Keysight Technologies, Inc. introduces the new Iterative Learning Control (ILC) test method that significantly shortens Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) test times for power amplifiers.
Power amplifiers (PA) are a core component in wireless communication devices. Characterisation of these components is a critical but time-consuming task that can take hours or even days during the research & development (R&D) phase. By shortening the time it takes to complete the design and validation process, power amplifier manufacturers are able to accelerate their time-to-market.
Keysight meets this need by introducing the innovative ILC DPD test method that shortens DPD test time to minutes and accelerates R&D time from test validation to product design and optimisation. As a part of Keysight’s high frequency measurement solution portfolio, the ILC test method runs on the N9055EM0E Power Amplifier Measurement Application and uses the VXG Vector Signal Generator and PXA Signal Analyser to provide test performance for signal generation and analysis.
The ILC DPD test method offers the following benefits:
- Faster test speeds – Optimises the N9055EM0E software to reduce the characterisation of power amplifiers to minutes.
- Integrated user interface – Shows both pre-DPD and post-DPD measurement results in one screen for easier operation and integration when characterising a power amplifier with multiple test instruments.
- Measurement accuracy and performance – Provides performance when characterising power amplifier by removing the limitations of signal analyser and generator and determining the real-world performance of power amplifier designs.
Hexawave is to deploy the ILC test method to characterise its new HWA1330 5G gallium arsenide (GaAs) PA up to 4 watts in the 3.3 to 3.8 GHz frequency range. The ILC test method was critical in validating that the HWA1330 can meet design targets including more than 30% power added efficiency (PAE), 35.5 dB power gain, and below -50 dBc adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) at 100MHz bandwidth and 8.5dB peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) with DPD.
Mong Lin, president at Hexawave, says, “Power amplifiers are critical in communication systems. Our HWA1330 power amplifier is an industry leader and Keysight’s test method allows us to rapidly and reliably validate our 5G New Radio power amplifier designs to stay at the forefront of the industry.”
Peng Cao, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s wireless devices and solutions group, says, “Keysight is pleased to strengthen our technical leadership in power amplifier characterisation by introducing the new ILC DPD test method. It’s a great example of how our experts keep finding solutions to meet our customers’ testing challenges.”
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