Microwave Measurements

Giovanni Ghione; Marco Pirola

doi:10.1017/9781316756171.010

9 - Microwave Measurements

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 November 2017

Giovanni Ghione and

Marco Pirola

Show author details

Giovanni Ghione: Affiliation:
Politecnico di Torino
Marco Pirola: Affiliation:
Politecnico di Torino

Book contents

Get access

Summary

Introduction

This chapter aims at providing an overview of the experimental characterization techniques of linear and nonlinear one- and two-ports. After a short review of some basic instrumentation tools (the power meter, the vectorial voltmeter, the spectrum analyzer) in Sec. 9.2, the characterization of linear one- and two-ports, such as passive circuits and linear amplifiers, based on the measurement of power waves (see Sec. 3.2.2) and the related circuit-oriented parameters are discussed. As a first example, one-port measurements are introduced, whose fundamental tool is the so-called reflectometer (Sec. 9.3). The analysis of the reflectometer already allows the main issues involved in microwave measurement set-ups to be discussed, such as: the use of directional couplers to separate incident and reflected waves at the port where the Device Under Test (DUT) is connected; the need to perform measurements at a suitably low Intermediate Frequency (IF) rather than at RF to improve accuracy; the need to calibrate the measurement system to correct for systematic errors in the instrumentation.

In Sec. 9.4 the discussion is extended to the characterization of two-port linear devices adopting the two-port Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), the key instrument for high-frequency characterization first introduced by Hewlett Packard, around 1970 [2, 3]. Downconversion approaches are discussed in Sec. 9.4.1, while a number of calibration strategies are reported in Sec. 9.4.2.

Large-signal rather than linear-only characterizations are fundamental in the experimental assessment of power amplifiers. In Sec. 9.5 the most important aspects related to load-pull measurements are discussed. Sec. 9.6 is devoted to system-level characterization of RF components under modulated signal excitation, with particular attention to power amplifiers. Finally, Sec. 9.7 presents an overview of noise measurement techniques.

Basic Microwave Instrumentation Tools

Microwave measurements exploit a number of tools that are also commonly found in low-frequency electronic or electrical characterizations. Their function and principle of operation will be briefly recalled here.

Power meters are instruments able to measure the power dissipated by a resistive load being part of the meter.

Type: Chapter
Information: Microwave Electronics , pp. 489 - 521

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316756171.010 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2017

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] V., Teppati, A., Ferrero, and M., Sayed, Modern RF and microwave measurement techniques. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

[2] D., Rytting and S., Sanders, “A system for automatic network analysis,” Hewlett Packard J., vol. 21, pp. 2–10, Feb. 1970.Google Scholar

[3] R., Anderson and O., Dennison, “An advanced new network analyzer for sweep-measuring amplitude and phase from 0.1 to 12.4 GHz,” Hewlett Packard J., vol. 18, pp. 2–9, Feb. 1967.Google Scholar

[4] A., Fantom, Radio frequency & microwave power measurement, ser. IEE Electrical Measurement. Peter Peregrinus, 1990, vol. 7.

[5] F., Nagy, “A new digital vector voltmeter,” Measurement, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 44–48, 1991.Google Scholar

[6] A. D., Helfrick, Electrical spectrum & network analyzers: a practical approach. Academic Press, 2012.

[7] N., Drobotun and P., Mikheev, “A 300kHz–13.5 GHz directional bridge,” in European Microwave Conference (EuMC). Paris, FR: IEEE, Oct. 2015, pp. 287–290.

[8] J. P., Dunsmore, “Dual directional bridge and balun used as reflectometer test set,” Oct. 1990, US Patent 4, 962, 359.

[9] B., Hand, “Developing accuracy specifications for automatic network analyzer systems,” Hewlett Packard J., vol. 21, pp. 16–19, Feb. 1970.Google Scholar

[10] N., Franzen and R., Speciale, “A new procedure for system calibration and error removal in automated s-parameter measurements,” in European Microwave Conference (EuMC), Hamburg, Germany, Sep. 1975, pp. 69–73.

[11] G. F., Engen and C. A., Hoer, “Thru-reflect-line: an improved technique for calibrating the dual six-port automatic network analyzer,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 27, no. 12, pp. 987–993, Dec. 1979.Google Scholar

[12] H., Eul and B., Schieck, “Reducing the number of calibration standards for network analyzer calibration,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, vol. IM-40, pp. 732–735, Aug. 1991.Google Scholar

[13] A., Ferrero and U., Pisani, “A simplied algorithm for leaky network analyzer calibration,” IEEE Microwave Guided Wave Letters, vol. MGWL-5, pp. 119–121, Apr. 1995.Google Scholar

[14] R., Speciale and N., Franzen, “Super – TSD : a generalization of the TSD network analyzer calibration procedure, covering n-port measurements with leakage,” in IEEE MTT-S Intenational Microwave Symposium Digest, San Diego, CA, Jun. 1977, pp. 114–117.

[15] K., Silvonen, “A general approach to network analyzer calibration,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 754–759, Apr. 1992.Google Scholar

[16] A., Ferrero and U., Pisani, “QSOLT: a new fast calibration algorithm for two-port Sparameter measurements,” in 38th ARFTG Conference Digest, San Diego, CA, Dec. 1991, pp. 15–24.

