IMD Measurements with IMDView^TM: MS4640B Application Note

Testing intermodulation distortion (IMD) is extremely important when it comes to microwave and RF component designs. Most commonly, two tone testing is used to characterize the non-linearity of microwave and RF components by using multiple signal generators, a combiner, and a spectrum analyzer. Unfortunately, measurements taken using this technique must be repeated at various frequencies in order to get a clear understanding of a device’s behavior across its specified operating range.

By using Anritsu’s VectorStar^® MS4640B Series Vector Network Analyzers, the S parameter, gain compression, and fixed and swept frequency IMD measurements can be made quickly and accurately with a single cable connection to the DUT. This application note discusses the considerations needed for IMD measurements, and provides an IMD measurement example using the Anritsu’s VectorStar^® MS4640B Series Vector Network Analyzers.