Abstract
Calibration and correction methods for the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) are based on the fundamental assumption of the constant error model, which is independent of connected calibration standards and/or devices under test (DUT). Unfortunately, this assumption is not satisfied well for planar calibration standards fabricated by etching technology on soft substrates. An evaluation of the error model is affected especially by variations in the manufacturing process and also by the reproducibility of an assembly. In this paper, we propose error minimization by selecting the best combination of available calibration standards based on time domain reflection (TDR) measurement, which can also be obtained by the fourier transformation from the measured S-parameters. The proposed method was verified experimentally using short, open, load and thru (SOLT) standards fabricated on an FR4 laminate substrate which achieves the essential reduction of the measurement error in the frequency range up to 15 GHz.
Highlights
IntroductionThe accuracy of the error model is increased by using a CAD-based evaluation of the calibration standards [1] and statistical processing of measured data of an over-determined set of calibration standards [2]-[5]
Many papers on improving Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) calibration procedure have been published recently
The connectors are either soldered to the printed circuit board (PCB) or they just touch the strip when a text fixture is used
Summary
The accuracy of the error model is increased by using a CAD-based evaluation of the calibration standards [1] and statistical processing of measured data of an over-determined set of calibration standards [2]-[5] Another improved calibration procedure optimizes parameterized models of calibration standards to minimize nonreciprocity in a known asymmetrical reciprocal two-port device [6]. These techniques increase the accuracy of the measured S-parameters while maintaining the requirements on the hardware quality of the calibration standards at the same level. An origin of errors is explained assuming the SOLT calibration and correction method
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