The TBBT01 Bias-Tee is a device for measuring saturation effects of power inductors and biasing effects on capacitors. The majority of available Bias-Tees for power inductor testing operate at low frequencies, making them unsuitable for evaluating decoupling/bias inductors for RF power amplifiers or EMC filters. However, RF Bias-Tees typically have limited current capabilities and cannot be used in the lower frequency region. TBBT01 can measure both high bandwidth and high current.
Power inductors are subject to magnetic saturation effects because they often have ferrite cores. Even before reaching the magnetic saturation current specified in the inductor data sheet, the inductance begins to decrease and the RF characteristics of the component degenerate.
The effect of DC current is often underestimated when building EMC filters, and the filter does not perform as intended. High Current Bias-Tees for current injection are required to assess the frequency response of an EMC filter under load conditions.
High current bias tees can be used for a wide range of additional applications. Wherever inductors are used for decoupling and filtering in DC paths, the best practice is to measure the inductance under load current conditions. The same applies to bias current-carrying pulse transformers.
The TBBT01 can inject up to 10A of DC current into a 50 Ohm RF path and operates at frequencies between 5 kHz and 1.5 GHz.
The TBBT01's insertion loss is not related to the injection current.
- Usable frequency range: 5 kHz – 1.2 GHz
- RF path insertion loss: <1 dB typ. in the range 10 kHz – 1 GH, < 1.5 dB in the range 5 kHz – 1.2 GHz
- VSWR: 1 < VSWR < 2 in the range 5 kHz to 1 GHz
- Characterized frequency range: 1 kHz -3 GHz
- RF power handling: 50 W from 5 kHz – 1 GHz
- RF connectors: N-female
- Operating voltage range: max. ±100 V;
- Operating current range: ± 5A to 10 A DC, see heat up characteristics plot, ± 5A DC continuous, max. ± 15 A DC
- DC path resistance: < 1.5 Ω @ 22°C
- DC input socket: Phoenix Contact 1998933, male
- mating female terminal: Phoenix Contact 1967375
- Dimensions: 150mm x 155mm x 330mm;
- Weight: 3 kg
