Active Technologies was founded in 2003 as start-up of the University of Ferrara, in Italy, and immediately involved in large EU research experiments, mostly vs semiconductor test and innovative instrumentation design.
The company’s mission is to deliver to the market best signal stimulus solution as fast pulse generators, arbitrary waveform generators and data pattern generators.
The research group works in a close cooperation with physics and academic research centers, semiconductor and automotive industries, in order to deliver the state of the art signal source solutions for testing.
The OEM projects in cooperation with top Test and Measurement players (i.e NI and Teledyne LeCroy) proof the unique features and the flexibility of the technologies developed by Active Technologies.
As a Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Active Technologies can be involved in EU research projects to customize a specific test solution.
So far, Active Technologies has already joined 9 EU projects under FP7, H2020, ECSEL and KDT JU programs. All Products are designed and manufactured in Italy (100% MADE IN ITALY PRODUCTS).
Interview with Stefano Parma, Sales & Application Engineer at Active Technologies
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Stefano Parma: The Active Technologies Arbitrary Waveform and Pulse Generators product portfolio offers you a complete solution for your most challenging applications.
High Sampling Rate and a Wide Analog Bandwidth combined with a unique High Voltage Output stage and 16 Bit Vertical Resolution, gives you the tools for addressing the most demanding complex of real world tests.
The highest signal density (number of channels) instruments on the market, gives you the flexibility to address the nowadays applications where speed and number of DUT inputs are increasing day by day.
The touch-based software interface offers you a super easy and intuitive user experience where your imagination is the limit to create the most complex waveforms: no more countless hours spent on programming your instrument, just plug the chord and play your waveforms.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
S.P: Active Technologies recently released the AWG-5000 Series Arbitrary Waveform Generator, the world’s fastest 16 bits AWG on the market today: 6.16 GS/s real time update rate (12.32 GS/s in RF mode) and 16 bit vertical resolution.
Available in 2, 4 or 8 channel models, Arb Rider AWG-5000 is also the fastest AFG (Arbitrary Function Generator) in the world, reaching up to 2 GHz sine wave. Thanks to Simple Rider software, AWG-5000 offers best in class performances and extremely easy to use interface.
2 GHz bandwidth, up to 5Vpp output range and up to 4 Gsample memory depth, makes the AWG-5000 is the ideal choice for Physics Experiments, Quantum computers, and Aerospace & Defense applications.
Moreover, thanks to the integrated up conversion functionality (RF MODE) it’s possible generate signals up to 6 GHz.
Speaking about innovative Pulse Generators, Active Technologies recently released the Pulse Rider PG-1500 Series, the high amplitude Pulse Generator of the PG-1000 family.
The Pulse Rider Series includes a set of fast rise time pulse generators, that offer premium signal integrity with the easiest to use touch screen display interface (SimpleRider™), that allows pulse creation in few screen touches.
The signal output Voltage can be adjusted up to 50 Volts pp-pk in a window of ±25 Volts with 400 ps edge rate.
Its innovative hardware architecture provides the possibility to generate multiple pulse sequences, such as double, triple or quad pulses, with fully independent timing parameters. The maximum repetition rate of Pulse Rider Pulse Generator is 400MHz and the minimum pulse width is 1 ns @ 50V.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
S.P: Active Technologies offers a full range of products both in Arbitrary Waveform Generators and Pulse Generator categories.
Arbitrary Waveform Generators allow to generate signals from 180 MHz to 6 GHz and wide output amplitude up to 24 Vpp.
Pulse Generator Series give you the possibility to generate high amplitude pulses (up to 50Vpp) combined with a very fast rise/fall time (70 ps).
Moreover, all the Arb-Rider Series instruments can be used also as Pulse Generator with flexible and programming shaping and sequencer’s features.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
S.P: According to Verified Market Intelligence, the global Signal Generator Market was valued at USD 829.09 Million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 1547.40 Million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 24.8% from 2018 to 2025.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
S.P: During the last years, the clients have the necessity of high performance Arbitrary Waveform and Pulse Generator for their most demanding application like optics, quantum, photonics, lasers, semiconductor testing, advanced research and aerospace & defense.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
S.P: The most innovative ones are the AWG-5000, the PG-1072 and the PG-1500.
The AWG-5000 is the world’s fastest 16 bits Arbitrary Waveform Generator and the only AWG on the market that can reach 110 ps rise/fall time @5Vpp.
The PG-1070 is the fast rise time Pulse Generator able to generate pulses with 70 ps of rise/fall time, 5Vpp amplitude and 300 ps of minimum pulse width.
The PG-1500 Series is the high amplitude Pulse Generator of the family: 50 Vpp @ 400 ps of rise/fall time and 1 ns of minimum pulse width.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
S.P: We are following the growth trend of the past three years and we hope to increase our sales also in 2023.
The mission is to provide high performance and high quality instruments that help our clients on their cutting-edge innovations.
