Broadband Time-Domain Measurement System for the Characterization of Nonlinear Microwave Devices With Memory
- Resource Type
- Periodical
- Authors
- Abouchahine, M.; Saleh, A.; Neveux, G.; Reveyrand, T.; Teyssier, J.-P.; Rousset, D.; Barataud, D.; Nebus, J.-M.
- Source
- IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Techn. Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on. 58(4):1038-1045 Apr, 2010
- Subject
- Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Time domain analysis
Microwave measurements
Microwave devices
Frequency
Circuit testing
Bandwidth
Broadband amplifiers
Power amplifiers
Amplitude modulation
Hardware
Broadband sub-sampling
GaN power amplifiers
memory effects
nonlinear microwave circuits
time-domain measurements
- Language
- ISSN
- 0018-9480
1557-9670
This paper describes a novel fully calibrated four channel broadband time-domain measurement system for the characterization of nonlinear microwave devices with memory. The hardware architecture of the proposed time-domain measurement system is based on a wideband sub-sampling principle. The sampling heads work at a high strobe signal repetition frequency that can be tuned between 357–536 MHz. We achieve a 40-GHz RF frequency bandwidth and a 160-MHz IF bandwidth. This instrument enables the measurement of carrier and envelope waveforms at both ports of nonlinear microwave devices driven by broadband modulated multicarriers. The test-bench is applied to the cross modulation characterization of a 15-W GaN HEMT CREE $S$-band power amplifier with memory due to different biasing circuit configurations. The amplifier under test is driven by the sum of a large-signal modulated carrier (double-sideband amplitude modulation at 3.6 GHz) and a small single-tone signal at a 110-MHz offset frequency. Our significant contribution comes from the capability of the measurement system to record the time-domain waveforms of several nonadjacent modulated signals on a similar time equivalent scale for different cases of memory effects of the power amplifier under test.