Characterizing components at sub-THz frequencies without introducing error
As technology advances at an exponential rate, the importance of faster and more reliable communication networks is growing. While efforts are being made to implement the game-changing technology of 5G, researchers and developers are already working on its successor, 6G which will be substantially different. 6G wireless communication networks are expected to rely on extremely high frequencies above 100GHz to provide extreme bandwidths for carrying multiple gigabytes of data. Sub-THz frequencies can provide the bandwidth necessary to support the data rates required for emerging applications.
To realize the full potential of sub-THz bands in 6G it is necessary to build a component ecosystem like the ones available today for millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) frequencies.
Characterization of 6G components is critical to ensure their efficiency, reliability, and compatibility within the complex network infrastructure. This characterization requires more than S-parameters to be comprehensive and should include noise figure, gain compression, error vector magnitude, and other modulated measurements necessary to comprehensively predict component performance in a system.
The setup for 6G sub-THz component characterization requires instrumentation that can accurately perform S-parameter and modulated measurements at new 6G frequencies without introducing error. This requires a modulated wideband signal source and a vector network analyzer that can both perform S-parameter measurements and traditional modulated measurements. Both systems must be fully clock locked to reduce the phase noise at sub-THz frequencies. Finally, given the effects the test system and any fixtures can have on these sub-THz signals, source calibration is critical to ensure an ideal test signal at the input reference plane of the device under test (DUT).
Keysight’s component characterization solution includes the following products that work together to characterize sub-THz components and predict system performance with time and frequency domain measurements:
- 4-Port PNA-X Network Analyzer
- Test Set Controller
- Arbitrary Waveform Generator
- External Up and Downconverters
The following application note provides a comprehensive look at the function of Keysight’s 6G vector component analyzer, whose modulation bandwidth makes it the ideal choice for sub-THz communications system component design and characterization.
