AB Millimetre Company Profile

THE COMPANY AB MILLIMETRE

History

In September 1989 a patent on a new "Millimeter and/or Submillimeter Network Vector Analyzer". was issued in France for C.N.R.S., the largest government French Science Agency (National Center of Scientific Research). This patent was a culmination of work of two senior scientists, having experience with electronic devices, millimeter and submillimeter waves for many years: Dr. Philippe GOY (PhD at Paris University 1970 "Cyclotron Resonance in Metals with Millimeter and Submillimeter Waves") and Dr. Michel GROSS (PhD 1980 at Paris University "Superradiative Emission in Millimeter-Submillimeter Waves from Rydberg atoms"). Small French high tech company, AB MILLIMETRE obtained the rights from C.N.R.S. to exploit this patent, and to extend its application to Europe and the USA (US Patent Assignee: AB MILLIMETRE, Nr 5,119,035, June 2, 1992). The vector analyzer MVNA-8-350 has been shown in public for the first time at the 14th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter in Wuerzburg, Germany in October 1989, where also experiments at frequencies up to 400 GHz have been demonstrated. The association of the Analyzer MVNA 8-350 with a millimeter Gunn followed by a Multi-Harmonic Multiplier, called ESA (External Source Association), has been developped in the first months of 1990, and shown in operation for the first time in public at the Military Microwave Exhibition in London, in July 1990, where also applications at the range 10 - 665 GHz have been shown. Then, the association MVNA+ESA has been shown in operation at several conferences and trade exhibitions including, among the others, Infrared and Millimeter Waves International Conferencies in Orlando (FL, USA) in December 1990, in Pasadena (CA, USA) in December 1992, in Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1991, in Colchester (UK) in 1993 and 1998, in Toulouse (France) in 2001, and in Karlsruhe (Germany) in 2004.
Specialized in the Millimeter Waves from its beginning, AB MILLIMETRE has developed millimeter and submillimeter radiation solid state sources, and pioneered the association of Gunn oscillator with Muti-harmonic Harmonic Generator, demonstrating the possiblity of practical use of a comb of frequencies (up to 665 GHz frequency since 1990, and to 1000 GHz since 1996) from a Schottky diode Harmonic Generator. Since summer 2006 Gunn oscillators (ESA extensions) have been replaced by electrically tunable 71-111 GHz sources (ASA extensions). These extensions, which do not require mechanical tuning of local oscillators, therefore are much easier to use, provide a continuous frequency coverage between 142 and 1000 GHz.

Resources

AB MILLIMETRE is located at the historical center of Paris ("Quartier Latin", 2000 years old), 15 minutes walk from the world famous Paris landmark Cathedral Notre Dame, and 10 minutes walk from La Sorbonne - the second oldest European University, in a modern residential building shared with private housings. The floor surface is about 100m2, divided in two levels, one for the office, the second for the workshop. The technical on-site lab bench instruments include a MVNA 8-350 Vector Analyzer, three EIP counter-stabilizer, an HP 10kHz-22GHz spectrum analyzer, several signal sources, power probes and oscilloscopes, computers, etc., a high-Q (up to 240,000) 79-1000 GHz tunable open cavity, and millimeter heads to cover all bands from 18 to 330 GHz, plus ASA-1 and ASA-2 extensions allowing experiments up to 1000 GHz. All these means create an unique capability for vector measurements in the millimeter-submillimeter domain. All tests and final adjustments involve microwave measurements in the band of interest. Close collaboration with present and potential future customers is maintained, including common research and custom design projects, technical and scientifical advices, etc. The software controlling the MVNA is constantly updated and distributed among present users upon request. The company personel can be easily reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
by telephone: + 33 1 4707 7100 (several lines), fax: +33 1 4707 7071 (two lines), and e-mail.

Warranty and service policy

AB MILLIMETRE guarantees the equipment to be free from defects in materials, workmanship and software for a period of 12 months from acceptance at the Purchaser's facility. AB MILLIMETRE shall provide all materials, components and labor to correct warranty problems at the Purchaser's location. Failure of the equipment to operate as specified or to achieve the performance specified when operated in accordance with AB MILLIMETRE instructions shall be deemed a warranty problem which shall be corrected by AB MILLIMETRE
The MVNA-8-350 is very reliable instrument working well in a demanding, industrial or research environment. Of over sixty analyzers which were delivered to our customers during the last decade only a few have occasionally shown a minor problem. Even then, the out-of-use period was usually a few days only.
The Company also has participated in recent research and technical development projects of the European Union (projects UMBELLA and SENTINEL).

Please send your questions, inquiries and comments to the followingaddress: abmillimetre@wanadoo.fr

AB MILLIMETRE
52 rue Lhomond
75005 Paris, France
tel.: + 33 1 4707 71 00
fax: + 33 1 4707 70 71