Kenny Liao 廖康佑

Keysight AEO Taiwan

Testing Next-Generation Component by Innovation Network Analyzer

利用創新型網路分析儀，測試下世代元件

2

Highly integrated beamformer integrated chips

and front-end modules require a wide variety of

tests.

Flexible and precise hardware lets you accurately

measure the real-world performance of active

components.

Modulated signal measurements involve

specialized test instruments.

3

• Noise Power Ratio (NPR) test using VNA’s SA class

S11 = b1/a1

S21 = b2/a1

Measurement examples (direct receiver access or DRA configurations)

VNA

Source

(CW)DUT (PA)Booster

amp

• High-power S-parameter tests

To reference

receiver (a1)To test

receiver (b1)

To test

receiver (b2)

VSG

DUT (PA)

To test

receiver (b2)

4

ΣRx

Tx

Rx

Tx

Rx

Tx

Rx

Tx

Ant2

Ant1 Ant3

Ant4

RFfeed

Beamformer= Core IC+ FEM (Front-end Module)

Antenna module(= Beamformer IC + Antenna elements)

FEM

Core IC

• Multi-direction (Transmitter and Receiver)

• Multi-bands (ex. 28 GHz and 39 GHz)

• Multi-channels (ex. 4 channels / device)

ANT

Tx

Rx

PA

LNA

Antenna

FEM

Beamformer

5

Transmitter Receiver

✓ Gain, phase, and VSWR

✓ Spurious

✓ Harmonic distortion

✓ Compression (P1dB)

✓ Pulse profile

✓ Modulation distortion analysis

(ex. EVM, ACP, NPR)

✓ Gain, phase and VSWR

✓ Spurious

✓ Intermodulation distortion

✓ Noise figure

Ant Ant

Tx

Rx

Common

Beamformer Core FEM

Tx

Rx

Common

Beamformer Core FEM

6

CW

signal

Signal

Generator

Signal

AnalyzerVector Network

Analyzer

S-parameter

Gain compression

IP3

Noise Figure

ACPR

NPR

EVM

“I need two different instrument setups

to characterize my power amplifier…”

+ Vector Network

Analyzer

Signal

Generator

S-parameter

Gain compression

IP3

Noise Figure+

ACPR

NPR

EVM

New Vector Component

Analyzer (VCA)

Traditional approach

modulated

signal CW and

modulated

signal

Measurement challenges:

✓ EVM measurement accuracy in mmWave

✓ Cost of test with multiple instruments

✓ Complicated test plans

7

P R E S E N TAT I O N O U T L I N E

Frequency Converter

Measurements

New DDS Source

Enhancement

Advanced Modulated

Measurements

8

• Spurious Test

• Close in Carrier Spurious

• Higher Order Mixing Products

• Distortion Characteristics

• Under CW Drive: Two-Tone Intermodulation

Distortion

• With Modulated Drive

• Error-Vector Magnitude (EVM)

• Adjacent Channel Power

• Gain/Phase/Group Delay vs. Frequency

• Using Swept CW Signals

• NEW: Low-Phase Noise VNA Signal Source

• NEW: Using Modulated Signals

• Phase Noise Measurement of Embedded

Local-Oscillator

• Compression Vs. Frequency

• Modulated vs. Not Modulated

• Noise Figure of Converter

K E Y M E A S U R E M E N T A N D C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S

9

P N A - X M E A S U R E M E N T C L A S S E S F O R C O N V E R T E R S

10

L O W P H A S E N O I S E I M P R O V E S D E L AY J I T T E R

DUT

Test port 3

C

R3

Test port 1

R1

Test port 4

R4

Test port 2

R2

A D B

Source 2

OUT 1 OUT 2 To receivers

LO

Source 1

OUT 1 OUT 2

Source 3

(≤ 13.5 GHz)

rear panel J9J10J11 J8 J7 J2 J1J4 J3

11

D E F I N E T H E M I X E R C O N F I G U R AT I O N ( 1 O R 2 L O )

