Agilent 11974V Data Sheet

Agilent 11974 Series

Preselected Millimeter Mixers

Data Sheet

Whether your millimeter-frequency application is com­ponent or system testing, signal surveillance or EMI
measurements, your software development and verifica­tion time will be reduced and your measurement times
will be decreased. Simply place a marker on a signal—all
responses are real—and perform a preselector peak. The
analyzer then displays the amplitude and frequency of
the signal. No time is lost creating and running signal
identification routines, which used to be required to
separate true responses from multiples and images.

Each 11974 series preselected millimeter mixer is char­acterized for conversion loss versus frequency.
Calibration accuracy ranges from 1 dB at 26.5 GHz to 2
dB at 75 GHz. Just enter the conversion loss data into
your host spectrum analyzer and then make amplitude­calibrated measurements.

Choose Your Host Spectrum Analyzer

Agilent 11974 series preselected millimeter mixers are
compatible with Agilent’s 8566B, 8560 series and
E4407B of rugged portables

1

, 70000 Series modular
spectrum analyzers and the E4440A/46A/48A PSA
Series

1

.

1. Requires Option AYZ (external mixing).

For the first time, preselected signal analysis is available
to 75 GHz. With preselection, you can quickly and easily
characterize all signals of interest. No images or multi­ples are displayed to confuse the measurement. Time
consuming signal-identification routines are eliminated.

Figure 1 shows how true signals can be obscured by dis­played multiples and images in an unpreselected sys­tem. Figure 2 shows how only the true signals are dis­played when an Agilent Technologies 11974 series prese­lected millimeter mixer is used in making the measure­ment.

RF Sections Available in Four Bands
from 26.5 to 75 GHz

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

2

Added Benefits of Preselected Millimeter
Measurements

Reduced Overload from Many Signals

Preselected millimeter mixers reduce susceptibility
to overloading by numerous signals. Overloading
can cause your measurements to be uncalibrated.

System Amplitude Accuracy

Millimeter preselection improves system amplitude
accuracy by reducing the level of local oscillator
(LO) emissions back to the device under test.
Option 001 further improves system amplitude
accuracy by adding an isolator in front of the input
filter. With Option 001, the RF input VSWR is
<1.6:1 in A, Q, and U bands and <2.3:1 in V Band.

System Configuration

To operate your 11974 series preselected millime­ter mixer, simply connect the tune+span output,
local oscillator output,1and the IF input of the
spectrum analyzer to the mixer. Select the appro­priate analyzer using the switch on the rear panel
of the mixer. Make two easy adjustments, and
you're ready to make millimeter measurements.

The 11974 series connect to a standalone power
supply with a convenient 6-foot cable. Use the
same power supply with any 11974 series prese­lected mixer.

A full set of upgrade kits is available to ensure
compatibility with your existing spectrum analyz­ers including Agilent 8560A, 8561A/B, 8562A/B,
8566A/B, and

E4440A/46A/48A PSA Series. Refer

to the compatibility table to determine whether
your spectrum analyzer requires an upgrade.

All versions of 8563A spectrum analyzers and
70907B external mixer interface modules are
fully compatible with the 11974 series.

Greater Dynamic Range

Preselection improves dynamic range when signals
are sufficiently spaced. The preselector allows only
one of these signals to reach the mixer at a time.
So internally produced distortion products, such
as third order intermodulation, are reduced.

Ease of Use

Operators no longer need to learn techniques of
signal identification. Anyone familiar with prese­lected microwave spectrum analyzers can quickly
and easily make millimeter measurements. Spurs
from a device under test are easily found. They
are not hidden by images or multiple responses.

1. Operation with 8566B spectrum analyzers requires the use of an 11975A LO amplifier
to provide sufficient local oscillator power to the 11974 series LO input.

11974A

11474Q

11974U

26.5 GHz 33 GHz

50 GHz40 GHz

11974V

60 GHz 75 GHz

3

Frequency

Frequency Range

(LO Harmonic Number)
11974A (n = 8) 26.5 GHz to 40 GHz
11974Q (n = 10) 33 GHz to 50 GHz
11974U (n = 10) 40 GHz to 60 GHz
11974V (n = 14) 50 GHz to 75 GHz

Preselector Bandwidth (3 dB points)

Minimum Typical

11974A 80 MHz 130 MHz
11974Q 100 MHz 150 MHz
11974U 100 MHz 150 MHz
11974V 100 MHz 200 MHz

Center Frequency Accuracy, Residual FM, Span Accuracy

Using specifications of the spectrum analyzer, evaluate characteristics
with reference to the harmonic numbers listed below.

