Mixed mode hybrid harmonic load pull system

1 . A hybrid load pull test system comprising:

a main frame and a harmonic extension module,

wherein,

the main frame comprises two remotely controlled synchronized signal sources generating RF signal at a frequency Fo, a first signal source and a second signal source, and at least one power amplifier having an input port connected to the second signal source and an output port;

and wherein,

the harmonic extension module comprises a test and an idle port linked using a low loss transmission airline with an axial slot (slabline), a bi-directional signal coupler having an input, an output, a coupled and an isolated port, three remotely controlled carriages, a first carriage placed closest to the test port, a second carriage and a third carriage, all moving along the slabline each holding at least one remotely controlled reflective tuning probe (slug) perpendicularly insertable into the slabline;

and wherein

the tuning probe(s) controlled by the first carriage cover a frequency range not lower than 3Fo and have shorter length along the slabline than the tuning probes controlled by the second and third carriages, which cover a frequency range not above 2Fo;

and wherein

the test port is connected to a device under test (DUT), the input port of the bi-directional signal coupler is connected to the test port, the output port of the bi-directional signal coupler is connected to the slabline of which the idle port is connected to the output port of the power amplifier;

and wherein

the coupled and isolated ports of bi-directional signal coupler are connected to an external harmonic receiver.

2 . The bi-directional signal coupler of the harmonic extension module of the hybrid load pull test system of claim 1 being incorporated into the slabline.

3 . The reflective tuning probes (slugs) of the harmonic extension module of the hybrid load pull test system of claim 1 having parallelepiped shape with a length along the slabline, a thickness allowing slide fitting into the slot and a bottom shape mirroring a center conductor of the slabline.

4 . A system controller for the hybrid load pull test system of claim 1 retrieving forward and reverse travelling wave information at a DUT reference plan from the harmonic receiver and directing the second signal source, in combination with the settings of the tuning probes, to create a desired reflection factor at the DUT reference plan.

5 . The synchronized signal sources of the main frame of the hybrid load pull test system of claim 1 being capable of generating a signal at frequencies F between a frequency F=F1 and a frequency F=F2≥F1,

wherein

the tuning probes controlled by the first carriage cover a contiguous frequency band

between a frequency F not below F=3F1 and a frequency F above at least F=3F2, and wherein

the tuning probes controlled by the second and third carriages cover a contiguous

frequency band between a frequency F below F=F1 and a frequency F not above F=2F2.

6 . The hybrid load pull test system of claim 5 ,

wherein,

each carriage controls two tuning probes a first tuning probe and a second tuning probe, and wherein,

the first tuning probe of the first carriage covers a frequency band between F≥3F1 and F≤F4, and

the second tuning probe of the first carriage covers a frequency band between F>F4 and F≥3F2,

wherein 3F1<F4≤3F2;

and wherein,

the first tuning probe of the second and third carriage covers a frequency band between F≤F1 and F≥F3, and

the second tuning probe of the second and third carriage covers a frequency band between F≤F3 and F≥2F2,

wherein F1<F3≤2F2.