ADI 2007

The World Leader in High-Performance Signal Processing Solutions

Obscurities & Applications

of
RF Power Detectors
Carlos Calvo, Applications Engineer
carlos.calvo@analog.com
 Why measure RF/IF power?

‰Set mobile’s power level (RSSI measurement in BTS

receiver)
‰Signal Leveling in receivers (high precision generally not
required, usually done at IF)
‰Prevent interference with other systems and other users in
same cell (mobile handset).
‰Improve mobile talk time (operate at low end of permissible
range, reduce SAR).
‰Improve network robustness (operate at high end of
permissible range).
‰Thermal Dimensioning (mostly HPA)

2
Typical RF Signal Chain

RSSI/Phase Det

MIXER
VGA
LNA
ADC
IQ
DEMOD
ADC
AMP

TX/RX
VCO-Synth-DDS
SWITCH

AMP DAC
IQ MOD

DAC
PA/DRIVER VGA AMP

MIXER

LOG / RMS
CONTROL

3
Typical Detector Applications

Tx Power Measurement TX power control

PA PA

Detector ADC Detector

Received Power Measurement Received Power Control

Detector ADC ADC

ADC

LO2
∫ Detector

Vagc
Vgain for RSSI
LO2

4
 RF Power Detectors
Critical Specifications
‰Linearity and Temperature Stability of Output
‰Dynamic Range
‰Pulse Response
‰Variations due to Power Supply and Frequency
Changes
‰Ease of Use and Calibration
‰Change in response vs. signal crest factor
‰Size and overall Component Count

5
 ADI 2007

RF Power Measurement Techniques

6
 Power Measurement Techniques
Diode Detection

D1
RFI N Vout

68Ω
100pF R1

Source: “A Supressed Harmonic Power Detector for Dual Band Phones” Alan Rixon and Raymond
7 Waugh “Applied Microwave and Wireless”, November 1999
 Transfer Function of Diode Detector
Vout vs. Pinput

10

0.1
Vout-Volts

0.01

0.001

0.0001

0.00 001
-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25
Pinput-dBm

-25 deg C 25 deg c +85 deg C -30 DEG C -40 DEG C

8
 Diode Detector with Temperature
Compensation

RFIN D1 R1 Vout

68 Ω 100pF R2

D2

Source: “A Supressed Harmonic Power Detector for Dual Band Phones” Alan Rixon and Raymond
9 Waugh “Applied Microwave and Wireless”, November 1999
 Transfer Function of Temperature
Compensated Diode Detector
3 10
2.5
2
1.5
1 1
ERROR (dB).

-40 degC

VOUT (V)
0.5
0 +25 degC
-0.5 +85 degC
-1 0.1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
-3 0.01
-20 -10 0 10 20
INPUT (dBm)

•Excellent temperature stability at high power

•Limited Dynamic Range and poor low end temp. stability
•High Resolution ADC required for low end power measurement
•Lots of patented techniques which probably improve this performance
10
 ADI 2007

Logarithmic Amplifiers

11
 Log Amp Block Diagram

‰Signal propagates through gain chain until it limits

‰Detectors full-wave rectify the signal at the output of each
stage
‰Outputs of detectors are summed and low-pass filtered
12
 Log Amp Transfer Function in Time
Domain

13
 Log Amp Transfer Function - Slope and
Intercept
Slope = (VO2 - VO1) / (PI2 - PI1) 2.0 5
V S = +5V
1.8 4
Intercept = PI1 - VO1 / Slope
1.6 3
Vout = Slope · (Pin - Intercept) 1.4 2
Pin = (Vout / Slope) + Intercept 1.2 –40 degC 1
1.0 0

ER R OR – dB
+25 degC
Vou t - Vo lts

0.8 pe –1
o +85degC
0.6 Sl –2
0.4 –3
0.2 –4
0 –5
–100 –90 –80 –70 –60 –50 –40 –30 –20 –10 0 10
IN PUT AMPLITUDE – dBm
Intercept
14
 RF Power Detector Calibration
VOUTIDEAL = SLOPE x (PIN - INTERCEPT)
SLOPE = (VOUT1-VOUT2)/(PIN1-PIN2)
INTERCEPT = PIN1-(VOUT1/SLOPE)
Error (dB) = (VOUT-VOUTIDEAL)/SLOPE
VOUT2

VOUT1

PIN2 PIN1 INTERCEPT

15
 ±1 dB Dynamic Range

55 dB Dynamic Range

‰Temperature Drift can reduce Dynamic Range

16
Detector Calibration Procedure

‰Factory Calibration: Using a precise power source, measure

output voltage from the detector with two known input
powers at top and bottom of desired input range
‰Perform calibration measurements only at room temperature
‰Calculate SLOPE and INTERCEPT and store in non-volatile
memory
‰When equipment is in operation measure detector output
voltage using ADC
‰Calculate power using “Pin = (Vout/Slope) + Intercept”
‰No temperature compensation necessary

