IQSTAR WaveGuide Amplifier Setup



IQSTAR Waveguide Power Amplifier setup has been designed to characterize a 50Ohms Waveguide Amplifier. Different combination of instruments allow to perform several kind of measurement in scalar measurements setup. Below are presented a none exhaustive list of the combinations of instruments available:

Scalar Measurements

  • 1-Tone Application

    This configuration allows to perform 1-Tone CW or Pulsed (using Pulsed power meter) measurements. The measured parameters are : Pin_available, Pout, Gt, Transducer Efficiency, … only at fundamental frequency



    It is possible to add a third power meter to measure reflected power at the input (see figure above) and extract additional parameters like: IRL, Pin deliverd PAE, Gp... To learn more see : 1-Tone Data.
    By adding a VSA, it is possible to measure the output spectrum or the output spurious:

    Regarding themeasurement selected, a new trace will be available at the output (Spectrum trace or Spurious trace).
    Note: Several Up converter & Down converter configurations are available (Mixer Mode or Multiplier/Divider Mode). This offer a large flexibility in term of LO Source configuration :
    • Multiplier and/or Divider mode:


    • Mixer Mode with LOsource shared by RFsource & VSA:


    • Mixer Mode with two individual LOsource respectively used for RFsource & VSA:


    • 2-Tone Application

      This configuration allows to perform CW or Pulsed 1-Tone and/or 2-Tone measurements on top of all the possible measurements described in the 1-Tone application section above. The additional measured parameters are : IMDx, OIPx, IIPx … To learn more see : 2-Tones Data.
      Note: In this case, the absolute average power values (Pin_available, Pout, Gt …)are measured through the power sensor, whereas the relative figure of merit as IMDx, OIPx, IIPx are measured through the Spectrum or VSA. As the power sensors are wideband receivers, isn't possible to measure separetly the powers at f1 & f2, therefore no 2-tones balance optimization can be done.
    • Modulated Signal Application

      This configuration allows to perform 1-Tone measurements and Modulated signal analysis in CW or Pulsed (using Pulsed power meter). The measured parameters are : Pin_available, Pout, Gt, Transducer Efficiency, ACPR, PAPR, AMAM/AMPM dynamic (depending on the VSA and VSG used) … only at fundamental frequencyTo learn more see Modulated Data.