Coaxial Measurements

Common Mistakes &

Simple Solutions
Sathya Padmanabhan
Rocky Teresa
Maury Microwave Corp.
For electronic copy of presentation go to www.maurymw.com/presentations.htm
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
2
Coaxial Measurements
DUT Measurement accuracy limited by
Test Setup
Calibration method
User practices
Common practices and assumptions in
Calibration procedures
Measurement or setup processes
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
3
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use/ non use of Torque
wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use/ non use of Torque
wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
4
Calibration Kit and Definitions
Using incorrect definitions for calibration
Unique to each manufacturer and model no.
Electrical delay lengths of open/ short standards
Airline lengths of line standards
Calibration constants derived based on design and
performance of standards
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
5
Calibration Kit and Definitions
Kit definitions critical to cal accuracy
SOLT - Error co-efficients calculated from the
closeness of definitions to actual measured
TRL/ LRL Line lengths establish reference plane
Accuracy of error co-efficients?
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
6
Calibration Kit and Definitions
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
7
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Non Zero Thru SOLT Calibration
Assume zero length thru for an adapter
cal
Zero length thru definition for cal
kits Typical
Reference plane set by length of thru
Forced at an artificial reference
plane when assumed zero
DUT loss looks much better
than actual
DUT phase looks falsely shorter
Define length of thru (adapter) for
adapter cals
Electrical delay of adapter from
physical length
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
9
Non Zero Thru SOLT Calibration
DUT loss and phase comparison
Thru length defined
Incorrect definition for thru (assumed zero)
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
10
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
11
Non Insertable Calibration
Adding/ Removing/ Swapping
adapters after cal
Calibration methods
available
Adapter swap, Adapter
removal, Characterized
adapter, Unknown thru
Effective match cascaded
Adding adapters
Again, where is your
reference plane?
Phase equal adapters
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
12
Non Insertable Calibration
Adding adapters after cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Non Insertable Calibration
Removing/ Swapping adapters after cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
14
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Fixed vs. Sliding load SOL calibration
Which one to choose?
Definition of fixed load
SOL calibration accuracy based on definitions
Is DUT a well matched device?
Cannot measure better than fixed load
If you calibrate with a 30 dB Return Loss Fixed Load
What level of Return loss can be measured on the DUT?
Worse than 20 dB NO problem
20 30 dB uncertainties ramp up
Better than 30 dB Cant determine
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Sliding Load -
Precision Airline with movable
terminating element
Change phase of imperfect
termination
Use circle fitting to find center
Reduces G error to
Airline Impedance
Stability of terminating element
Lower frequency limited due to
length of slide
Usually combine with Fixed load at
low frequencies
Fixed vs. Sliding load SOL calibration
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
17
Fixed vs. Sliding load SOL calibration
Which one to choose?
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
18
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
19
Fixed load as terminating element
DUT VSWR = Effects (DUT + Fixed load)
Can mislead with constructive or destructive
combination
Knowledge of
Fixed load how good is it?
Expected DUT performance
Well matched fixed load
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Fixed load as terminating element
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
21
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
22
Use (or no use) of Torque wrench
Well connected pair optimum signal flow path
Over tightened pair damage mating surfaces
Loosely connected pair high reflection at
interface
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Use (or no use) of Torque wrench
How tight is hand tight?
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Use (or no use) of Torque wrench
Using open ended wrench for tightening
Applying torque at the wrong end of mated pair
Incorrect method of applying torque
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Use (or no use) of Torque wrench
Recommended
NOT Recommended
Recommended method
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
26
Coaxial Measurements
Measurement Issues
Fixed load as
terminating element
Use (or no use) of
Torque wrench
Phase stability of test
cables
Calibration Issues
Cal kit and definitions
Non zero thru
calibration
Adding/ removing
adapter after cal
Fixed load or Sliding
load cal
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
27
Test setup and handling
Minimal movements during and after calibration
Drift in cal (error co-efficients) as setup changes
Good phase stable cable
Tracking phase of zero length thru after cal
Critical for phase sensitive measurements
Check phase stability of test cables
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Summary
Know your standards
Proper non insertable cal technique
Select the right load
Use torque wrench
Use pin depth gage
Phase stable test setup Good quality cables
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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More Info
Connectors Precision or Not?
http://www.maurymw.com/presentations.htm
Verifying accuracy of calibration
http://www.maurymw.com/support/pdfs/5C-027.pdf
http://www.maurymw.com/support/pdfs/5C-026.pdf
Coaxial Measurements Common Mistakes & Simple Solutions
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Thank You
Rusty Myers for his input
Elton Mosher for all the test data