Application Note

Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement of 2nd-Order Non-linearity and IP2 Performance of Direct Conversion Receivers
This application note describes how to find the Second Order Intercept Point (IP2) from 1-tone and 2-tone tests of Direct Conversion Receivers (DCRs). It also presents measurement results for the GSM900 receive (RX) path, as used in the AMPS band, for Skyworks first-generation of DCRs. The relationship between f1, f2 and f3, f4 is:

f 3 = f 2 f1
Likewise for f4:

Relation Between 2-Tone and 1-Tone Tests for 2ndOrder Non-linearity

Second order non-linearity is an important phenomenon in DCR-type receivers. Here we set out to show the test result of this kind of non-linearity, which can be used to predict the DC offset, both with single tone or two tones. A two-tone condition is illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2. f1 f2

f 4 = f 2 + f1
This shows that the unwanted output frequency components are mathematically related to the input tones. To have a better insight into the relationship between undesired components and the input terms, a more rigorous derivation is needed. Here is an attempt in showing the derivation with some simplifications. Using the Taylor series expansion, the output of the gain stage can be modeled as: Vo(t) = k1 vi(t) + k2 vi2(t) + k3 vi3(t) + k4 vi4(t) + k5 vi5(t) + For a two-tone case then: Vi(t) = A Cos(1t) + B Cos(2t) Inserting (2) into (1) and using the well-known trigonometric equalities: (2) (1)

Two input tones (f1, f2)

Figure 1. Two-Tone Condition: Input

f1 f3

f2 f4

f3 = f2 - f1 f4 = f2 + f1

Figure 2. Two-Tone Condition: Output

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Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement

1 1 3 3 5 15 15 Vo(t) = 2 k2 A2 + 2 k2 B2 + { k1 A + 4 k3 A3 + 2 k3 AB2 + 8 k5 A5 + 4 k5 A3B2 + 8 k5 AB4 } Cos(1t) + 3 3 5 15 15 { k1 B + 4 k3 B3 + 2 k3 A2B + 8 k5 B5 + 4 k5 A2B3 + 8 k5 A4B} Cos(2t) + 1 3 1 1 3 1 { 2 k2 A2 + 2 k4 A4 + 2 k4 A2 B2} Cos(21t) + { 2 k2 B2 + 2 k4 B4 + 2 k4 A2 B2} Cos(22t) + 3 3 3 3 {k2 AB + 2 k4 A3B + 2 k4 AB3} Cos((1 + 2) t ) + {k2 AB + 2 k4 A3B + 2 k4 AB3} Cos((2 - 1) t ) + 5 5 1 5 5 1 {4 k3A3 + 16 k5A5 + 4 k5A3B2} Cos(31t) + {4 k3B3 + 16 k5B5 + 4 k5A2B3} Cos(32t) + 5 15 3 { 4 k3 A2B + 4 k5A4B + 8 k5 A2B3} Cos((21 2) t ) + 5 15 3 { 4 k3 AB2 + 4 k5AB4 + 8 k5 A3B2} Cos((1 22) t ) + 1 3 1 3 3 2 2 2 k4 A B Cos((31 2) t ) + 2 k4 AB Cos((1 32) t ) + 4 k4 A B Cos((21 + 22) t ) + 1 1 4 k4A Cos(41t) + 8 k4B4 Cos(42t) 8
In this study the sum term is ignored since the baseband filters of the device will reject it. However the difference term is retained, since it can be used to evaluate the DC offset of the receiver. Note that in practice the input tones are chosen such that the difference can produce a tone near DC; that is, inside the receivers baseband bandwidth. The pure DC terms are:

(3)
The ratio of the output of the 1-tone test to the output of the 2tone test is then:

1 1 k 2 A2 + k 2 B 2 2 2
The difference term is:

1 k2 A2 2 R= 1 k 2 AB 2

(4)

3 3 3 3 k 2 AB + k 4 A B + k 4 AB Cos (( 2 1 )t ) 2 2
Under a single tone condition, B is set to zero and the DC 1 created is k 2 A 2 2 For a 2-tone test and only 2nd-order non-linearity, the higher order terms are ignored and coefficient of the output is then k 2 AB . This coefficient is the peak amplitude of the difference frequency output. In calculating IP2, we are concerned with 1 k 2 AB . power, so we want to know the RMS output; it is 2

The numerator is the DC output voltage from the 1-tone test, and the denominator is the ACRMS voltage from the 2-tone test. Remember that in the 1-tone test, the input amplitude is A, while in the 2-tone test the amplitudes are A and B. Assuming equal tones for the 2-tone test (B = A), then

R=

1 2

, or 3 dB.

