Articles
Measurement Of Active And Passive Millimeter-Wave Devices Using Microstrip To Coplanar Line Transitions
July 29, 2010
•White Paper: Measurement Of Active And Passive Millimeter-Wave Devices Using Microstrip To Coplanar Line Transitions
By E. Artal, B. Aja, R. Garcia, M. Detratti, L.A. Rodriguez, Departamento de Ingeniería de Comunicaciones
Abstract
At millimeter-wave frequencies the use of coaxial based test fixtures does not provide an accurate characterization of planar passive or active devices. Tests using coplanar probes produce more reliable and repeatable device measurements. A suitable method to perform device characterization is through broadband coplanar to microstrip transitions. A test bench for obtaining S-parameters up to 50 GHz is described. Calibration method and test results of passive and active circuits and devices are presented. The obtained experimental S-parameters have been used for circuit design and further integration of millimeter-wave receiver systems.
INTRODUCTION
The most common characterisation of microwave active and passive devices is the Scattering parameters matrix (Sparameters). The Vectorial Network Analyzer is the key test instrument to perform such measurements. Test ports are usually coaxial connectors to achieve broadband performance. Test of microstrip circuits, or semiconductor devices to be assembled in microstrip lines, needs an appropriate transition from coaxial to microstrip. There are several types of commercially available coaxial to microstrip "Test Fixtures", with an appropriate set of standards to correct the systematic errors introduced by the transitions. Unfortunately at millimetre wave frequencies the quality and repeatability of such transitions is poor. When this happen there are still residual systematic errors in the S-parameters tests. These errors can hide the actual device behaviour.
This paper was originally presented at the 4th ESA Workshop on Millimetre Wave Technology and Applications, Espoo, Finland, 15-17 February 2006, Conference Proceedings, pp. 153-158. Reprinted with permission.
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