Agilent E1439A Technical Specifications

Agilent E1439A

95 MSa/s Digitizer with
70 MHz IF Input

Technical Specifications

The Agilent E1439A is ideal for
applications in RF signal acquisition,
analysis, and high-resolution ATE. It
has a baseband input and a 70 MHz IF
input, both with 36 MHz bandwidth.
The single-channel 95 MSa/s digitizer
combines exceptional spurious-free
dynamic range with alias-protected
signal conditioning, center-frequency
tunable digital filters, and a large
signal capture memory, all in a
single-wide C-size VXI module.

Abbreviations

Fs = sample rate of DAC.

Fc = cut off frequency of high pass or

low pass filters.

dBfs = dB relative to full scale
amplitude range.

dBc = dB relative to carrier
amplitude.

Typical = Typical, non-warranted,
performance specification included
to provide general product
information.

Specification Note

Specifications describe warranted
performance over a temperature
range of 0° to 55° C, after a 15-minute
warm up from ambient conditions.
Supplemental characteristics identi­fied as “typical” and “characteristic”
provide useful information by
giving non-warranted performance
parameters. Typical performance is
applicable from 20° to 30° C.

2

Specifications

Input Specifications

Input Characteristics BNC Connector, shell grounded to chassis.

50Ω Impedance.

DC Coupled or AC Coupled through

0.2 µF capacitor.

Input signal can be switched to ground.

36 MHz anti-alias filter with bypass switch.

Input Ranges

Baseband Path: One range, -21 dBm, 28.2 mVp

70 MHz IF Path: -36 dBm to +12 dBm, in 1 dB steps

5.02 mVp to 1.26 Vp, in 1 dB steps

ADC Overload Level 0 dBfs (typical)

Maximum Input Power +24 dBm

Return Loss of 50ΩΩInput Impedance

Baseband Path, 0.1 to 36 MHz: > 15 dB (1.4 : 1 VSWR)

70 MHz IF Path, 52 to 88 MHz: > 9 dB (2.1 : 1 VSWR)

Amplitude Accuracy

(Power measurement, 0 to -40 dBfs,
anti-alias filter ON)

Baseband Path, at 10 MHz: ±0.7 dB

70 MHz IF Path, at 70 MHz: ±1.5 dB

Flatness (Excluding digital filter response)

Baseband Path, 0 to 36 MHz, +0.5, -1.2 dB
relative to 10 MHz:

Baseband Path, AAF off, at 100 MHz, -15 dB (typical)

70 MHz IF Path, 52 to 88 MHz, +0.5, -3.0 dB
relative to 70 MHz:

Phase Response Deviation from Linear Phase

(Group delay) (excluding digital filter response)

Baseband Path, 10 to 36 MHz: < 30 ns (typical)

70 MHz IF Path, 52 to 88 MHz: < 120 ns (typical)

DC Offset, Baseband Path

Auto-zero accuracy: ±5% fs (typical)

Temperature drift: < ±0.1 mV / °C (typical)

Input Bias Current, Baseband Path < 100 µA (typical)

IF Filter and Anti-alias Filter Stopband Rejection

(input range ≤ 0 dBm)

Baseband Path, 59 MHz to 200 MHz: > 65 dB

70 MHz IF Path, 0 to 43 MHz and
102 to 200 MHz: > 75 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio > 60 dB (typical)
(full scale input, full bandwidth,
excluding distortion, anti-alias filter on.
See noise, distortion and spur specs)

Input Noise Density

(before applying amplitude flatness correction,
anti-alias filter on, internal sample clock)

Baseband Path:
100 kHz to 36 MHz: < -132 dBfs/Hz
10 kHz to 100 kHz: < -130 dBfs/Hz
1 kHz to 10 kHz: < -122 dBfs/Hz
100 Hz to 1 kHz: < (-92 -10 LOG(f) ) dBfs/Hz
Sensitivity: < -154 dBm/Hz (typical)

70 MHz IF Path:
0 dBm range, 52 kHz to 88 MHz: < -132 dBfs/Hz
Sensitivity, on most sensitive range: < -163 dBm/Hz

3

Residual Responses < -90 dBfs
(with 50Ω termination at input connector,
in-band responses)

Harmonic Distortion, Aliased Harmonic Distortion,
and Spurious Responses.

