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RFIC Test Software for RF Front-End Design Validation Course Overview

Use the RFIC Test Software to establish performance limits and define specifications for RF power amplifiers under test.

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Available formats

 

On-Demand

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Virtual training not available for this course

 

Classroom training not available for this course

 

Private Classes not available for this course

Course Objectives

  • Configuring and Initializing your Bench Instruments

  • Device Under Test (DUT) Settings

  • Stimulus Waveform Settings

  • Enabling the Power Amplifier Dynamically

  • Configuring and Taking Measurements

  • Setting up the Power Sensor – Leveling (Servoing) the Output Power

  • Configuring the System Compensation Panel

  • Linearization with Digital Pre-Distortion Algorithms

  • Digital DUT control with MIPI RFFE

  • Performing PAE Measurements with NI DMMs

  • Saving Measurement Results to File

  • Saving and Loading a Configuration to File

  • Sweeping Frequency and Power – Plotting Sweep Results

  • Measuring EVM with Cross-Correlation

  • Automating Measurements with the RFIC Test Automation Wizard

Course Details

Duration

  • On-Demand: 2.5 hours

Audience

  • RFIC design validation engineers

Prerequisites

  • NI recommends that students have experience working with RF power amplifiers and their most common RF measurements, such as gain, power efficiency, transmitted power, adjacent channel leakage ratio, and error vector magnitude

NI Products Used

If you take the course On-Demand:

  • RFIC Test Software v22.5

  • LabVIEW and/or VisualStudio with .NET Framework

  • TestStand (Optional)

  • PXI system

  • VST (PXIe-5646 or newer)

  • SMU

  • A PXIe-6570 or 6571 digital card is optional

  • DUTs – various cellular and wi-fi RF power amplifiers

Training Materials

  • On-demand training includes digital course materials delivered through the NI Learning Center, available for the access duration of your subscription

RFIC Test Software for RF Front-End Design Validation Course Outline

LessonOverviewTopics
Configuring and Initializing Your Bench InstrumentsSelect the right vector signal transceiver, learn to set reference levels, voltage, and current levels, and other basic instrument settings to be ready to measure.

  • Test Bench Configuration

  • Configuring Different PXI Vector Signal Transceivers

Device Under Test (DUT) SettingsLearn how to configure the Device Under Test settings.
  • Configure the gain
  • Target power settings to meet the needs of RF amplifier
Stimulus Waveform SettingsLearn specific configurations for the stimulus waveforms that the test will use.
  • Define the wireless standard use with RFIC Test Software
  • Configure the settings to acquire and demodulate the waveforms 
Enabling the Power Amplifier DynamicallyLearn how to set up a triggering configuration to enable the power amplifier at specific times for dynamic operation.
  • Configure the DUT control settings to turn it On and Off
  • Use a synchronized digital enable line 
Configuring and Taking Measurements

Learn how to configure standards-specific measurements, such as Wi-Fi, and 5G New Radio.

 

Take the first power amplifier measurements.

  • Run the first measurements 
  • Explore the various results visualizations
Saving Measurement Results to FileLearn how to create a file to store the results of your power amplifier measurements.
  • Create a file to store the results of the power amplifier measurements 
  • Implement visualization tools to review the saved files
Saving and Loading a Configuration to File

Learn how to create a configuration file to store all the front panel settings.

 

Discover how to start subsequent measurement sessions faster by loading a configuration that you have previously saved. 

  • Create a configuration file to store all the front panel settings
  •  Start subsequent measurement sessions faster by loading previously saved configuration
Sweeping Frequency and Power – Plotting Sweep ResultsDiscover how to simplify frequency and power sweeps with the RFIC Software’s built-in sweep controls. 
  • Simplify frequency and power sweeps with the RFIC Software’s built-in sweep controls
  • Take measurements at multiple frequencies and power levels
  • Explore sweep plots and how the behavior of the DUT changes
Setting up the Power Sensor – Leveling (Servoing) the Output Power Learn how to configure the power sensor for output power measurements. Describe the difference between VST output power servo and power sensor servo.
  • Configure the power sensor for output power measurements
  • Explore the difference between VST output power servo and power sensor servo
Configuring the System Compensation Panel Describe the purpose of the System Compensation Panel and learn how to leverage the System Compensation Panel to more easily configure high-power PA test setups.

  • How to Configure the System Compensation Panel

Linearization with Digital Pre-Distortion AlgorithmsLearn how to configure the RFIC Software to linearize the Device Under Test using digital pre-distortion linearization algorithms. 
  • Performing Linearization with Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) Algorithms
  • Exploring Iterative Learning Control (ILC) DPD
  • Exploring Xilinx (AMD) DP
  • Saving and Reusing DPD Coefficients
Digital DUT control with MIPI RFFEControl your RF Front-end module using the MIPI RFFE digital protocol.
  • Manually configure the PA under test 
  • Control the DUT from RFIC Test Software by invoking the scripts
  • Measure Dynamic EVM of Power Amplifiers with MIPI RFFE
Performing PAE Measurements with NI DMMsConfigure PAE measurements and learn how to synchronize and control the different instruments used. 

  • Configuring PAE Measurements in the RFIC Soft Front Panel

Measuring EVM with Cross-CorrelationDescribe the concept of cross-correlation and measure best-in-class EVM using two separate vector signal analyzers.

  • Using Cross-Correlation for EVM Measurements 

Automating Measurements with the RFIC Test Automation WizardUse the RFIC Test Automation Wizard to generate a test program.
  • Launching the RFIC Test Automation Wizard to create automation code
  • Creating C# automation code with the RFIC Automation Wizard 
  • Using the RFIC Test Automation Wizard to create a TestStand test sequence

 

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