An improved calibration technique for on-wafer large-signal transistor characterization

Author

Ferrero, Andrea ; Pisani, Umberto

Author_Institution

Dipartmento di Elettronica, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Volume

42

Issue

2

fYear

1993

fDate

4/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

360

Lastpage

364

Abstract

The on-wafer measurement of complex quantities and absolute power levels of active devices is truly significant for nonlinear device characterization and modeling. An original procedure, which allows one to perform both the vector and the power calibrations at the RF wafer probe tips used for on-wafer measurement of two-port devices, is presented. The measurement system is based on an automatic vector network analyzer with coaxial directional couplers and RF coplanar wafer probes. A new error model of the dual directional coupler, which samples the power waves traveling at device output, allows one to take advantage of the coaxial section at the output of the measuring system for calibrating the power level up to the on-wafer probe tips

Keywords

MMIC; calibration; coaxial cables; directional couplers; error statistics; integrated circuit testing; microwave measurement; network analysers; power measurement; semiconductor device testing; solid-state microwave circuits; transistors; RF wafer probe tips; absolute power levels; active devices; automatic vector network analyzer; coaxial directional couplers; dual directional coupler; error model; nonlinear device; on-wafer large-signal transistor; on-wafer measurement; power calibrations; probe tips; two-port devices; vector calibrations; Calibration; Coaxial components; Directional couplers; Power measurement; Power system modeling; Probes; Radio frequency; Reflection; Semiconductor device modeling; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.278582

Filename

278582