Improved Dynamic Range

For example, suppose that the LO fundamental has a peak-to-peak deviation
of 10 Hz. The second harmonic then has a 20 Hz peak-to-peak deviation; the
third harmonic, 30 Hz; and so on. Since the phase noise indicates the signal
(noise in this case) producing the modulation, the level of the phase noise
must be higher to produce greater deviation. When the degree of modulation
is very small, as in the situation here, the amplitude of the modulation side
bands is directly proportional to the deviation of the carrier (LO). If the
deviation doubles, the level of the side bands must also double in voltage;
that is, increase by 6 dB or 20 log(2) . As a result, the ability of our analyzer
to measure closely spaced signals that are unequal in amplitude decreases
as higher harmonics of the LO are used for mixing. Figure 7-10 shows the
difference in phase noise between fundamental mixing of a 5 GHz signal and
fourth-harmonic mixing of a 20 GHz signal.

Figure 7-10. Phase noise levels for fundamental and 4th harmonic mixing

Improved dynamic range
A preselector improves dynamic range if the signals in question have
sufficient frequency separation. The discussion of dynamic range in Chapter 6
assumed that both the large and small signals were always present at the
mixer and that their amplitudes did not change during the course of the
measurement. But as we have seen, if signals are far enough apart, a
preselector allows one to reach the mixer while rejecting the others. For
example, if we were to test a microwave oscillator for harmonics, a
preselector would reject the fundamental when we tuned the analyzer
to one of the harmonics.

Let's look at the dynamic range of a second-harmonic test of a 3 GHz
oscillator. Using the example from Chapter 6, suppose that a 40 dBm signal
at the mixer produces a second harmonic product of 75 dBc. We also know,
from our discussion, that for very dB the level of the fundamental changes
at the mixer, measurement range also changes by 1 dB. The second-harmonic
distortion curve is shown in Figure 7-11. For this example, we shall assume
plenty of power from the oscillator and set the input attenuator so that when
we measure the oscillator fundamental, the level at the mixer is 10 dBm,
below the 1 dB compression point.