Keysight Technologies, Inc., a test and measurement equipment provider, has enhanced its performance network analyzers (PNA and PNA-X) to deliver greater flexibility and accuracy while speeding and simplifying required measurements.
Network analyzers are indispensable test instruments in the radio frequency and microwave industry. They provide measurement capabilities to characterize a wide range of devices, components, and systems. However, measurements for active devices — including noise figure, gain compression and IMD — can be complex, especially on modern high-frequency devices.
Keysight’s enhanced PNA and PNA-X network analyzers contain a proprietary low-spurious direct digital synthesis (DDS) source, enabling customers to take accurate measurements with less phase noise interference. With the clean source signals, customers can perform two-tone IMD measurements with close tone spacing previously only possible with high-performance analog signal generators.
The new DDS sources also enhance the performance of a wide range of software applications, including modulation distortion, SMC with phase, and I/Q converter measurements to provide exceptional speed in mixer/frequency converter characterization. Offering a third radio frequency (RF) source up to 13.5 GHz on the PNA-X simplifies measurement setup by taking the place of an external signal generator to drive local oscillators.
“Keysight understands that when engineers are characterizing complex active devices, it can take days,” stated Joe Rickert, VP and GM of high frequency measurement R&D for Keysight’s communications solutions group. “Our new PNA family delivers the right mix of speed and performance to reduce these test times, enabling faster insight with simplified measurement setups and the accuracy they need to improve their designs.”
Keysight’s PNA (high performing, cost effective network analyzer) and PNA-X (an integrated and flexible single-connection microwave test engine for measuring active devices) provide the following key customer benefits:
- Simplified test stations by replacing racks and stacks of equipment
- Reduced test time with a wide range of single-connection measurement applications
- Accurate linear and nonlinear device characterization using advanced error correction
- Accelerated insight into component behavior using a multi-touch display and intuitive user interface
Commenting on an example of Keysight’s new PNA capabilities, “I am extremely pleased to see the results of Keysight’s new PNA-X network analyzer on phase and group delay measurements,” stated Antonella Di Pace, test engineer at Viasat Inc. “The improvements implemented by Keysight are truly amazing and address my needs without question.“
