National Instruments PXIe-5665 RF vector signal analyser

National Instruments has introduced the PXIe-5665, a 3.6 GHz RF vector signal analyser that delivers RF performance in a PXI form factor.

The analyser features phase noise, average noise level, amplitude accuracy and dynamic range, and its PXI platform also facilitates peer-to-peer streaming including a flexible multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) architecture for phase-coherent measurements and measurement speeds that are at least five times faster than traditional rack-and-stack instruments.

The instrument combines the PXIe-5603 downconverter with the PXIe-5653 local oscillator synthesiser and the PXIe-5622, a 150 MS/s intermediate frequency digitiser to create a solution for spectrum and wideband vector signal measurements over a frequency range from 20 Hz to 3.6 GHz with analysis bandwidths up to 50 MHz.

The device features a low phase noise of -129 dBc/Hz at a 10 kHz offset at 800 MHz, an average noise level of -165 dBm/Hz, a third-order intercept point of +24 dBm and absolute amplitude accuracy of ±0.10 dB.

For modulated signal analysis, the analyser’s onboard self-calibration tool makes it possible to achieve an IF amplitude response of ±0.15 dB and IF phase linearity of ±0.1°. This accuracy facilitates an error vector magnitude performance of less than 0.21% for a 256-QAM signal.

The flexible, modular architecture expands to provide phase-coherent acquisition for MIMO test, as well as a 20 GHz/s scan rate and peer-to-peer streaming for spectrum monitoring.

Engineers can operate the instrument using its RF list mode function to step through a user-defined set of RF configurations using internal timing or an external trigger to reduce test time.