RF Optimizations

This topic describes the parameters of the ClosedRF Optimizations screen, including the harmonic filters.

Optimizations pertain to the RF Output of the indicated channel. Each optimization may involve a tradeoff in one aspect of instrument performance over another. Care should be taken in choosing an optimization for your measurement use case.

Use Harmonic Filters

Noise Preference

Output Blanking

Override Signal-to-Noise

Signal-to-Noise Auto

Optimization Mode

Optimization Mode Auto

Temperature Compensation ClosedSetup

Temperature Compensation State [Enable]

Temperature Compensation Hold

Temperature Compensation Continuous

Temperature Compensation / Update Compensation

Temperature Compensation Power Application

Use Harmonic Filters

Enables or disables harmonic filters if Option 1EH is present. The instrument’s harmonic performance is improved for RF frequencies < 2 GHz. Maximum output power will be limited (see Data Sheet).

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Use Harmonic Filters

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:HFILter[:STATe] ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:HFILter[:STATe]?

SCPI Example

HFIL ON

HFIL?

Preset

OFF

State Saved

Yes

Range

OFF | ON

Couplings

When Optimization Mode Auto is off, Use Harmonic Filters is not changeable in the GUI. Attempting to change the state via SCPI raises the error -221, "Settings Conflict; Cannot change Use Harmonics Filters while Optimization Mode Auto is off".

Initial S/W Revision

A.03.00

Noise Preference

The selection controls optimization of signal generation in respect to signal-to-noise ratio vs distortion levels. The default is balanced performance.

For M9484C allows choices to select optimize for best signal-to-noise or best (lowest) distortion. This control is a hint or clue to the instrument for how to emphasize internal circuitry. The actual signal output may not change.

Allows choices to select optimize for best signal-to-noise. This control is a hint or clue to the instrument for how to emphasize internal circuitry. The actual signal output may not change.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Noise Preference

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:NOISe BALanced|SNRatio|DISTortion

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:NOISe?

SCPI Example

OPT:NOIS SNR

OPT:NOIS?

Notes

For M9383B/M9384B, only BALanced is applicable, attempting to make other selections will raise the error -224, "Illegal parameter value".

Preset

BAL

State Saved

Yes

Range

BALanced | SNRatio | DISTortion

Couplings

None

Backwards Compatibility SCPI

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:POWer:NOISe[:STATe] ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:POWer:NOISe[:STATe]?

ON will set SNRatio

OFF will set BALanced

Default is OFF

When Noise Preference is set to DISTortion, query returns OFF.

Initial S/W Revision

A.10.00

Output Blanking

Enables or disables automatic operation of output blanking on the indicated channel.  Blanking occurs when the RF output is momentarily turned off as the instrument transitions from one frequency segment (band) to another, allowing the signal to settle. When Output Blanking > Auto is set to ON, RF Output is automatically turned off during frequency changes on the specified channel. 

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OUTPut:BLANking:AUTO ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OUTPut:BLANking:AUTO?

SCPI Example

OUTP:BLAN:AUTO OFF

Preset

ON

State Saved

Yes

Initial S/W Revision

A.14.00

Override Signal-to-Noise

This optimization is provided to override the default calibrated tradeoff of signal-to-noise vs distortion. Higher values optimize signal-to-noise over distortion. This value is not used when I/Q modulation is off. This value overrides the default selection determined from the Optimization Mode setting.

Because signal-to-noise optimization is frequency-dependent, based on the instrument's internal circuitry, the actual signal-to-noise override achieved may be lower than the entered value.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Override Signal-to-Noise

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:SNR <rel_ampl>

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:SNR?

SCPI Example

OPT:SNR -4 DB

Preset

0

State Saved

Yes

Resolution

0.001 dB

Min

For M9383B / M9384B: -10 dB

For M9484C: -10 dB

Max

For M9383B / M9384B: 10 dB

For M9484C: 0 dB

Resolution

For M9383B / M9384B: 0.01 dB

For M9484C: 0.001 dB

Couplings

Setting Signal-to-Noise Auto to On sets Override Signal-to-Noisevalue to 0 dB.

Setting Signal-to-Noise Auto to Off does not change the Override Signal-to-Noise value.

Backwards Compatibility SCPI

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:IQ:MODulation:ATTen <ampl_rel>

Initial S/W Revision

A.10.00

Modified S/W Revision A.15.00 - Changed lower limit for M9484C

Signal-to-Noise Auto

By default, the instrument automatically emphasizes signal-to-noise. You can override the automatic optimization of signal-to-noise vs distortion to configure the optimization for your measurement use case. This value is ignored (implicitly AUTO) when I/Q modulation is off.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Override Signal-to-Noise

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:SNR:AUTO ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:SNR:AUTO?

SCPI Example

OPT:SNR:AUTO OFF

Preset

ON

State Saved

Yes

Range

0 | 1 | OFF | ON

Couplings

Setting any value of Override Signal-to-Noise sets Auto to OFF

Backwards Compatibility SCPI

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:IQ:MODulation:ATTen:AUTO ON|OFF|1|0

Initial S/W Revision

A.10.00

Optimization Mode

In general, instruments may have numerous optimization modes, dependent upon the internal circuitry.

The M9484C provides nine modes; the M9383B/M9384B has one mode.

For the M9484C:

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Optimization Mode

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:MODE <integer>

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:MODE?

SCPI Example

OPT:MODE 3

OPT:MODE?