12

G A I N A N D P H A S E , S W E P T C W, F U L LY C A L I B R AT E D

13

E X A C T S A M E S E T T I N G S ( S W E E P I S 7 2 % FA S T E R )

New Option UNY = Low Phase Noise

14

E V O LV I N G A C T I V E C O M P O N E N T M E A S U R E M E N T S O L U T I O N S

High-performance

analog SigGen

class phase noise

Optional 3rd RF

Source

• New DDS (direct digital synthesizers) source

improving:

• Phase noise by 30 dB

• Measurement performance of apps: • SMC+phase

• Differential-IQ

• Modulation distortion

• NVNA

• iTMSA

• Dynamic range in sub-THz bands by 30 dB

• High-performance analog-SigGen-class low phase

noise (Option UNY, Enhanced low-phase noise)

• 3rd RF source up to 13.5 GHz on 4-port PNA-X

15

-170

-160

-150

-140

-130

-120

-110

-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000 10,000,000

dB

c/H

z

Offset (Hz)

10 GHz Phase Noise Comparison

C H A L L E N G E S M E T – N O N E E D F O R H I G H - P E R F O R M A N C E S I G G E N

New PNA/PNA-X Option UNY

PSG–UNY

Current PNA/-X

• Eliminates the need of external

high-performance analog signal

generators for the use of LO or

where low-phase noise is needed.

-40

dB

16

• Complex measurements require multiple instruments,

but the 3rd source eliminates the need for an external

signal generator for mixer IMD measurements

• Three high-performance analog signal generators

• Fourth synthesizer is the internal Local Oscillator for the

PNA

• Can be used as an independent signal generator

C H A L L E N G E S M E T – S Y S T E M S I M P L I F I C AT I O N

Note: The 3rd source is available only with 4-port PNA-X.

17

1 0 T I M E S C L E A N E R - 3 0 T I M E S FA S T E R !

Current PNAEnhanced PNA with new DDS synthesizers

Frequency: 20 GHz, Span: 2 GHz, IFBW: 10 kHz

4.5 seconds with averaging 0.15 seconds with no averaging

Now you can measure faster without sacrificing accuracy

18

C H A L L E N G E S M E T - C U R R E N T P N A S O U R C E V S N E W D D S P N A S O U R C E

There are almost no close-in spurs in the DDS source, typically better

than -80 dBc. The phase noise does not limit the dynamic range.1 kHz RBW phase noise is limiting close-in spur

dynamic range

Current PNA Enhanced PNA with new DDS synthesizers

19

AT 6 G H Z , N O S P U R S , L O W E R P H A S E N O I S E

20

C H A L L E N G E S M E T – N O N - H A R M O N I C S P U R

The wideband sweep shows some sub-harmonic

spur occurring below 4 GHz when the source is near

4.8 GHz. The level is around – 60 dBc at 2.4 GHz.

The wideband sweep shows some a negative

going crossing spur about -86 dBc.

Current PNA Enhanced PNA with new DDS synthesizers

Sweeping the source from 4-5 GHz with trace-max hold on.

21

H I G H E S T P E R F O R M A N C E D D S O U T P U T

MXG Port 1

XSB

22

N E W : U N Y O P T I O N . L O W P H A S E N O I S E , L O W S P U R

New Option UNY

Low Phase Noise

Low Spurious

200 kHz

Spacing

10 GHz

Center

23

G A I N C O M P R E S S I O N O N C O N V E R T E R S

24

S C 2 1 V S D R I V E P O W E R

25

2 0 1 F R E Q P O I N T S , 2 1 P O W E R P O I N T S , L E S S T H A N 1 S E C O N D

26

P H A S E N O I S E O N E M B E D D E D L O

27

DUT

Input signal

phase noiseOutput signal

phase noise

• Target applications

• 2-port DUT that requires phase noise or residual

measurement

• Embedded-LO frequency-converters (S93084B users)

• Amplifiers

• Target customers

• A&D customers

• 5G customers

• Research/educational accounts

PNA supplies very clean

signal (low phase noise)

