APPLICATION NOTE # 37 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TESTING WITH S SERIES MICROWAVE POWER AMPLIFIERS

AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation offers a broad range of power amplifiers covering DC to 45 GHz with output power ranging from 1 to 10,000 watts. While applications include Electromagnetic Compatibility testing (EMC), RF component testing, physics (plasma generation) and chemistry (mass spectroscopy) applications, military (jammers, radar), material testing (ultrasound), medical diagnostic testing (NMR, MRI) and general lab use, this applications note focuses on a line of amplifiers that has been optimized for wireless telecommunications test use.1 The last two decades have seen an explosion in the use of wireless telecommunication. From the first cellular telephone system, the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) introduced by AT&T in 1983 to the personal communications services (PCS) that are currently in vogue, telecommunications test system demands for ultra-linear test amplifiers have never been greater. An additional requirement of a test amplifier is broadband frequency coverage. Table 1 lists the frequency ranges for both cellular and PCS wireless telecommunications systems, Bluetooth, and the latest 50MHz block of frequency spectrum allocated for commercial wireless services by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).2 This table clearly shows a significant frequency spread from 825MHz to 3.7GHz. AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation has answered the need for wide-band linear test amplifiers by developing the S series of Class-A linear microwave amplifiers optimized for telecommunications testing. With maximum bandwidths from 800 MHz to 4.2 GHz, the S series provides testing margin on either side of the wireless frequency allocation spectrum. Wireless System Analog Cellular Telephones (AMPS) Digital Cellular Telephones Digital Cellular Telephones Personal Communications Systems (PCS) Bluetooth Future Systems 2
Table 1

Frequency Allocation 824-894 MHz 824-894 MHz Low Band 1710-1880 MHz High Band 1850-1990 MHz 2400-2497 MHz 3650-3700 MHz

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In addition to covering a broad frequency spectrum, wireless applications require amplifiers that are very linear. An ideal amplifier would faithfully reproduce the applied input signal without adding additional frequencies (spurious) to the output signal. Unfortunately, real amplifiers are characterized by some degree of nonlinearity. While design engineers strive to develop linear amplifiers, they are limited by, at the very least, the inherent non-linearierites of the diode junctions that comprise many of the active devices found in most amplifiers. This would not be a serious problem for a single frequency application, but the very nature of telecommunications suggests more than one signal, or tone, be applied to the amplifier. The result of applying two or more tones to real amplifiers that exhibit a degree of non-linearity is intermodulation distortion (IMD). IMD is nonlinear distortion characterized by the appearance of signals at the output of the device that are linear combinations of the fundamental frequencies and all harmonics present at the input of the amplifier. The signals produced are often referred to as the sum and difference products, and are defined by a power series expansion of the output device collector current. The unwanted frequencies are given by the expression fs = r Mf1 r Nf2, where fs = the spurious response frequency, M & N = positive integers t1, f1 = the frequency of tone 1, f2 = the frequency of tone 2. The order of the product is M+N.
(Eq. 1)

Figure 1 graphically shows the output of a typical amplifier that includes the desired fundamental signals f1 & f2, as well as the spurious products created by intermodulation distortion.

Po @ 1dB Compression

Fundamental Tones and Intermodulation Products

It is apparent from Figure 1 that the third order intermodulation products (2f1-f2) and (2f2-f1) are the most significant contributor to distortion in that they are very near the fundamental tones and thus, are not readily filtered out as is the case of the third order intermodulation products (2f1+f2 and 2f2+f1) and the second order intermodulation products (f1-f2, 2f1, f1+f2 and 2f2).

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Figure 1 also describes a relatively straightforward and widely accepted method of testing amplifier linearity. With this so-called two-tone method, two closely spaced fundamental signals (tones) are applied to the test amplifier. While the levels are often set at 6dB below the 1dB compression point, AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation prefers to reduce the level of the two fundamental tones by 10dB to preclude any possibility of gain saturation during the brief periods when the tones are in phase and the peak envelope power (PEP) is 6dB above the level of either tone. By operating 10dB down from the 1dB compression point, 4dB of compression margin is assured. The amount of intermodulation distortion is given as 3IM and is by definition the level of the two close-in third order intermodulation products relative to the two fundamental tones f1 & f2 . A more convenient method of defining amplifier linearity is the so-called third order intercept point (IP3). This method relies on a figure of merit that is determined by graphical extrapolation of amplifier data taken well below saturation.

