Technical Overviews
Introduction
Phase Noise Measurement Application
In addition to a superior combination of speed, accuracy, flexibility, and dynamic range, the Keysight Technologies, Inc. X-Series signal analyzers offer the broadest set of measurement applications. The phase noise measurement application is an ideal tool for design verification and troubleshooting as well as production line testing. This application is built upon Keysight’s best-selling Option 226 phase noise measurement personality used in ESA and PSA spectrum analyzers and includes enhancements in measurement algorithms for optimized speed and dynamic range.
The phase noise measurement application is just one in a common library of more than 25 measurement applications in the Keysight X-Series, an evolutionary approach to signal analysis that spans instrumentation, measurements, and software. The XSeries analyzers and MXE EMI receiver, with upgradeable CPU, memory, removable solid-state drive, and I/O ports, enable you to keep your test assets current and extend instrument longevity. Proven algorithms, 100% code-compatibility, and a common UI across the X-Series create a consistent measurement framework for signal analysis that ensures repeatable results and measurement integrity so you can leverage your test system software through all phases of product development. In addition to fixed, perpetual licenses for our X-Series measurement applications, we also offer transportable licenses which can increase the value of your investment by allowing to you transport the application to multiple X-Series analyzers.
Phase Noise Measurement Overview
As wireless communication technologies evolve in the commercial and aerospace and defense industries, it is clear that the driver to meet demand for higher data rates, better spectrum efficiency, and lower power consumption is the digital technology, such as digital signal processing (DSP). It does not, however, devalue the importance of high-purity, highstability signals—signal stability is fundamental to successful modern digital wireless communication systems. Phase noise is still one of the most important characteristics when evaluating the short-term stability of a signal. Pressure to bring products to market more quickly than ever does not allow time for executing multiple measurements across several instruments. An accurate, fast, and easy-to-use phase noise measurement tool is critical in the R&D and manufacturing environments. A variety of measurement techniques have been developed to meet various requirements for phase noise measurements. The three most widely adopted techniques are: direct spectrum, phase detector, and twochannel cross-correlation. Among them, the direct spectrum technique is the simplest and perhaps oldest technique for making phase noise
measurements. Keysight’s X-Series phase noise measurement application is based on the direct spectrum technique. The most obvious advantage using the direct spectrum technique for phase noise measurements is that it can be realized with a general-purpose signal/ spectrum analyzer. However, the analyzer’s settings, such as resolution bandwidth (RBW) and internal phase noise optimization loops, will need to be adjusted based on offset frequency to achieve the highest measurement accuracy and speed. Manually implementing phase noise measurements with a signal analyzer can be tedious and time consuming. The X-Series phase noise measurement application automates the optimization processes for the signal analyzer settings with one-button measurements without user interference.
With the X-Series signal analyzers or MXE EMI receiver and the phase noise measurement application, you can easily perform phase noise analysis on various devices, such as local oscillators and signal sources. The analysis includes:
Measurement details
Log plot phase noise
Log plot measures SSB phase noise (in dBc/Hz) versus offset frequencies expressed in logarithmic scale. This allows you to view the phase noise behavior of the signal under test across decades of offset frequencies.
View the entire phase noise behavior across a wide range of offset fre-quencies (1 Hz to the difference between the maximum frequency of the analyzer and carrier frequency) and measure phase noise with a user-specified number of averages. Perform trace smoothing with user adjustable smoothing segment length. The log plot measurement function also includes:
After a particular frequency offset has been identified for further analysis, the spot frequency measurement provides the time domain behavior of phase noise at that particular offset.
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