Characterization of Calibration Standards by Physical Measurements

Many modern day automatic network analyzers support a variety of calibration techniques for accuracy enhancement. These techniques offer different levels of calibration accuracy. Even within the same technique, the accuracy level is a function of the quality of the calibration standards used, the accuracy of the assumed model of the calibration standards, or both. The quality and accuracy of these calibration standards have reached a level that no microwave measurement system alone can guarantee their performance specifications. This paper presents an approach that pushes microwave metrology to the physical level.