TEST & MEASUREMENT
Simplifying complex RF testing with faster, smarter vector network analysis
By Navneet Kataria, marketing director for Anritsu’s RF & Microwave Division
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apid advances in RF, mmWave, microwave and sub-THz technologies are driving the need for faster, more capable vector network analysis to address increasingly complex test and measurement challenges, during design and development and on the production line. Measurements such as multi- frequency gain compression (MFGC) and vector mixer characterisation place demands on instruments that conventional mid-range VNAs were not designed to meet.
Why faster, more complex VNA measurements matter
Modern RF and microwave devices, from amplifi ers and mixers to fi lters, frequency converters and optoelectronic components, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and tightly specifi ed. Thorough testing now demands both precision and speed across R&D, design verifi cation and production, with faster measurement directly improving throughput and time to market.
At the same time, test scenarios are growing more complex. Multi-frequency, multi-port and multi-signal confi gurations are pushing conventional instrument architectures to their limits. A mid-range VNA capable of meeting these demands, without the cost or footprint of a high-end research system, fi lls a clear market gap across aerospace, defence, signal integrity and production test.
The benefi ts of a dedicated source for each port
Most VNAs ship with a single internal source, or at most two. This constrains what the instrument can do simultaneously and forces the use of internal routing switch matrices to direct signals between ports. These matrices introduce insertion loss and distortion, compress dynamic range, and slow sweep speeds.
A source-per-port architecture eliminates these compromises, reduces the number of steps required for many tests, and enables complex test scenarios to be carried out. With a dedicated source at each port, a VNA can output entirely different signals from multiple ports simultaneously, enabling complex measurements such as two-tone tests, like intermodulation distortion (IMD) and mixer
characterisation without additional external signal generators. The removal of the internal routing switch matrix reduces signal path losses and distortion while improving sweep speed. The approach also unlocks the highest output power and dynamic range achievable in the mid-range instrument category.
The benefi ts of receivers being able to handle higher power
Receiver design is equally important. Conventional VNA receivers quickly compress incoming signals to protect the port, which limits the amount of power the instrument can handle from a device under test. Specially designed couplers that tolerate higher input power, for example, up to 5W in the latest Anritsu Tensor VNA, eliminate the need for external attenuators at the receive port. This matters because attenuators raise the noise fl oor, shrink dynamic range, reduce receiver sensitivity and introduce calibration complexity. Removing them simplifi es the test setup and preserves system performance.
Solving the mixer measurement problem
Mixer and frequency converter measurements are among the most challenging in RF test. Because the input and output frequencies differ, conventional scalar measurements are insuffi cient for full characterisation as signal complexity increases. Vector measurements
34 OCTOBER 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
that account for signal phase are required, but these demand phase-synchronised local oscillators to establish a coherent relationship between input and output signals, a capability that most mid-range VNAs lack. A VNA with dual-LO capability in a four- port confi guration can perform both scalar and vector mixer measurements, including multi-stage mixer testing across various frequencies. Dynamic two-LO confi guration options allow internal elements to be rerouted to different receivers, supporting advanced mixer calibrations, simultaneous measurements across multiple frequencies, and noise optimisation in complex devices under test. Either LO can be assigned to any receiver and mmWave-band mixer measurements can be accommodated on the same platform.
Advanced amplifi er measurements Amplifi er characterisation has grown signifi cantly more demanding. Gain, gain compression, two-tone testing for e.g. IMD measurements are now routine, but multi- frequency gain compression, evaluating compression behaviour simultaneously across multiple frequencies and power levels, represents a step change in complexity and time consumption using conventional approaches.
Traditionally, gain compression is measured at one frequency at a time. The test setup
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