Technical data

5-4 8510XF Service Quick Reference Guide
System Level Servicing & Troubleshooting
Theory of Operation
Millimeter Wave
Controller
The controller has more functions than are illustrated in Figure 5-2 on
page 5-3. It controls the switching of RF paths in the microwave subheads
and test heads at different points in the system’s frequency range. It also
collects together the IFs generated by all mixers in the microwave subhead,
the millimeter test heads, and the controller itself, and uses a multiplexer to
furnish the appropriate IFs to the network analyzer at each moment in time.
Frequency Bands Each frequency band uses its own set of mixers. The bands are as follows.
Frequency Multiplication The frequency range of the system greatly exceeds that of the system’s RF
source (the 83651B has a maximum frequency of 50 GHz). Frequencies
above 50 GHz are generated through harmonic multiplication of the RF
source. The signals from the LO source are also multiplied, in the sense that
the mixers in certain ranges are designed to use a harmonic of the LO input,
rather than the fundamental input. The details for each band are discussed
below.
75 to 110 GHz Band In the 75 to 110 GHz range, the signal from the RF source is applied to a
frequency tripler in the test head. The mixers for this range are located in the
test head, and designed to use the 18th harmonic of the LO input frequency.
This applies to E7350A systems and E7352A subsystems only.
50 to 85 GHz or
50 to 75 GHz Band
In the 50 to 85 GHz range, the signal from the RF source is applied to a
frequency doubler in the test head. The mixers for this range are located in
the test head, and designed to use the 14th harmonic of the LO input
frequency. For E7350A systems and E7352A subsystems, this band covers
the 50 to 75 GHz range.
2 to 50 GHz Band In the 2 to 50 GHz range, the signal from the RF is not multiplied; it is
applied directly to the mixers. The mixers for this range are located in the
microwave subhead. In a portion of this range (from 18 to 50 GHz) the
mixers use the third harmonic of the LO input frequency. In the remainder of
this range (from 2 to 18 GHz), the mixers use the fundamental of the LO
input frequency.
Band Included In
.045 to 2 GHz 8510XF systems with Option 005
2 to 50 GHz All 8510XF systems
50 to 85 GHz
50 to 75 GHz
E7340A systems/E7342A subsystems
E7350A systems/E7352A subsystems
75 to 110 GHZ E7350A systems/E7352A subsystems