S8900A PA Test Solution

Next Generation RF PA/FEM Test Software Platform

The Keysight S8900A PA Test Solution provides the next generation software for testing RF power amplifiers/front end modules (PA/FEM) for wireless mobile devices.

In combination with flexibly configurable PXI hardware, the S8900A fully supports automated PA/FEM measurements and you can easily conduct fast and reliable testing in the design validation and manufacturing stages.

Ready-to-use, easy-to-customize

As the development cycle of RF PA/FEMs is getting shorter, one of critical challenges for PA/FEM vendors is to reduce the burden of developing and maintaining in-house test programs.

The S8900A addresses this challenge by providing ready-to-use but customizable test sequences which require no programming effort, as well as customizability to adapt to your unique test environments including the GUI for manufacturing test operators and the interface to the external hardware such as a handler or a wafer prober.

The S8900A PA Test Solution is the software bundle package which makes easier for you to identify and choose necessary software items to configure your PA/FEM test system. The S8900A consists of the following software items:

•  S8901A PA Test Software
•  S8902A Noise Figure Measurement (optional)
•  S8903A ET/DPD Measurement (optional)
•  KS8400A Test Automation Platform (TAP)
•  Signal Studio (optional)

S8901A PA Test Software

The S8901A is the core part of this PA test solution. The key software items provided by the S8901A are as follows:

Measurement plugins/applications

The S8901A provides TAP plugins and other applications for PA measurements. The supported measurement items include:

•  Power, gain, ACPR, DC current, PAE, harmonic, IM3, S-parameter
•  EVM, Dynamic EVM, SEM, ORFS

The TAP plugins for core PA measurements and RF hardware fully covers key RF parameters of PA test in combination with the PXIe VSG/VSA, VXT, VNA, and other related instruments.

Optimal measurement methods and algorithms are implemented in a ready-to-use manner, and you can easily perform RF parameter measurements with no programming efforts.

For example, the EVM measurement is performed with the embedded Keysight Measurement Framework (KMF) which enables much faster EVM measurements than conventional methods.

The TAP plugins for other instruments such as the DC SMU and RFFE DIO (DSR) are provided as partially open source sample DLLs which are customizable to your unique instruments and setups.

Test plan parser

In addition to the basic test sequence creation method using the TAP editor, this software tool gives another method which is useful for DVT and manufacturing tests. The Test Plan Parser automatically converts your own test plan files into the TAP test sequence files (TAP plan files).

It parses the test plans written in Excel files according to the definition you described in the XML file, and generates the corresponding TAP plan files.

Operator interface

The Operator Interface program is an open source program that remote controls the TAP sequence from an external PC or within the same PXIe controller. The program provides an example code of remotely executing the TAP sequence and reading the test results through the API, along with an example GUI for test operators.

In addition, you can implement the code for interfacing to a handler or a prober to build your manufacturing test system. Or you can use this program just as a reference for modifying your own operator GUI program to let it communicate with the TAP sequence through the API.

Other useful tools

The S8901A provides other software tools that improve usability and productivity, including the Test Site Configurator for easily making PXI hardware connections of up to four test sites, and the System Diagnosis tool for executing hardware functional verification tests.

S8902A Noise Figure Measurement

The noise figure is a critical test parameter for the LNA-integrated FEMs, as well as the inter modulation distortion IM3. The S8902A is the optional KMF library for measuring the noise figure with the PXIe VSA and VXT. Both the Y-factor and cold source methods are supported.

S8903A ET/DPD Measurement

ET (envelope tracking) and DPD (digital pre-distortion) are critical technologies for optimizing linearity and efficiency of today’s power amplifiers. The combination of the S8903A ET/DPD Measurement and the N7614B Signal Studio for Power Amplifier Test adds ET/DPD capabilities to the S8900A PA Test Solution.

Furthermore, the ET/DPD data processing speed can be significantly improved by using the M9451A Measurement Accelerator.

Signal Studio Waveform License

The S8901A PA Test Software provides sample waveforms of typical 18 cellular and WLAN formats that can be played without an additional license. This helps you quickly get started using the S8901A PA Test Software.

For actual DVT and manufacturing tests, purchasing Signal Studio licenses such as the N7650B allows you to play the Signal Studio waveforms on the PXIe VSG or VXT.