IF path input signal amplitudes ≤ 0 dBm.
20° C to 30° C (add 3 dB at other temperatures)

IF path, input signals 0 to -9 dBfs: < -62 dBc

BB path, input signals 0 to -9 dBfs: < -65 dBc

input signals -9 to -20 dBfs: < -70 dBc

input signals < -20 dBfs: < -70 dBc or < -90 dBfs

Intermodulation Distortion

Two in-band signals 1 MHz apart, ≤0 dBm.
Measured in dBc, relative to one signal.
Includes 2ndorder and 3rdorder distortion of the
baseband path, and 3rdorder distortion of the IF path
(add 3 dB for 2ndorder distortion of IF path).
20° C to 30° C (add 3 dB at other temperatures)

each signal -6 to -14 dBfs: < -65 dBc
each signal -14 to -20 dBfs: < -70 dBc
each signal < -20 dBfs: < -70 dBc or < -90 dBfs

3rdOrder distortion, each input -16 dBfs: -80 dBc (typical)

Phase Noise Density

(single sideband power density, absolute or residual.
< 0.05 G vibration, Block data transfer mode. See Note 1)

Baseband Path, 10 MHz signal:

∆f = 10 kHz: < -128 dBc/Hz (typical)
∆f = 1 kHz: < -120 dBc/Hz (typical)
∆f = 100 Hz, residual only: < -110 dBc/Hz (typical)

IF Path, 80 MHz signal:

∆f = 10 kHz: < -110 dBc/Hz (typical)
∆f = 1 kHz: < -102 dBc/Hz (typical)
∆f = 100 Hz, residual only: < -92 dBc/Hz (typical)

Discrete Sidebands

(5 Hz to 100 kHz ∆f , see Notes 1 and 2)

Baseband Path, 10 MHz signal:

∆f > 20 kHz: < -90 dBc
∆f < 20 kHz: < -90 dBc (typical, Note 1)

Inter-module clock via VXI lines: < -80 dBc (typical)

IF Path, 80 MHz signal:

∆f > 20 kHz: < -72 dBc
∆f < 20 kHz: < -72 dBc (typical, Note 1)

Note 1. Phase Noise and Sidebands performance at
frequency offsets of less than 20 kHz may be degraded
by noise and ripple on the VXI power supplies.

Note 2. Specifications for Dynamic Range, Spurious
Responses and Sidebands require the mainframe
containing the E1439 to have Option 918 (connector
shields E1400-80920) installed. In addition, all modules in
the mainframe must comply with the VXI 1.4 specification
for ECL trigger lines, the 10 MHz VXI system clock must
be turned off, and the E1439 External Clock input must be
disconnected when not being used. Dynamic range speci­fications require 24-bit data resolution, and the level of
any External Clock or External Reference must be at least
0 dBm.

4

Sample Clock and DSP Specifications

Clock Sources

Internal sample clock frequency: 95 MSa/s

External reference for internal clock: 10 MHz

External sample clock frequency range: 10 MHz to 102.4 MHz, baseband only

Internal Clock Specifications

Frequency accuracy, 0 to 40° C: ± 7 ppm

Frequency accuracy, 40 to 55° C: ± 10 ppm

External reference lock range: ± 6 ppm (typical)

Clock Input/Output Characteristics

External sample clock/reference input: BNC connector. ac-coupled comparator with

1 KΩ impedance. Accepts TTL, ECL, or
> -6 dBm sine waves

Trigger input: BNC connector. ac-coupled comparator with

1 KΩ impedance. Detects pulses > 300 ns with
edges > 100 mV

Inter-module front panel clock/sync: SMB connector, ECL-10K compatible.

