Techniques for calibration and measurements of an E-band satellite communication (SATCOM) system
A system for providing efficient, reliable, and accurate calibration and measurements of a satellite communication (SATCOM) test system, especially in E-band frequencies where precision of measurement and calibration plays a large role in reliable communications at terabit data rates. The system may include a vector network analyzer (VNA), at 67 GHz operation, calibrated using SOLT-type calibrations. The vector network analyzer (VNA) may be communicatively coupled to a device under test (DUT) or system under test (SUT) to obtain calibration and measurement data. The system may also include a signal generator for generating at least one signal. The system may further include an active mixer communicatively coupled to the signal generator. The active mixer may up-convert the least one signal to E-band frequencies. In some examples, the vector network analyzer (VNA), the local oscillator (LO) signal generator, and the active mixer may be synchronized or phase-locked using a reference.
1. A system for calibration and measurement of a satellite communication (SATCOM) test system using E-band frequencies, comprising:
a vector network analyzer (VNA) calibrated using a calibration technique, wherein the vector network analyzer (VNA) communicatively coupled to a device under test (DUT);
a signal generator for generating at least one test signal; and
an active mixer communicatively coupled to the signal generator, wherein the active mixer up-converts the at least one test signal to E-band frequencies;
wherein the vector network analyzer (VNA), the signal generator, and the active mixer are synchronized using a reference.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vector analyzer (VNA) operates at 67 GHz.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calibration technique comprises a SOLT-type calibration technique that uses short, open, load, and through (SOLT) calibration standards.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device under test (DUT) comprises one or more network devices or systems used for broadband provisioning.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is a local oscillator (LO) signal generator that generates at least one local oscillator (LO) signal.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the active mixer is an active Ku-band mixer.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the active mixer up-coverts the at least one signal to E-band frequencies, up to 71-76 or 81-86 GHz, with low-loss, low-noise and high-dynamic range, and amplitude and phase flatness.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein active Ku-band mixer characteristics or settings used in up-conversion are automatically saved to a file in the vector network analyzer (VNA) and de-embedded from measured results.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization comprises phase-locking the vector network analyzer (VNA), the local oscillator (LO) signal generator, and the active mixer.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference used in synchronizing the vector network analyzer (VNA), the local oscillator (LO) signal generator, and the active mixer is an external precision 10 MHz or 100 MHz reference.
11. A method of providing calibration and measurements, comprising:
calibrating a vector network analyzer (VNA);
up-converting frequencies using an active mixer;
synchronizing the vector network analyzer (VNA), the active mixer, and a signal generator communicatively coupled to the active mixer using a reference; and
obtaining calibration and measurement data at a device under test.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vector analyzer (VNA) operates at 67 GHz.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vector analyzer (VNA) is calibrated using a SOLT-type calibration technique that uses short, open, load, and through (SOLT) calibration standards.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device under test (DUT) comprises one or more network devices or systems used for broadband provisioning.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the signal generator is a local oscillator (LO) signal generator that generates at least one local oscillator (LO) signal.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the active mixer is an active Ku-band mixer.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the active mixer up-coverts at least one signal to E-band frequencies, up to 71-76 or 81-86 GHz, with low-loss, low-noise and high-dynamic range, and amplitude and phase flatness.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
saving active Ku-band mixer characteristics or settings used in up-conversion to a file in the vector network analyzer (VNA); and
de-embedding the active Ku-band mixer characteristics or settings from measured results.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the synchronization comprises phase-locking the vector network analyzer (VNA), the local oscillator (LO) signal generator, and the active mixer, and wherein the reference used is an external precision 10 MHz or 100 MHz reference.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an executable stored thereon, which when executed instructs a processor to perform the following:
calibrating a vector network analyzer (VNA);
up-converting frequencies using an active mixer;
synchronizing the vector network analyzer (VNA), the active mixer, and a signal generator communicatively coupled to the active mixer using a reference; and
obtaining calibration and measurement data at a device under test.