[17] R., Marks, “A multiline method of network analyzer calibration,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-39, pp. 1205–1215, Jul. 1991.Google Scholar

[18] A., Ferrero and U., Pisani, “Two-port network analyzer calibration using an unknown ‘thru’,” IEEE Microwave Guided Waves Letters, vol. MGWL-2, pp. 505–507, Dec. 1992.Google Scholar

[19] F., Microwaves, “An affordable harmonic load pull setup,” Microwave Journal, pp. 180–182, Oct. 1998.

[20] A., Ferrero and M., Pirola, “Harmonic load-pull techniques: an overview of modern systems,” IEEE Microwave Magazine, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 116–123, Jun. 2013.Google Scholar

[21] B., Hughes and T., P., “Improvements to on-wafer noise parameter measurements,” in 36th ARFTG Conference Digest, Monterrey, CA, Nov. 1990, pp. 16–25.

[22] D., Le and F., Ghannouchi, “Source-pull measurements using reverse six-port reflectomenters with application to MESFET mixer design,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-42, pp. 1589–1595, Sep. 1994.Google Scholar

[23] G., Madonna, M., Pirola, A., Ferrero, and U., Pisani, “Testing microwave devices under different source impedances: a novel technique for on-line measurement of source and device reflection coefficents,” in IMTC/99 Conf. Proc., Venezia, Italy, May 1999, pp. 130–133.

[24] G., Madonna and A., Ferrero, “Simple technique for source reflection coefficient measurement while characterizing active devices,” in 53rd ARFTG Conference Digest, Anaheim, CA, Jun. 1999, pp. 104–106.

[25] J., Sevic, “A sub 1 load-pull quarter wave pre-matching network based on a two-tier TRL calibration,” in 52nd ARFTG Conference Digest, Santa Rosa, CA, Dec. 1998, pp. 73–81.

[26] C., Tsironis, “Prematched programmable tuners for very high VSWR testing,” in IEEE μAPS Microwave Application & Product Seminars, Anaheim, CA, Jun. 1999.

[27] P., Colantonio, F., Giannini, and E., Limiti, “Nonlinear approaches to the design of microwave power amplifiers,” International Journal of RF and Microwave Computer-Aided Engineering, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 493–506, Nov. 2004.Google Scholar

[28] M. M., Co., Automated tuner system user's manual, v.1.9. Maury Microwave Corporation, 1998.

[29] F. M., Co., Computer controlled tuner system user's manual, v. 6.0. Focus Microwave Corporation, 1998.

[30] A. M., Co., LP2 automated load-pull system user's manual. ATN Microwave Corporation, 1997.

[31] F., Sechi, R., Paglione, B., Perlman, and J., Brown, “A computer controlled microwave tuner for automated load pull,” RCA Review, vol. 44, pp. 566–572, Dec. 1983.Google Scholar

[32] V., Adamian, “2–26.5 GHz on-wafer noise and S-parameter measurements using a solid state tuner,” in 34th ARFTG Conference Digest, Dec. 1989, pp. 33–40.

[33] C., McIntosh, R., Pollard, and R., Miles, “Novel MMIC source-impedance tuners for on-wafer microwave noise-parameter measurements,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-47, pp. 125–131, Feb. 1999.Google Scholar

[34] J., Sevic, “A sub 1 load-pull quarter wave prematching network baser on a two-tier TRL calibration,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 389–391, Feb. 1999.Google Scholar

[35] Y., Takayama, “A new load-pull characterization method for microwave power transistor,” in IEEE MTT-S Intenational Microwave Symposium Digest, Cherry Hill, NJ, Jun. 1976, pp. 218–220.

[36] G., Bava, U., Pisani, and V., Pozzolo, “Active load technique for load-pull characterization at microwave frequencies,” Electronics Letters, vol. 18, n.4, pp. 178–179, Feb. 1982.Google Scholar

[37] S., Mazumder and P., Van der Puije, “‘Two-signal’ method of measuring the large-signal S-parameters of transistors,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-26, pp. 417–420, Jun. 1978.Google Scholar

[38] B., Bonte, C., Gaquiere, E., Bourcier, C., Lemeur, and Y., Crosnier, “An automated system for measuring power devices in Ka-band,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-46, pp. 70–75, Jan. 1998.Google Scholar

[39] P., Carter, “Magnetically-tunable microwave filters using single-crystal yttrium-iron-garnet resonators,” IRE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 252– 260, May 1961.Google Scholar

[40] B., Hughes and P., Tasker, “Accurate on-wafer power and harmonic measurements of mmwave amplifiers and devices,” in IEEE MTT-S Intenational Microwave Symposium Digest, Albuquerque, NM, Jun. 1992, pp. 1019–1022.

[41] V., Teppati, A., Ferrero, V., Camarchia, A., Neri, and M., Pirola, “Microwave measurements – Part III: Advanced non-linear measurements,” IEEE Instrumentation Measurement Magazine, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 17–22, Dec. 2008.Google Scholar

[42] R., Quaglia, T., Jiang, and V., Camarchia, “Frequency extension of system level characterization and predistortion setup for on-wafer microwave power amplifiers,” in European Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference (EuMIC), 2014 9th, Oct. 2014, pp. 488–491.

[43] Application Note 57-1, “Fundamentals of RF and microwave noise figure measurements,” Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, California, USA, 2010.

[44] Application Note 57-2, “Noise figure measurement accuracy: the Y factor method,” Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, California, USA, 2014.

[45] A., Cappy, “Noise modeling and measurement techniques,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 1–10, Jan. 1988.Google Scholar

Book contents

9 - Microwave Measurements

Summary

Access options

References

Save book to Kindle

Save book to Dropbox

Save book to Google Drive