Bb 04/10

Instruction sheet
737 021 Gunn power supply with SWR meter
Carefully read the instruction sheet before putting the device into operation!
Prescribed use
The Gunn power supply with SWR meter is a component of T 7.4 Microwave Technology. It
is designed exclusively for use in demonstrations or student experiments.
Description
DC and control voltages are required to operate the Gunn oscillator, cat. no. 737 01 and the
PIN modulator, cat. no. 737 05. The generation of these voltages as well as the quantitative
evaluation of the demodulated microwave signal is performed using the device described
here. Furthermore, this device is equipped with various inputs and outputs for experiments
on modulation and recording of characteristics. It is delivered in 19" lab bench design. The
device is broken down into the sub systems IIV as shown in Fig.1:

Fig. 1: Front panel view of the Gunn power supply with SWR meter

Front panel elements of 737 021
I GUNN POWER SUPPLY III POWER & SWR METER
II MODULATION IV VIDEO
1 Power switch, LINE 8 PIN modulator output, PIN
2 Socket for Gunn power supply, GUNN 9 External PIN modulation input, EXT
3 Recorder output, X 10 Selection for input impedance at EXT
4 Recorder output, Y 11 Gain controller, V/dB
5 Zero-point correction 12 Lock-in amplifier input, INPUT
6 Modulation input, MOD IN GUNN EXT 13 Lock-in amplifier output, AMP OUT
7 Doppler output, OUT DOPPLER RADAR 14 Zero-point correction
Instruction sheet 737 021 2/4

15 Analog offset for video amplifier 22 Amplitude setting EXT-PIN mod, GAIN
16 Input video amplifier, IN 23 Operating point for EXT-PIN modulation
17 Selection switch TTL/Analog 24 Measurement range switch I
G
/ U
G

18 Output video amplifier, OUT 25 Potentiometer for Gunn voltage U
G

19 dB/SWR meter 26 Control LED U
G

20 Variable gain for SWR meter, ZERO 27 Current / voltage meter
21 Modulation selection switch 28 Control LED I
G

I GUNN POWER SUPPLY
The DC voltage required for the operation of the Gunn oscillator is set to the optimum
operating point of the Gunn element using the 10-turn potentiometer (25). The Gunn power
supply can be adjusted between 10 V and 0 V and is short-circuit proof. The Gunn voltage
can be read off in alternation with the Gunn current on the measurement instrument (27).
This permits both the point-by-point recording of the Gunn characteristic as well as control of
the set operating point. The selected measurement mode is displayed on the scale via the
integrated LED (26) and (28). Switchover between the Gunn current I
G
and the Gunn voltage
U
G
is carried out using the toggle switch (24). There are two sockets (3) and (4) (labeled X,
Y) for characteristic recording. The Gunn current is converted into a voltage with conversion
factor of approx. 1V/100 mA. Small Gunn current variations from Doppler signals are
evaluated and to the socket OUT / DOPPLER RADAR (7) via a differential amplifier. The
Gunn oscillator can be modulated externally via a supply voltage. For this, the power supply
unit is equipped with a modulation input (6) which is labeled MOD IN / GUNN EXT.
II MODULATION
The MODULATION circuit integrated into the power supply unit generates a clock-pulse,
which is used for the modulation of the PIN modulator, cat. no. 737 05 and for the control of
the POWER & SWR METER (III). Via the toggle switch (21) the PIN modulator connected to
the socket (8) can be modulated either by the internal clock-pulse signal or by an external
signal fed to socket (9). In order to permit internal modulation without using a microwave PIN
modulator, the toggle switch must be set to GUNN-INT, through which the Gunn voltage is
amplitude-modulated internally by the clock signal.
Instruction sheet 737 021 3/4


III POWER & SWR METER
The microwave signal demodulated by a suitable detector or the E-field probe is supplied to
the socket (8) INPUT of a lock-in amplifier. This amplifier has a high dynamic range of
maximum 60 dB, which corresponds to a gain factor of 1.000.000. Fig. 2 shows the basic
design of a lock-in amplifier.



