Carrier leakage suppression and EVM dependence on phase shifting network in six-port modulator

In six-port modulators a phase shifting network on specific ports can be used to suppress the carrier leakage that may be present if this network is not present. A model is derived to predict the carrier leakage suppression and error vector magnitude (EVM) as a function of the phase shifting network S-parameters. Both carrier leakage suppression and EVM can be expressed by the same error function. The error function can be used to find the allowed amplitude and phase mismatch in the phase shifting network, or to optimize the performance of a phase shifting network over a given frequency range. A broadband phase shifting network, based on a loaded transmission line, is designed and optimized to operate at a relative bandwidth of 60% for an EVM <; 10%. This should be compared to a phase shifting network based on a single transmission line with a corresponding bandwidth of only 12%. The broadband phase shifting network is useful for six-port modulators with carrier leakage suppression, targeting UWB applications.