SignalCore – RF Signal Generators (Signal Sources)

Compact modules. Ultra low phase noise.

SignalCore signal generators are designed to meet demanding RF and microwave applications in military, commercial, and academic markets. These broadband CW signal sources offer low phase noise performance, fast frequency locking, fine resolution tuning, and exact frequency synthesis. SignalCore’s compact, robust, and rugged signal generators are built to withstand challenging environments. These modules are available in common serial interfaces such as USB, SPI, and RS232, as well as PXI Express form factor. All products are provided with a Graphical User Interface, driver, and API for easy programming control.

40 GHz CW Signal Generators (Signal Sources)

The SC5520A and SC5521A are part of the ultra-high frequency synthesizer series (UHFS) of signal generators. It has a frequency tuning range of 160 MHz to 40 GHz stepping at 1 Hz resolution with an amplitude range of -10 dBm to +15 dBm typical with phase noise among the lowest in the market. These modules are both compact and rugged, making them ideal for system integration into frequency converters, test equipment, or as clocks in modern day digital data converters.

It has been proven that, in digital communications, this device’s superb phase noise does not degrade the EVM of digital data. The excellent phase noise of this signal generator and its cost effectiveness will make system design a smooth process.

20 GHz Signal Generators (Signal Sources)

The SC5510A and SC5511A are high-performance VCO-based synthesized signal generators with a tunable output frequency range of 100 MHz to 20 GHz. Although consuming only 16 W of power, they contain the instrument grade performance of large box instruments. A low phase noise output of -137 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from a 1 GHz carrier, a 1 Hz tuning resolution, and an amplitude step resolution of 0.01 dB over a -30 dBm to +10 dBm output range sets these modules apart from other PXI modular signal generators. Furthermore, through the use of a unique multiple phase-locked loop architecture, phase spurs are kept below -70 dBc across the entire tuning range, even at 1 Hz step resolution.

The SC5510A and SC5511A have an additional, independent RF2 channel with a tunable frequency range from 100 MHz to 3 GHz and a tuning resolution of 25 MHz. This extra channel makes the modules suitable for either single-stage RF conversion systems or dual-stage image suppression up/down converter systems. These RF synthesizers make great general purpose laboratory signal sources where demanding low phase noise and signal purity are needed. They are also ideal choices as integrated clock sources for fast DAC and ADC applications, especially those that require variable sampling rates.