A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter

Author

MacMullen, Alexander ; Hoover, Lowell R. ; Justice, Roy D. ; Callahan, Brian S.

Author_Institution

Technology Service Corp., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

48

Issue

4

fYear

2001

fDate

7/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1072

Lastpage

1078

Abstract

A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter has been developed using commercial off-the-shelf components. Its phase noise is more than 10 dB below the best available microwave synthesizers. It covers a 7% frequency band with 0.1-Hz resolution. The X-band output at +23 dBm is a combination of signals from an X-band sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator (SLCO), a low noise UHF frequency synthesizer, and special-purpose frequency translation and up-conversion circuitry.

Keywords

circuit noise; exciters; frequency synthesizers; microwave generation; microwave oscillators; phase noise; programmable circuits; signal generators; SHF; X-band sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator; frequency translation circuitry; low noise UHF frequency synthesizer; microwave synthesizer; phase noise; programmable X-band exciter; ultra-low noise X-band exciter; upconversion circuitry; Circuit noise; Cranes; Frequency synthesizers; Low-noise amplifiers; Noise level; Noise measurement; Oscillators; Phase noise; Signal resolution; Working environment noise;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0885-3010

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/58.935725

Filename

935725