Notes

For M9383B/M9384B:

Only 0 is available. Attempting to change to a value other than 0 raises the error -222, "Data out of range; Clipped to lower limit"

For M9484C:

Attempting to change to a value greater than 8 raises the error -222, "Data out of range; Clipped to lower limit"

Preset

0

State Saved

Yes

Min

0

Max

For M9383B/M9384B: 0

For M9484C: 8

Couplings

When set explicitly OPT:MODE:AUTO is set to OFF

Initial S/W Revision

A.10.00

Optimization Mode Auto

By default, the instrument automatically selects the appropriate optimization based on the features in use. You can override the automatic optimization to configure the optimization for your measurement use case.

For the M9484C, when the optimization mode is manual (auto off), the Use Harmonics Filters and Noise Preference selections are ignored. When the Signal-to-Noise optimization feature is under manual control, it still overrides the manual Optimization Mode control.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations > Optimization Mode Auto

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:MODE:AUTO[:STATe] 0|1|OFF|ON

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:OPTimization:MODE:AUTO[:STATe]?

SCPI Example

OPT:MODE:AUTO ON

OPT:MODE:AUTO?

Notes

For M9383B and M9384B:

Only 0 is available. Attempting to change to a value other than 0 raises the error -222,"Data out of range;Clipped to lower limit"

For M9484C:

Attempting to change to a value greater than 8 raises the error -222," Data out of range;Clipped to lower limit"

Mode 4 and Mode 8 require Option 1EH.

Preset

ON

State Saved

Yes

Min 0
Max

For M9383B and M9384B, the maximum value is 0.

For M9484C, the maximum value is 8.

Range

0 | 1 | OFF | ON

Couplings

When OPT:MODE is set to a value, AUTO is set to OFF

Initial S/W Revision

A.10.00

Temperature Compensation

The M9484C can adjust power and phase to compensate for temperature variation.

The instrument has internal processing to maintain the specified performance across the specified temperature range. The default behavior is to perform temperature compensation upon a change in instrument settings (such as frequency, power, waveform playback, etc.)so that the RF Output is not disturbed during continuous output. Temperature compensation is not applied while you are operating the instrument in a quiescent condition.

Temperature Compensation State [Enable]

This feature specifies if temperature compensation is applied to the amplitude and phase.

This setting must be on for any other Temperature compensation settings to be active.

For M9383B or M9384B: Temperature Compensation State is ON and is not changeable (however, sending the SCPI command does not generate an error).

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Enable

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation[:STATe] ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation[:STATe]?

SCPI Example

TEMP:COMP OFF

TEMP:COMP?

Preset

ON

State Saved

Yes

Choices

On | Off | 1 | 0

Initial S/W Revision

A.12.00

Temperature Compensation Hold

Temperature Compensation can be held at the current temperature for situations where you require no changes to the instrument’s internal circuitry while you are characterizing your measurement environment. This may be the use case for obtaining correction factors you will be using for Offset Channel Flatness Data. The normal instrument operating condition is to not hold (Hold=off). If you require an update to the temperature compensation while Hold is on, you can use the Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Update Compensation button or TEMP:COMP:IMMediate SCPI command.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Hold

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:HOLD ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:HOLD?

SCPI Example

TEMP:COMP:HOLD ON

TEMP:COMP:HOLD?

Notes For M9383B or M9384B: Temperature Compensation Hold state is OFF and not changeable. Sending this SCPI command does not generate an error.

Preset

OFF

State Saved

Yes

Choices

On | Off

Initial S/W Revision

A.15.00

Temperature Compensation Continuous

When Temperature Compensation Continuous is off, the temperature is taken into account when the RF channel’s instrument settings are changed, or when you click the Update Compensation GUI button or when the TEMP:COMP:IMMediate SCPI command is sent.

When Temperature Compensation Continuous is on, the compensation is applied on an ongoing basis updating the headroom, thus keeping the output from having discontinuity.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Continuous

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:CONTinuous ON|OFF|1|0

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:CONTinuous?

SCPI Example

TEMP:COMP:CONT OFF

TEMP:COMP:CONT?

Notes

Temperature Compensation must be enabled for this setting to apply.

For M9383B or M9384B:

Temperature Compensation Continuous state is OFF and not changeable.  Sending the SCPI command has no effect, but it does not generate an error.

Preset

OFF

State Saved

Yes

Range

On/Off

Initial S/W Revision

A.15.00

Temperature Compensation / Update Compensation

When Temperature Compensation is on, this feature can cause the temperature compensation to be applied immediately to the current setup.  This allows choosing to update for temperature drift while leaving the setup constant.

For M9383B or M9384B: Not a supported function. Sending the SCPI command has no effect, but it does not generate an error.

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Update Compensation

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:IMMediate

SCPI Example

TEMP:COMP:IMM

Preset

N/A

State Saved

No

Initial S/W Revision

A.12.00

Temperature Compensation Power Application

This feature selects whether the temperature compensation application is to all of channel gain, or only to the headroom.

When Attenuator Auto is off, this value will be ignored and the Application Type will be HEADroom. CGAin (Channel Gain) is generally the best choice, as it maximizes the signal to noise ratio and headroom. HEADroom can be desirable for repeatability, as switching attenuation can introduce 0.05 dB of variation for the exact same setup due to selecting a different gain state.

For M9383B or M9384B: Temperature Compensation Mode is set to HEADroom and not changeable (However, sending the SCPI command does not generate an error).

GUI Location

RF Output > Optimizations tab > Temperature Compensation > Power Application

SCPI Command

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:POWer:APPLication HEADroom|CGAin

[:SOURce][:RF<channel>]:TEMPerature:COMPensation:POWer APPLication?

SCPI Example

TEMP:COMP:POW:APPL CGAin

TEMP:COMP:POW:APPL?

Preset

CGAin

Choices

Headroom | Channel Gain

State Saved

Yes

Initial S/W Revision

A.12.00

Modified S/W Revision

A.15.00 - Changed default to Channel Gain (This change is not applicable to M9383B or M9384B.)

RF Output Block