The Aeroflex 3036 RF digitizer is designed to make UHF and microwave transceivers easier to test. The PXI format lowers cost and footprint. Designers can use it for both frequency and time-domain signal analysis to 13 GHz.

With each new generation, UHF and microwave radio testing gets more difficult, time consuming, and expensive. In fact, 4G cell phones and other advanced high-speed, wide-bandwidth wireless devices present the most challenges.

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Aeorflex’s 3036 RF digitizer module aims to solve those challenges. This addition to the company’s popular PXI 3000 series of RF modular instruments has a frequency range extending to 13 GHz, making it ideal for use in vector signal analysis of complex RF signals. The compact 3036 also provides wide instantaneous bandwidth, fast frequency switching, high linearity, and low noise.

The RF digitizer operates from 250 kHz to 13 GHz, with up to 90-MHz wide digitized –1-dB bandwidth and 13-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) resolution. It supports high-speed frequency switching in less than 325 µs. The extended frequency range up to 13 GHz enables the measurement of harmonic characteristics of fundamental signals below 6.5 GHz.

Also, the 3036 can be used with a 3010 series synthesizer module to provide precision conversion of RF signals into digital IF or I and Q sample data. This combination has a compact size of four slots (three slots for the 3036 and one slot for the 3010) to minimize the overall test solution footprint.

The highly flexible PXI Studio software application supplied as standard with the 3036 can provide vector signal analysis of complex modulated signals. PXI Studio performs spectrum and time-domain analysis of sample data for general-purpose RF component testing and alignment of radio communications transceivers.

These features are ideally suited to the needs of RF test systems for manufacturing and design verification. Optional measurement personalities for PXI Studio enable measurements for a range of generic modulation types and radio standards including LTE (FDD and TDD); UMTS/HSUPA; TD-SCDMA; CDMA2000 1xRTT and EV-DO; GSM/EDGE; WLAN; WiMAX; and Bluetooth and ZigBee.

The 3036 targets the growing market demand for higher-frequency signal analysis in high-speed low-cost automated test equipment (ATE) systems where system footprint, measurement bandwidth, and test speed are critical requirements. Its PXI format provides a more economical solution than other modular or general-purpose rack-and-stack instruments, with cost savings in the order of 40% being achieved without compromising critical performance needs. Using PXI enables faster measurement speed, smaller size, and greater flexibility for easier system integration and future system evolution.

Aeroflex
www.aeroflex.com