IP3
Output Power @ 1dB Compression Point

f1 & f2 response (m=1)

2f1-f2 & 2f2-f1 IM3 products (m=3)

Input Level in dBm

Figure 2 is a plot of the output Vs input transfer function of the hypothetical amplifier whose spurious response is shown in the frequency plot of Figure 1. Note that the desired fundamental Rev 042104 outputs (f1 & f2) describe a function with a slope of one (m = 1). The output level continues to increase with an increase of input power until a point is reached where output device current limiting results in a gradual roll-off of output power. The point at which the fundamental output differs from the ideal level by 1dB is defined as the 1dB compression point. The third order intermodulation products are also plotted in Figure 2. They are much smaller than the fundamental tones, but have a slope of three (m = 3). The IP3 is a theoretical point obtained by extending the two functions until they intersect. At this point the spurious third order intermodulation products have reached the level of the fundamental output tones. It must be noted that IP3 is not a measured value, but derived graphically. Amplifier test data is taken well below the 1dB compression point to establish the two curves (fundamental and the third order intermodulation curve) and the curves are extended until they intersect. The intersection point is by definition the third order intercept point (IP3). In practice, amplifiers reach total saturation long

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before the two curves converge. Nevertheless, IP3 is a useful figure of merit. What is particularly interesting is its relationship with actual power levels as seen in the following equation: IP3 = Power(f1 & f2) + 3IM 2 ,
(Eq. 2)

where Power(f1 & f2) = the power in each fundamental signal, f1 & f2. (Note that f1 = f2) In actual practice, to measure 3IM, the two fundamental tones are set at a level of 10dB below the 1dB compression point of the amplifier. Thus, Power(f1 & f2) = Po (@ 1dB compression) 10dB, where Po is the output power at the 1dB compression point the amplifier. Solving Eq. 2 for the third order intermodulation distortion, 3IM = 2(IP3 Power(f1 & f2))
(Eq. 3)

The above equations allow for the practical application of IP3 to real life system requirements. Data sheets generally provide IP3 values for linear amplifiers. Given an IP3, test operators can predict the third order intermodulation products (IM3) for a given output power, or conversely, can specify a required IP3 for a required output power and allowable distortion (3IM). Lacking manufactures IP3 data, a rule of thumb for a Class A linear amplifier is that IP3 is approximately 10dB greater than the 1dB compression point. Table 2 summarizes the output power specs and actual IP3 for the S series microwave amplifiers, as well as the predicted IP3 for a typical Class A linear amplifier. Note that the actual IP3 figures are on average 4dB better than expected. AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation has worked closely with telecommunications providers to develop this line of microwave amplifiers that have been optimized for wireless test applications. Proprietary techniques have been developed to improve noise and linearity to decrease adjacent channel interference or what is commonly referred to as adjacent channel power (ACP). The end result is more efficient use of the small slices of frequency spectrum used in the analog FDMA, the digital TDMA and GSM multiple access technologies and less spectrum regrowth when applied to spread spectrum technologies used in CDMA and W-CDMA. Spectrum utilization is of paramount importance in wireless applications and spurious signals that reduce the available spectrum must be minimized. Irrespective of the multiple-access encoding scheme used, IP3 is a good predictor of linearity as well as spectrum regrowth (3), and thus, it can be used to determine the applicability of a particular amplifier for use in a wireless test application.

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Model 1S1G4A 5S1G4 10S1G4A 15S1G3 25S1G4A 30S1G3 50S1G4A 60S1G3 100S1G4 120S1G3 200S1G4 240S1G3 400S1G4 450S1G3 540S1G4 600S1G3 700S1G4 800S1G3

Bandwidth 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz 0.8 4.2 GHz 0.8 3 GHz

Power Out
(1dB Compression)

Power Out
(3dB Compression)

Predicted IP3 * 38 47 50 51 53 54 56 57 58 60 62 62 65 65 66 67 68 68

Actual IP3 39 49 52 53 57 58 60 60 64 64 65 65 66 67 67 67 68 68

0.7 watts 5 watts 10 watts 12 watts 20 watts 25 watts 40 watts 50 watts 70 watts 100 watts 160 watts 180 watts 320 watts 340 watts 430 watts 460 watts 575 watts 600 watts
Table 2

1 watt 6.5 watts 13 watts 15 watts 25 watts 30 watts 50 watts 60 watts 90 watts 120 watts 180 watts 200 watts 365 watts 370 watts 485 watts 500 watts 645 watts 675 watts

* Predicted IP3 is the figure one would expect given a typical Class A linear amplifier. Based on an industry rule-of-thumb, it is arrived at by adding 10dB to the 1dB compression point of the amplifier.

In summary, the S series microwave amplifiers exhibit low noise and distortion characteristics required of wireless test amplifiers. The very broad frequency band address all the higher frequency wireless applications from cellular telephone to the emerging Bluetooth technology to the latest 50MHz slice of spectrum that has extended wireless to 3700MHz. In addition to an average IP3 improvement of 4dB designed into these amplifiers, the unique circuit design of the S series has been shown to yield an additional 3dB improvement in IP3 when a very simple operational technique is applied. This technique in effect results in a degree of predistortion of the input signal. Contact Application Engineering at 800-933-8181 for details.
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The term wireless communications encompasses a number of applications. In addition to analog and digital cellular telephone service, wireless includes the new personal communications services (PCS), analog and digital cordless telephones, pagers, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), wireless local area networks (LANs), Satellite television, garage door openers, remote controllers and the new Bluetooth technology used to interconnect a wide range of computing and telecommunications devices via a low power short-range rf link. From the Federal Communications Commission News Release: FCC ALLOCATES ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM FOR WIRELESS SERVICES, dated October 24, 2000. Q. Wu, H. Xiao and F. Li, Linear RF Power Amplifier Design for CDMA Signals: A Spectrum Analysis Approach, Microwave Journal, December 1998, pp. 22-40.

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