Distortion-free frequency response measurements

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a distortion-free network analyzer (DFNA) using a noise source and an average power sensor for measuring the frequency property of an electronic device. DFNA makes use of the global algorithm and therefore typically save 60% measurements than conventional network analyzer which measures frequency response locally, under the same conditions. Furthermore, conventional network analyzer could be significantly affected by distortion due to its direct point-by-point scanning manner in frequency domain. In contrast, by utilizing the coincidence measurement principle, DFNA shows strong robustness against distortion. The results demonstrate that the proposed technique provides an efficient and robust way for anti-distortion frequency response analysis and has potential applications in communications, radio frequency circuits, radar and even electronic warfare. (letter)