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Technology
 
- -- OMRON’s High-frequency Relay won a prestigious prize didn’t it?
The first OMRON High-frequency
Relay G4Y that won the Ichimura Prize in Industry- Shinoura:
That’s right. OMRON’s first G4Y High-frequency Relay, which began sales in 1981, received the Contribution Prize of the Ichimura Prize in Industry from the New Technology Development Foundation.
- As the world’s first printed circuit board-mounted relay, the G4Y was praised for its ability to switch right on a printed circuit board in contrast to the standard method at the time, which was to switch high frequencies using coaxial cables and coaxial relays.
Its ability to easily be implemented in a manufacturing process was also credited.
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| Model |
Impedance |
Terminal type |
Frequency bandwidth |
Application |
Co-axial Switch G9YA |
50 Ω |
|
26.5 GHz |
Mobile phone base stations,
Measuring equipment |
Surface Mount High-frequency RelayG6W |
50 Ω |
E
Y |
4 GHz |
Mobile phone base stations |
Surface Mount High-frequency Replay G6Z |
50 Ω
75 Ω |
E
Y |
2.6 GHz |
Digital broadcasting equipment |
High-frequency Relay G6Y |
50 Ω |
E |
1.5 GHz |
CATV,
BS、CS |
High-frequency Relay G6K-RF |
50 Ω |
E |
1 GHz |
Measuring equipment,
LAN Router |
- -- What are the difficult aspects of developing High-frequency Relays?
 - Saruwatari:
There are special forms of transmission lines for high-frequency signals, for example, the coaxial cable for a television antenna. (See Figure 1.)
It consists of three sections, a signal line surrounded by dielectric material, which is enclosed by a ground element. Conditions such as the thickness or type of material of the signal line, the type of dielectric material, the distance between the signal line and the ground, all affect the characteristics of high-frequency signals. Basically, its effect on the characteristic becomes more severe at higher frequencies.
- Relays with bandwidths less than 1 GHz could be designed by extending the conventional relay technology. For relays with Frequency bandwidths of 1 to 5 GHz, however, it became necessary to develop designs specific to high frequencies. Furthermore, for models that exceed 10 GHz, such as the G9YA Coaxial Switch, the components are more complex in form and must be made with precision to the micron level. Inevitably this necessitates the total development from design, parts manufacturing, and production technologies.
- -- What prompted the development of the G6W?
 - Shinoura:
In 1999, we had a query from a customer asking whether it was possible to make a high-frequency relay for a switch-box in a third generation mobile phone base station.
At that stage we were exploring new avenues to develop a product to enter the mobile phone market, so we decided to go with this.In the following spring, a full-scale review of the design became inevitable because the customer changed their specifications.
- We went back to the drawing board and restarted with a thorough evaluation of marketing strategies and samples. We finally decided on a new development concept of a product that could be used in applications other than switch boxes for mobile phone base stations, such as measuring equipment and broadcasting facilities. In 2001, we re-launched the development of the current G6W.
- -- A distinctive structure was used for the contact in G6W, is that right?
- Shinoura:
When we develop new products, we do it with a belief that it should integrate at least one type of new technology. The new technology that has been incorporated in the G6W is a unique contact structure called a “tri-plate strip line structure.” (See Figure 2.)
In the previous model G6Y, a micro strip line structure was used as an application of the concept of handling high frequencies on the printed circuit board inside the relay. With this method, it was possible to simplify the circuit and achieve a low-cost product. The G6W, however, needed to handle a higher frequency bandwidth. This was achieved by enclosing the contact with a ground to ensure that it is isolated from outside.
In the successor model G6Z, a semi-tri-plate strip line structure is used. This is a simplified version of the tri-plate strip line structure, enabling a lower-cost product while maintaining the necessary functions.
| Figure 2 |
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Micro Strip Line Structure (G6Y)
Features
| · |
Reduces mismatch between the PCB and the relay leads. |
| · |
Reduces costs in comparison to the conventional coaxial structure. |
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 |
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Tri-plate Strip Line Structure (G6W)
Features
| · |
The transmission path and external cutoff performance are improved in comparison to the micro strip line structure. |
| · |
The transmission path is placed close to PCB to create a flat structure (for SMD and reduced loss). |
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Semi Tri-plate Strip Line Structure (G6Z)
Features
| · |
Tri-plate and strip line technologies are included and structure further simplified using PCB ground paltern. |
| · |
Balances high isolation, low insertion loss, and low cost. |
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- -- It appears that the G6W has innovative terminals?
 
Shinoura:
Conventional high-frequency relays mainly use the E-shape terminals, where the input terminal c and output terminals a and b are situated adjacent to each other. In the G6W, however, Y-shape terminals are used. This terminal structure has the input and output terminals on opposite sides. （See Figure 3.）
It is better if the wiring of high-frequency circuits is kept short and simple, because it reduces losses and improves quality. With an E-shape terminal structure, the wiring may have to travel underneath the relay or be extended in order to access the terminal. In some cases, these aspects prevented the relay from operating at full capacity.
On the other hand, a Y-shape terminal structure can provide flexibility with the arrangement of relays in a circuit (See Figure 4), thus is extremely user-friendly.
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