17
 Adjust Calibration Points for optimal accuracy
over a narrow range

VOUT2

VOUT1

PIN2 PIN1

‰ Calibrate for highest accuracy at max RF power and degraded

accuracy at lower powers

18
Temperature drift vs. Output Voltage at
25ºC
2.2 2.5

Vout +25 degC

2 2
Vout -40 degC
Vout +85 degC
1.8 Error +25 degC 1.5
Error -40 degC
1.6 Error +85 degC 1

1.4 0.5
Vout - Volts

Error - dB
1.2 0

1 -0.5

0.8 -1

0.6 -1.5

0.4 -2

0.2 -2.5
-65 -60 -55 -50 -45 -40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5
Pin-dBm

‰ Calibration eliminates error due to non-linearity at 25 ºC

19
Temperature drift vs. Output Voltage at 25ºC

‰Removes error due to non-linearity at 25ºC

‰Provides larger dynamic range and improved accuracy
‰Method however does not account for non-linearity in the
transfer function at room temperature
‰For practical implementation, calibration measurements
must be taken at multiple input powers (multi-point
calibration vs. 2-point calibration)

20
Log Amp Detectors vs. Diode Detectors

‰Log Amps have a higher dynamic range (40 dB or greater

vs. 20-30 dB for a diode detector)
‰Log Amps provide good temperature stability over a wide
dynamic range.
‰Diode detectors only provide good temperature stability at
max input power (typically +15 dBm)

21
 Log Amp Pulse Response Time
10ns Response Time (10% - 90%)

22
2nd Generation Log Amp Detectors
Dynamic
RF Temp
Rang Response
Part No. Freq Drift Package Comments
e Time (ns)
(MHz) (dB)
(dB)
14-lead Dual gain &
AD8302 dc to 2700 60 ±1 60
TSSOP phase detector

Military specified
AD8306 5 to 400 100 ±1 73 16-lead SOP
part available
8-lead
AD8307 dc to 500 92 ±1 400 -
SOIC/DIP
16-lead Amplitude and
AD8309 5 to 500 100 ±1 67
TSSOP limiter outputs
8-lead
AD8310 dc to 440 95 ±1 15 Low cost
MSOP
100 to 8-lead
AD8313 70 ±1.25 40 -
2500 MSOP
8-lead
100 to Small package,
AD8314 45 ±1 70 MSOP/C
2700 lower power
SP

23
3rd Generation Log Amp Detectors

Temp
RF Dynamic Response
Drift
Part No. Freq Range Time Package Comments
(dB)
(MHz) (dB) (ns)

Smaller package,
8-Lead
Lower cost
AD8317 1 to 10000 50 ±0.5 8 3x2 mm
version of
CSP
AD8318
16-Lead 50 ohm drive,
AD8318 1 to 8000 60 ±0.5 10 4x4 mm Integrated Temp
CSP Sensor
Reduced dynamic
8-Lead range and
AD8319 1 to 10000 40 ±0.5 8 3x2 mm lower cost
CSP version of
AD8317
24-Lead
ADL5519 1 to 10000 50 ±0.5 <10 Dual Log Detector
LFCSP

24
 AD8318: Highest Performance Log Amp

KEY
KEYSPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
‰
‰Bandwidth
Bandwidth1MHz
1MHzto to8Ghz
8Ghz
‰
‰Stability
Stabilityover
overtemperature:
temperature:±0.5
±0.5dB
dB
‰
‰Pulse
Pulseresponse
responsetime
time1010ns
ns
‰
‰Package:
Package:4mm×4mm,
4mm×4mm,16-pin
16-pinLFCSP
LFCSP

FEATURES
FEATURES
‰Integrated
‰Integratedtemperature
temperaturesensor
sensor
‰Low
‰Lownoise
noisemeasurement/controller
measurement/controlleroutput
outputVOUT
VOUT
‰Power-down
‰Power-downfeature:
feature:<1.5
<1.5mW
mWat at55VV
‰Fabricated
‰Fabricatedusing
usinghigh
highspeed
speedSiGe
SiGeprocess
process

25
Log Amps - Summary

‰Provide power detection over large dynamic range (up to 100

dB)
‰Operation from DC to 10 GHz
‰With 2-Point Calibration, measurement accuracy of << ±1 dB
is achievable.
‰Devices are generally configured to provide a broadband 50
Ω match
‰Pulse Response times of <10 ns are achievable.
‰Power consumption varies from 5 mA to 70 mA

26
 ADI 2007

RMS-Responding
RF Detectors

27
Difficult Measurements:
Complex Waveforms

W-CDMA Forward Link, 4 Channels

IS-95 Reverse Link

IS-95 Forward Link (8Ch)

28
 Response of a Successive Detection Log Amp to
Varying Signals with Various Crest Factors
1.2 3.0

1 2.0

0.8 1.0

ERROR (dB)
VOUT (V)

