1

Accurate Harmonics Measurement by Sampler

Part 2


Akinori Maeda
Verigy Japan
akinori.maeda@verigy.com

September 2011

Abstract of Part 1
The Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is one of the major frequency domain parameters for
verifying dynamic linearity characteristics of devices like Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) Amplifier and so on! Dynamic linearity characteristics of
devices are varied "y output frequency and evaluated results at lo# frequency does not sho#
the characteristics at high frequency! Therefore THD must "e measured at actual operating
frequencies!
$easurement instrument to evaluate harmonic distortion needs to have lo# harmonic
distortion and #ide "and#idth characteristics! %n general it is difficult to reali&e "oth
characteristics!
The part 1 introduced the "asic measurement characteristics of Digiti&er and 'ampler! %f
'ampler has superior harmonic distortion performance it is the "est instrument to measure
harmonic distortion! And then it provided the "est measurement condition of 'ampler to
measure correct harmonic distortion #ith e(perimental results! )ith attenuated measurement
method descri"ed in this *art + these measurement conditions ena"le 'ampler to measure
correct harmonic distortion!

Attenuated Measured Results
As descri"ed in previous section to increase harmonic distortion performance of 'ampler
attenuated measurement method should "e used! %n this section ho# much of attenuation
should "e applied to o"tain good measurement result is discussed!

,H- A). 'ampler
/*-
Attenuator

Figure 12: Configuration of the measurement

The -igure 1+ sho#s the measurement configuration of attenuated measurement method!
%n this configuration you never use the attenuator in A).! This is "ecause distortion
characteristics of A). may change #hen attenuator setting of A). is changed! This means
that distortion may occur after attenuation "lock of A).!
$easurements #ere performed #ith 10d1 12d1 and +0d1 attenuators! Averaging must "e
implemented to remove noise! The purpose of this measurement is harmonic distortion
measurement and averaging does not affect harmonic distortion result! %t used 100 times of
averaging in these measurements!

+
1d! Attenuator
The -igure 12 sho#s data at 30$H& sampling frequency #ith 10d1 attenuator! The
condition of this graph is same as the -igure 11!



Figure 1": Measurement Results #ith 1d! Attenuator

-rom this result +nd harmonics distortion is a"out 4 to 10d1 improved and this means
that attenuated measurement method is actually effective to improve harmonic distortion
performance! The -igure 13 sho#s one of spectrums of a"ove data! This spectrum sho#s that
noise level of this measurement is 5100d1, 65110d1,! The fundamental amplitude of this
measurement is a"out 517d1, and measured harmonic distortions "elo# 83d1c is under
noise level and they are not relia"le results! To lo#er noise level it must increase num"er of
average!

'pectrum 9 10d1 attenuator *eriod 101
51+0
5100
580
570
530
5+0
0
0 100 +00 200 300 :00 700 400 800 ;00 1000
-requency ($H&)
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
1
,
)

Figure 1$: Spectrum at 1d! attenuator

1"d! Attenuator
The -igure 1: sho#s data at 30$H& sampling frequency #ith 12d1 attenuator! The +nd
harmonic distortion of this measurement is improved a fe# d1 than the measured result #ith
10d1 attenuator! 1ut harmonic distortions "elo# 80d1c are not relia"le results! Therefore no
relia"le data #ill "e taken if the attenuator values are increased more than 12d1!

2

Figure 1%: Measurement Results #ith 1"d! Attenuator

&ncrease 'umber of A(erage
<o# num"er of average is increased from 100 to 1000! The -igure 17 sho#s the spectrum
at this num"er of average! This graph sho#s that noise level at 1000 times of average is less
than 5110d1,!

'pectrum 9 10d1 attenuator *eriod 101
51+0
5100
580
570
530
5+0
0
0 100 +00 200 300 :00 700 400 800 ;00 1000
-requency ($H&)
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
1
,
)

Figure 1): Spectrum at 1 times a(erage #ith 1d! attenuator

The Ta"le 2 and the -igure 14 sho# measurement results #hile changing attenuation value
from 0d1 to +0d1! %n these measurements num"er of average is 1000 and num"er of
periods in data is 101!

