Specifications

Tips from the experts
Pin
Freq.
Gain Compression
Pin
Freq.
Gain Compression
Available compression methods
• Use the safe mode in SMART Sweep to
increment the input power first with coarse
and then with fine steps to prevent over
driving the DUT
• When the DUT’s hysteresis or thermal
effects are in doubt, it is recommended to
sweep frequency per power rather than
power per frequency, or to add dwell
time to lower the effects from previous
measurements
• Compression analysis capability extracts
the DUT response over the power range at
a specified frequency point on any of the
compression traces
• Use the CompAI1 and CompAI2 internal
voltmeter readings that are synchronized to
the compression point to measure power-
added efficiency (PAE) at compression for
each frequency
Measured background data in
SMART Sweep with Safe Mode
Off (above) and On (below)—
more iterations are used
as the gain becomes closer
to the 1 dB compression point
with Safe Mode On, which
minimizes excess drive power.
Compression from linear gain
The linear gain is measured using the specified
linear (input) power level. The compression
point is calculated as the linear gain minus the
specified compression level.
Compression from max gain
The highest gain value that is found at each
frequency is used as the max gain. The compression
point is calculated as the max gain minus the
specified compression level.
Compression from back off
The gains at two input powers that are different
with the specified back off level are compared.
The compression point is found as the highest input
power with the gain difference of the specified
compression level.
X/Y compression
The output powers at two input powers that are
different with the specified delta X are compared.
The compression point is found as the highest
input power with the output power difference
of the specified delta Y.
Compression from saturation
The compression point is found at the highest
output power minus the value specified as
“From Max Pout”.
Input power
Gain
Linear gain
Specified compression level
Compression
point
Input power
Gain
Specified compression level
Compression
point
Max gain
Input power
Gain
Back off level
Specified compression level
Compression
point
Input power
Output power Delta X
Compression point
Delta Y
Input power
Output power
From Max Pout
Highest output power
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