Anritsu 220 GHz VectorStar Powers Africa First Sub Terahertz Measurement Facility at Pretoria

Sub-terahertz frequencies sit between 100 GHz and 300 GHz, above conventional microwave and millimetre-wave bands but below the far-infrared. They promise vast bandwidth for wireless communications, unique windows for radio astronomy, and precise sensing of atmospheric water vapour. Yet measuring devices at these frequencies is extraordinarily difficult. Industrial News reported on September 11, 2026, that a vector network analyser characterises how radio-frequency energy passes through and reflects from a device, and engineers use the resulting scattering parameters to measure insertion loss, return loss, gain, phase, and impedance behaviour. Those measurements become considerably harder as frequency rises, because connectors, probes, fixtures, surface finishes, dimensional tolerances, and short sections of transmission line can introduce errors large enough to obscure the behaviour of the device under test.

For researchers in South Africa and the wider African continent, that difficulty has been compounded by a lack of local infrastructure. Until now, the Carl and Emily Fuchs Institute for Microelectronics (CEFIM) at the University of Pretoria operated with a calibrated measurement ceiling of 110 GHz. Work requiring calibrated data above that threshold had to be sent overseas. The institute's new sub-terahertz measurement facility, announced by Anritsu EMEA GmbH on September 11, 2026, changes that. Bisinfotech reported on September 11, 2026, that Anritsu EMEA said CEFIM has selected the Anritsu 220 GHz VectorStar Broadband Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) as the core measurement platform for Africa's only comprehensive sub-terahertz (sub-THz) measurement facility.

At the heart of the facility is the VectorStar Broadband VNA, which provides continuous broadband frequency coverage up to 220 GHz. Together with harmonic mixers and calibrated noise analysis capabilities, the system enables characterization of microwave and millimetre-wave devices operating in the sub-terahertz frequency range. The installation extends CEFIM's previous measurement capability from 110 GHz to 220 GHz, enabling more complete validation of high-frequency device designs. Automation Update reported on September 11, 2026, that the 220 GHz VectorStar VNA is now the core platform of CEFIM's sub-THz facility, enabling calibrated high-frequency measurements up to 220 GHz. The facility was established under South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF) National Equipment Programme, and the Anritsu solution was supplied in collaboration with Tamashi Technology Investments, Anritsu's authorized representative in South Africa.

Key Facts

Anritsu EMEA GmbH announced on September 11, 2026, that the University of Pretoria's CEFIM has selected the Anritsu 220 GHz VectorStar Broadband VNA as the core measurement platform for Africa's only comprehensive sub-THz measurement facility. The installation extends CEFIM's previous measurement capability from 110 GHz to 220 GHz.

The system provides continuous broadband frequency coverage up to 220 GHz. Together with harmonic mixers and calibrated noise analysis capabilities, it enables characterization of microwave and millimetre-wave devices operating in the sub-terahertz frequency range. Anritsu's ME7838G VectorStar configuration provides a continuous broadband sweep from 70 kHz to 220 GHz and is designed for high-frequency device and on-wafer characterisation. The manufacturer specifies 102 dB of dynamic range at 220 GHz, as Industrial News reported on September 11, 2026.

EPDT reported on September 12, 2026, that the vector network analyser is available in both 2-port and 4-port configurations and is unique in being able to support a single, continuous frequency sweep from 70 kHz through to 220 GHz. The equipment is accompanied by harmonic mixers and calibrated noise analysis hardware.

The facility was established under South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF) National Equipment Programme, and the Anritsu solution was supplied in collaboration with Tamashi Technology Investments, Anritsu's authorized representative in South Africa. Anritsu, headquartered in Japan, has approximately 4,000 employees across the Americas, EMEA and Asia. The facility will support research in next-generation wireless communications, radio astronomy, water vapour radiometry and other sub-terahertz technologies, and will support the institute's participation in international initiatives including the African Millimetre Telescope project and the development of next-generation radio astronomy receivers.

