Measurement of ACLR with high dynamic range

In this paper a method to overcome the insufficient dynamic range of RF measurement instruments, i.e. signal generators and spectrum analyzers, for distortion measurements on feedforward and other highly linear amplifiers, is discussed. A circuit board is designed, built and verified. Its performance is found to be superior to traditional methods using filters, both from a technical performance and flexibility standpoint as well as from an economic view. ACLR measurements for WCDMA signals can be done well below −70 dBc using the produced circuit board.

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