Technology company Keysight Technologies Inc. launched the first dual-channel microwave signal generators that support up to 44 gigahertz (GHz) signals and 2 GHz radio frequency (RF) modulation bandwidth in a single instrument.

Keysight’s new VXG microwave signal generators address the most demanding wideband millimeter wave (mmWave) applications for 5G and satellite communications by decreasing test set-up complexity and reducing path losses introduced in over-the-air (OTA) test environments.

Many 5G New Radio (NR) deployments leverage wider channel bandwidths and active antenna arrays operating in mmWave frequency spectrum to support multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), as well as beamforming technologies. 3GPP mandated conformance testing of components, and other wireless network equipment aimed for deployment in mmWave frequencies, need to be performed in radiated OTA test environments.

“We are excited to introduce the world’s first dual-channel 44 GHz microwave signal generator with 2 GHz bandwidth, in both benchtop and modular form factors,” said Joe Rickert, vice president at Keysight’s High Frequency Measurement R&D. “The VXG’s low phase noise, high output power, excellent modulation, and distortion performance make it an ideal signal generator for a wide breadth of applications in wireless communications, for commercial and aerospace defense industries.”

Keysight’s new VXG microwave signal generators support the next frontier of cellular technology. It delivers an optimized 5G NR test system setup leveraging dual-channel 44 GHz vector signal generation with up to 2 GHz RF modulation bandwidth, and phase-coherent capability in a single test instrument. The generator also offers low OTA test system path loss resulting from the industry’s highest output power versus error vector magnitude (EVM) and adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) performance. It can accelerate product development through integration with Keysight’s PathWave Signal Generation, a software suite with access to a wide range of evolving standards-compliant 3GPP 5G NR signals for testing base stations, mobile terminal transmitters, and receivers.

Keysight’s VXG signal generators has a new graphical user interface for 5G NR that delivers a streamlined experience when creating standard-compliant test signals. Its user-centric interface — multi-touch and modular — delivers identical performance while addressing specific needs unique to research and development and manufacturing environments. Keysight’s 5G waveform generation and analysis testbed solution leverage on the VXG microwave signal generator’s enhanced capabilities for 5G development teams to efficiently validate new designs across both frequency range 1 (FR1) and frequency range 2 (FR2) as defined by 3GPP. The testbed solution uniquely addresses the challenges of 5G NR conformance test and enables Keysight to quickly integrate new technology into market-ready solutions that enable customers to move faster and achieve first-to-market goals.