Analysis

What this really means is that the center of gravity for sub-terahertz measurement in Africa has shifted from overseas laboratories to a single, locally accessible platform in Pretoria. For CEFIM, the strategic value is not merely the doubling of the calibrated ceiling from 110 GHz to 220 GHz. It is the elimination of a structural dependency. Researchers who previously had to ship devices, coordinate with foreign facilities, and wait for results can now iterate domestically, compressing design cycles and retaining intellectual property within the region.

The choice of Anritsu's VectorStar platform is also technically significant. A continuous single sweep from 70 kHz to 220 GHz means that a device can be characterised across its entire operating range without changing setups or stitching together data from multiple instruments. That matters for amplifiers, filters, antennas, and semiconductor devices, where behaviour at low frequencies can inform behaviour at high frequencies, and where discontinuities in measurement can hide subtle design flaws. The specified 102 dB dynamic range at 220 GHz further suggests that the system can resolve both strong and weak signals, a critical capability when testing components that must operate near the noise floor. The involvement of Tamashi Technology Investments and the backing of the National Research Foundation's National Equipment Programme indicate that this is not a one-off purchase but a piece of national research infrastructure. Professor Tinus Stander of CEFIM said, as Automation Update reported on September 11, 2026, that no facility previously existed in South Africa to measure electromagnetic waves and devices at these frequencies, and that the establishment of this facility will support research in future wireless communications and radio astronomy.

The bigger picture here is that sub-terahertz research is moving from a handful of well-funded laboratories in Europe, North America, and East Asia into a more distributed global network. Africa's first comprehensive sub-THz facility does not merely replicate capabilities that exist elsewhere. It positions CEFIM to contribute unique data and expertise, particularly in radio astronomy, where the African continent already hosts major observatories. Marco Bordin, Sales Director for Anritsu EMEA's Southern Region, said that leading research institutions require measurement solutions they can rely on when pushing the boundaries of microwave and millimetre-wave technology, a sentiment that underscores how central metrology has become to advanced electronics research.

Why It Matters

The facility matters first for the research agenda it enables. Next-generation wireless communications above 100 GHz could unlock vast bandwidth for short-range, high-capacity links, but only if engineers can reliably measure and model devices at those frequencies. Radio astronomy depends on extremely sensitive receivers, and the ability to characterise components up to 220 GHz locally will help CEFIM contribute to projects such as the African Millimetre Telescope and the development of next-generation radio astronomy receivers. Water vapour radiometry, which uses sub-terahertz emissions to measure atmospheric moisture, is another application that benefits from precise, calibrated measurements.

Second, the facility changes the economics of high-frequency research in the region. Overseas measurement campaigns are expensive, slow, and vulnerable to disruption. A local platform reduces cost per measurement, shortens feedback loops, and allows students and early-career researchers to gain hands-on experience with advanced instrumentation. That human capital effect may prove as valuable as any single research result. Anritsu's approximately 4,000 employees across the Americas, EMEA and Asia represent a global support network, but the day-to-day operation and interpretation of the measurements will rest with CEFIM's researchers, building local expertise that can be shared across the continent.

Third, the installation signals that Africa is not simply a consumer of high-frequency technology but a participant in its development. By hosting Africa's only comprehensive sub-terahertz measurement facility, the University of Pretoria joins a select group of institutions worldwide that can perform calibrated measurements at these frequencies. That status is likely to attract partnerships, funding, and talent, reinforcing a virtuous cycle of research capacity.

Next Up

With the VectorStar Broadband VNA installed, CEFIM is expected to begin ramping up research programmes in next-generation wireless communications, radio astronomy, water vapour radiometry, and other sub-terahertz technologies. The institute's participation in the African Millimetre Telescope project and the development of next-generation radio astronomy receivers will be early tests of how effectively the new facility translates measurement capability into scientific output. Anritsu EMEA and Tamashi Technology Investments will likely continue to support the installation as researchers push the system to its specified limits, including the 102 dB dynamic range at 220 GHz and the continuous 70 kHz to 220 GHz sweep.

The broader question is whether other institutions in Africa and beyond will follow CEFIM's lead. If the facility delivers on its promise, it could serve as a model for regional investment in advanced measurement infrastructure. For now, the University of Pretoria can claim a first: Africa's only comprehensive sub-terahertz measurement facility, powered by Anritsu's 220 GHz VectorStar VNA.