14 Jun 2012

Nujira ET Surface Explorer Software Adds Power Amplifier Test Capability

RF power amplifier and envelope tracking specialist, Nujira Ltd, has launched an ET Surface Explorer. This software operates alongside the previously launched RF power amplifier test and characterisation hardware tester, their NCT-T9102 RF PA characterization system.

The new software adds a completely new level of functionality allowing considerably more flexibility and power to the system that was already invaluable for many cellular PA developers. The new ET Surface Explorer software provides PA and product designers much greater insight into the performance of ET PAs. It enables them to see the performance of their PAs, enabling them to maximize the linearity, efficiency and output power benefits of operating PAs in ET mode.

Testing of PAs in general is not easy as there are many variables and it is not always easy to see all the factors affecting performance. Adding envelope tracking functionality adds a new layer of complexity because the power supply is continually varying and this adds a further dimension to the operating convictions, making visualisation of the performance that much more difficult.

The advanced work-flow capabilities of the Nujira ET Surface Explorer enables considerable improvements in productivity by replacing thousands of complex, repetitive and time-consuming lab measurements with a single measurement pass, which typically takes less than 2 minutes to capture and process.

ET Surface Explorer is aimed at RF PA designers and OEMs who want to assess the performance of PA modules. It enables them to visualize how PAs behave under live ET supply modulation conditions, unlocking the optimum performance and efficiency characteristics of a given PA.

The software can run associated with the NCT-T9102 RF PA characterization system, or offline to provide simulation capability. Using the software it is possible to simulate the expected performance of an RF PA, and then test a hardware version. The results can later be analysed in detail. In this way users are expected to require more software seats than hardware stations. In this way productivity will be able to be considerably increased.

The post processing provides displays of the results in 3D images. In this way the complex performance of RF PAs under test can be analysed more easily.

Tim Haynes, CEO of Nujira said: “The release of ET Surface Explorer shows our continued commitment to supporting RF designers by making the adoption of Envelope Tracking technology as painless as possible. Our NCT-T9102 PA characterization system was already far ahead of the competition in terms of accurately measuring and analyzing the performance of ET PAs, and ET Surface Explorer gives designers another powerful tool to simply and intuitively optimize PA performance. Smartphone designers and modem chipset developers can also benefit from ET Surface Explorer’s high productivity workflow, allowing them to compare and assess ET PA device performance in a few hours, rather than days.”

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