Support for wireless communications, radar, and high-speed digital applications
Providing an integrated phase noise and signal source analysis solution

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today introduced new high-frequency models in its Keysight SSA-X signal source analyzer series, an all-in-one platform that includes clean signals from a direct-to-digital synthesis (DDS) source and a proprietary cross-correlation channel.

Keysight Technologies, Inc. today announced the expansion of its SSA-X signal source analyzer portfolio with three new high-frequency models (26.5 GHz, 44 GHz and 54 GHz), providing radio frequency (RF) engineers with an integrated, all-in-one phase noise and signal source analysis solution for advanced wireless communications, radar and high-speed digital applications.

As technologies evolve and new advanced standards emerge, more precise and clean signal sources and the lowest levels of phase noise and jitter are required to support higher frequencies, data bandwidths and data rates.

In contrast, testing and evaluating the phase noise and jitter of signal sources for these applications requires a complex configuration involving multiple pieces of equipment and is time-consuming.

RF engineers also need to perform other measurement tasks, such as frequency and instantaneous power measurements, and spectrum analysis to fully characterize signal sources such as synthesizers, clocks, and oscillators, as well as signal and data analysis. It may be necessary to measure the residual phase noise of active devices used in the transmission path.

The new Keysight SSA-X signal source analyzer series provides comprehensive signal source analysis capabilities in a single box, including phase noise measurements, residual noise measurements, transient measurements, spectrum analysis, network analysis, and voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) characterization.

A clean built-in signal source operating up to 54 GHz and two RF inputs allow residual noise measurements without additional equipment and reconfiguration.

Millimeter-wave phase noise measurements are possible beyond 54 GHz with two local oscillator (LO) output and intermediate frequency (IF) input port pairs and Keysight’s new E5051AW phase noise measurement subconverter/phase detector, while integration of a 2-port vector network analyzer (VNA) option eliminates the need to purchase a standalone VNA.

Additionally, it provides accurate absolute and residual phase noise measurements using internal LO and RF sources with very low phase noise, and can quickly perform numerous measurements through a single connection and easy-to-use interface.

The application software has been enhanced to meet more measurement needs, including spectrum analysis and precision clock jitter analysis, and provides accurate random jitter (RJ) and periodic jitter (PJ) measurements in both time and frequency domains.

The SSA-X can measure jitter with 20% higher sensitivity compared to the SSA and has a sensitivity of 2 femtoseconds at 10 GHz, making it suitable for advanced high-speed digital communications applications.

“The SSA-X signal source analyzer is a testbed for high-frequency measurement applications,” said Joe Rickert, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s High Frequency Measurement Center of Excellence.“Leeds provides RF engineers with an integrated, all-in-one solution that provides phase noise and jitter measurement solutions for advanced communications and high-speed digital applications,” he added. “With three new models supporting frequencies up to 54 GHz, the SSA-X Series enables more accurate, high-quality evaluations, enabling more advanced technologies to be brought to market faster.”