Avnet Releases New RFSoC Development Kit for mmWave

By Perry Cohen

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

October 08, 2020

News

Avnet Releases New RFSoC Development Kit for mmWave

Avnet announced the release of the Avnet mmWave Radio Development Kit for Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC Gen-3.

Avnet announced the release of the Avnet mmWave Radio Development Kit for Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC Gen-3.

The kit allows architects to venture within the entire signal chain from the RF in millimeter wave spectrum to digital. This happens with the integration of Xilinx RFSoC Gen-3 for direct-RF sampling at intermediate frequencies up to 6 GHz.

It couples the DTRX2 mmWave Radio daughtercard with the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ZCU208 Evaluation Kit from Xilinx. Further, it leverages both MATLAB and Simulink from MathWorks to allow for quick development of wideband mmWave wireless systems.

Additionally, the DTRX2 is a dual-channel transmit/receive mmWave radio platform with the purpose to obtain higher bandwidths and performance.

Technical specifications per a press release include the following:

Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ZCU208 Evaluation Kit

• Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC Gen 3 ZU48DR on the ZCU208 board
• Full sub-6GHz with extended mmWave and multi-band support
• Integrated direct RF-sampling enabling RF design in the digital domain
• 8x 14-bit resolution 5GSPS RF-ADCs
• 8x 14-bit resolution 10GSPS RF-DACs
• 8x SD-FEC cores
• Lidless package for improved thermal dissipation
• Included CLK104 Module and breakout cards

Otava DTRX2 Millimeter Wave Radio daughtercard for Xilinx ZCU208 Evaluation Kit

• Dual 20-30 GHz TX upconverters to up-convert the I/F signals from Xilinx RFSoC integrated RF-DACs
• Dual 20-30 GHz RX downconverters to down-convert to I/F signals to Xilinx RFSoC integrated RF-ADCs
• 2x LO PLLs comprised of integrated frequency synthesizer and an on-chip VCO
• Digital Step Attenuators (DSA) for gain control via SPI and parallel interfaces
• Digital control to enable/disable each signal chain depending on the TDD mode of operation
• TDD and FDD modes supported with appropriate RF front-end
• Power management section to generate all the necessary voltage rails for the devices on the DTRX2 daughtercard

For more information, visit www.avnet.com/rfsoc-mmw

 

Perry Cohen, associate editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content editing and creation, podcast production, and social media efforts. Perry has been published on both local and national news platforms including KTAR.com (Phoenix), ArizonaSports.com (Phoenix), AZFamily.com, Cronkite News, and MLB/MiLB among others. Perry received a BA in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State university.

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