Keysight Technologies

Bill Blakely
• Generating Signals
• Basic CW signal
• Block diagram
• Applications
• Analog Modulation
• Types of analog modulation
• Block diagram
• Applications
• Digital Modulation
• Overview of IQ modulation
• Block diagram
• Applications

Signal Generation and Digital Modulation Fundamentals 2

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 Voltage
Voltage
Time Frequency

Oscilloscope Spectrum Analyzer

RF Microwave Millimeter

6 GHz 20-70 GHz 300 GHz

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 Synthesizer Section Output Section

Frac-N

ALC Output
Modulator Attenuator

f
Phase
Detector VCO

ALC
divide Driver
by X
Reference ALC Detector
Oscillator
Reference Section ALC = automatic level control

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 Input Tune
Voltage
Voltage-Controlled Oscillator (VCO)

Tuning Range: Output Frequency

Range
Frequency

Tuning Gain: V / Hz

VCO Slope: F for V

Voltage Phase-Noise: dBc/Hz

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Reference Signal VCO

Phase Loop
Detector Amp/Filter
Error Tune
Voltage Voltage

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F R E Q U E N C Y, A M P L I T U D E , A N D S P E C T R A L P U R I T Y

Frequency • Frequency: range, resolution,

Power
Uncertainty
accuracy, switching speed
• Amplitude: range, resolution,
accuracy, switching speed,
reverse power protection
Frequency
• Spectral purity: phase noise,
spurious, harmonics,
subharmonics
Power

Amplitude
Uncertainty

Frequency

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 CW output

Phase Harmonic spur

Sub-harmonics noise ~30dBc from non-linear
from multipliers used (dBc/Hz) components
to extend the Non-harmonic spur
from LO’s
frequency output from power supplies and
other contributors

Broad Band Noise Floor

Thermal noise of source
0.5 f0 f0 2f0

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R AD AR / E L E C T R O N I C WAR FAR E E X AM P L E

Spurious signal Radar/Electronic Warfare Example

Transmitter
signal
Return signal (-85 dBm) False target/threat detection & interference

Satellite Example
Spurious signal – Very small received signal (-130 dBm)
In channel receiver interference degrades
jam yourself
sensitivity and range

Spurious signal – Small received signal (-50 dBm) Cellular Example

jam your neighbor
Out of channel interference pollutes neighbors
receiver sensitivity & degrades range and data
rates
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Phase Noise

Phase noise can prevent resolution of unequal signals.

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 Absolute SSB Phase Noise
at 10 GHz in dBc/Hz
-30

-40

-50

-60

-70

Reference
-80

Oscillator
-90

-100
Noise PLL BW
-110

-120
Phase
-130
detector
-140 noise
-150 Broadband noise VCO noise
-160 floor, thermal
-170
1 10
noise of
100
source
1k 10k 100k 1M 10M 100M

f(Hz)

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Antenna
Simplified Receiver Block Diagram

ADC
ADC FPGA

Local Clock Clock

Oscillator In In
In

MXG DDS
Ref out
Ref In

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USING A POWER SENSOR

Calibration

Amplifier Attenuator

U2000B USB
Power Sensor
Pin Pout

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐵 = 10 log
𝑃𝑖𝑛

𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐵 = 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝐵𝑚 − 𝑃𝑖𝑛 (𝑑𝐵𝑚)

𝑃𝑖𝑛 = 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑟 (𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠)

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✓Generating Signals
✓Basic CW signal
✓Block diagram
✓Applications
• Analog Modulation
• Types of analog modulation
• Block diagram
• Applications
• Digital Modulation
• Overview of IQ modulation
• Block diagram
• Applications

Signal Generation and Digital Modulation Fundamentals 15

. . . W H E R E T H E I N F O R M AT I O N R E S I D E S

𝐴 𝑡 sin[2𝜋𝑓 𝑡 + Φ]

AM, Pulse
FM, PM

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Baseband Signal

Amplitude (AM)

Frequency (FM)

Phase (PM)

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 Important Characteristics
Carrier for Amplitude Modulation
Modulation – Modulation frequency (rate)
depth %, dB – Depth of modulation (Mod Index)
– Distortion (%)
Voltage

Time

Modulation
frequency

Where are AM signals used?

– AM Radio
– Antenna scan
– ASK (early digital 100101)

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 V(t) = A cos[2πfct + βsin2πFmt]
β is the modulation index, where Important Characteristics
β = ΔFdev /Fm for Frequency Modulation
– Frequency Deviation (ΔFdev)
– Modulation Frequency (Fm)
– Accuracy
– Resolution
Voltage

– Distortion (%)
Time – Sensitivity (dev/volt)

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 V(t) = A cos[2πfct + β2πFmt]
Where β =Δθ, the peak phase deviation
Important Characteristics
for Phase Modulation
– Phase deviation (Δθ)
Voltage

– Modulation Rate (Fm)

Time – Accuracy

Where are PM signals used?

– PSK (early digital 1010)
– Radar (pulse coding)

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 Pulse Repetition
Interval (PRI) Important Characteristics
Rise time for Pulse Modulation
T – Pulse width (t)
– PRF (1/T)
– Duty cycle (t/T)
Voltage

On/Off ratio
– On/Off ratio (dB)
– Rise time (ns)

t 2/t
Time
Pulse Width 1/T 1/t
Where are Pulse Modulated
signals used?
– Radar

Power
– High Power Stimulus/Response
– Communications
Frequency

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A D D I N T E R N A L M O D U L AT I O N G E N E R AT O R

ALC Output
Modulator Attenuator
VCO
Pulse
Mod.

