Rohde & Schwarz Debuts Wideband Power Sensor With 0.80 mm RF Connector
The R&S NRP150T thermal power sensor addresses emerging automotive radar frequencies and high-frequency applications up to 150 GHz that require accurate power measurements.
Rohde & Schwarz has expanded its thermal power sensor line with the R&S NRP150T, an RF power sensor that employs a 0.80 mm coaxial connector. This development provides engineers with continuous frequency coverage from DC to 150 GHz, eliminating the need for multiple sensors or connector adapters across this wide spectrum.
The new sensor arrives as automotive radar development pushes into higher frequencies. The ADAS and autonomous driving community is working with standards organizations to establish new radar allocations extending to 148.5 GHz, beyond the current D-band limits. The R&S NRP150T covers these emerging bands while maintaining compatibility with existing automotive radar frequencies, providing a single measurement solution for the full automotive radar spectrum.
Utilizing the 0.80 mm coaxial connector, Rohde & Schwarz’s R&S NRP150T thermal power sensor supports frequencies up to 150 GHz. Image used courtesy of Rohde & Schwarz
R&S NRP150T Thermal Power Sensor
The R&S NRP150T thermal power sensor achieves a dynamic range of -35 dBm to 20 dBm and measurement speeds of up to 500 readings per second. This combination of wide frequency coverage and fast acquisition enables single-sweep characterization across the entire spectrum, reducing test time for applications such as vector network analyzer calibration and broadband component validation.
Temperature stability represents a critical specification for precision power measurements. The sensor compensates for environmental temperature variations across its 0°C to 50°C operating range while maintaining consistent drift performance. The design addresses common measurement challenges, including susceptibility to out-of-band signals and temperature-induced errors that can compromise accuracy in thermal sensors.
Impedance matching directly affects measurement uncertainty in RF power applications. The R&S NRP150T specifications indicate a maximum VSWR of 1.7 across the full frequency range, minimizing mismatch-related errors that typically increase at higher frequencies. This matching performance reduces measurement uncertainty in production test and calibration laboratory environments.
Rohde & Schwarz has developed its R&S NRPxT series of power sensors for applications that require high-precision measurements. Image used courtesy of Rohde & Schwarz
Integration and Connectivity
The sensor connects via USB to standard computing platforms and supports direct operation from Android mobile devices through a dedicated control application. For laboratory integration, the sensor interfaces with the R&S NRX base unit, which provides additional display and analysis capabilities. The USB interface follows USBTMC protocols for compatibility with standard test automation frameworks.
A built-in trigger I/O port supports synchronized measurements in multi-instrument setups. The verification function provides a self-check mechanism by applying stable DC power and comparing the sensor response with calibration data, offering diagnostic capability between formal calibration intervals.
Metrological Traceability
The R&S NRP150T includes traceability to national metrology institutes, a requirement for commercial use of the frequency bands. Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and other European NMIs collaborated with Rohde & Schwarz to establish D-band traceability from 110 GHz to 170 GHz, covering the operating range of the R&S NRP150 T. This traceable calibration chain enables the sensor for applications requiring documented measurement uncertainty.
The 0.80 mm connector system itself represents recent standardization work to extend coaxial measurement capabilities beyond traditional 1.0 mm and 1.35 mm connectors. As this connector becomes more widely adopted in test equipment and component manufacturing, the R&S NRP150T provides a compatible power measurement solution.
R&S NRPxT series power sensors in a test setup. Image used courtesy of Rohde & Schwarz
High-Frequency Power Measurement
The R&S NRP150T addresses measurement requirements across multiple domains where accurate power characterization above 100 GHz proves necessary. In satellite communications, inter-satellite links increasingly operate at higher frequencies to achieve greater bandwidth. Radio astronomy instrumentation requires calibrated power measurements for receiver characterization and signal analysis in these bands.
Beyond automotive radar, aerospace and defense applications utilize frequencies approaching 150 GHz for various sensing and communication systems. Research laboratories investigating material properties, waveguide components, and semiconductor devices at these frequencies benefit from the sensor’s continuous coverage, avoiding the complexity and uncertainty associated with switching between different measurement systems across the spectrum. The wide frequency range also supports RF instrument manufacturers in validating signal generator output power and receiver compression characteristics across their full operating range without requiring multiple reference sensors.
