Automated measurement of intermodulation tables for mixers

This paper discusses an automated measurement procedure for intermodulation products of mixers. The measurement results are typically stored in an intermodulation table (IMT) file for use in computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulators. The new procedure was developed using a dedicated 40 GHz frequency translation device test system from Anritsu (ME7810A). Calibration, utilizing a power meter, improves the accuracy of spectrum analyzer amplitude measurements of the various frequency components and accounts for the frequency responses of all cable and connector frequency responses. The ability to automate the calibration and measurement process for IMT files greatly facilitates building a data set that can be used for accurate prediction of the performance of mixers. The measurement results provide a multi-dimensional view of the performance of the mixers. Examples are shown for a ZEM4300 mixer from Mini-Circuits.