IEC TR 63099-1:2017

Transmitting equipment for radiocommunication - Radio-over fibre technologies for electromagnetic-field measurement - Part 1: Radio-over-fibre technologies for antenna measurement

IEC TR 63099-1:2017(E) provides information about the current and latest applications for antenna measurement that use radio-over-fibre technologies. Antenna gain and the antenna radiation pattern measurement system are covered, which are practically in use and will be used soon. Basic concepts, system configurations and measurement examples of the systems are included.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 08-Aug-2017
• ICS: 33.060.20 - Receiving and transmitting equipment
• ICS: 33.180.99 - Other fibre optic equipment
• Technical Committee: TC 103 - Transmitting and receiving equipment for radiocommunication
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 09-Aug-2017
• Completion Date: 31-Aug-2017

Overview

IEC TR 63099-1:2017 is a Technical Report from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that surveys current and emerging radio‑over‑fibre (RoF) technologies for antenna measurement. Part 1 focuses on practical applications for measuring antenna gain and antenna radiation patterns using photonic techniques. The document is informative only (no normative requirements) and provides basic concepts, system configurations, specifications tables, measurement examples and implementation notes useful to system developers and test laboratories.

Key topics covered

• Radio‑over‑fibre (RoF) system concepts for antenna measurement, including transceivers and link topologies.
• Practical system configurations and block diagrams (figures illustrating RoF transceivers, bi‑directional links and photonic sensors).
• Measurement approaches for antenna gain (substitution, two‑antenna, three‑antenna methods) using RoF transceivers.
• Millimetre‑wave antenna pattern measurement using nested LN‑MZM (lithium‑niobate Mach‑Zehnder modulators) and UTC‑PD (uni‑travelling‑carrier photodiodes).
• Very‑near‑field antenna pattern measurement using LN‑MZM photonic sensors (planar, cylindrical, spherical scanning configurations).
• Performance data and specifications (tables for transceiver, LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD and photonic sensor characteristics), frequency response and dynamic range examples.
• Definitions and terms (e.g., LPDA, FBG, OEWG) referenced to IEEE Std. 145‑2013 where applicable.

Note: As a Technical Report, IEC TR 63099‑1 documents state‑of‑the‑art implementations and examples rather than prescribing mandatory requirements.

Practical applications and users

This TR is directly relevant for:

• Antenna test laboratories and calibration houses implementing RoF-based measurement links.
• OEMs of radio‑over‑fibre equipment and photonic components (LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD, FBGs).
• RF and mmWave antenna designers and system integrators validating gain and radiation patterns up to millimetre‑wave frequencies.
• Research groups investigating photonic methods for very‑near‑field scanning and THz/120 GHz measurements.

Practical benefits include reduced RF cabling, simplified remote feeding of probes, high‑frequency upconversion at remote ends, and compact mmWave test setups enabled by photonic generation and detection.

Related standards and references

• IEEE Std. 145‑2013 - definitions of antenna terms (normatively referenced).
• IEC TC 103 publications and IEC Electropedia for related terminology and further guidance.

Keywords: radio‑over‑fibre, RoF, antenna measurement, antenna gain, antenna radiation pattern, LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD, photonic sensor, millimetre‑wave, very‑near‑field.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC TR 63099-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2017-08
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Transmitting equipment for radiocommunication – Radio-over-fibre technologies
for electromagnetic-field measurement –
Part 1: Radio-over-fibre technologies for antenna measurement
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IEC TR 63099-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2017-08
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Transmitting equipment for radiocommunication – Radio-over-fibretechnologies

for electromagnetic-field measurement –

Part 1: Radio-over-fibre technologies for antenna measurement

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.060.20: 33.180.99 ISBN 978-2-8322-4659-7

– 2 – IEC TR 63099-1:2017 © IEC 2017
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 7
3.1 Terms and definitions . 7
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 8
4 Practical applications . 8
4.1 List of applications . 8
4.2 Antenna gain measurement system using a radio-over-fibre transceiver . 8
4.2.1 Overview . 8
4.2.2 Features . 8
4.2.3 System configuration . 9
4.2.4 Example of measurement results . 12
4.3 Millimetre-wave antenna pattern measurement system using a nested type
LN-MZM and a UTC-PD . 14
4.3.1 Overview . 14
4.3.2 Features . 15
4.3.3 System configuration . 15
4.3.4 Specifications . 17
4.3.5 Example of measurement results . 18
4.4 Very-near-field antenna pattern measurement using a photonic sensor . 19
4.4.1 Overview . 19
4.4.2 Features . 19
4.4.3 System configuration . 20
4.4.4 Specifications . 22
4.4.5 Example of measurement results . 23
Bibliography . 25

