Learning about the ESA Characterization Reference Architecture

What is the ESA Characterization Reference Architecture?

The Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) Characterization Reference Architecture performs pulsed RF measurements for components such as power amplifiers (PAs) and transmit/receive—or transceiver—modules (TRMs), which are used in electronically scanned array systems.

Modern electronically scanned arrays, including passive ESAs, active ESAs, and digital beamformers, are designed modularly with components such as PAs and TRMs that serve as fundamental components. The performance of these components in all environments ensures system performance, minimizes the likelihood of system downtime, and enables mission readiness.

In order to test these components, the ESA Characterization Reference Architecture builds on the NI platform by incorporating NI hardware and a custom software library called the Pulsed RF Measurement Library. Measurements performed with a test system based on the ESA Characterization Reference Architecture can be used for characterization and production test of PAs and TRMs.

The ESA Characterization Reference Architecture performs the following measurements:

  • Pulse profile and pulse stability measurements
  • Two-port S-parameter measurements
  • Power-added efficiency (PAE) measurements

In addition to those measurements, ESAs support digital TRMs where you need to communicate with the device using a digital link. For those devices, the ESA can use the Digital Signal Transceiver Driver (DST) to implement generation and acquisition of I/Q signals using a similar interface as used in NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA. Then, you can use the measurements, listed above, for your characterization.

Software Overview

Electronically Scanned Array Characterization Reference Architecture offers two ways to perform tests.

Digital Signal Transceiver Driver

The Digital Signal Transceiver Driver (DST) allows you to perform testing on the digital TRM found in an ESA radar.  

Digital TRMs feature a low-noise receiver, a power amplifier, and digitally controlled gain/phase elements. Data is sent and received using the high-speed serial communication over different protocols such as JESD204, Aurora, and many others.

Electronically Scanned Array Characterization Reference Architecture provides a simple interface between the digital TRM and the NI abstracted mixed I/O instrumentation to allow a variety of RF parametric measurements.

Pulsed RF Measurement Library

The Pulsed RF Measurement Library enables you to interact with LabVIEW and instrument drivers to perform and automate measurements.

The Pulsed RF Measurement Library includes the following components:

  • A software library of configuration and measurement VIs
  • Interactive examples that enable benchtop characterization of DUTs
  • Programming examples that serve as a template for building automated test applications
  • Library and header files for use in C and other text-based programming languages

Hardware Overview

The ESA Characterization Reference Architecture enables you to integrate both NI and third-party hardware to develop a test system.

The hardware configuration of your test system varies based on the measurement(s) you want to perform and your test system requirements. Refer to the Electronically Scanned Array Characterization Reference Architecture Solution Brochure for more information about choosing and purchasing a hardware configuration that matches your requirements.

Refer to the S-Parameter, Pulse, and PAE measurement hardware requirements and connection topics for information about how to configure your hardware for each measurement type.