Advanced Radar Linearization Fact Sheet

Performance Precision and Insight for Your Radar / EW Designs

Complex linearization techniques have been enabled by the advances in DSP and availability of low-cost CMOS. The migration from high-powered TWT (Traveling Wave Tube) amplifiers and linearizers to multi-element phased array T/R modules with digitally controlled linearizers has benefited from these advances in technology, which improve range and recognition at lower cost and improved power efficiency. Traditional analysis tools cannot see the temporal spectrum effects that might be exhibited with modern radar linearizers. These effects, often called memory effects, can be caused by electrical or thermal characteristics. Tektronix Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers can discover these effects caused by improper implementation of high-power amplification of bursted pulse signals. Tektronix Vector Signal Analysis software works seamlessly on high performance oscilloscopes improving insight of multi-domain analysis.

Radar Linearization Challenges:

Transmitter Design Verification
Validation of short-term transients do not exist Removal of unwanted spectrum emissions that reduce range effectiveness and leave undesired signatures Capture of fault conditions for replay analysis Careful control of peak-to-average ratio, spectral emission and modulation fidelity need to be assessed simultaneously
Digital I Digital Q PAR Limiter + Linearizer DSP DAC PA Output Signal Sample

Component Stimulus Test

Stimulus access points for T/R modules changing from analog to digital Generation of expected sequences that excite non-linearities Margin testing of known Tx variables Replaying captured or impaired signals for repetitive analysis

ADC

www.tektronix.com/radar

Advanced Radar Linearization Fact Sheet

Performance Precision and Insight for Your Radar / EW Designs

Transmitter Spectrum Regrowth Validation

RSA Series Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers Discover elusive spectrum events with 100% probability with over 48,000/s spectrum updates Trigger and isolate spectrum events with 100% probability using patented frequency mask triggering Capture of long waveform sequences for direct replay in AWGs Speed troubleshooting with correlation of frequency, time, modulation, and statistical domain on single acquisition

Wideband Transmitter Design Validation

DPO/DSA Series Oscilloscopes with TM SignalVu Software Quickly find intermittent events with DPX acquisition technology that displays up to 250,000 wfms/s Pinpoint timing anomalies with full sample rate and record length across all 4 channels Capture of wide bandwidth waveform sequences for direct replay in AWGs Find difficult problems faster with time-correlated multi-domain analysis

Component Stimulus for Design Validation

AWG Series Arbitrary Waveform Generators with RFXpress Software Generate digital baseband and analog baseband, IF, RF, and microwave signals with versatile multi-channel AWG Synthesize high dynamic range signals directly with up to 9.6 GHz signal bandwidth Easy creation of very complex and repeatable radar signals using RFXpress software Verify component and functional designs by emulating common transmitter impairments Speed troubleshooting with playback of captured waveforms from Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers and Oscilloscopes

www.tektronix.com/radar
Copyright 2008, Tektronix. All rights reserved. Tektronix products are covered by U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously published material. Specification and price change privileges reserved. TEKTRONIX and TEK are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. 10/08 DM/WOW 37W-21448-1