Figure 1 – System configuration of antenna gain measurement system using a radio-

over-fibre transceiver . 9
Figure 2 – System configuration of antenna gain measurement system using bi-
directional type radio-over-fibre transceiver specifications . 10
Figure 3 – Appearance of a pair of radio-over-fibre transceivers . 12
Figure 4 – S (ω) measurement result of two LPDAs . 13
Figure 5 – Measurement gain of LPDA using a radio-over-fibre transceiver . 14
Figure 6 – S (ω) measurement result of two VULB9160s . 14
Figure 7 – System configuration for mm-wave antenna pattern measurement system
using nested type LN-MZM and UTC-PD . 16
Figure 8 – Appearance of mm-wave antenna pattern measurement system using
nested type LN-MZM and UTC-PD . 16
Figure 9 – Appearance of mm-wave transmitting part of mm-wave antenna pattern
measurement system using nested type LN-MZM and UTC-PD . 17
Figure 10 – Frequency characteristics and dynamic range of system using a nested
LN-MZM modulator and a UTC-PD . 18
Figure 11 – Measured antenna radiation pattern in the E-plane at 120 GHz . 19

Figure 12 – System configuration of planar very-near-field antenna pattern
measurement system using a photonic sensor . 20
Figure 13 – System configuration of cylindrical very-near-field antenna pattern
measurement system using a photonic sensor . 21
Figure 14 – System configuration of spherical very-near-field antenna pattern
measurement system using a photonic sensor . 21
Figure 15 – Appearance of very-near-field antenna pattern measurement system using
an LN-MZM photonic sensor . 22
Figure 16 – Photonic sensor using an LN-MZM . 22
Figure 17 – Measured and calculated near-field electric field distribution using planar
very-near-field antenna pattern measurement system using an LN-MZM photonic
sensor . 23
Figure 18 – E-plane antenna pattern of Horn-antenna measured by planar very-near-
field antenna pattern measurement system using an LN-MZM photonic sensor . 24

Table 1 – Specification of a radio-over-fibre transceiver . 11
Table 2 – Specification of an LN-MZM . 17
Table 3 – Specification of a UTC-PD . 18
Table 4 – Specification of an LN-MZM photonic sensor . 23

– 4 – IEC TR 63099-1:2017 © IEC 2017
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT FOR RADIOCOMMUNICATION –
RADIO-OVER-FIBRE TECHNOLOGIES FOR
ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELD MEASUREMENT –

Part 1: Radio-over-fibre technologies for antenna measurement

FOREWORD
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The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. However, a
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data of a different kind from that which is normally published as an International Standard, for
example "state of the art".
IEC TR 63099-1, which is a Technical Report, has been prepared by IEC technical committee
103: Transmitting equipment for radiocommunication.

The text of this Technical Report is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
103/156/DTR 103/162/RVDTR
Full information on the voting for the approval of this Technical Report can be found in the
report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
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– 6 – IEC TR 63099-1:2017 © IEC 2017
INTRODUCTION
This document provides information on the current and latest applications for antenna
measurement using radio-over-fibre technology. Antenna gain and antenna pattern
measurement systems are covered, which are practically in use or will be used soon. It will be
beneficial to system developers and system users in the fields of antenna measurement. As a
Technical Report, this document contains no requirements and is informative only.

TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT FOR RADIOCOMMUNICATION –
RADIO-OVER-FIBRE TECHNOLOGIES FOR
ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELD MEASUREMENT –

Part 1: Radio-over-fibre technologies for antenna measurement

1 Scope
The purpose of this document is to provide information about the current and latest
applications for antenna measurement that use radio-over-fibre technologies. Antenna gain
and the antenna radiation pattern measurement system are covered, which are practically in
use and will be used soon. Basic concepts, system configurations and measurement
examples of the systems are included. The theoretical background of antenna measurement
is beyond the scope of this document.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their
content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition
cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including
any amendments) applies.
IEEE Std. 145-2013, IEEE Standard for Definitions of Terms for Antennas
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEEE Std. 145-2013 and
the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1.1
Mach-Zehnder modulator
optical modulator used for controlling the amplitude of an optical wave
3.1.2
UTC-PD
uni-travelling-carrier photo-diode
high-speed photo-diode that can generate millimeter-wave and THz wave
3.1.3
log-periodic dipole array antenna
LPDA antenna
antenna having wideband characteristics due to logarithmic periodically aligned dipole
elements
– 8 – IEC TR 63099-1:2017 © IEC 2017
3.1.4
fibre Bragg grating
FBG
optical filter that is used as inline filter to block certain wavelengths, or as wavelength-specific
reflectors
3.1.5
OEWG probe
open-ended waveguide probe
low gain antenna made with rectangular waveguide transmission line for measuring
electromagnetic fields with near-field antenna measurement system
3.2 Abbreviated terms
LN-MZM lithium niobate Mach-Zehnder modulator
UTC-PD uni-travelling-carrier photo-diode
LPDA log-periodic dipole array
FBG fibre Bragg grating
OEWG open-ended waveguide
4 Practical applications
4.1 List of applications
The following list shows the application examples of antenna measurement using RoF
technology:
a) antenna gain measurement system using a radio-over-fibre transceiver, described in 4.2;
b) millimetre-wave antenna pattern measurement system using a nested type LN-MZM and
UTC-PD, described in 4.3;
c) very-near-field antenna pattern measurement system using an LN-MZM photonic sensor,
described in 4.4.
4.2 Antenna gain measurement system using a radio-over-fibre transceiver
4.2.1 Overview
There are a few types of antenna gain measurement methods, such as the substitution
method, the two-antenna method, and the three-antenna method. These methods have in
common the basic configuration of one vector network analyser and two antennas with coaxial
cables. By measuring the S-parameters between the two antenn
...