Harmonic Number

11974A n = 8
11974Q n = 10
11974U n = 10
11974V n = 14

Amplitude

Displayed Average Noise Level

Spectrum Analyzers: 8566B, 71OOOC, PSA Series (RBW=10 Hz)

Maximum Typical

11974A -111 dBm -118 dBm
11974Q -106 dBm -116 dBm
11974U -109 dBm -117 dBm
11974V -100 dBm -109 dBm

Spectrum Analyzers: 8563A/62A/61B/60A (RBW=300 Hz)

1

Maximum Typical

11974A -96 dBm -103 dBm
11974Q -91 dBm -101 dBm
11974U -94 dBm -104 dBm
11974V -85 dBm -94 dBm

Maximum Conversion Loss

RF to IF port (includes 1-m IF cable, part number 5061-5458)
11974A 44 dB
11974Q 46 dB
11974U 43 dB
11974V 57 dB

Conversion Loss Chart Accuracy

20 °C to 30 °C: RSS of calibration equipment errors (Add 0.7 dB if used
with 8563A/62A/61B/60A.)

0 °C to 55 °C: RSS of calibration equipment errors plus worst-case temper­ature effects of 11974 (Add 0.7 dB if used with 8563A/62A/61B/60A.)

0 °C to 55 °C 20 °C to 30 °C

11974A ≤ ±2.3 dB ≤ ±1.0 dB
11974Q ≤ ±2.3 dB ≤ +1.0 dB
11974U ≤ ±2.6 dB ≤ +1.1 dB
11974V ≤ ±4.5 dB ≤ ±2.0 dB

Image Rejection

(Image positioned 2x fIF above tuned response)
Spectrum Analyzers: 8566B, 71000C, PSA Series

O°C to 55°C 20°C to 30°C

11974A ≤ -54 dBc ≤ -59 dBc
11974Q ≤ -50 dBc ≤ -55 dBc
11974U ≤ -50 dBc ≤ -55 dBc
11974V (50 to 67 GHz) ≤ -50 dBc ≤ -55 dBc
11974V (67 to 75 GHz) ≤ -40 dBc ≤ -45 dBc

Spectrum Analyzers: 8563A/62A/61B/60A

O °C to 55 °C 20 °C to 30 °C

11974A ≤ -50 dBc ≤ -55 dBc
11974Q ≤ -45 dBc ≤ -50 dBc
11974U ≤ -45 dBc ≤ -50 dBc
11974V (50 to 67 GHz) ≤ -45 dBc ≤ -50 dBc
11974V (67 to 75 GHz) ≤ -35 dBc ≤ -40 dBc

Multiple Response

(Due to in-range applied signals mixing with LO harmonics other than
order n)
11974A (n = 8) ≤ -63 dBc
11974Q (n = 10) ≤ -60 dBc
11974U (n = 10) ≤ -60 dBc
11974V (n = 14)
(applied signal: 50 to 67 GHz) ≤ -60 dBc
(applied signal: 67 to 75 GHz) ≤ -55 dBc

1 dB Gain Compression (Nominal)

11974A ≥ +6 dBm
11974Q ≥ 0 dBm
11974U ≥ 0 dBm
11974V ≥ +3 dBm

1. The minimum usable resolution bandwidth of the 8563A/61B/60A in external
mixing mode is 300 Hz. The 8562A can be used with its minimum resolution band
width of 100 Hz in external mixing mode.

Specifications

Unless noted, all specifications describe warranted performance under the following conditions: 5-minute
warm-up from ambient conditions; 1-year calibration cycle; environmental requirements met; IF and LO
connections between the Agilent 11974 and a compatible spectrum analyzer are made with one length of
coax cable (part number 5061-5458). Typical performance is non-warranted. Supplemental characteristics
are denoted by "nominal"; these constitute non-warranted functional performance information derived dur­ing the design process and are not tested on a continuing basis.