An ideal signal has no phase noise, harmonics nor spurious frequency components associated with it.
Unfortunately the ideal signal does not exist in the real world, and these factors degrade the
...Read MoreAn ideal signal has no phase noise, harmonics nor spurious frequency components associated with it.
Unfortunately the ideal signal does not exist in the real world, and these factors degrade the spectral
purity of all real world signals to some degree. High‐performance microwave signal generators are
designed to maximize spectral purity, with very low levels of phase noise, harmonics and spurs, while
maintaining general purpose flexibility. The levels of spectral purity performance are one of the key
differences between high‐performance, mid‐range and low‐end or entry‐level signal generators. This
paper discusses the factors that make up spectral purity specifications to help you make more informed
comparisons of microwave signal generator performance for test and measurement applications.