EVM simulation and analysis in digital transmitter

Abstract

The error vector magnitude (EVM) is extensively applied as a metric for digital transmitter signal quality compliance in modern communication systems. This article is focused on the effects of local oscillator (LO) phase noise and nonlinear distortion of power amplifier on EVM. This article contributes to below aspects. First, the relationships between EVM and two effects, LO phase noise and nonlinear distortion of power amplifier, are derived and expressed. Second, to simplify the expression, the third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) is used to calculate the EVM. Then, an expression for the EVM is derived based on the digital transmitter model that considers local oscillator phase noise and nonlinear distortion of power amplifier. Finally, the math formula of bit error rate (BER) versus EVM is given which can be easier and more useful to predict BER, according to analysis of the relationship between EVM and signal to noise rate (SNR), inspired by the works of Rishad, Md. Shahriar and AHM, 2006. Simulations are carried out to display the performance of EVM based on these relationships.