A tough challenge for test engineers is explored in terms of test methods, pitfalls, and measurement errors. For the test engineer, RF and microwave power amplifier testing imposes unique challenges.

Previous installments of this article series discussed the need to verify SPICE model accuracy and how to measure the output impedance, small-signal bandwidth, and input-referred errors of operational ...

In a world of tight timelines and ever-increasing performance requirements, it’s critical to create circuit designs right the first time; thus, engineers in the analog and mixed-signal industry often ...

The FFT from the amplifier output is nice and clean with 2 nd harmonic down -109dB below the fundamental when driven with 2Vrms on the analog inputs. Curious when the same test was repeated with a ...

Low-frequency signals appearing on the power lines—so what? The level is low relative to the primary power for an AC-powered device. And DC-powered systems are designed to function with wide variance ...