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Multiport Calibration
ATE Architecture, Design and Support
What We Do
Solve challenging high-speed and microwave
measurement problems, providing customers
with accurate, reliable, and repeatable data
Fixturing
Calibration & Error Correction
Reference Plane Positioning
Areas of Expertise
Test
System
HW & SW
Development
Measurement
Science
RF
•High-Speed
•Multi-port
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ATE System
Development
Calibration &
Error
Correction
Conventional
•Novel
Fixturing
•SMT
•Non-coaxial
•Devicespecific
Data
Analysis
•
Signal Integrity
•Power Integrity
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Company Philosophy
Simultaneously make measurement systems:
Accurate
Fast
Simple
Description of Problem
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Multi-port Device Under Test
Switch Matrix & Test Cables have nonnegligible loss, group delay, dispersion
Must calibrate at DUT port
Calibration must be done at least once
per day
Manual calibration is time-consuming
and error-prone
Time required to calibrate reduces
system throughput
Why It Matters
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Poor (or no) calibration results in poor measurement accuracy
Poor accuracy causes
Bad parts to pass through, or
Good parts to be scrapped
Both represent real costs through
Higher-level system failures & customer relations issues, or
Increased material costs due to scrapage
Time required for calibration takes away from system throughput
and must be minimized to reduce cost per tested part
Conventional Approaches
Description
Advantages
Disadvantages
SOLT cal at VNA
only
Simple, fast
Poor accuracy
SOLT cal at DUT
ports
Potential for very
good accuracy
Very time
consuming for
large devices
Manual process is
error-prone
SOLT cal at VNA, Potential for good
characterize and
accuracy
de-embed to DUT
Tedious to
characterize each
path
Cal not updated
for changes due
to environment or
mechanical
flexure
ATE Solution
1 Calibrate at VNA test ports
2 Automatically characterize
interconnect path in situ
Instrument
Calibration
Module
Calibration can be done with
DUT connected
3 Measure DUT
Measurement done with cal
modules connected
FCM
FCM
FCM
FCM
FCM
FCM
FCM
FCM
4 Automatically de-embed
interconnect and display data
at DUT reference plane
Reference Planes
FCM = Fixture Characterization Module
VNA & ICM
Fixture Characterization Module
Calibration Procedure
4-Ports
2000 points
IFBW = 3000Hz
Calibration time = 48 sec
Measurement Procedure
4-Ports
2000 points
IFBW = 3000Hz
Measurement time = 9 sec
2-Port Probe System Configuration
Option 1
Traditional
Approach
ATE
Approach
2-port
Calibration
Process:
2-port
Calibration
Process:
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Press
Calibrate
Buttondown on Short
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Bring
Port 1 probe
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Measure Short on Port 1
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Bring Port 1 probe down on Open
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Measure Open on Port 1
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Bring Port 1 probe down on Load
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Measure Load on Port 1
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Bring Port 2 probe down on Short

Measure Short on Port 2
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Bring Port 2 probe down on Open

Measure Open on Port 2
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Bring Port 2 probe down on Load

Measure Load on Port 2
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Bring Port 1 and Port 2 probes down on Thru
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Measure Thru between Ports 1 & 2
2-Port Probe System Configuration
Option 2
ATE Approach
Calibration Process:
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Bring Port 1 and Port 2 probes down on Thru
Measure Thru between Ports 1 & 2
Compared to Option 1:
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Hardware configuration simplified
Does not allow calibration on-the-fly
4-Port Probe System Configuration
Traditional
Approach
ATE
Approach
4-port Calibration Process:
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Press
Calibrate30
Button
Approximately
steps
Switch Matrix
Software: Programmatic Module Control
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SCPI-based command set
TCP/IP over Ethernet
VISA compatible
Web Browser Interface to configure Module Controller
Full VISA-based LabVIEW and CVI Wrappers provided
Example Command (Set FCM at module port 5 to thru state):
CONTROL:FCM5:STATE THRU
Software: Automated Cal with TruCal
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Application Programming Interface (API) for all ATE
Calibration Algorithms
Standard Win32 DLL
Callable from any language/IDE that supports DLL
access (e.g. C, C++, LabVIEW, CVI, VB, etc.)
Uses rudimentary C data types for maximum
compatibility
Full LabVIEW API Wrapper provided
Example Function (Initialize 2-port algorithm):
TC2P_Initialize(double* dFreqs, int nFreqs, int nStates);
Characteristics: Automated
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In situ calibration allows system to be calibrated without
removing DUT and connecting standards
No manual, error-prone operations
Fast calibration improves system availability
Non-intrusive calibration allows it to be done more
frequently
Characteristics: Accurate
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Calibration transfer standards have TRL-level accuracy
In situ calibration removes inaccuracies resulting from test
cable performance with flexure of conventional cal
methodologies
Fast calibration facilitates more frequent calibration as
needed
Characteristics: Cost-Effective
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Improved accuracy avoids costs associated with shipping
bad material resulting in high-level system failure and
customer dissatisfaction
Improved accuracy avoids scrapping good material just
when it has the maximum value-added, reducing
manufacturing cost
Increased system up-time reduces cost per tested part by
being able to test more devices in a shift
Contact information
For more information please contact us at:
ATE Systems, Inc.
85 Rangeway Road
North Billerica, MA 01862
Phone: +1-978-362-1850
email: [email protected]
http://www.atesystems.com