Wideband Load Pull Measurement Techniques: Architecture, Accuracy, and Applications

This paper concentrates on load pull measurements for high-frequency devices and circuits. We will discuss the architecture and the design aspects of a state-of-the-art load pull measurement system which enables wideband impedance control with complex modulated signals both at RF and baseband frequencies. We will present several application examples, ranging from high speed load pull for technology evaluations and power amplifier design to modulated testing for 5G applications. Finally, we will describe a procedure for evaluating traceable uncertainty of power measurements as a function of the load impedance.