Remote testing gives RF engineers a short-cut to mmWave application development

Remote testing is revolutionizing the way RF engineers approach mmWave application development. With the increased exploration of low earth orbit space and the rollout of 5G cellular networks, the demand for mmWave technology is on the rise. However, the complexity of RF design is compounded by the use of extremely high frequency (EHF) bands for license-free wireless communication, making experienced RF engineers highly sought after.


To address this complexity, Avnet has partnered with Xilinx, Rohde & Schwarz, and MathWorks to create a solution that minimizes complexity and accelerates the design cycle. This solution includes the Xilinx RFSoC Gen 3 kit for mmWave design, a native MATLAB application called the Avnet RFSoC Explorer, and a mmWave test lab provided by Rohde & Schwarz.


One of the unique features of this solution is that the test equipment and mmWave board are co-located, remotely, and accessed over a secure LAN connection using the Avnet RFSoC Explorer application. This allows any engineer anywhere in the world to access the hardware and test equipment at any time, greatly reducing the need for expensive and specialized equipment on-site.


The monolithically integrated Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC features hardware blocks specifically designed for RF applications, such as analog-to-digital converters able to sample at 5 giga-samples per second and digital-to-analog converters that can sample at up to 10 gsps. This means it can operate as the baseband processor for the system, able to generate waveforms up to intermediate frequencies.


The Avnet mmWave radio development kit combines the Xilinx RFSoC with a dual transceiver mmWave RF front-end daughter card based on technology from Otava. This provides up/down conversion to/from mmWave carriers between 19 and 31 GHz.


The equipment used in the lab supports 5G NR measurements and includes the R&S FSW and R&S FSV3-K147 high-end signal and spectrum analyzers, the SMW200A Vector Signal Generator, and the SMA100B RF and Microwave Signal Generator.


The Avnet RFSoC Explorer app includes the 5G ToolBox from MathWorks, which can be used to generate a 3GPP-compliant 5G NR test waveform. This signal is mixed up to 27.9 GHz and fed into the spectrum analyzer, which is equipped with the 5G NR Measurements option. Using RFSoC Explorer in their own location, engineers can take measurements while having full control over the DSA/LNAs to gain control and PLL settings for the local oscillator.


Rohde & Schwarz worked with Avnet to develop object-oriented classes in MATLAB using the VISA protocol to enable the test equipment to interface with Avnet RFSoC Explorer and control Avnet’s mmWave Radio Kit, including the Xilinx RFSoC Gen 3 data converters and Otava mmWave signal chain. An application programming interface (API) provides programmatic control of all RF ADC and RF DAC parameters, ADC signal acquisition, DAC signal generation, and streaming data to and from the board and test equipment. The API also supports automated testing through command sequences.

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