Infiniium Oscilloscopes with 89600 VSA Software

Overview

This application note describes the characteristics, setup, and operation of an Infiniium Series oscilloscope and the 89600 VSA software to provide broadband vector signal analysis. By taking advantage of the layered architecture and extensive digital signal processing (DSP) routines of the 89600 VSA software, the oscilloscope becomes a “front-end” data acquisition subsystem for the 89600 VSA software. This hardware-software combination provides up to 110 GHz of analysis bandwidth. See Table 1 for the supported oscilloscope models and the corresponding analysis bandwidths. Appendix A contains suggestions for wideband downconverters.

The 8-bit or 10-bit, high sample rate analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in the Infiniium Series oscilloscopes produces the ultra-wide analysis bandwidths shown in Table 1. These bandwidths can provide a spurious-free dynamic range greater than or equal to 40 dB on most models. This is sufficient for 1.5 to 2% error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements in most cases. For spectrum measurements with a higher dynamic range, a traditional spectrum analyzer should be used.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• 89600 VSA software
• Required software revisions
• Install 89600 VSA software
• Hardware Configuration
• Operation
• Sampling Modes: Full Rate, Minimize, and User Rate
• Time and frequency span operating region
• Out-of-Band Alias Exposure Zones
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D
• Additional Resources

89600 VSA software

The 89600 VSA software is the heart of the ultra-broadband VSA and oscilloscope combination. This software provides flexible tools for analyzing and demodulating even the most advanced digital modulations, including those not defined by an established standard.

The 89600 VSA software makes measurements on signals in the time and frequency domains using either the baseband or IF zoom mode. In baseband mode, the analysis frequency range is from 0 Hz to the stop frequency. In IF zoom mode, the analysis frequency range is defined by a center frequency and span. There is also an I+jQ mode for analyzing two baseband quadrature channels. For supported 4-channel Infiniium oscilloscope models, the 89600 VSA software provides up to four channels of vector signal analysis or dual I+jQ capability. For supported 8-channel Infiniium oscilloscope models, the 89600 VSA software provides up to eight channels of vector signal analysis or quad I+jQ capability. Results for any mode can be displayed as magnitude or phase, in I/Q and several other formats. In addition, the 89600 VSA software provides a signal record feature for later playback and analysis.

With the optional digital demodulation, Option 89601AYAC, modulation quality measurements in the form of error vector magnitude (EVM) can be made on digital wireless communications signals with bandwidths of hundreds of MHz.

In addition, powerful diagnosis capabilities allow you to determine the exact impairments that cause a digitally modulated signal to fail quality standards. The features of the digital demodulator include variable-block-size signal acquisition, pulse burst edge search, synch word search, and a user-controllable adaptive equalizer.

User-selectable filter types include cosine (raised and square-root raised), Gaussian, lowpass, and user-defined. You can vary the filter alpha/BT shape factor. Supported modulation formats for both burst and continuous carriers include FSK, BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK, DQPSK, π/4DQPSK, 8PSK, QAM (16 to 1024), MSK, and more.

• For IEEE 8021.ax, 802.11ac, and 802.11n WLAN applications, 89601BHXC provide 2-, 3-, or 8-channel MIMO analysis which can be used with supported 2-, 4- or 8-channel Infiniium models. 
• LTE and LTE-Advanced modulation analysis is available with Option 89601BHGC for FDD and 89601BHHC for TDD signals. Infiniium oscilloscopes can be used for up to 8x8 MIMO and carrier aggregation. 
• 5G NR modulation analysis is available with option 89601BHNC for 5G NR signals. Infiniium oscilloscopes can be used up to 8x8 MIMO.