This chapter presents some background information needed to understand the fundamental math and physics involved with measuring RF devices. After a subject is discussed, the instructor will demonstrate how it applies to the RI test system. The goal of this chapter is to provide you with a concrete understanding on how the RI architecture achieves it's high performance. For example, RI ATE Systems provide high speed, high accuracy S Parameter measurements, measuring all four S Parameters in less than 250 μsec with approximately 34 dB of residual directivity and tracking errors less than ± 0.1 dB and ± 1.0° at the RF port connections.
RI System Basic Measurements
S Parameters Intermod Distortion
RF Power 3rd Order Output Intercept
Noise Figure / Noise Power Isolation
Spectral Purity DC Voltage & DC Current
Gain Compression DC to RF Efficiency
Conversion Gain I&Q Amplitude
Phase Group Delay
The RI ATE Systems perform all of the basic measurements listed above very quickly. Each of these fundamental measurements and their unique paths from each TIM through the Fixture will be discussed in this chapter.
The system verifies major component functionality at start-up and by performing a receiver self calibration every 20 minutes.