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Signal Optimizer Software K3101A

Technical Overviews

  •  Perform versatile, task-based calibration for 5G and wideband test systems
  •  Measure true characteristics of a device-under-test (DUT) by establishing independent calibration reference planes at the input and the output of the DUT
  •  Create and apply transmitter corrections to waveform files from Keysight Signal Studio and other software tools
  •  Run a calibration to obtain correction file for receiver hardware and apply to any Keysight 89600 VSA software measurements
  •  Navigate block diagram-based user menu to configure the signals, source hardware, analyzer hardware and measurements easily and quickly

Build Confidence into your Wideband System

Developing a reliable test system with optimum performance is essential — but calibrating wideband channel at RF, centimeter wave (cmWave) and millimeter wave (mmWave) is often a challenge. Keysight’s Signal Optimizer is a versatile calibration software for 5G and wideband test system.

It integrates measurement science and system calibration into an all-in-one task-based interface to confidently validate wide bandwidth high frequency designs used in 5G, automotive radar, satellite, aerospace and defense applications. Use Signal Optimizer and build confidence into your wideband system today.

Wideband Calibration (K3101A)

Signals at cmWave and mmWave frequencies often have bandwidths up to 2 GHz and beyond. Performing amplitude and phase flatness calibrations at these frequencies and bandwidths can be quite challenging due to low signal-to-noise (SNR), distortion or IQ modulator errors.

Calibration to the device under test (DUT) plane

In any test system, the ability to achieve instrument-port accuracy at the DUT plane will enhance measurement accuracy and repeatability. Most measurement setups do not allow connecting a DUT directly to test instrument front panel test ports. Instead, devices are connected to instruments via test fixtures, adapters, or cables.

The non-ideal nature of these test fixtures and cables degrade measurement accuracy and this is particularly true as we go high in frequency to cmWave and mmWave bands where signal losses are greater through transmission lines such as coaxial cable and waveguide.

For the highest measurement accuracy, measurements must be calibrated and most importantly have the reference plane at the place where the DUT is connected.

Keysight’s Signal Optimizer software enables vector calibration to the DUT input plane and DUT output plane separately allowing measurement of the true characteristics of the DUT.

Source and analyzer calibration setup

The Signal Optimizer's integrated Calibration Wizard helps make the complicated task of performing system calibration easier and simpler with step-by-step guided calibration of receiver and transmitter test environments so you can measure your devices with ease and confidence.

The calibration supports both single-point calibration as well as multi-point or batch calibration. The batch calibration allows users to build a list of frequency, bandwidth and amplitude points manually or by loading a set of points from a user-created or previously saved .csv file.

The Calibration Wizard will cycle through the points as it performs the batch calibration and generates a set of correction files. Once the correction files are generated, the software automatically selects the right correction file based on the operating conditions.

Analyzer calibration

For analyzer vector calibration, a Keysight U9391 comb generator is used. The comb generator is a universal receiver system calibrator which is easily injected at the desired calibration plane.

CW tones of known amplitude and phase are generated and the CW tones are measured in the receiver and compared to the known amplitudes and phases. Using this information, a filter is designed and applied to the measured signal to compensate for the differences measured.

To avoid the calibration signal aliasing, the calibration detects and reconfigures the calibration measurement and the result is shown in the Alias Detection Spectrum graph.

The software also provides other performance checks to ensure high quality calibration, including a user-settable validation threshold for IF magnitude ripple, SNR check of calibration signal and a status indicator for successful calibration of each point.

A correction file is then created and saved for each successful calibration point. These files can be easily applied to measurements to correct for the impairments in the signal acquisition setup under those operating conditions. Calibration data are also stored and easily recalled to be used at later times.

Source calibration

For source (transmitter) calibration, a Keysight proprietary calibration waveform with known amplitude and phase characteristics is used. The output signal is measured using a golden receiver, such as the calibrated analyzer mentioned earlier.

The measured signal is compared with the signal of the known amplitude and phase. Using this information, a filter is designed and applied to the baseband data to pre-correct the waveform.

Usually there are controls available at baseband or at the IQ modulator to modify gain between I and Q and also the quadrature. What is different with Signal Optimizer is these settings apply over the whole BW of the signal of interest and the gain and phase imbalances vary as a function of frequency.

The yellow trace in each graph represents the raw performance of the source, while the green trace shows the result with pre-corrections applied. The ideal response is shown in gray, but may be difficult to see behind the optimized green trace.

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