Any characterization test system has some generic components and additional specialty engineering
customization. A typical test system generally consists of these components and subsystems:
- Signal analyzers (spectrum analyzers): These tools are widely used to measure the frequency response, noise, and distortion characteristics of all types of RF circuitry. These devices compare the input and output spectra under a variety of conditions. A typical test system usually requires only one signal analyzer.
- Signal generators: These devices generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals (in either the analog or digital domain). A typical system should have at least two signal generators: one to generate the primary signal, the second to generate an interference signal. The CC devices from TI can be used as a signal source in some lab setups. However, the power resolution may not be as good as that produced by a signal generator.
- Temperature chamber: An enclosure used to test the effects of specified temperature conditions on a series of test devices. A single temperature chamber should be sufficient for most test systems.
- Connectors/cables/splitters: These components connect different signals using coaxial cable from the test system to (and from) the device under test (DUT).
- SmartRF™ Studio: SmartRF
Studio (see Ref. 5) is a Windows-based application that can be used to evaluate
and configure low-power RF ICs from Texas Instruments. This tool helps RF system
designers to quickly and easily evaluate the respective devices at an early
stage in the design process. It is especially useful for generation of
configuration register values, for practical testing of the RF system, and for
finding optimized external component values. SmartRF Studio can be used either
as a standalone application or together with all Simplelink LaunchPad evaluation
boards.
- Network analyzer (vector
network analyzer): This tool is an instrument that measures the network
parameters of electrical networks. Contemporary network analyzers usually
measure s-parameters because reflection and transmission of electrical networks
are easy to measure at high frequencies, but there are other network parameter
sets such as y-parameters, z-parameters, and h-parameters. Network analyzers are
often used to characterize two-port networks such as amplifiers and filters;
they can also be used on networks with an arbitrary number of ports. It is
useful to have one network analyzer available.
- Oscilloscope: This electronic test instrument allows users to observe constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences with a vertical or Y axis, plotted as a function of time (horizontal or x axis). Although an oscilloscope displays voltage on the vertical axis, any other quantity that can be converted to a voltage can be displayed as well. In most instances, oscilloscopes show events that repeat with either no change or that change slowly. Having an oscilloscope is useful for a test system.
The more equipment one has in the test
configuration, the greater need there is to automate the various testing processes.
Keep in mind that the capabilities of the available equipment used in a given test
system most likely limits the types of testing that can be performed.