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ADL5960 Integrated Vector Network analyzer 10 MHz to 20 GHz

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tszaboo:
I'm kind of speechless at the moment, but I think this is going to change EVERYTHING in terms of VNAs.


--- Quote ---Analog Devices' ADL5960 10 MHz to 20 GHz integrated vector network analyzer front end supports various LO interface configurations
Image of Analog Devices' ADL5960 Analyzer Front EndADI's ADL5960 is a wideband, small form factor vector network analyzer front-end comprising a resistive bidirectional bridge, down conversion mixers, programmable IF amplifiers and filters, and a highly flexible local oscillator (LO) interface. The bridge provides >14 dB of directivity up to 17 GHz. The primary transmission line from RFIN to RFOUT is wideband matched to 50 Ω with only 1.1 dB loss at low frequencies, increasing to 1.8 dB loss at 20 GHz.

The ADL5960 supports several different LO interface configurations that simplify the clocking design of a vector network analyzer (VNA) solution as well as the interfacing of the device to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The frequency divider and multipliers in the LO interface enable measurement sweeps beyond the operating frequency range of the LO source, enabling operation over the full 20 GHz frequency range of the ADL5960 using a 6 GHz synthesizer. The IF frequency offset mixer, driven through the offset interface formed by the OFP and OFM pins, enables further simplification by allowing the swept RF and LO interfaces to share the same frequency source. The frequency of the IF output signals is then determined by the low-frequency source driving the OFP/OFM interface. When this interface is driven at the ADC sample frequency with the divide by 4 enabled, it automatically centers the IF output signal in the first Nyquist zone.
--- End quote ---

https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/a/analog-devices/adl5960-analyzer-front-end

The way I understand the block diagram, you only need 2 "low speed" (Sampling 1-100MHz) ADC per VNA channer, and one of these ICs. From the image below, everything for a channel except the ADC and the DSP.

Price is 168 USD for one off at Digikey. My jaw is still on the floor.
I think we are months away of having very cheap 20GHz VNAs on the market.

switchabl:

--- Quote from: tszaboo on December 11, 2023, 03:23:26 pm ---The way I understand the block diagram, you only need 2 "low speed" (Sampling 1-100MHz) ADC per VNA channer, and one of these ICs. From the image below, everything for a channel except the ADC and the DSP.

--- End quote ---

You still need a 10 MHz to 20 GHz synthesizer for the source and you need to supply the LO as well.


--- Quote from: tszaboo on December 11, 2023, 03:23:26 pm ---I think we are months away of having very cheap 20GHz VNAs on the market.

--- End quote ---

Depends on how many k$ you consider very cheap. And months is probably overly optimistic. But definitely has potential to simplify VNA design quite a bit.

tszaboo:

--- Quote from: switchabl on December 11, 2023, 04:49:21 pm ---
--- Quote from: tszaboo on December 11, 2023, 03:23:26 pm ---The way I understand the block diagram, you only need 2 "low speed" (Sampling 1-100MHz) ADC per VNA channer, and one of these ICs. From the image below, everything for a channel except the ADC and the DSP.

--- End quote ---

You still need a 10 MHz to 20 GHz synthesizer for the source and you need to supply the LO as well.


--- Quote from: tszaboo on December 11, 2023, 03:23:26 pm ---I think we are months away of having very cheap 20GHz VNAs on the market.

--- End quote ---

Depends on how many k$ you consider very cheap. And months is probably overly optimistic. But definitely has potential to simplify VNA design quite a bit.

--- End quote ---
synthesizer sure, and probably an FPGA sampling 4-8 channels. Maybe a DSP or even an ARM Micro is enough to handle 10MSPS ADCs.
Those are "easy", there are single chip solutions for making 10 Ghz signals.
What's cheap? Used VNAs go for about 1K/GHz, I think way below that.

dazz1:

--- Quote from: tszaboo on December 11, 2023, 03:23:26 pm ---I'm kind of speechless at the moment, but I think this is going to change EVERYTHING in terms of VNAs.


--- Quote ---Analog Devices' ADL5960 10 MHz to 20 GHz integrated vector network analyzer front end supports various LO interface configurations
Image of Analog Devices' ADL5960 Analyzer Front EndADI's ADL5960 is a wideband, small form factor vector network analyzer front-end comprising a resistive bidirectional bridge, down conversion mixers, programmable IF amplifiers and filters, and a highly flexible local oscillator (LO) interface. The bridge provides >14 dB of directivity up to 17 GHz. The primary transmission line from RFIN to RFOUT is wideband matched to 50 Ω with only 1.1 dB loss at low frequencies, increasing to 1.8 dB loss at 20 GHz.

The ADL5960 supports several different LO interface configurations that simplify the clocking design of a vector network analyzer (VNA) solution as well as the interfacing of the device to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The frequency divider and multipliers in the LO interface enable measurement sweeps beyond the operating frequency range of the LO source, enabling operation over the full 20 GHz frequency range of the ADL5960 using a 6 GHz synthesizer. The IF frequency offset mixer, driven through the offset interface formed by the OFP and OFM pins, enables further simplification by allowing the swept RF and LO interfaces to share the same frequency source. The frequency of the IF output signals is then determined by the low-frequency source driving the OFP/OFM interface. When this interface is driven at the ADC sample frequency with the divide by 4 enabled, it automatically centers the IF output signal in the first Nyquist zone.
--- End quote ---

https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/a/analog-devices/adl5960-analyzer-front-end

The way I understand the block diagram, you only need 2 "low speed" (Sampling 1-100MHz) ADC per VNA channer, and one of these ICs. From the image below, everything for a channel except the ADC and the DSP.

Price is 168 USD for one off at Digikey. My jaw is still on the floor.
I think we are months away of having very cheap 20GHz VNAs on the market.

--- End quote ---

Even with the necessary added circuitry this is going to make it a lot easier to design a VNA.  This will take VNAs in the same direction as DSOs.  That is that the software will define the quality and difference between competing VNA products.    The software will be / is the most expensive component on the BOM.

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