0.6 0.0

0.4 -1.0

0.2 -2.0

0 -3.0
-45 -35 -25 -15 -5

INPUT (dBm)
29
 RMS-Responding RF Detector

ADL5501 VPOS
INTERNAL FILTER
i CAPACITOR
RFIN x2 FLTR

TRANS-
CONDUCTANCE
CELLS ERROR
AMP
i
x2 BUFFER VRMS
100Ω

BAND-GAP
ENBL
REFERENCE

COMM

30
RMS Detector Waveform Independence

31
 Transfer Function and Temperature Drift
RMS-To-DC Converter
3 10

1
ERROR (dB)

OUTPUT (V)
+85°C +25°C
0 1

-40°C
-1

-2

-3 0.1
-25 -15 -5 5 15
INPUT (dBm)
‰Output Voltage increases exponentially as input increases in
dB (i.e. response is linear in V/V, not logarithmic
‰Device achieves best temperature stability at max power
(desirable for most applications)
32
 ADI 2007

High Dynamic Range

RMS Detection

33
60 dB TruPwr ™ RMS Detector
DECL CHPF

INHI
x2 CLPF
INLO

VOUT

VTGT x2
ACOM

VSET

AD8362
VREF BIAS VPOS

COMM PWDN

‰Waveform
‰WaveformandandModulation
ModulationIndependent
Independent
‰Linear-in-dB
‰Linear-in-dBoutput
output
34
 Response of AD8362 RMS Detector to CW,
QPSK and QAM Signals
4 4
Vout CW
Vout QPSK
3.5 Vout 64QAM 3
Vout 256QAM
Vout WCDMA TM1-64
Error CW
3 2
Error QPSK 4dB CF
Error 64QAM 7.7dB CF
Error 256QAM 8.2dB CF
2.5 1
Error WCDMA TM1-64 10.6dB CF

Error (dB)
Vout (V)

2 0

1.5 -1

1 -2

0.5 -3

0 -4
-70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20
Pin (dBm)

@1.9 GHz, Vtgt = 0.625 V

35
TruPwr™ RMS Detectors
- Modulation Independent RF Measurements

Dynamic Temp Voltage Supply

RF Freq Range Stability Supply Current
Part# (MHz) (dB) (dB) (V) (mA) Package

6-Lead
SOT-23,
8-Lead
AD8361 2500 30 ±0.25 2.7 to 5.5 1.1 uSOIC

ADL5501 4000 30 ±0.1 2.7 to 5.5 1.0 SC-70

16-Lead
AD8362 2700 60 ±1 4.5 to 5.5 20 SOP
AD8364 32-Lead
(Dual Channel) 2700 60 ±0.5 4.5 to 5.5 72 LFCSP

36
 AD8362 TruPwr ™ RMS Detector

KEY
KEYSPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
‰
‰Dynamic
DynamicRange:
Range:>60dB
>60dB
‰
‰Temperature
TemperatureStability:
Stability:+/-1dB
+/-1dB
‰
‰Frequency
FrequencyRange:
Range:LFLFtoto2.7GHz
2.7GHz
‰
‰Package:
Package:16
16Lead
LeadTSSOP
TSSOP

FEATURES
FEATURES
‰
‰True
TrueRMS
RMSresponding
respondingpower
powerdetector
detector
‰
‰Waveform
WaveformandandModulation
ModulationIndependent
Independent
‰
‰Linear-in-dB
Linear-in-dBoutput
output

37
 ADI 2007

Controlling AGC Loops

with RF Detectors

38
 A Typical AGC Loop

Gain

Vcontrol

Vin VGA Vout

Vout (dc)
Detector
I
Vin (ac)
C
dV/dt = I/C R
Vref
(e.g. 1V)

‰Detector measures output power from a variable gain amplifier or

power amplifier
‰Measured result is compared to a setpoint value
‰Error amplifier/Integrator adjusts gain so that output power
corresponds to setpoint
‰Integrator capacitor/resistor set response time of loop
‰Many of ADI’s detectors have an integrated “Controller Mode”
39
A Practical AGC Loop using a Log Amp

‰ Setpoint is applied to Detector VSET input

‰ Vout varies up or down to balance loop
‰ Use to set output to a fixed value (fixed VSET, variable input power) or to
vary output power (variable VSET, fixed or variable input power)
‰ Set response time of loop by varying Cflt

40
Controlling Gain with a Dual RMS Detector

‰ Dual RMS Detector can also operate in Controller Mode

‰ Detector measures and controls VGA in an analog loop
‰ Detector tries to balance input power at its two RF inputs
‰ Gain setpoint is controlled by difference in external attenuators

41
 Gain vs. Input Power for Analog Gain
Control Loop

‰Gain varies by only +/-0.25 over a 60 dB input range

‰Excellent stability over temperature
42
 ADI 2007

Carlos Calvo
carlos.calvo@analog.com
781-937-1850

43