This simply says that the root mean square (RMS) AC signal created from a 2-tone test is 3 dB higher than the DC offset created from a 1-tone test, when the 1-tone test uses the same amplitude as one of the two tones. In other words: DC voltage (1-tone) = AC RMS voltage (2-tones) 3 dB This is verified by measurement in the graph shown in Figure 3, where the receiver under test exhibits a significant amount of

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Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement

Output DC and AC(r ms) vs. Blocker Input Level

Output DC ( dBv) and AC (dBvrm s ) 0.0 - 10.0 - 20.0 - 30.0 - 40.0 - 50.0 - 46 - 44 - 42 -40 - 38 - 36 -34 -32 -30 Tw o to ne

Blocke r Le ve l (dBm )

Single tone

Figure 3. Output DC and AC(rms) vs. Blocker Input Level 2nd order non-linearity. In this test, the single tone was at 3 MHz offset, while the two tones were at 3 MHz and 3.06 MHz, so we are comparing a DC Second Order Intermodulation Product (IM2) output in dBVDC to a 60 kHz IM2 output in dBVRMS. We expect the 60 kHz output to be 3 dB higher as derived above. But in the measured system, there is a lowpass response that rolls off by 1.4 dB at 60 kHz. Therefore, the 60 kHz output should be 1.6 dB higher than the DC. This is indeed the case over most of the tested range. This classical IP2 equation has a resemblance to the much more often used IP3 equation for a 2-tone test, which is: 2(IP3) = 3(Pin) IM3 Pout IP2

IP2 Calculation From 2-Tone and 1-Tone Measurements

In Figure 4, we plot the fundamental and 2nd-order output powers vs. input power for a generic system that has some 2ndorder non-linearity. In Figure 4, the gain is normalized to unity so Input IP2 = Output IP2 (IIP2 = OIP2). In practice, we usually refer all quantities to the input. By convention, in any 2-tone test (including Third-Order Intercept Point (IP3) tests), the power levels plotted refer to one of the input tones and one of the output product tones. Therefore even though the system has an amount of power applied to it that is 3 dB higher than the power of one tone alone, we only plot the power of one tone, not the sum of both. Likewise, we only plot the IM2 power at the difference frequency f2 - f1, rather than the sum of powers at both f2 - f1 and f2 + f1. From the slopes in Figure 4, we can see that IP2 can be calculated from one set of measurements as: IP2 = 2(Pin) IM2 where all quantities are in dBm.
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Pin

IM2

2nd

o rd er p

Fu nd am rod en uct ta l 2:1 slo 1:1 p e sl op e

IP2

Pin

Figure 4. Fundamental and 2nd Order Output Powers vs. Input Power The next question is how to correctly calculate IP2 when a 1-tone test is done and the IM2 product is DC. The answer must be the same as that found in the 2-tone test. First, we must choose the conventions for the 1-tone test. We calculate IP2 based on the power of the single applied tone

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Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement

(even though this is all the power applied to the system, unlike what is done in the 2-tone calculation), and on the DC output power (where we ignore the other, higher frequency product, which is at 2f1). In the 2-tone test, as shown before, inputs of ACos ( 1t ) and

first add 3 dB to the measurement of the DC IM2 product. Then the result will match that of the 2-tone test. Therefore, the correct IP2 equation for a 1-tone test, where Pin is the power of the single input tone and IM2 is the power of the DC output, follows:

ACos ( 2 t ) result in an IM2 product of

k 2 A 2 Cos ( 2 1 ) t . The peak voltage of one input is A,

while the RMS =

IP2 = 2(Pin) (IM2DC + 3 dB)

(7)

