Keysight's 'Next-Generation RF Analyzer' E5080A, Integrates the Advantages of PNA and ENA

Keysight Technologies Korea has introduced the E5080A ENA network analyzer, which integrates the strengths of Keysight’s ENA and PNA measurement platforms. This integration minimizes the time and cost required to switch between the two platforms, said Akihiko Oginuma, ENA network analyzer marketing manager for Keysight’s component test division.

The three most important factors in a network analyzer are dynamic range, measurement accuracy, and speed. In addition, stability is required to provide the same results for repeated measurements. The E5080A has improved the basic speed through improved analog performance, providing up to 10 times faster measurement speed and 10 dB wider dynamic range than our existing ENA solutions. This improves production yields and reduces costs.

But the biggest advantage of this product is its GUI, which is based on a large color touchscreen, said Yoon Deok-kwon, president of Keysight Korea. The GUI, which implements a soft panel with a tab through the touchscreen, not only provides convenience to users, but is also "especially important in production sites. This is because the setting speed is fast." The calibration function is just as important as the setting efficiency, and the E5080A can calibrate various measurement conditions such as connector type, calibration kit, and number of ports all at once on one screen through the All Calibration function, and can also calibrate multiple channels simultaneously.

Akihiko Oginuma said that the E5080A is the optimal solution for both R&D and production lines, and that Keysight's future direction will focus on software solutions rather than hardware solutions.

We spoke to Yeojin Lee, Deputy Manager of the Marketing Department of Keysight Technologies Korea's Measurement Business Division, about the development background and product positioning of the E5080A.

Park Dong-wook: You said that the E5080A combines the strengths of both ENA and PNA products and that you plan to continue adding more strengths in the future. Are there any difficulties or disadvantages that come with this?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: The features that have been added now are not hardware features, but software features. As time passes and technology advances, the characteristics that users require from components change slightly, so features are added accordingly. In other words, since the hardware is in a relatively fixed state and software features are continuously added, there are no problems with that.

Park Dong-wook: Even if the addition of a function is a software-related matter, if sufficient memory or processing speed is not secured, the speed may be slow, making it difficult to smoothly implement additional software...

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: That may be a consideration, but [the obstacle to integration] was more related to Keysight’s internal structural situation. The research lab that developed the mid-range ENA model was located in Japan and conducted research completely independently. On the other hand, the high-end PNA was conducted independently in the United States. As a result, the features that each customer wanted were slightly different. However, we are now moving toward One Keysight. In other words, we are merging into one. Through their joint development, the first ENA mid-range product on the same platform has been released, and PNA will be on this platform going forward. In other words, going forward, it is meaningful to ‘focus more on software’ and ‘go toward One Keysight.’

Park Dong-wook: So does that mean the distinction between PNA and ENA is losing its meaning?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: Yes. Positioning is different on the same platform. In the past, there were some complaints from customers about the fact that the platforms were completely different even though they were the same company. But now we have equipment that is positioned differently on the exact same platform.

Park Dong-wook: E5080A can be easily operated by setting favorite channels using the software panel in the GUI. So, is there no possibility of confusion in use when there are multiple users?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: General users may be concerned about such matters, but the measurement targets for network users are actually set to a few things. Frequency, power, IF band... Other than that, there are actually only a few small things set, so usually only those are accessed. Most of them, that is, about 70~80%, are similar, and only about 20~30% can be added to the parts that you mainly use, so you don't have to worry about that part. In R&D, one equipment is usually used by one person or shared by two people. For example, it is rare for ten people to share the same equipment. In the case of a manufacturing line, many operators use it, but the operators do not change the already-established settings; only engineers can change them. Therefore, there is no concern about confusion arising from multiple engineers using the equipment.

Park Dong-wook: The GUI of Keysight products is moving to a soft panel on the touchscreen screen. However, there are still physical buttons on the right side. If the current trend continues, aren't these parts eventually going to disappear?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: I heard the same thing from a customer last February. He is an R&D engineer, so he naturally prefers a smart touch panel on the front. However, this equipment is also used in the manufacturing sector. And because the operator's technical knowledge is limited, there is still a need for hard keys in that area.

Park Dong-wook: What about the cost? For example, there would be mold costs to implement physical keys, but wouldn't it be possible to eliminate all of that and use software to make the screen wider?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: If we combine the two elements of hard keys and soft keys into one, there will certainly be a cost reduction. However, I don't think the cost advantage is significant enough to be considered.

Park Dong-wook: You said that costs can be reduced when switching platforms between ENA and PNA. How is this achieved?

Vice President Lee Yeo-jin: Previously, [because the platforms were different], you had to buy a new product, but going forward, since the platforms will be the same, upgrades will be possible within the same series through firmware upgrades or option additions. Currently, the biggest difference between the PNA and the ENA is the frequency coverage. Currently, the E5080A only comes with an RF band of up to 9 GHz, while the E5071C comes with a 20 GHz band. The ENA is up to 20 GHz. However, the PNA can be expanded to 110 gigabytes, 325 gigabytes, and 1 terabyte... In addition, the applications are differentiated, such as this product has 20 applications and that product has 50 applications.

Park Dong-wook: Yes, thank you for your words.