Freq.
Control ALC
Driver

FM, PM input AM input Pulse Mod input

LF Generator
FM AM Pulse
Reference Source Source Source
Oscillator

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 Receiver
In-channel signal
(modulated signal)

Required SG
Modulation Receiver
distortion
= Distortion % x 10-(margin(dB)/20)

Distortion
Level (dBm)

Frequency

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✓Generating Signals
✓Basic CW signal
✓Block diagram
✓Applications
✓Analog Modulation
✓Types of analog modulation
✓Block diagram
✓Applications
• Digital Modulation
• Overview of IQ modulation
• Block diagram
• Applications

Signal Generation and Digital Modulation Fundamentals 24

S I G N A L C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S A R E M O D I F I E D D I S C R E T E LY

Amplitude (ASK)

Frequency (FSK)

Phase (PSK)

Both Amplitude and Phase (QAM)

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S I M U L T A N E O U S M O D U L AT I O N O F T W O M O D U L AT I O N T Y P E S

Independent Amplitude and Integrated IQ Modulator

Phase Modulation
Q

I
Independent FM and
Pulse Modulation

32 QAM Constellation Diagram

FM during the pulse = chirp

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 Phase
0 deg Phase
0 deg
Magnitude Change Phase Change

0 deg

0 deg

Both Change Frequency Change

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 Q

{
Q-Value
Phase 0 deg
I

{
I-Value

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 Binary Data bit = 0,1 Transmission Bandwidth Required
Transmitting Digital Bits (f1 = 0, f2 = 1 )

f1
f(t) =
f2 2/ T
T 010101010
Main lobe width is 2 × Sample rate

Symbol = Groups/blocks of Bits Symbol Rate = Bit rate

2 bits/symbol (00 01 10 11) # bits per symbol
3 bits/symbol (000 001 …..)
4 bits/symbol (0000 0001 ..)

Symbol 1 (00)

f(t) = Symbol 2 (01)

Symbol 3 (10) 2/ S
Symbol 4 (11)
Main lobe width is 2 × Symbol rate
S
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Modulation Number of bits Transmission
Constellation
format per symbol bandwidth
Q

1 0
BPSK 1 I
F

01 Q 00

QPSK 2 I
11 10
F/2
Q 0000

16 QAM 4 I

F/4
Symbol Rate = #symbols/sec. (Hz)

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Q • IQ Modulation Bandwidth
• Frequency Response/Flatness
• IQ Quadrature Skew
• IQ Gain Balance
Phase 0 deg flatness
I

Fb
w

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 IQ inputs to produce
Modulated Carrier

Q
01 00
I:

RF
90 degree Carrier
phase shifter π/2 synthesizer I
section

Q: 11 10

– Good interface with digital signals and circuits

– Can be implemented with simple circuits
– Fast, accurate state change

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A D D I N G A N I Q M O D U L AT O R A N D B A S E B A N D G E N E R AT O R

I-Q Modulator Output

Synthesizer
VCO 90̊

Freq. ALC
Control Driver

Q
Pattern
DAC RAM and
I Symbol
Mapping
Reference DAC
Baseband Generator
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 DAC’s convert digital IQ signals
to analog IQ signals

Pattern RAM Symbol Mapping DAC I

Binary Info to and Baseband
be transmitted Filters Send to
Map to digital IQ Modulator
symbols then to
Digital I Q signals DAC Q

00 -> 1+j1
11000101101 01 -> -1+j1
01001011100 10 -> -1-j1
10101010
11 -> 1-j1

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• Combination of high performance modules
create uncompromising vector signal generator
performance in PXIe form factor
• M9316A Vector Modulator
• M9312A Source Output
• M9303A Synthesizer
• M9300 Reference

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 DUT
RF Baseband

DAC DSP

RF LO

Payload
Data
Amplitude

BER Spec Line

BER
Frequency

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 DUT
RF Baseband

In-channel signal DAC DSP

RF LO

Out-of-channel interferer
Payload Data

Level (dBm) IF Rejection Curve

Frequency

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ACPR

DUT
Spectral Output from Amplifier

ACPR of DUT

Input from Source

Spectral regrowth
ACP Margin

Margin (dB) 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15
Error contribution (dB) 3.0 2.5 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.2 0.4 0.2

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EVM

DAC

Q Q
Magnitude Error
Q (IQ error mag)

Error Vector
Magnitude
Test
Signal
I I
Θ
Ideal (Reference) Signal

Phase Error (IQ error phase)

I
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✓Generating Signals
✓Basic CW signal
✓Block diagram
✓Applications
✓Analog Modulation
✓Types of analog modulation
✓Block diagram
✓Applications
✓Digital Modulation
✓Overview of IQ modulation
✓Block diagram
✓Applications

Signal Generation and Digital Modulation Fundamentals 40

N9310A EXG MXG

M9380A M9381A M9383A

PSG UXG Signal Studio Software

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 A D D I T I O N A L I N F O R M AT I O N

• More Webcasts: www.keysight.com/find/WebcastSeries

• Signal Sources: www.keysight.com/find/sources
• Signal Analyzers: www.keysight.com/find/sa

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