1 2

A . Likewise, the peak voltage of the IM2 1

2 calculation from the 2-tone test is then IP22-tone = 2(Pin) IM2

IP22-tone = 2(10log(

output is k 2 A 2 while the RMS is

k 2 A 2 . The IP2

Using the IM2 data presented in the earlier graph, we calculate the IP2 according to IP2 = 2(Pin) IM2ACRMS for the 2-tone test, and IP2 = 2(Pin) (IM2DC + 3 dB) for the 1-tone test. The results are plotted in Figure 5. We find the calculated IP2 values to generally agree. For consistency, we must use the same equation to determine the IP2 requirement itself. The GSM AM suppression specification (from GSM 05.05) sets the IP2 requirement for a DCR. For the GSM900 band, the single blocker applied is 31 dBm, while the desired signal is at 99 dBm. In order to keep the DC product below 9 dBc, the IIP2 must be: IIP2REQ = 2(Pin) (IM2DC + 3 dB) where the IM2 level is referred to the antenna IIP2 REQ = 2(-31 dBm) ((-99 dBm-9 dBm) + 3 dB) IIP2 900MHz REQ = +43 dBm at the antenna

1 2 1 2 A )) 10 log( k 2 A 4 ) 2 2

(5)

In the 1-tone test, the single input is ACos( 1t ) , resulting in a DC IM2 output voltage of while the RMS =

1 k2 A2 . The peak input voltage is A, 2

A . If we were to (recklessly) apply the 2 classical IP2 calculation with these quantities, we would obtain
IP21-tone = 2(Pin) IM2

IP21-tone = 2(10log(

1 2 1 2 A )) 10 log( k 2 A4 ) 2 4

(6)

Then, in a receiver with 3 dB of front end loss due to switches and filters, the IIP2 requirement at the LNA input becomes: IIP2 900MHz REQ = +40 dBm at the Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) input Likewise for Digital Cellular Systems (DCS) and Personal Communications System (PCS) receivers with 3 dB front end loss, the IIP2 requirements at the LNA inputs are + 42 dBm and + 44 dBm, respectively.

The second term in (6) is 3 dB lower than the second term in (5). This is the same 3 dB difference already identified in the first part of this paper. Therefore, if we wish to use the results from a 1-tone test to calculate IP2 using IP2 = 2(Pin) IM2, we must

IIP2 vs . Bloc ke r Input Leve l

40.0

35.0 IIP2 ( dBm )

30.0

25.0

20.0 - 46 -44 - 42 -40 - 38 -3 6 -34 -3 2 -30 Blo ck e r L e ve l (d Bm )

Sin gle ton e

Tw o tone

Figure 5. Calculated IP2 Values for 1-Tone and 2-Tone Tests

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Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement

Skyworks IP2-Compensation Circuit Calibration Using 2 Tones or 1 Tone

Skyworks DCRs implement an IP2-compensation circuit that, once calibrated at a single blocker amplitude, compensates for 2nd-order non-linearity at all amplitudes, until the system approaches compression. It relies on the nonlinearity, maintaining a 2nd-order characteristic, an assumption, which obviously breaks down at compression. The IP2 compensation circuit (patents pending) does not involve or resemble AC coupling of the signal. Therefore it does not cause a DC notch in the signal. It also does not exhibit a frequency rolloff in its ability to reduce 2nd-order products. It suppresses both the DC IM2 due to a single blocker frequency, and the AC IM2 due to two blocker frequencies. This also makes it suitable for suppressing IM2 due to amplitude-modulated blockers. Here we show the IP2 performance for both 1-tone and 2-tone blocker inputs. The IP2 compensation circuit of the 900MHz RX path was calibrated at the center of the AMPS band, that is, 881.5 MHz, using a single blocker frequency of 30 dBm at the LNA input, at +3 MHz offset. After calibration, the IP2 at this point measured +71.8 dBm. Then the IM2 products were measured over a range of blocker levels from 46 dBm to 24 dBm. This was done for both 1-tone and 2-tone cases; for example, 1 tone at 46 dBm, vs. 2 tones at 46 dBm each. The 2-tone test was repeated with tone separations of 25 kHz and 30 kHz, set 3 MHz from the receiver channel. Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the measured IM2 outputs and the calculated IP2.

