Broadband RF microwave amplifiers are indispensable components in RF hardware circuits. The performance parameters of amplifiers such as gain, 1dB compression point, 3dB intermodulation and other conventional parameters are well known to engineers. With the development of technology, the 1dB compression point of amplifiers is getting higher and higher. If the 1dB compression point amplifier reaches 30dBm, then the test amplifier compression point requires a wider frequency band and higher input excitation power.

Saluki S1465 microwave signal generator ((H06 option) can accurately test the amplifier gain and 1dB compression point. S1465 microwave signal generator (1W high power option) high power output (typical value 1W), from 10MHz –  20GHz, has excellent power accuracy and 0.01dB power resolution.

Fig.1 S1465D+H06 Maximum Output Power

Fig.2 S1465D+H06 1W Output Stable Power Accuracy

Measurement Setup:

With the S1465 series high power option, you can test the amplifier gain and 1dB compression point. To ensure the accuracy of the test, the steps are as follows:

(1) The S1465 signal generator and the power meter are warmed up for at least 30 minutes;

(2) The power meter probe is connected to a power meter 50 MH calibration source for self-calibration of the power meter;

(3) The S1465 RF output is connected to the input of the amplifier under test, as the excitation signal of the amplifier, and the output of the amplifier is connected to the power meter probe to ensure the external power supply of the amplifier is stable;

(4) Set the frequency, power, and RF of the S1465;

(5) Change the output power of the S1465, the signal passes through the amplifier, and the power meter shows a year-on-year increase. The power meter reading minus the current S1465 set power value is the gain of the amplifier;

(6) Continue to increase the S1465 output power, the amplifier enters the nonlinear region, and its output power no longer increases linearly with the increase of input power, that is, the power on the power meter does not increase linearly year-on-year, when the gain drops to 1dB lower than the linear gain The reading on the meter is the 1dB compression point of the amplifier.

Fig.3 S1465D amplifier gain and 1dB compression point test

The advantage of this application is that it is suitable for high-low gain, high 1dB compression point amplifier test. The S1465 series high power option (H06) is used as the excitation signal to avoid the phenomenon that the excitation power of the amplifier is low and the high 1dB compression test condition cannot be satisfied.