Inter-module VXI backplane clock/Sync: VXI backplane ECLTRG lines.

10 MHz reference output : SMB connector +8 dBm

Multi-module Sampling Skew

Within mainframe, uncorrected: < 10 ns (typical)

Between mainframes, 1m cable, uncorrected: < 25 ns (typical)

Resolution of correction: 5 ps (nominal)

Digital Decimation Filters 17 octave steps (40 MHz to 305 Hz),

< 0.215 dB ripple, software correctable

Digital Local Oscillator < 0.01 Hz tuning resolution

Regulatory Compliance

Safety Standards Designed for compliance to EN 61010-1(1993)

Radiated Emissions and Immunity EN 61326-1 (see Note 2, page 3)

Environmental

Operating Restrictions

Maximum altitude: 4600 m, above 2285 m derate operating

temperature by -3.6° C per 1000 m

Ambient Tempture: 0 to 55° C

Humidity: 10% to 90% at 40° C, non-condensing

5

Performance Benchmarks

(Benchmarks are included as supplemental,
non-warranted characteristics)

VXI/VME continous data transfer 2.2 MBytes/s
rate (From E1438A to MXI-II VXI
controller, D32 VME word size)

Local bus data transfer rate 63 MBytes/s
(From E1438A to ideal consumer)

Library function control of module
(MXI-II VXI controller)

Measurement start: 8.5 µs
center frequency change (raw): 600 µs

Harmonic Distortion

Harmonic Distortion performance with a -25 dBm 13 MHz signal on
the -15 dBm range

Typical Performance Charts

The following charts are included as
supplemental, non-warranted characteristics.

Intermodulation Distortion

Intermodulation Distortion performance with two -14 dBfs tones near
30 MHz on the -15 dBm range.

Baseband Path Response vs. Frequency

Ch1 Spectrum

-15

dBm

20.0/div

-115
0 Hz

10.0 MHz/div

50 MHz

-10 dB Full Scale

-70 dBc

Distortion Specification

Ch1 Spectrum

-15

dBm

25.0/div

-140
27 MHz

1.0 MHz/div

32 MHz

-14 dB Full Scale

-70 dBc Spec.

-85 dBc 3rd (typical)

6

IF Path Response vs. Frequency

IF Path Group Delay vs. Frequency

7

General

VXI Standard Information

Conforms to VXI revision 1.4. See Note 1,
page 3 concerning section B.8.6, Conducted
Susceptibility.

C-size, single slot width.

Register based programming.

“Slave” Data Transfer Bus functionality.

A16 address capability.

D16/D32 data capability.

Local Bus capability

Requires ECLTRG0 and ECLTRG1 lines for
module synchronization.

VXI Power Requirements dc Current Dynamic Current

+5 V: 5.7 A 0.8 A

–5.2 V: 3.0 A 0.1 A

–2 V: 1.0 A 0.1 A

+12 V: 1.2 A 0.3 A

–12 V: 0.2 A 0.02 A

+24 V: 0.04 A 0.02 A

–24 V: 0.04 A 0.02 A

+5 V Standby: 0.0 A 0.0 A

VXI Cooling Requirements

For 10° C rise: 3.3 liters/second, 0.67 mm H2O

For 15° C rise: 2.2 liters/second, 0.30 mm H2O

Warm-up Time 15 Minutes

Calibration Interval 1 Year (no field adjustments)

Warranty

This product is distributed,
warranted, and supported by
Agilent Technologies.

The E1439A comes with a 3-year
warranty. During that period, the unit
will either be replaced or repaired, at
Agilent Technologies’ option, and
returned to the customer without
charge.

Related Agilent Literature

Agilent Test System and
VXI Products Catalog
p/n 5980-0307E

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