E M B E D D E D - L O F R E Q U E N C Y - C O N V E R T E R P H A S E N O I S E M E A S U R E M E N T

Embedded LO

28

I N T E R N A L L O , D C P O W E R E D

29

F O R T H I S E X A M P L E , P N A A N D U X A G I V E T H E S A M E R E S U LT S

30

N 5 2 2 7 B : U P T O 7 0 G H Z P H A S E N O I S E M E A S U R E M E N T S

31

• S930317B Phase noise measurement up to 70 GHz $XX (node-lock perpetual)

• S930321B Phase noise measurement up to 125 GHz $XX (node-lock perpetual)

• Required hardware

• PNA/PNA-X with new DDS source

• Orderable Now

U S L I S T

DUT

32

N O I S E F I G U R E M E A S U R E M E N T S

33

H E R E W E U S E V E C T O R C O R R E C T I O N T O R E M O V E M I S M AT C H E F F E C T S

34

G A M M A - O P T A N D M I N I M U M N O I S E F I G U R E

35

I M D A N D S P U R I O U S T E S T

36

I M D O F T H E C O N V E R T E R M E A S U R E M E N T

37

A . K . A . H I G H E R O R D E R M I X I N G P R O D U C T S

38

M O D U L AT E D M E A S U R E M E N T S , G A I N / P H A S E / D E L AY A N D E V M

39

M O D U L AT I O N / D I S T O R T I O N A L L O W S M O D U L AT E D I N P U T O N C O N V E R T E R S

40

S E T U P T H E D R I V E S I G N A L A N D D E F I N E T H E S I G N A L PAT H

41

Y O U C A N S E L E C T A M O D U L AT I O N F I L E , O R C R E AT E A N E W O N E

42

H E R E W E C R E AT E A N 8 0 0 M H Z A D D I T I V E - W H I T E - G A U S I A N N O I S E S I G N A L

• An Additive White Gaussian Noise

Signal (AWGN) has a Uniform

Amplitude Spectrum with Random

Phase

• Setting the waveform period makes this

have an underlying multitone

characteristic

• Setting the phase to Random makes

this a AWGN signal

• Changing the Random Phase Seed can

change the peak-to–average ratio

43

H E R E W E C R E AT E A N 8 0 0 M H Z A D D I T I V E - W H I T E - G A U S S I A N N O I S E S I G N A L

• Here we see the drive signal consisting of 1001 tones.

• It should have flat response, but due to cables, connectors and mismatch, the power flatness has

about 2 dB p-p error.

• We have a special modulation correction method to perfect the signal.

44

S O U R C E M O D U L AT I O N C O R R E C T I O N M A K E S A P E R F E C T S I G N A L

• After correction, the flatness error is less than 0.1 dB p-p; the power level is exactly correct

45

T H E M O D U L AT I O N WAV E F O R M I S M E A S U R E D AT I N P U T A N D O U T P U T

• This lower plot shows the gain and

phase under low-power modulated

drive

• The results are nearly identical

• This upper plot shows traditional

swept CW frequency gain and

phase

46

G A I N , P H A S E , A N D G R O U P D E L AY C A N B E M E A S U R E D U S I N G M O D U L AT I O N

• This lower plot shows the group

delay response. For the first

time a VNA can show group

delay of a converter, driven with

a wideband modulated signal

• This upper plot compares gain

at 0.5 dB per division. Almost

perfect agreement between

Swept CW and Wideband

modulated signal

47

G A I N C O M P R E S S I O N S H O W S A B I G D I F F E R E N C E F O R M O D U L AT E D D R I V E

• This upper plot shows -15 dBm

drive in Swept CW traces, with 1

dB compression

• This bottom plot shows -15 dBm

drive for Modulated Signal. The

compression is greater, and there is

big variation on the signal

• The modulation signal has 9 dB

peak-to-avg signal, so 6 dB higher

peaks than CW, meaning more

compression

48

L O W P O W E R ( P U R P L E ) , H I G H P O W E R ( Y E L L O W )

• This upper plot shows -15

dBm Modulated Signal Drive.

• The top of the yellow traces

shows a lot of deviation due

to intermodulation of the

underlying multitone signal

• This lower plot shows the

output with -25 dBm signal

drive.

