| C | the speed of light | 186,000 mile per second, speed limit of the universe. |
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| C/N | carrier-to-noise (ratio) | -- |
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| CAD | computer-aided design | Examples: software such as Eagleware and AutoCAD. |
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| CAE | computer-aided engineering | The union of CAD, CAM and CAT. |
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| CAM | computer-aided manufacturing | Examples: automated pick and place, automated wirebonder. |
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| CAT | computer-aided test | Examples: automated network analyzer, phase noise analyzer. |
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| CATV | community access television | "The cable". |
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| CB | Common base | A transistor amplifier configuration |
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| CBCPW | conductor-backed coplanar waveguide | What you get when you add a ground plane under the substrate below CPW. Basically a mixed-mode microstrip/CPW transmission line. Also called grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW). |
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| CCA | circuit card assembly | A printed wiring board with mounted components. |
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| CCDF | complementary cumultative distribution function | A CCDF curve displays the relative power levels of a signal versus probability based on how much time the signal spends at or above a given power level. |
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| CCW | counterclockwise | Circulators can be CW or CCW |
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| CDMA | code division multiple access | We aren't wireless guys, so we have no idea! |
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| CDPD | cellular digital packet data | A wireless standard. |
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| CE | Common emitter | A transistor amplifier configuration |
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| CEM | computational electromagnetics | -- |
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| CF | calibration factor | Data that is needed to correct the response of a power head over frequency. |
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| CFA | crossed-field amplifier | -- |
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| CLA | Common-leg amplifier | Often used in T/R modules to reduce cost. |
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| CMB | Cosmic Microwave Background | The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is electromagnetic radiation left over from an early stage of the universe filling all space. |
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| CMOS | complementary metal oxide semiconductor | A technology for making integrated circuits. |
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| CMR | Connector miniature rectantangular | A type of waveguide flange. |
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| CNC | computer numerically controlled | An automated way to machine parts. |
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| CNR, OR C/N | carrier-to-noise ratio | -- |
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| COB | chip on board | packaging technique, also known as "glob-top" |
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| COE | center of excellence | What they rename a division of the company, before the PSB. |
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| COTS | commercial off-the-shelf | -- |
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| CP | circularly polarized | -- |
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| CPA | CPA | Cylindrical phased arrays |
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| CPR | connector pressurized rectangular | A type of waveguide flange. |
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| CPRF | connector pressurized rectangular flat | A type of waveguide flange. |
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| CPRG | connector pressurized rectangular grooved | A type of waveguide flange. |
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| CPS | co-planar stripline | Thanks, Manuel! |
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| CPW | coplanar waveguide | A TEM transmission line media popular for extremely high-frequency (>75 GHz) circuits. |
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| CSO | composite second order (distortion) | -- |
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| CSP | chip-scale package | A method of protecting a microcircuit without an expensive hermetic enclosure. |
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| CSRR | complimentary split ring resonator | A technique used to realize metamaterials. |
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| CT | curve tracer | -- |
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| CTB | composite triple beat (distortion) | -- |
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| CTE | Coefficient of thermal expansion (also called TCE) | An approximate measure of how a solid expands or contracts over temperature. |
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| CVD | chemical-vapor deposition | As in MOCVD, PECVD and VPCVD. |
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| CW | continuous wave or clockwise | A continuous wave signal of a single frequency that is on continuously as opposed to pulsed. |
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