How to Measure Wideband Power Amplifier Error Vector Magnitude

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Network Analyzer
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Network Analyzer
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Reveal Wideband Power Amplifier Distortion

Error vector magnitude (EVM) is a key performance metric in power amplifier (PA) testing because it reveals how amplifier nonlinearity degrades modulation quality and affects transmitted signal fidelity. PA designers must constantly balance two competing goals: maximizing linearity while maintaining high efficiency. That tradeoff becomes even more difficult with wideband modulated signals, where conventional narrowband methods can miss distortion behavior that matters under real operating conditions, especially at RF and mmWave frequencies.

Accurate wideband PA distortion analysis requires combining a vector network analyzer (VNA) with a vector signal generator (VSG) and using frequency-domain spectral correlation to isolate distortion added by the device under test (DUT) from imperfections in the stimulus path. The method delivers a more accurate and repeatable view of DUT-contributed EVM than standard approaches, while also enabling consolidated adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR), noise power ratio (NPR), and band-power analysis in a single setup for R&D, design verification testing (DVT), and higher-throughput wideband PA validation.

Wideband Power Amplifier Error Vector Magnitude Characterization Solution

Characterize power-amplifier EVM under wideband modulation using a VNA-based modulation distortion setup designed for realistic, repeatable signal analysis. The method pairs the Pro Vector Network Analyzer with the Pro Vector Signal Generator to create a repetitive, statistically representative wideband stimulus, then applies vector calibration and spectral-correlation analysis to separate DUT-added nonlinear distortion from stimulus-path impairments. This approach provides a more accurate view of amplifier-contributed modulation error than conventional techniques while supporting consolidated EVM, ACPR, and NPR measurement in one setup. It is well suited for R&D, design verification, and efficient validation of wideband power amplifiers operating at RF and mmWave frequencies.
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Wideband Power Amplifier Error Vector Magnitude Characterization Solution Block Diagram

Wideband PA EVM Solution Block Diagram

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