Multiple source control is an application to independently control the internal source and receiver as well as up to four external synthesizers. Since there are no constraints on frequency linkage (other than the ranges the hardware is capable of), a wide array of mixer, multiplier, converter and other specialized measurements can be performed. Some examples include:
• Mixers (up and down conversion, many conversion stages)
• Frequency multipliers
• Dividers
• Harmonic measurements (including the ability to look at fractional harmonics)
• IMD measurements
• Very high frequency measurements where the source and LO are generated externally
Since the interface is extremely flexible, this procedure also works for broadband/mmWave measurements for applications where the broadband/mmWave interface is too limiting.
There are two modes of the multiple source interface: Complete and Simple, where the default is Simple. Most of this chapter addresses all of the functionality contained in the Complete mode, and the Simple mode is a subset of that. Differences will be discussed along the way. The intent of the Simple mode is to reduce the interface to its most commonly-used elements to help simplify data entry and interaction.
At its core, Multiple Source Control is simply about pointing the sources and receivers to the frequencies of interest in as flexible way as possible. There are a number of extra choices to configure special parts of the hardware but, in the end, the basic part is defining source and receiver frequencies with a simple set of equations.
Introduction
This section discusses the interface and how to configure the instrument and the hardware for generic measurements. The MULTIPLE SOURCE menu selections are available from the primary APPLICATION menu as shown in Figure: APPLICATION Menu—Multiple Source Selections (shown here for a dual source system) below. The MULTIPLE SOURCE menu will vary, depending on the Control Format: Simple or Complete. In single-source systems (no Option 31), the Int. Src. Control button changes to Int. Source State, and the Int. Src. Control menu isn't there.