• The tops of the multitone

spectrum are smooth and

variation is due to the filter in

the converter.

49

M O D X C A N S H O W D I S T O R T I O N D I R E C T LY, A S W E L L A S C O M P U T E E V M

• This upper plot shows -30 dBm

Modulated Signal Drive.

• The purple trace (almost off the

screen) shows minimal

distortion. The EVM of this

converter is only 0.4% across

the 640 MHz Signal BW

• This lower plot shows -15 dBm

signal drive.

• The distortion is clearly visible

in the purple trace. The blue

trace is output power, and the

“fuzziness” on top is due to

distortion. Here the EVM is

computed at 6.87%

50

S AT C O M C O N V E R T E R S W I T H B U I LT - I N O S C I L L AT O R S

• All the test methods presented

are supported by option 084:

• Automatic detection of

frequency for a converter with

an embedded LO

51

• PNA-X is recognized as the premier instrument for complex component test

• New DDS synthesizer hardware greatly improves the system performance in

many areas• Faster Measurements

• Much lower residual noise

• No detectible close-in spurs

• Narrow-spaced IMD

• New Software Application capabilities apply to wideband modulated signal test• Phase Noise Measurements

• Gain/Phase/Group Delay, with precise results, when driven with wideband modulated signals

• Distortion of the Frequency Converter under test can be determined

• Precision EVM measurements on modulated signals through converters are now available

• All Test Methods support converters with Embedded LO

P N A - X T E S T M E T H O D S F O R F R E Q U E N C Y C O N V E R T E R S

52

N E W, S E C O N D E D I T I O N , AVA I L A B L E J U LY 2 0 2 0

54

✓ Lower-cost for production tests

✓ Includes PXI vector adapter for signal

generation

✓ Scalable, compact PXI-based systems

✓ DUT: Amplifiers

M981xAS PXI VCA

(w/ PXI vector adapter)

M981xAS

✓ Solution for R&D and DVT

✓ Requires external wideband source for

signal generation

✓ Simple & easy setup, single connection

✓ DUT: Amplifiers, frequency converting

components

PNA-X with External VSG

PNA-X

(ex. M9383/84 VXG,

PSG+AWG, or MXG)

Modulated

source

2

55

✓ Directional couplers and cables are provided as an option of M981xAS. (Option 870)

✓ M981xAS with receiver modules is only available >= 26.5 GHz. For measurements up to 20 GHz,

recommend 4-port or 6-port options of M980xA PXI VNA and enable direct receiver access (DRA)

configurations.

Integrated wideband modulated signal source

✓ Lower-costHalf price of standalone benchtop

instruments for mmWave test (No SA

required)

✓ High throughputIdeal for production tests with single-

connection measurements

✓ Excellent accuracyVector-corrected measurements with

low EVM

56

Single-connection measurements of vector network

analysis and modulation distortion analysis (ex. EVM)

✓ Integrates vector adapter in a compact PXI

form factor (M981xAS option 750/751)

✓ Modulation distortion analysis from 22 GHz

to 44 GHz (max 1.08 GHz BW), in addition

to wideband vector network analysis

2. M981xAS (with PXI vector adapter)

M981xAS(+ PXI chassis,

controller)

NEW

✓ Requires external VSG and combiner for both

VNA (CW) and modulated sources.

✓ VSG is directly controlled by M981xAS firmware

(via Ethernet/USB connection)

1. M981xAS + External VSG

M981xAS(+ PXI chassis,

controller)

Modulated

source(ex. VXG, M9383A/B,

VXT, or MXG)

* External VSG and combiner must be purchased separately.