In the IM2 output plot, limit lines are included that show the receivers desired output in dBVrms (due to a 99 dBm signal at antenna, or 102 dBm at LNA) and a maximum DC IM2 at 9 dBc. The specification line stops at 34 dBm since we assume 3 dB of front-end loss, while the GSM 05.05 AMsuppression test uses a 31 dBm blocker at the antenna. Neither the DC nor AC IM2 products violate the 9 dBc limit. In the IIP2 plot, the fixed 9 dBc IM2 limit is translated to an IIP2 limit that scales with the blocker amplitude, reaching the previously derived value of +40 dBm at the GSM 05.05 AM-suppression-test point. The IIP2 calculated at the LNA input, whether from the 1-tone or 2-tone test, stays well above the limit. The particular shapes of the curves should be noted. In the IM2 plot, at lower blocker levels, the 2-tone IM2 product is still roughly 3 dB higher than the 1-tone DC product, and these products are both very small and nearly constant due to the action of the IP2 compensation circuit. But, as the blockers increase, the products begin to rise as the higher orders of nonlinearity start to become significant. There is a local minimum in the DC IM2 curve at a blocker level of 30 dBm, precisely because this is the point where the system was calibrated. The 2-tone IM2 plot shows a far less pronounced minimum at a 6 dB lower blocker level. At these higher blocker amplitudes, where higher order products become significant, the AC and DC results stray away from the 3 dB rule, as the system is optimized at one particular amplitude. This amplitude occurs at only one point along the 2-tone-test waveform.

Output DC & AC(rm s) vs. Blocker Input Level - 881.5MHz

0.0 Out put DC (dBv) and AC ( dBv rm s ) -10.0 -20.0 -30.0 -40.0 -50.0 -60.0 -70.0 -46 -42 -38 -34 -3 0 - 26
Single to ne Two Tone - 25K Two Tone - 30K Desired Output f rom - 99dBm Signal ( dBV rms) DC IM 2 Limit (-9d Bc

Block e r Le ve l (dBm ) at LNA

Figure 6. Measured IM2 Outputs

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Two-Tone vs. Single-Tone Measurement

IIP2 vs. Blocker Input Level - 881.5MHz

80.0 70.0 IIP2 (dBm ) at LNA 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 -46 -42 - 38 -34 -30 - 26
Single t one Two Tone - 25 K Two Tone - 30 K

qmt 2 Re al IIP IM 2 tic Pr ac r - 9dBc fo

AM Supp r. Sp ec Point

Block e r Le ve l (dBm ) a t LNA

Figure 7. Calculated IP2 In the IIP2 plot, the IP2 as calculated from the 1-tone test reaches a very high peak at a blocker level of 30 dBm, corresponding to the IM2 minimum at the same blocker level. Again, this is because this is the point where the calibration was done. The IP2 calculated from the 2-tone test also reaches a peak, but at a 6 dB lower blocker level. This can be explained because the 2-tone test generates an IM2 peak voltage that is equal to the 1-tone tests DC IM2 voltage, when the 2-tone test is done with 6 dB lower blocker inputs. The best case occurs when the AC IM2 waveform peak reaches the point at which the system was calibrated. Extending the 9 dBc line in the IM2 plot, Figure 6, to where it intersects the IM2 curves, we find that the DC IM2 reaches 9 dBc at a blocker level of 27 dBm at the LNA, and the AC IM2 does so for blocker levels of 31.5 dBm at the LNA. With the calibration point unchanged, the tests were repeated with the receiver tuned at 869 MHz and 894 MHz, each time keeping the blocker(s) offset at 3 MHz. The results are shown in Table 1. They show that the IP2 calibration can be performed at midband with the results holding up well to the band edges.

Table 1. Results of IP2 Calibration at Midband

Frequency 869.0 MHz
1-Tone Blocker Input at LNA for 9 dBc DC IM2 2-Tone Blocker Inputs at LNA for 9 dBc AC IM2 -28.5 dBm -32.0 dBm

881.5 MHz
-27.0 dBm -31.5 dBm

894.0 MHz
-24.5 dBm -29.5 dBm

Conclusion
Care must be taken when relating the results of 2-tone and 1-tone tests for IP2. With all tones applied being equal in amplitude, the 2-tone test produces an AC RMS voltage that is 3 dB higher than the DC voltage produced by the 1-tone test. This must be taken into account consistently when using a 1-tone test to determine both IP2 requirements and measured performance.

The IP2 compensation mechanism in Skyworks 1st-generation DCRs suppresses the AC and DC IM2 products equally well for blocker amplitudes up to about 34 dBm at the LNA input (when calibrated using a 30 dBm single tone). At higher blocker amplitudes, the AC and DC results stray away from the 3 dB rule, as the IP2 compensation begins dealing with non-linearity beyond 2nd-order. Nonetheless, the DCRs pass the GSM 05.05 AM-suppression test with significant margin, and still pass even when a second blocker is added at the same amplitude.

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