter units will be either built in to the base VNA or provided by a separate test set controller module, and shall provide the following:
o Power to drive the frequency converters.
o Sufficient length in the interface cables to allow at least 10 metres separation between two test ports, for antenna and propagation measurements.
o Capability to set up the base VNA to measure devices up to 1.1 THz, controlling up to four converter heads simultaneously.
o Switchable between VNA test ports and converter mode. The mm-wave modules and cables do not have to be removed to use the standard VNA from test ports for use in Band 1.
o Capability for the VNA to operate as a spectrum analyser in all bands up to 1.1 THz.
o Capability for different converter heads to be used on test port 1 and test port 2, or for one port to use the base VNA frequency while the other uses one of the frequency converters, to enable measurements to be performed on test devices with built in frequency conversion.

The base VNA shall meet the following requirements:
o A user friendly user interface
o Sufficient storage capacity for calibration data to avoid the need for frequently repeated calibrations by multiple users.
o Coverage from 10 MHz to a high upper frequency limit (Band 1), ...

More information

Links

Additional text

The University of Birmingham invites tenders for the supply of the following equipment:
THz Vector Network Analyser System

The system shall be capable of measuring, to a high degree of accuracy, the full two-port scattering parameters, (both magnitude and phase) of microwave devices in the frequency range 10 MHz to 1.1 THz.
The system shall include a base vector network analyser system covering 10 MHz to a suitable upper frequency (Band 1). The base VNA shall be usable on its own via a coaxial interface to cover Band 1, and usable in conjunction with a series of frequency converter units covering the waveguide bands from 140 GHz to 1.1 THz. Any gap in coverage between the top end of Band 1 and the lower frequency limit of the waveguide band converters should be kept to a minimum.

The frequency converter units, supplied in pairs to permit full two-port measurements, shall extend the frequency range over which full two-port measurements can be performed, to the following specific bands, and the measurement ports shall use the rectangular waveguide standards listed for each band:
o Band 2. 140 - 220 GHz, WR-5.1
o Band 3. 220 - 330 GHz, WR-3.4
o Band 4. 325 - 500GHz, WR-2.2
o Band 5. 500 - 750GHz, WR-1.5
o Band 6. 750 -1100 GHz, WR-1.0
The frequency converter heads shall meet the following requirements:
o Self-contained thermal management - no additional measures are needed to cool them.
o Individually characterised by the manufacturer in terms of conversion efficiency and output power.
A precision calibration kit shall be provided for each of the bands 1 to 6
The interface between the base VNA and the frequency converter units will be either built in to the base VNA or provided by a separate test set controller module, and shall provide the following:
o Power to drive the frequency converters.
o Sufficient length in the interface cables to allow at least 10 metres separation between two test ports, for antenna and propagation measurements.
o Capability to set up the base VNA to measure devices up to 1.1 THz, controlling up to four converter heads simultaneously.
o Switchable between VNA test ports and converter mode. The mm-wave modules and cables do not have to be removed to use the standard VNA from test ports for use in Band 1.
o Capability for the VNA to operate as a spectrum analyser in all bands up to 1.1 THz.
o Capability for different converter heads to be used on test port 1 and test port 2, or for one port to use the base VNA frequency while the other uses one of the frequency converters, to enable measurements to be performed on test devices with built in frequency conversion.

The base VNA shall meet the following requirements:
o A user friendly user interface
o Sufficient storage capacity for calibration data to avoid the need for frequently repeated calibrations by multiple users.
o Coverage from 10 MHz to a high upper frequency limit (Band 1), to limit the gap in the overall frequency coverage of the system below 140 GHz.
o Sufficient output power to drive the converter heads, even when using cables for antenna and propagation measurements over a range of up to 10 m.
o System Dynamic range >110dB.


Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No

About the buyer

Contact name

ADMINISTRATOR Harrison

Address

Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Telephone

0121 414 8541

Email

p.e.harrison@bham.ac.uk