Detailed Specifications of NI PXIe-5841 Vector Signal Transceiver (VST)

1. Basic Information

• Module Series: PXIe High-End Vector Signal Transceiver (VST), optimized for RF/microwave test
• Part Number: 783150-01 (standard model); 783150-02 (extended temperature model)
• Physical Dimensions: 2-slot 3U PXIe form factor, 20.3 cm × 16.0 cm (width × length)
• Weight: Approximately 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs)
• Power Requirements:
  • +3.3 V DC (4.0 A)
  • +12 V DC (6.0 A)
  • -12 V DC (1.2 A)
  • Power Consumption: Typical 85 W, Maximum 110 W
• Interface Type:
  • PXIe x16 lane (up to 16 GB/s data transfer rate) for ultra-fast waveform uploads/downloads
  • 2 SMA female connectors (RF Tx: transmit output; RF Rx: receive input)
  • 1 SMA female connector (External LO I/O) for frequency extension or multi-module synchronization
  • 1 26-pin D-Sub connector (Auxiliary I/O) for trigger signals, 10 MHz reference clock, and digital control
  • 1 USB 3.1 port (for local FPGA configuration, debugging, and firmware updates)
• Operating Temperature Range:
  • Commercial grade: 0°C ~ 55°C
  • Extended grade (783150-02): -40°C ~ 85°C (for harsh environments like aerospace/defense field testing)
• Environmental Ratings:
  • Shock Resistance: 50 g peak (11 ms duration, half-sine)
  • Vibration Resistance: 5 g RMS (10 Hz ~ 500 Hz, random)
  • Ingress Protection: IP30 (prevents solid foreign object intrusion)
• Compliance: Meets FCC Part 15 Class A, CE EN 61326-1, UL 61010-1, and IEC 61010-1 safety & EMC standards

2. Core Technical Specifications

2.1 RF Transmit (VSG) Subsystem

• Frequency Range: 9 kHz ~ 26.5 GHz (continuous coverage, no gaps; supports mmWave bands like 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 39 GHz for 5G FR2)
• Output Power:
  • Minimum: -145 dBm (typical, at 10 GHz)
  • Maximum: +20 dBm (typical, at 10 GHz, into 50 Ω)
  • Power Resolution: 0.01 dB (for precise power calibration)
• Signal Fidelity:
  • Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR): ≥80 dBc (10 GHz carrier, 20 MHz bandwidth, typical)
  • Phase Noise: -125 dBc/Hz (10 GHz carrier, 10 kHz offset, typical)
  • Harmonic Distortion: ≤-65 dBc (2nd harmonic, 10 GHz, +10 dBm output)
• DAC Specifications:
  • Resolution: 16-bit (for low quantization noise and high signal fidelity)
  • Real-Time Sampling Rate: 5 GS/s (supports up to 2 GHz real-time bandwidth)
  • Waveform Memory: 2 GB onboard (expandable via PXIe DMA for long arbitrary waveforms)

2.2 RF Receive (VSA) Subsystem

• Frequency Range: 9 kHz ~ 26.5 GHz (continuous coverage, no gaps)
• Input Power Handling:
  • Maximum Safe Input Power: +20 dBm (100 mW)
  • Damage Level: +30 dBm (1 W, 1 minute)
• Noise Performance:
  • Noise Figure (NF): ≤12 dB (10 GHz, 10 MHz bandwidth, typical; ≤15 dB at 26.5 GHz)
  • Input-Referred Noise: -174 dBm/Hz (typical, at room temperature)
• Dynamic Range:
  • Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR): ≥75 dBc (10 GHz, 10 MHz bandwidth, typical)
  • Third-Order Intercept Point (IP3): +15 dBm (typical, at 10 GHz)
• ADC Specifications:
  • Resolution: 16-bit
  • Real-Time Sampling Rate: 5 GS/s (supports up to 2 GHz real-time bandwidth)
  • Anti-Aliasing Filter: 90 dB/octave roll-off (effectively suppresses out-of-band interference)

2.3 Programmable FPGA & Signal Processing

• FPGA Chip: Xilinx Kintex UltraScale+ KU115 (3.8 M logic cells, 16.3 Gbps transceivers)
• Real-Time Processing Capabilities:
  • Custom digital signal processing (DSP): Real-time filtering, downconversion, demodulation, and error correction (e.g., LDPC for 5G)
  • Low-latency control loops (≤500 ns) for closed-loop testing (e.g., adaptive beamforming, mmWave phased array calibration)
  • MIMO support: Up to 8x8 MIMO with multiple PXIe-5841 modules (via PXIe Star Trigger synchronization)
• Programming Tools: LabVIEW FPGA Module (graphical programming for rapid prototyping) and Xilinx Vivado (HDL programming for custom IP cores)

3. Key Functional Features

3.1 Millimeter-Wave Optimization

• Built-In mmWave Support: Native coverage of 5G FR2 bands (24–40 GHz) and aerospace/defense bands (e.g., 28 GHz SATCOM, 77 GHz automotive radar—with external downconverter)
• Low-Loss Signal Path: Optimized RF frontend with minimal insertion loss (<3 dB at 26.5 GHz) to preserve weak mmWave signals
• mmWave Calibration: Integrated automated calibration for mmWave frequency bands (compensates for gain flatness and phase drift at high frequencies)

