A Simulator for the Performance Investigation of Nonideal Pseudo-Random Binary Coded Signals

Pseudo-random binary coded excitation signals are being increasingly used for electromagnetic network analysis. Various types of sequences with different correlation properties are available. Unfortunately, nonidealities of real measurement systems, like noise and nonlinearities, degrade the correlation functions. In this contribution a simulator is presented that takes several nonidealities into account. The impact of these nonidealities on two commonly used sequence types, the maximum length sequence (MLS) and the almost perfect autocorrelation sequence (APAS), on the achievable dynamic range (DR) are investigated. In the framework of the presented study, it was taken care that its results can be transferred into hardware requirements.