Passive Intermodulation Measurement:Challenges and Solutions

In modern wireless communication systems,the signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)is one of the most important performance indicators.When the other radio frequency(RF)performance of the components is well designed,passive intermodulation(PIM)interference may become an important factor limiting the system’s SNR.Whether it is a base station,an indoor distributed antenna system,or a satellite system,there are stringent PIM level requirements to minimize interference and enhance network capacity in multicarrier networks.Especially for systems of high power and wide bandwidth such as 5G wireless communication,PIM interference is even more serious.Due to the complexity and uncertainty of PIM,measurement is the most important means to study and evaluate the PIM performance of wireless communication systems.In this review,the current main PIM measurement methods recommended by International Electrotechnical Commission(IEC)and other standard organizations are introduced,and several key challenges in PIM measurement and their solutions(including the design of PIM tester,the location of the PIM sources,the design of compact PIM anechoic chambers,and the evaluation methods of PIM anechoic chambers)are highlighted.These challenges are of great significance to solve PIM problems that may arise during device characterization and verification in real wireless communication systems.

A nonlinear equivalent circuit method for analysis of passive intermodulation of mesh reflectors

Passive intermodulation（PIM） has gradually become a serious electromagnetic interference due to the development of high-power and high-sensitivity RF/microwave communication systems, especially large deployable mesh reflector antennas. This paper proposes a field-circuit coupling method to analyze the PIM level of mesh reflectors. With the existence of many metal–metal（MM） contacts in mesh reflectors, the contact nonlinearity becomes the main reason for PIM generation. To analyze these potential PIM sources, an equivalent circuit model including nonlinear components is constructed to model a single MM contact so that the transient current through the MM contact point induced by incident electromagnetic waves can be calculated. Taking the electric current as a new electromagnetic wave source, the far-field scattering can be obtained by the use of electromagnetic numerical methods or the communication link method. Finally, a comparison between simulation and experimental results is illustrated to verify the validity of the proposed method.

Adaptive suppression of passive intermodulation in digital satellite transceivers

For the performance issues of satellite transceivers suffering passive intermodulation interference,a novel and effective digital suppression algorithm is presented in this paper.In contrast to analog approaches,digital passive intermodulation（PIM） suppression approaches can be easily reconfigured and therefore are highly attractive for future satellite communication systems.A simplified model of nonlinear distortion from passive microwave devices is established in consideration of the memory effect.The multiple high-order PIM products falling into the receiving band can be described as a bilinear predictor function.A suppression algorithm based on a bilinear polynomial decorrelated adaptive filter is proposed for baseband digital signal processing.In consideration of the time-varying characteristics of passive intermodulation,this algorithm can achieve the rapidness of online interference estimation and low complexity with less consumption of resources.Numerical simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively compensate the passive intermodulation interference,and achieve a high signal-to-interference ratio gain.

Behavior modeling on the PIM performance in connectors using FEA method and circuit simulation

Coaxial connectors are generally regarded as a kind of potential passive non-linear source when magnetic materials are applied in the coating or under-plating, which may result in serious passive intermodulation(PIM) interference and degrade the communication quality. In this paper, the effect of connector coating materials on the PIM is theoretically studied using finite element analysis(FEA) and circuit simulations. Considering the material composition both in central and outer conductor, an FEA model of connector is proposed to identify the current density in magnetic material region. An equivalent circuit model expressing the nonlinearity in coating material is developed, coupled with the non-linear transfer model. The PIM product power of the connector with related material configuration is predicted by harmonic balance simulation. Intentionally design connector samples are used in PIM tests and the measurement results are consistent with the theoretical predictions. The PIM performance in coaxial connectors is demonstrated from the perspectives of both modeling analysis and experimental investigations.