Basics of rf amplifier test with the vector network analyser

Evaluating S-parameters and other CW stimulus responses is essential for characterising rf amplifiers. An rf vector network analyser (VNA) plays a critical role for this purpose, and proper understanding of its measurement methodologies is crucial. Especially, the S-parameter measurement by applying high-power signals is a hot topic which is gaining a lot of interest not only in amplifier test applications but also in other general rf devices that operate at high powers, such as antennas, passive components, and HF/UHF-band RFIDs. This presentation describes fundamentals, practical methodologies, and tips for accurately measuring RF amplifiers with the RF VNA. The topics discussed include basic S-parameter measurements for extracting stability factors, P1dB measurements, high power S-parameter measurements, harmonic distortion measurements, power leveling for the device's input/output signals, and more. Who should attend? Researchers, design engineers, and test engineers who need to measure: •RF amplifiers (power amps, LNAs, MRI/NMR amps, high-gain amps, etc) •Other passive and active devices that need to be tested with high power (antennas, ceramic devices, SAW/RF MEMS devices, HF/UHF-band RFIDs, etc)