The error power ratio estimates EVM for a wide class of impairments: Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

The error vector magnitude (EVM) is an important system level metric for RF and mixed-signal communication systems and related building blocks. Recently, we have introduced the error power ratio (EPR), a method based on the noise power ratio for estimating the EVM, and presented selected simulation and measurement results. The present paper compares EVM and EPR for many different systems by randomly varying impairment model parameters. To model a multitude of nonlinearities with memory using few parameters, we use a novel baseband Wiener-Hammerstein model with feedback. In 3000 trials of combined phase noise, IQ mismatch and nonlinearity, the mean error (EPR minus EVM) is less than −0.25 dB. Outliers are within −0.5 and −0.8 dB over the entire range of EVM levels (−80 to −15 dB).