Combiner

57

M9037A

PXI Embedded

controller

M9019A

18-slot PXI

chassis

Vector Adapter (M981xAS-750/751)• M9336A AWG (left)

• M9810A Vector Modulator (right)

VNA (M981xAS-691)• M980xA VNA (left)

• 2x M981xA Receiver-only Modules (right)

58

VNA(M981XAS-491/691)

DUTBooster

amp

Attenuator

M980xA

VNAM981xA

Receiver

Directional

coupler

S11 = b1/a1

S21 = b2/a1

S12 = b1/a2

S22 = b2/a2

Physical port

(Logical or DRA port)

Port 1

(CW source)Receiver 1

(a1)

Port 2

(CW source,

a2, b2)

Receiver 2

(b1)

M980xA

VNA

M981xA

Receiver

Configuration example for high-power

measurements (M981xAS-491)

✓ Frequency: 100 kHz to 26.5/32/44/53 GHz

✓ M980xA VNA and Receiver module(s) are

connected with interconnect cables.

✓ VNA firmware combines physical test ports

to define as a logical port

✓ More flexible setup for optimized

performance (ex. MOD analysis or high-

power)2-port VNA with DRA

configuration on port 1

(M981xAS Option 491)

(a1) (b1) (b2)

59

M980xA PXI VNA

✓ Full VNA integrating a source and receivers

✓ # of test ports: 2, 4, or 6-port up to 20 GHz,

2-port up to 53 GHz

✓ Max frequency:

4.5/6.5/9/14/20/26.5/32/44/53 GHz

✓ Ideal for small-signal, multiport testing

using standard configurations

M981xA Receiver Module

✓ Lower-cost, receiver-only hardware (without

internal source)

✓ Max frequency: 26.5/32/44/53 GHz

✓ Only available as an option of M981xAS

(Can not be purchased separately)

✓ For direct receiver access (DRA)

configurations (ex. high-power, MOD

analysis, NPR, etc.)

a1

LO OUT

RFLORef

Port 1 Port 2

LO IN

b1 b2

a2

LO OUT

LORef

Receiver 1 Receiver 2

LO IN

a1 b1

60

DRA configuration on port 1

(M981xAS-491)

✓ M981xAS option 491 (including one M980xA and

one M981xA) configures DRA on VNA’s port 1.

✓ More accurate S11 measurements compared to a

standard configuration.

DRA configuration on port 1 & 2

(M981xAS-691)

S11 = b1/a1

S21 = b2/a1

S12 = b1/a2

S22 = b2/a2

Physical port

(Logical or DRA port)

✓ M981xAS Option 691 (including one M980xA and

two M981xAs) configures DRA on VNA’s both

ports.

✓ Optimized high-power S-parameter measurements

with improved S/N ratio and directivity for S12 and

S22.

Port 1

(CW source)Receiver 1

(a1)

Port 2

(CW source,

a2, b2)

M980xA

PXI VNAM981xA

Receiver

Attenuator Directional

coupler x2

DUT

Receiver 2

(b1)

Booster

amp

Port 1

(CW source)Receiver 1

(a1)

Port 2

(CW

source)

Receiver 2

(b1)

M980xA

PXI VNAM981xA

Receiver

Receiver 1

(a2)

Receiver 2

(b2)

M981xA

Receiver

DUTDirectional

coupler x2

Directional

coupler x2

Booster

amp

* S/N ratio for S12 and S22 may be degraded due to large

attenuation on DUT’s output with this configuration.

61

Frequency range M980xA VNA module Receiver-only module

100 kHz to

26.5/32/44/53 GHz

(ex. 5G FR2)

2-port VNA (Opt. 200)Included with M981xAS

Option 491/691

9 kHz to

4.5/6.5/9/14/20 GHz

(ex. 5G FR1)

2, 4, or 6-port VNA

(Opt.200/400/600)

N/A

(Note: Receiver-only modules are NOT

available for the frequency under 20 GHz.

Order either 4-port (opt.400) or 6-port

(opt.600) option of M980xA PXI VNA to

configure DRA.)

