Digital-to-analog converters (DACs) have been used for many years to generate lower-frequency signals. However, they typically lacked the sampling speeds and precision needed for recreating RF/microwave signals with any form of moderately complex modulation—until, that is, the arrival of the 11-b AD9161 and 16-b AD9162 DACs from Analog Devices. Both are capable of direct RF signal synthesis at speeds of 6 Gsamples/s and more, and update rates of 12 Gsamples/s for crafting signals at frequencies to 7.5 GHz...
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