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Measurement of S-Parameters

Measurement of S-parameters

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93 views4 pages

Measurement of S-Parameters

Measurement of S-parameters

Uploaded by

denybeny
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Scattering_parameters

Measurement of S-parameters

The basic parts of a vector network analyzer

Vector network analyzer[edit]


The diagram shows the essential parts of a typical 2-port vector network analyzer (VNA). The two
ports of thedevice under test (DUT) are denoted port 1 (P1) and port 2 (P2). The test port connectors
provided on the VNA itself are precision types which will normally have to be extended and
connected to P1 and P2 using precision cables 1 and 2, PC1 and PC2 respectively and suitable
connector adaptors A1 and A2 respectively.
The test frequency is generated by a variable frequency CW source and its power level is set using
a variableattenuator. The position of switch SW1 sets the direction that the test signal passes
through the DUT. Initially consider that SW1 is at position 1 so that the test signal is incident on the
DUT at P1 which is appropriate for measuring

and

. The test signal is fed by SW1 to the

common port of splitter 1, one arm (the reference channel) feeding a reference receiver for P1 (RX
REF1) and the other (the test channel) connecting to P1 via the directional coupler DC1, PC1 and
A1. The third port of DC1 couples off the power reflected from P1 via A1 and PC1, then feeding it to
test receiver 1 (RX TEST1). Similarly, signals leaving P2 pass via A2, PC2 and DC2 to RX TEST2.
RX REF1, RX TEST1, RX REF2 and RXTEST2 are known ascoherent receivers as they share the
same reference oscillator, and they are capable of measuring the test signal's amplitude and phase
at the test frequency. All of the complex receiver output signals are fed to a processor which does
the mathematical processing and displays the chosen parameters and format on the phase and
amplitude display. The instantaneous value of phase includes both the temporal and spatial parts,
but the former is removed by virtue of using 2 test channels, one as a reference and the other for
measurement. When SW1 is set to position 2, the test signals are applied to P2, the reference is

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scattering_parameters

measured by RX REF2, reflections from P2 are coupled off by DC2 and measured by RX TEST2
and signals leaving P1 are coupled off by DC1 and measured by RX TEST1. This position is
appropriate for measuring

and

Calibration[edit]
Prior to a VNA S-parameter measurement, the first essential step is to perform an
accurate calibration appropriate to the intended measurements. Several types of calibration are
normally available on the VNA. It is only in the last few years that VNAs have had the sufficiently
advanced processing capability, at realistic cost, required to accomplish the more advanced types of
calibration, including corrections for systematic errors.[25] The more basic types, often called
'response' calibrations, may be performed quickly but will only provide a result with
moderate uncertainty. For improved uncertainty and dynamic range of the measurement a full 2 port
calibration is required prior to DUT measurement. This will effectively eliminate all sources of
systematic errors inherent in the VNA measurement system.

Minimization of systematic errors[edit]


Systematic errors are those which do not vary with time during a calibration. For a set of 2 port Sparameter measurements there are a total of 12 types of systematic errors which are measured and
removed mathematically as part of the full 2 port calibration procedure. They are, for each port:
1. directivity and crosstalk
2. source and load mismatches
3. frequency response errors caused by reflection and transmission tracking within the test receivers
The calibration procedure requires initially setting up the VNA with all the cables, adaptors and
connectors necessary to connect to the DUT but not at this stage connecting it. A calibration kit is
used according to the connector types fitted to the DUT. This will normally include adaptors, nominal
short circuits (SCs), open circuits (OCs) and load termination (TERM) standards of both connector
sexes appropriate to the VNA and DUT connectors. Even with standards of high quality, when
performing tests at the higher frequencies into the microwave range various stray capacitances and
inductances will become apparent and cause uncertainty during the calibration. Data relating to the
strays of the particular calibration kit used are measured at the factory traceable to national
standards and the results are programmed into the VNA memory prior to performing the calibration.
The calibration procedure is normally software controlled, and instructs the operator to fit various
calibration standards to the ends of the DUT connecting cables as well as making a through
connection. At each step the VNA processor captures data across the test frequency range and
stores it. At the end of the calibration procedure, the processor uses the stored data thus obtained to
apply the systematic error corrections to all subsequent measurements made. All subsequent
measurements are known as 'corrected measurements'. At this point the DUT is connected and a
corrected measurement of its S-parameters made.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scattering_parameters

Output format of measured and corrected S-parameter data[edit]


The S-parameter test data may be provided in many alternative formats, for example: list, graphical
(Smith chart or polar diagram).

