How to Test Power Amplifiers with Modulated Signals

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ENA Vector Network Analyzer
+ ENA Vector Network Analyzer
ENA Vector Network Analyzer
+ ENA Vector Network Analyzer

Testing Power Amplifiers with Modulated Signals On a VNA

Testing a power amplifier (PA) with modulated signals to ensure compliance with 5G New Radio (NR) standards requires wideband, calibrated vector signal generation and signal analysis. A single testbed with a vector network analyzer (VNA), vector signal generator (VSG), and multiple measurement software applications provides fully-calibrated signal generation and analysis.

The measurement software applications enable accurate adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) and low residual error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements on the VNA. During testing, the engineer operates multiple measurement applications without changing the configuration of the test setup.

Power Amplifier Modulated Signal Test Solution

Testing power amplifiers for 5G compliance requires modulated signal stimulus. The Keysight ENA-X network analyzer, MXG signal generator, and modulation distortion software provide the vector-calibrated wideband signals necessary for high-fidelity measurements. The integrated upconverter at port 1 of the ENA-X upconverts the modulated signal from the MXG up to the maximum frequency of 44 GHz. The wide dynamic range and vector error correction of the ENA-X results in extremely low residual test-set EVM, yielding a complete picture of the PA's performance without test system interference. Measure EVM with optional demodulation — the MOD software decomposes the linear and nonlinear signal components with spectral correlation to characterize PAs up to 50% faster.
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Testing Power Amplifiers FAQs

In wireless communication systems, the power amplifier (PA) occupies the last stage of the transmission chain to supply required RF power to antennas. The PA plays an important role in determining the quality of the communication service with respect to signal quality and battery life.

The PA is also the most significant contributor to the quality of the RF chain in communication systems. Linearity is critically important in systems with high peak-to-average-power (PAPR) signals, as in modern wireless standards that use orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for the digital modulation scheme. The nonlinear response of the RF chain directly impacts error in the demodulation, leading to poor bit error rate. Additionally, nonlinearity can create spectral regrowth, causing interference in other bands, so maintaining the linearity of the RF chain is crucial for the quality of wireless communication. 

Yes, the same test setup can be used without changing the instrument configuration.

Yes, the ENA-X can characterize the linear and non-linear behavior of a variety of power amplifiers.

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