Test & Measurement Environments
Component Performance Evaluation
Characterising a passive component means separating what the component does from what the test setup does. At low frequencies that is easy. By 40 GHz the fixture, the adapters and the calibration standards are all contributing, and the discipline that separates them is the whole job.
S-Parameters
Cal Kits
NMD
DC–110 GHz
Uncertainty
DC–110 GHz
Coverage
≤1.1
Typical VSWR
5,000+
Mating Cycles
Design Notes
Getting the Calibration Plane Right
Five things that determine whether a measured S-parameter belongs to the device or to the setup.
01
Reference Plane Definition
Calibration moves the measurement plane to a defined point. If that point is not where you think it is, every number afterwards carries the error.
02
Standards Quality
A calibration is only as good as the standards behind it. Open, short and load definitions have to match the hardware actually in use.
03
Adapter Removal
Every adapter between the calibrated plane and the device is either de-embedded or counted as part of the device. Being vague about which is how results drift between labs.
04
Connection Repeatability
Torque and cleanliness change the measurement at millimetre-wave frequencies. Repeatability is a procedure, not a property of the equipment.
05
Port Protection
The analyser port is the most expensive connector in the room. NMD and equivalent formats move the wear onto a part that costs a fraction to replace.
Reference Data
Typical Evaluation Requirements
Requirements follow the band and the uncertainty target. These are representative.
| Parameter | Typical Requirement | Relevant Series | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency coverage | DC to 110 GHz | 1.0mm series | Choose by band edge plus margin |
| VSWR | ≤ 1.1 in band | Precision test series | Per series datasheet |
| Analyser interface | NMD 1.85 / 2.4 / 2.92 | NMD adapters | Protects the port |
| Repeatability | Torque-controlled | All precision series | Procedure driven |
| Mating cycles | 5,000+ | NMD-terminated | Bench duty cycle |
| Traceability | Measured data per unit | All test assemblies | Feeds the uncertainty budget |
Our Role
What We Supply for Characterisation
01
Metrology-Grade Adapters
NMD and precision between-series adapters whose repeatability is characterised, so they can be de-embedded with confidence.
02
Fixture Assemblies
Phase-stable cables built to the bench geometry, so the calibration survives the way the fixture is actually used.
03
Per-Unit Measured Data
Every assembly ships with its own measurement, which is what an uncertainty budget needs rather than a datasheet typical.
Selected Products
Interfaces for Characterisation Benches
Typical starting points for S-parameter work. Send us the analyser and the band and we will quote the set.
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Phase-Stable 110GHz Ruggedized Precision Test Coaxial Cable FEP Jacket – Model CFT150
$20.00 Add to cartQuick View -
1.0mm Female 4-Hole Flange Mount RF Connector – Field Replaceable, 6.35mm Hole Spacing, 0.23mm Pin Diameter
$126.00 Add to cartQuick View -
NMD1.85 Female to NMD1.85 Male RF Adapter
$22.00 Add to cartQuick View -
NMD2.92 Female to NMD2.92 Female RF Adapter
Read moreQuick View
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Building a Characterisation Bench?
Send us the analyser, the frequency range and the device interface, and our engineers will propose the setup.