62

Vector adapter

(M981XAS-750/751)

✓ Outputs either CW (for network analysis) or

modulated signal (for MOD analysis) from a

single common port

✓ S-parameter frequency: 100 MHz to

32/44/53 GHz

✓ MOD frequency: 22 GHz to 44 GHz

✓ Max 1.08 GHz BW (*)

✓ Fast setting time with solid-state

switches/attenuator

✓ Provides single-connection measurements

(Feb'21 release)

M981xAS-750/751 Block Diagram

M9810A

Vector ModulatorM9336A

AWG

I

Q

Ch 1+

Ch 2+

Ref

From M980xA

RF

OUTPUT

RF

INPUT

CW Signal

(From M980xA)

CW or modulated

signals

(To DUT’s input)* Max bandwidth of option 751 is frequency dependent. Max bandwidth is 500 MHz for

31.8 GHz to 37 GHz.

63Keysight Confidential

Gain over frequencyMatching

EVM + ACP

(100 MHz BW Modulation)

64

Note:

• Requires one S95551A/B software license on a host PC (i.e. PXI embedded controller) to enable the operation using multiple VNA modules.

• (S95551A/B is NOT required for the operation with ONE PXI VNA and multiple receivers.)

• Interconnect cable kit (Y1730A) is necessary to share signals among PXI VNAs and receiver modules.

+ ..

8 receivers

Rcv #

1

Rcv #

2

Rcv #

3

Rcv #

4

1

2

3

4

5

6

VN

A #

1

VN

A #

2

VN

A #

3

8-port VNA

7

8

VN

A #

4

Example)

65

• With vector correction, M981xAS provides excellent accuracy for EVM measurements.

• Conditions: Measured EVM of 11900B adapter (female-female, 2.4-mm connectors) using a compact waveform of

5G NR (8 usec period).

• With M9818AS with option 750. Noise bandwidth = 10 Hz. Receiver attenuator on port 1 & 2: 0 dB (output power

< -5 dBm), 20 dB (output power >= -5 dBm).

• 100 MHz bandwidth, 64QAM, 120 kHz SCS, 2,972 Number of tones.

-50 dB

(= 0.32%)

Ex.) DUT: Thru adapter between port 1 & 2

66

• Good correlation is observed between two VCA solutions, VXG + PNA-X and M981xAS.

Ex.) DUT: N4985A power amp, 5GNR 64QAM SCS 120 kHz (waveform period 8 us (compact)), 100 MHz modulation BW

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

EVM

[%

]

DUT’s output power [dBm]

28GHz 100MBW

VXG & PNA-X

Waltz

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

EVM

[%

]

DUT’s output power [dBm]

39GHz 100MBW

VXG & PNA-X

WaltzM9818AS w/ opt.750 M9818AS w/ opt.750

67

Keysight Confidential

• M980xA PXI VNA is faster than N5224/25B PNA for both narrow band and wide band measurements.

Narrow band (9 to 10 GHz) Wide band (10 MHz to 40/43.5 GHz)

Note:

• M980xA: 9 to 10 GHz, 1 MHz IFBW. Used with M9037A & M9019A, F/W rev. A.14.10.08

• N5224B/25B: 9 to 10 GHz, 600 kHz IFBW. (data sheet in June-20)

Note:

• M980xA: 10 MHz to 40 GHz, 1 MHz IFBW. Used with M9037A & M9019A, F/W rev. A.14.10.08

• N5224B/25B: 10 MHz to 43.5 GHz, 600 kHz IFBW. (data sheet in June-20)

68

• Optimized measurement

speed with PXI instruments

• Single-connection for network

analysis and MOD analysis

• Ideal for mass productions

High Throughput

• Low residual EVM with

vector correction

• Repeatable and

correlated results with

proven PNA-X solution

Excellent accuracy

• Lower cost of test than

multiple-instruments

solutions (VSG, VSA,

and VNA, etc.)

Lower-cost Solution

69

Web pages• Keysight PXI VNA Page: www.keysight.com/find/pxivna

• Keysight Vector Network Analyzer Page: www.keysight.com/find/na

Literatures• M981xAS PXI Vector Component Analyzer Data Sheet: 5992-3596

• M981xAS PXI Vector Component Analyzer Configuration Guide: 3120-1344

• M980xA PXIe Vector Network Analyzer Data Sheet: 5992-3596EN

• M980xA PXIe Vector Network Analyzer Configuration Guide: 5992-3597EN

• Keysight Vector Network Analyzer Selection Guide: 5989-7603EN

• ECal Module Technical Overview: 5963-3743E