3.2 Advanced Synchronization

• Time & Phase Alignment: Tx and Rx channels are phase-aligned to within ±0.5 ns (critical for mmWave beamforming testing and antenna array calibration)
• Clock Sources:
  • Internal: 100 MHz OCXO (Oven-Controlled Crystal Oscillator), stability ±0.001 ppm/year (for long-term frequency accuracy)
  • External: 10 MHz reference input (via Auxiliary I/O) or PXIe backplane clock (synchronizes with other PXIe modules like switch matrices or SMUs)
• Trigger Options:
  • RF Trigger: Trigger on Tx/Rx signal thresholds (e.g., 5G FR2 preamble detection, radar pulse edges)
  • Digital Trigger: TTL-compatible edge trigger via Auxiliary I/O or PXIe trigger lines (PXIe_Trig 0~7)
  • Software Trigger: API-initiated trigger for automated test sequences

3.3 Modulation & Demodulation for Advanced Standards

• Wireless Standards: 5G NR FR2 (mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), SATCOM (DVB-S2X, Ka-band), automotive radar (77/79 GHz), and electronic warfare (EW) signals
• Modulation Formats:
  • Phase/Amplitude: BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM, 1024QAM, 4096QAM (high-order QAM for 5G FR2)
  • Frequency: FSK, GFSK, MSK, FMCW (for radar)
  • Spread Spectrum: DSSS, OFDM (up to 4096 subcarriers), OTFS (Orthogonal Time-Frequency Space, for 6G R&D)
• Modulation Quality: Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) ≤ 0.3% (for QPSK, 10 GHz carrier, typical; ≤1.0% for 256QAM at 26.5 GHz)

4. Software & Driver Support

• Core Drivers & Software:
  • NI-RFmx Measurement Suite: Includes mmWave-specific toolkits (5G FR2, radar, SATCOM) for standard-based measurements (e.g., 5G FR2 EVM, ACLR, radar pulse width)
  • NI-VST Driver: Low-level hardware control (Tx/Rx configuration, FPGA interface, calibration)
  • LabVIEW 2023+: For custom test program development, FPGA programming, and GUI design (supports mmWave-specific libraries)
  • NI TestStand: For test sequence automation, data logging, and report generation (e.g., high-volume 5G FR2 UE production testing)
• Programming Compatibility:
  • NI Ecosystem: Native support for LabWindows/CVI and Measurement Studio
  • Third-Party Languages: C/C++, C#, Python (via NI-RFmx Python bindings), and MATLAB (via NI-RFmx Toolbox)
  • Scripting: Python/LabVIEW scripting for rapid prototyping (e.g., batch testing of mmWave radar sensors)
• Calibration Tools:
  • Built-in automated calibration (via NI-VST) for gain, phase, linearity, and mmWave path loss correction
  • Recommended Calibration Interval: 1 year (or after major temperature changes)
  • External Calibration: Supported via NI Calibration Services (ISO 17025 accredited, with mmWave calibration capabilities)

5. Typical Application Scenarios

• 5G NR FR2 Testing: 5G mmWave UE/base station conformance testing (EVM, beamforming, OTA performance), and 5G FR2 chipset characterization
• Aerospace & Defense: Radar system testing (pulsed, FMCW, phase-coded radar at 24–40 GHz), SATCOM link analysis (Ka-band, 27–31 GHz), and EW signal simulation/analysis (e.g., jamming signal detection)
• Automotive Electronics: 77/79 GHz automotive radar sensor testing (with external downconverter), and V2X mmWave communication validation
• Semiconductor Characterization: Wafer-level and package-level testing of mmWave RFICs/MMICs (e.g., 5G FR2 transceivers, low-noise amplifiers, power amplifiers)
• 6G R&D: Early-stage 6G signal research (e.g., OTFS modulation, terahertz (THz) signal testing with external upconverters)

6. Selection & Compatibility Notes

• Ideal Use Cases: Applications requiring 26.5 GHz frequency coverage, 2 GHz real-time bandwidth, and mmWave testing capabilities; suitable for R&D, conformance testing, and high-end production
• Comparison with Similar VSTs:
  • vs. NI PXIe-5840: PXIe-5841 offers 26.5 GHz frequency range (vs. 6 GHz) and 2 GHz bandwidth (vs. 1 GHz); choose for mmWave and high-frequency testing
  • vs. NI PXIe-5831: PXIe-5841 has higher resolution (16-bit vs. 14-bit) and wider bandwidth (2 GHz vs. 500 MHz); ideal for high-fidelity mmWave signal analysis
• System Compatibility:
  • Chassis: Requires NI PXIe chassis with 2 available slots and PXIe x16 lanes (e.g., PXIe-1085, PXIe-1095) or third-party PXIe-compliant chassis (with mmWave signal integrity support)
  • Companion Modules:
    • mmWave Antenna Testing: Pair with NI PXIe-5680 (RF switch matrix) and anechoic chambers for 5G FR2 OTA testing
    • Signal Conditioning: Use NI PXIe-5692 (mmWave preamplifier) to improve weak mmWave signal detection (reduces NF by 3–5 dB at 26.5 GHz)
    • Power Measurement: Integrate with NI PXIe-4154 (SMU) for mmWave RFIC power consumption testing
• Limitations: Higher cost than lower-frequency VSTs (justified by mmWave capabilities); requires specialized mmWave cables/connectors (e.g., SMA to 2.92 mm) for signal integrity
• Alternative Models:
  • Lower Frequency: NI PXIe-5840 (6 GHz, 1 GHz bandwidth)
  • Budget-Friendly: NI PXIe-5632 (VSA) + NI PXIe-5673 (VSG) + NI PXIe-5610 (downconverter) (discrete solution for non-mmWave tasks)
  • Entry-Level mmWave: NI PXIe-5690 (mmWave downconverter) + NI PXIe-5632 (VSA) (for basic mmWave signal analysis)