*able ": Harmonic +istortions at se(eral Attenuation (alues
Attenuator
(d1)
-undamental
(d1,)
+nd Harmonics
(d1c)
2rd harmonics
(d1c)
+nd Harmonics
(d1,)
2rd harmonics
(d1,)
0 57!+2 540!;1 5104!3+ 544!13 5112!73
2 5;!+: 542!20 5111!77 58+!:7 51+0!;1
7 51+!+1 547!4; 5104!78 58;!00 511;!8;
10 517!+: 54;!42 5;7!88 5;:!;8 5112!12
12 51;!1: 58+!72 587!1; 5101!44 510:!23
17 5++!+8 581!48 5;1!72 5103!07 5112!;1
+0 5+7!14 584!17 588!47 5112!22 5113!;2

3
Harmonic Distortions and Attenuator
51+0!00
5110!00
5100!00
5;0!00
580!00
540!00
570!00
0 + 3 7 8 10 1+ 13 17 18 +0
Attenuator ,alue (d1)
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
1
c
)
+nd Harmonics
(d1c)
2rd harmonics
(d1c)

Figure 1,: Harmonic +istortions at se(eral Attenuator (alues

As sho#n in the -igure 17 noise level is a"out 5110d1, and all of 2
rd
harmonic distortion
results and +
nd
harmonic distortion result at +0d1 attenuator are "elo# noise level! +nd
harmonic distortion is decreased proportionally #ith attenuation values! After 12d1
attenuation value +nd harmonic distortion is not changed proportionally #ith attenuation
values! This means that these +nd harmonic distortions are not caused "y non5linearity of
'ampler!
The Ta"le 3 sho#s average and standard deviation of +0 times measurements #hen
attenuation values are 12d1 17d1 and +0d1! 1ecause the standard deviation of +
nd
harmonic
distortion result at +0d1 is larger than the standard deviation at 12d1 or 17d1 it is clear that
+
nd
harmonic distortion at +0d1 is "elo# noise level!

*able $: A(erage and Standard +e(iation at 1"d!- 1)d! and 2d!
Attenuator
Average
'tamdard
Devisation
Average
'tamdard
Devisation
Average
'tamdard
Devisation
-undamental (d1,) 51;!07 8!8:=503 5++!1; 2!;2=503 5+7!14 1!12=502
+nd Harmonic Distortion (d1c) 58+!12 1!17 58+!73 1!10 5;+!83 7!+2
2rd Harmonic Distortion (d1c) 5;2!04 2!77 5;1!03 3!37 584!80 3!:8
17d1 +0d1 12d1


The +
nd
harmonic distortions at 12d1 and 17d1 attenuation values are almost same and
the standard deviations of these conditions are small! This means that measurement results
at these conditions are correct! The measured results 58+!1d1c and 58+!7d1c are very close
to the measurement result "y 'pectrum Analy&er that is 58:!8d1c!

Summary
%nput signal must "e attenuated do#n to a"out 5+0d1, for correct measurement of
harmonic distortions "y the 'ampler at 1!+, range! 17d1 attenuator should "e used! This
increases the relative noise level and average must "e performed to reduce this noise level!

.erification
>sing o"tained measurement conditions several harmonic distortions of A). output #ere
measured! %n this measurement output frequencies #ere varied from +0$H& to 40$H&? and
no /*- #ere used! -irst A). output signals #ere measured "y 'pectrum Analy&er! Then
same A). output signals #ere measured "y 'ampler! $easured results "y 'pectrum
Analy&er and 'ampler #ere compared!
%n these measurements 17d1 attenuator #as used and the num"er of average #as 100!
The Ta"le : and the -igure 18 sho#s measurement and compared results!

:
*able %: A/0 1utput Measure Result #ithout 2PF




Figure 13: A/0 1utput Measure #ithout 2PF

The ma(imum delta of measured data "y 'ampler and 'pectrum Analy&er is 1!:d1 of 2
rd

harmonic distortion 9+0$H&! @verall "oth of measured results "y 'ampler and 'pectrum
Analy&er are #ell matched and it sho#s that o"tained measurement conditions are correct!

Conclusion
The =;4+7A 7.H& 'ampler can "e used to measure harmonic distortions and measured
harmonic distortion are #ell matched to the measurement result "y 'pectrum analy&er! The
measurement conditions to measure correct harmonic distortion "y 'ampler areA

'ignal Amplitude is a"out 5+0d1, 9 1!+, input range (17d1 attenuation)
'ampling frequency is close to input signal frequency
<um"er of periods in data is less than :B of num"er of data