Keysight has introduced a new phase noise measurement system for power users, which enables them to optimize and prove performance of new designs, meet operational requirements, as well as remain on schedule and on budget.
Phase noise is an unwanted phase modulation noise that emerges in nearly all radio frequency and microwave devices including oscillators, mixers, dividers, multipliers and amplifiers. Power users, including professionals responsible for developing high-performance aerospace and defense applications as well as cutting-edge device characterization for 5G and other wireless communication systems, need to validate the phase noise performance of their designs.
Keysight's new N5511A Phase Noise Test System (PNTS) models are available in three frequency ranges - from 50 kHz and going up to 3, 26.5, and 40 GHz with offsets from .01 Hz to 160 MHz internally. It can be configured for either single or dual-channel operation and offers the following key features:
- Flexible architecture for easy integration of external reference sources enabling users to select from a variety of commercially-available low-noise sources
- Phase detector (quadrature) technique maximizes dynamic range
- Best-in-class absolute and residual measurements on both continuous wave and pulsed signals
- Cross spectral averaging (cross-correlation) to measure noise approaching the limits of physics, down to the kT (–177 dBm/Hz) thermal noise floor, by removing uncorrelated noise between two channels and enabling users to see the real performance of their device under test
In terms of radio frequency and microwave design, less phase noise means more performance, and the new Keysight N5511A PNTS can help customers achieve that performance. Its flexible architecture lets customers integrate exceptional reference sources – theirs or ours – and confidently solve specific challenges faster.
The flexible and scalable architecture of Keysight's N5511A enables power users to:
- Confidently and quickly solve specific challenges in phase noise by removing uncorrelated reference noise, system noise and any additional uncorrelated noise from signal conditioning devices such as attenuators and amplifiers
- Generate faster measurements using hardware acceleration with fast Fourier transform (FFT) and cross-correlation in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), rather than software on a CPU
- Simplify set-up of residual measurements using the phase noise measurement interface (PNMI) accessory
- Stay ahead of the leading edge in metrology and calibration and adapt to future needs by upgrading from single channel to dual channel (for cross-correlation) and integrating other PXI modules for new functionality
Consisting of phase detector and data conversion modules housed in a custom, low-noise single PXIe mainframe four units (4U) high, the N5511A occupies minimal rack space. The system software included runs on an integrated PC controller using the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system.
Keysight is demonstrating the N5511A Phase Noise Test System at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2019, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Stand 606 from June 4 - 6.
Click here to see everything RF's live coverage of the event.