List format[edit]
In list format the measured and corrected S-parameters are tabulated against frequency. The most
common list format is known as Touchstone or SNP, where N is the number of ports. Commonly text
files containing this information would have the filename extension '.s2p'. An example of
a Touchstone file listing for the full 2-port S-parameter data obtained for a device is shown below:
! Created Fri Jul 21 14:28:50 2005
# MHZ S DB R 50
! SP1.SP
50
-15.4
100.2
10.2
173.5
51
-15.8
103.2
10.7
177.4
52
-15.9
105.5
11.2
179.1
53
-16.4
107.0
10.5
183.1
54
-16.6
109.3
10.6
187.8

-30.1
-33.1
-35.7
-36.6
-38.1

9.6
9.6
9.6
9.6
9.6

-13.4
-12.4
-14.4
-14.7
-15.3

57.2
63.4
66.9
70.3
71.4

Rows beginning with an exclamation mark contains only comments. The row beginning with the
hash symbol indicates that in this case frequencies are in megahertz (MHZ), S-parameters are listed
(S), magnitudes are in dB log magnitude (DB) and the system impedance is 50 Ohm (R 50). There
are 9 columns of data. Column 1 is the test frequency in megahertz in this case. Columns 2, 4, 6 and
8 are the magnitudes of
angles of

,
and

and

respectively in dB. Columns 3, 5, 7 and 9 are the

respectively in degrees.

Graphical (Smith chart)[edit]


Any 2-port S-parameter may be displayed on a Smith chart using polar co-ordinates, but the most
meaningful would be

and

since either of these may be converted directly into an equivalent

normalized impedance (or admittance) using the characteristic Smith Chart impedance (or
admittance) scaling appropriate to the system impedance.

Graphical (polar diagram)[edit]


Any 2-port S-parameter may be displayed on a polar diagram using polar co-ordinates.
In either graphical format each S-parameter at a particular test frequency is displayed as a dot. If the
measurement is a sweep across several frequencies a dot will appear for each. Many VNAs connect
successive dots with straight lines for easier visibility.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scattering_parameters

Measuring S-parameters of a one-port network[edit]


The S-parameter matrix for a network with just one port will have just one element represented in the
form

, where n is the number allocated to the port. Most VNAs provide a simple one-port

calibration capability for one port measurement to save time if that is all that is required.

Measuring S-parameters of networks with more than 2 ports[edit]


VNAs designed for the simultaneous measurement of the S-parameters of networks with more than
two ports are feasible but quickly become prohibitively complex and expensive. Usually their
purchase is not justified since the required measurements can be obtained using a standard 2-port
calibrated VNA with extra measurements followed by the correct interpretation of the results
obtained. The required S-parameter matrix can be assembled from successive two port
measurements in stages, two ports at a time, on each occasion with the unused ports being
terminated in high quality loads equal to the system impedance. One risk of this approach is that the
return loss or VSWR of the loads themselves must be suitably specified to be as close as possible to
a perfect 50 Ohms, or whatever the nominal system impedance is. For a network with many ports
there may be a temptation, on grounds of cost, to inadequately specify the VSWRs of the loads.
Some analysis will be necessary to determine what the worst acceptable VSWR of the loads will be.
Assuming that the extra loads are specified adequately, if necessary, two or more of the S-parameter
subscripts are modified from those relating to the VNA (1 and 2 in the case considered above) to
those relating to the network under test (1 to N, if N is the total number of DUT ports). For example, if
the DUT has 5 ports and a two port VNA is connected with VNA port 1 to DUT port 3 and VNA port 2
to DUT port 5, the measured VNA results (
,

and

and

) would be equivalent to

respectively, assuming that DUT ports 1, 2 and 4 were terminated in adequate 50

Ohm loads . This would provide 4 of the necessary 25 S-parameters.

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