Keysight Technologies, Inc.
System and method for measuring residual phase noise of a frequency mixer

Abstract:

Residual noise of a frequency mixer is detected. A reference clock is used to generate a first radio frequency (RF) signal, a second RF signal and a third RF signal. The first RF signal and the second RF signal serve as input to the frequency mixer. The reference clock is used to generate a third RF signal. The reference clock is also used to control timing in a detector device. A second frequency mixer mixes an output of the DUT with the third RF signal to produce an input signal for a detector device. Mixing the output of the DUT with the third RF signal cancels at least some of the phase noise within the output signal of the DUT that results from phase noise in the first RF signal and from phase noise in the second RF signal. The detector device detects residual phase noise existing within the input signal for the detector device.