Fig. 2: Lock in amplifier, basic design
1 Band pass filter
2 Amplifier
3 Synchronous rectifier
4 Low pass filter
5 Measuring instrument
6 Clock oscillator
7 Microwave device under test
8 PIN modulator
9 Gunn oscillator
Signals in the lock-in amplifier
A: Weak, severely distorted input signal
B: Strong signal at a detectable level, but still severely distorted
C: Wanted signal after synchronous rectification containing the desired DC component
D: Distorting AC components are suppressed by a low pass filter
In Fig. 2 components 1...6 are elements of the lock-in amplifier. The components 7...9 are
part of the microwave setup. The synchronous rectifier allows for the POWER & SWR-
METER to be phase- and frequency selective with respect to the clock oscillator, meaning
that DC components only arise for input signal components, whose frequency is exactly the
same as the clock frequency and is only then maximum if there is no phase-shift between the
clock and wanted signals. Due to the low bandwidth of the lock-in amplifier it is also possible
to quantitatively evaluate even weak detector signals embedded in severe noise. The relative
microwave power is displayed in dB on the measuring instrument (19). The scaling is
performed according to the square law of the detector. A second scale permits the standing
wave ratio SWR to be determined. The output signal of the amplifier can be tapped at the
AMP OUT (13) socket, which permits direct evaluation of the measurement results using the
CASSY interface or on the XY recorder.
IV VIDEO
The video amplifier is independent from the measurement amplifier (lock-in amplifier). With
the toggle switch (17) an analog or a TTL signal is supplied to the output socket (18). Using
the potentiometer (15) the DC component for analog signals can be set. With the broadband
video amplifier it is possible to amplify externally modulated signals. Equipment from the
T 7.2 Transmission Technology system can be used as modulation sources.
Instruction sheet 737 021 4/4

Technical data
Mains voltage 230 V / 50 Hz internally adjustable to 115 V
Power consumption approx. 20 VA
Dimensions 500 x 300 x 150 mm (L x W x H) including 19" housing
Mass approx. 6 kg
I GUNN POWER SUPPLY
Gunn voltage 10 V U
G
0 V adjustable, short-circuit proof
Gunn current max. 200 mA
Displays 0...10 V, 0...200 mA. Scale selection via LED
Meter Class 1.5 with mirror scale and zero-point correction
BNC outputs GUNN (2) for the DC power supply of the Gunn oscillator, X (3) and Y
(4) for the recording of the characteristics, DOPPLER RADAR (7) for
experiments involving Doppler signals
BNC input MOD IN (6) for the external modulation of the Gunn oscillator. Input
signal: max. 10 V. Bandwidth 10 kHz
II MODULATION
With the selection switch (21) set to:
PIN-EXT external modulation source, PIN diode voltage can be set via (22),
short-circuit proof, 10 mA, DC offset adjustable 0..900 mV
PIN-INT internal clock oscillator, square-wave signal 0/750 mV, 10 mA, 976 Hz.
GUNN-INT internal modulation of the Gunn voltage with clock oscillator, square-
wave signal 350 mV...0 V, 976 Hz
DC offset 0..1 V adjustable via OP (23)
BNC output PIN (8) depending on the toggle switch setting (21) for internal
modulation using the clock oscillator or for external modulation
BNC input EXT (9) for external modulation of the PIN modulator, maximum input
voltage 10 V, bandwidth 5 MHz, input impedance 50 or 10 k.
III POWER & SWR METER
Principle Lock-in detection with internal synchronization
Input INPUT (12) DC biased, 10 k, BNC
Dynamic range 0...55 dB adjustable in 12 steps (11), plus 5 dB via variable gain (20)
Accuracy 0.3 dB over the entire range
Sensitivity 1 V
RMS
for full deflection
Center frequency 976 Hz
Bandwidth 10 Hz
Displays Power calibrated in dB for square-law detectors, +0.5 dB...20 dB.
Linear scale 0...100 %. SWR scale 1.00...5.
Meter Class 1.5 with mirrored scale and zero-point correction
Output AMP OUT (13), DC output for the measurement voltage 0...+10 V
IV VIDEO
Input Input IN (16) 50 , BNC, joint input for ANALOG and TTL
Output ANALOG / TTL, selectable with switch (17)
Analog: bandwidth 4 MHz, max. output signal 5 V
PP
. Gain approx. 100,
offset (15) adjustable 1.5 V..+1.5 V