Handset Antenna Test Solutions on Production Line

Keysight Technologies

Handset Antenna Test Solutions

Solution Brochure

Application Requirements

As standards for wireless communications increase, multiple antennas are now required to be installed in every handset. The type of the antenna varies, such as laser direct structuring (LDS), flexible printed circuit (FPC), or cable. To control the quality of these antenna products, antenna manufacturers are required to measure their return loss or VSWR during the manufacturing process.

Handset Antenna Test Challenges

As smartphone terminal shipments grow, high-volume production for handset antenna testing increases as well. Antenna manufacturers are experiencing increased pressure to reduce the cost-of-test and increase testing capacity without increasing factory space. Some manufacturers need the ability to test multiple antennas as many of the smartphone models are adopting in-molding antennas (IMA) that are embedded in the smartphone case. To achieve this, one would need to consider how to reduce the test cost for each test fixture (test station) and how to setup a low-cost multiport DUT test system.

Solutions

One low cost and effective solution would be to share a single test system with multiple test fixtures. We refer to this as a multi-site test system. You can connect either a single antenna test fixture or a multiport DUT test fixture by incorporating RF switches. Figure 1 shows a multiport and/or multi-site test system.

Keysight antenna test solutions provide:

• Up to 12 ports for multiport/ multi-site measurements
• Complete multi-site antenna test system, including a network analyzer, high reliability switches, and pass/fail test software
• Various frequency options help minimize the initial cost investment, and frequency upgrade options are available when higher frequencies are required
• USB foot switch can be used for measurement trigger

Keysight handset antenna test solutions include: the E5063A ENA series network analyzer bench-top systems and the M937xA PXI VNA based systems. The E5063A ENA solution supports up to 18 GHz with three frequency range options. The E5063A with Option 011 operates as a PCB analyzer that helps you troubleshoot FPC antenna device failures with impedance (TDR) measurement capability. The PXI VNA solution supports up to 26.5 GHz with six frequency range options, and the ability combine PXI VNA modules and switches in one chassis.

The reference solutions are provided with example software that is coded by VB.NET. The software runs on an external PC or on the E5063A ENA, and provides test operation features such as measurement and test limit setting, guided ECal operation, Pass/Fail indicator, and test report generation. This allows you to evaluate the system immediately and customize the operation and test report format to your specific needs. Figure 2 shows the software user interface.

Drive Down the Cost of Test

Keysight’s handset antenna test solutions are complete solutions for multiport or multisite antenna tests at an affordable price. Figure 3 shows the instrument cost and the cost per port (= Instrument cost / the number of test ports) for our systems described in Table 1. As the instrument cost does not vary much between a standalone VNA and a multiport/multi-site system, the cost per port is significantly decreased while increasing the number of test ports available. You can drive down the cost-of-test by adopting Keysight’s handset antenna test solutions.