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New SignalGeneration
Techniques Enhance
EW EnvironmentSimulationKeysight Technologiesformerly Agilent Technologies electronic measurement businessSanta Rosa, Calif.
In recent years, various architectures havebeen used to develop the agile, widebandsignal sources needed for threat simulation
in electronic warfare (EW) applications. Similar approaches have been used to create local
A Fig. 1 The Keysight UXG agile signal generator (top) is a powerfu l building block as either a dependable LO or a scalable threatsimulator.
oscillators (LO) and RF pulse generators thatcan quickly switch over wide frequency andamplitude ranges.
These ideas were central to the creation ofthe new Keysight UXG agile signal generator
shown in Figure 1.The UXG architecture usesa direct digital synthesizer (DDS) and newswitching technology to create a signal generator ideally suited to applications that need anagile LO or require highly realistic simulationof EW environments. The DDS is built arounda digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that wasdeveloped by Keysight to achieve dramatic im
provements in dynamic range and phase noise.
D E S I G N I N G F O R P U R I T Y , A G I L I T Y A N D
SPEED
The performance and capabilities of theUXG are based on three innovative technologies: DDS-based signal generation with anexceptional combination of purity and bandwidth, from 10 MHz to either 20 or 40 GHz;solid-state switches that change output levelsin as little as 180 ns over large amplitude rang-
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Frequency
Phase
Linear
Frequency
Modulation
Analog Out
0.01 to 40 GHz
Pulse
Pulse Time
Pulse Width
Pulse Par am ete r List & Externa l Digital PDW Interfac e
Amplitude
A Fig.2 The architecture o f the UXG enables accurate simulation o f complex signal scenariosthrough fast switching, phase repeatability and extensive pulse-modulation capabilities.
Ref 0.00 dBm
Mkrl 10.0 0 GHz
-0.09 dBm
1
L I .
C en te r 10.00 GHz Span 20 .00 GHz
A Fig. 3 In this 20 GHz spectrum measurement, a 10 GHz CW signal from the UXG signalgenerator exhibits high dynamic range, with a low noise floor and minimal spurious signals.
es anti with accurate time alignment;and direct support for pulse descriptor words (PDW), the natural language of EW engineers, that enablesefficient creation of complex and precise outputs.
The block diagram shown in Figure 2 illustrates the DDS-based architecture of the UXG. A high speedDAC is the heart of the DDS. An array of doublers and filters is used tomultiply the signal up to a maximum
frequency of 40 GHz. The DAC covers an octave centered at 1 GHz andprovides dramatic improvements indynamic range and phase noise. Thisresults in very high purity signals, asshown in Figure 3.
This performance is available withindustiy-leading switching speed andvery low latency for changing frequency. Frequency can be updatedin as little as 180 ns. Depending onthe selected instrument mode, thedelay between an external commandand frequency change (i.e., latency) isas little as 370 ns. The UXG can alsogenerate wide chirps 10 to 25 percentof the carrier frequency.
Comprehensive EW threat simu
lation needs amplitude agility thatmatches the sources frequency agility.This requires coordinated switchingfrom solid-state attenuators, whichthe UXG does using nanoFETMMICs invented and manufactured
by Keysight. These new switchesare designed for microwave and millimeter wave frequencies, with fastsettling to minimize distortion of the
pulse shape. The resulting 90 dB agileamplitude range can be used betweenoutput levels from 0 to -130 dBm,which handles a wide range of threatscenarios.
To optimize cost and capability fordifferent applications, the solid-stateagile attenuator is optional.
For some threat environmentscenarios, it is essential to maintainspecific phase and frequency rela-
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tionships while signals are pulsed,frequency-hopped or interleaved ina sequence. The UXG produces any
phase or frequency trajectory without limiting frequency or amplitudeagility. It also maintains any desired
relationships as frequency, amplitude and pulse characteristics arechanged or as signals are pulsed onand off.
Multiple UXGs can be linkedthrough clocks and triggers to provide
phase coherence across the sources,making it possible to simulate steerable beam antennas or produce an-gle-of-arrival trajectories to evaluatedirection-finding receivers.
A VO IDIN G SURPRISES LATE IN
THE DE V E LO P ME N T P RO CE SS
The EW environment is an ongoing contest between the developmentand implementation of improvedsystems and the analysis and countermeasures needed to defeat thosesystems.
As implemented in the UXG, theDAC-based DDS architecture offerscompelling advantages for EW appli
cations, whether the need is for agileLO generation or PDW-based EWenvironment simulation:
Signal quality - The UXG generates signals with low spurious andwithout the phase noise pedestal thatis characteristic of systems that usephase-locked loops (PLL) instead ofDDS.
Very high agility in frequency,amplitude and phase - All three as
pects of the signal output can be updated in as little as 180 ns.
Support of multiple signals andcomplex scenarios - Sample sequences can represent multiple emitters from a single source.
Phase repeatability - Signal-generation calculations include phaseaccumulators programmed with anydesired phase relationship.
Good match to evolving threats- The agility and flexibility of the UXGallows it to accurately simulate theequivalent characteristics of the modern threat environment and adapt asthese threats change.
Simpler path from pulse require
ments to actual signal output - The
GOLDEN MXOEXTREMELY LOW PHASE NOISE
M ULT IPLIED CRYSTAL OSCILLATORS
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OCXO & Integrated Multipliers
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Excellent Spectral Purity Very Low Jit ter Opt ion
Phase Lock O ptions
Easily Customized
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UXG can directly reproduce complexdynamic and pulsed signals by creating them mathematically from the desired pulse characteristics.
This last point is important: theUXG directly understands PDWs.Each word describes all the parameters of an individual pulse: frequency,duration, amplitude, chirp rate andmore. Tables of PDWs can be transferred to UXG memory and complexsequences produced at high speed.Individual pulses can be as narrow as10 ns, with 3 ns rise and fall times andan 90 dB on/off ratio. Marker outputsare available to coordinate executionof PDWs with other devices, and sequences of PDWs can be triggeredand regulated by sending externaltriggers to the UXG.
With these capabilities, the UXGbrings extensive and realistic testing to earlier stages of the design
process, allowing engineers to optimize and verify system performance
before the expense, potential delayand poor repeatability of field testing. It also significantly reduces thetime from gathering new signal intelligence to creating realistic simulatedthreats.
GE TTING CLOSER TO REALITY
In development and mission datareprogramming, better testing performed sooner enables deeper confidence in the performance of EW systems. The Keysight UXG agile signalgenerator lets EW engineers createcomplex scenarios when they needthem.
Off the shelf, the UXG is a powerful building block, whether the need
is for a dependable LO or a scalablethreat simulator. Because the UXG isfluent in the language of EW systems,it accelerates the conversion of newintelligence into up-to-date signal scenarios. With unmatched performancein switching speed and phase noise,the UXG makes it possible to generate increasingly complex simulationsand get closer to reality.
VENDORVIEWKeysight Technologies Inc.
Santa Rosa, Cal i f .
w w w . k e y s i g h t . c o m / f i n d / U X G .
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