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Experimental overview of linearity metrics using complex modulated signals
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 October 2025
Abstract
This paper presents an experimental overview of linearity metrics using setups based on a PNA-X and a vector signal analyzer to evaluate key performance indicators of a transistor, such as noise power ratio and error vector magnitude, under unequally spaced multi-tone (USMT) and various quadrature amplitude modulation signals. The purpose of this study is to verify the feasibility of characterizing the linearity of transistors and RF power amplifiers on a PNA-X-based measurement bench by exploiting the statistical properties of the previously developed USMT signal, which allows NPR measurement in a single pass. The measurements were performed on an 
$8 \times 50\,\mu\,\mathrm{m}$ gate GaN transistor from UMS Foundry,operating on-wafer at 29 GHz.
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- Research Paper
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- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with The European Microwave Association.
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