Introduction
• A spectrum analyzer measures the amplitude of an input signal
versus frequency within the full frequency range of the instrument
• The spectrum analyzer is to the frequency domain where as the
oscilloscope is to the time domain
• In the frequency domain, complex
signals are separated into their
frequency components, and the level
at each frequency is displayed
• Spectrum analyzer greatly reduces
the amount of noise present in the
measurement and also ensure there’s
no interference from neighbouring
frequencies.
SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
• The problems associated with non-real-time analysis in
the frequency domain can be eliminated by using a
spectrum analyzer. A spectrum analyzer is a real-time
analyzer, which means that it simultaneously displays
the amplitude of all the signals in the frequency range
of the analyzer.
• Spectrum analyzers, like wave analyzers, provide
information about the voltage or energy of a signal as a
function of frequency. Unlike wave analyzers. spectrum
analyzers provide a graphical display on a CRT. A block
diagram of an audio spectrum analyzer.
SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
• The real-time, or multichannel. analyzer is
basically a set of stagger-tuned bandpass filters
connected through an electronic scan switch to a
CRT. The composite amplitude of the signal
within each filters bandwidth is displayed as a
function of the overall frequency range of the
filter.
• Therefore, the frequency range of the instrument
is limited by the number of filters and their
bandwidth. The electronic switch sequentially
connects the filter outputs to the CRT.
SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
• Horizontal deflection is obtained from the
scan generator, which has a saw tooth output
that is synchronized with the electronic
switch.
Fig. 7 Block diagram of an audio spectrum analyzer.
SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
• Such analyzers are usually restricted to audio-
frequency applications and may employ as many
as 32 filters. The bandwidth of each filter is
generally made very narrow for good resolution.
• The relationship between a time-domain
presentation on the CRT of an oscilloscope and a
frequency-domain presentation on the CRT of a
spectrum analyzer is shown in the three-
dimensional drawing in Fig8.
SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
Spectrum analyzers are used to obtain a wide
variety of information from various kinds of
signals, including the following.
• Spectral purity of continuous-wave (CW) signals.
• Percentage of modulation of amplitude-
modulated (AM) signals.
• Deviation of frequency-modulated (FM) signals.
• Noise such as impulse and random noise.
• Filter frequency response.
DISTORTION OF AN AMPLIFIER
Fig. 11 Test setup to measure the total harmonic distortion of an amplifies.
DISTORTION OF AN AMPLIFIER
waveform is applied to the amplifier. The output of the amplifier is
applied directly to the distortion analyzer which measures the total
harmonic distortion.
In the field of microwave communications, in which pulsed
oscillators are widely used. spectrum analyzers are an important
tool. They also find wide application in analyzing the performance of
AM and FM transmitters.
Spectrum analyzers and Fourier analyzers are widely used in
applications requiring very low frequencies in the fields of
biomedical electronics, geological surveying. and oceanography.
They are also used in analyzing air and water pollution.
SPECTRUM ANALYZER TO MEASURE INTERMODULATION
DISTORTION
• The spectrum analyzer can be used to
measure the intermodulation distortion, as
shown in the circuit in Fig14. The frequency of
the audio oscillator is generally set to
6 kHz.
Fig.14 Using the spectrum analyzer to measure intermodulation distortion.
SPECTRUM ANALYZER TO MEASURE INTERMODULATION
DISTORTION
If the nonlinearity of the circuit is significant. the
modulation of the higher-frequency signal by the lower-
frequency signal will produce the familiar amplitude
modulation waveform as shown in Fig13. The percentage of
intermodulation distortion is computed as
M m
IMD x 100%
where M m
IMD = the intermodulation distortion expressed as a
percentage
M = the peak-to-peak modulated signal
m = the minimum value of the modulated waveform
WAVEFORM PRODUCED BY INTERMODULATION DISTORTION
Fig. 13 Amplitude-modulated waveform produced by intermodulation distortion.
Types
• The most common spectrum analyzer measurements are: modulation,
distortion, and noise
• Spectrum analyzer types are:
Swept tuned spectrum analyzer : It sweeps across the frequency
range, displaying all the frequency components present. This
enables measurements to be made over a large dynamic range and
wide frequency range.
FFT based spectrum analyzer : The FFT analyzer takes a time-
domain signal, digitizes it using digital sampling, and then applies
the mathematics required to convert it to the frequency domain.
The result is displayed as a spectrum.
