A Network Analyzer Calibration using Redundancy

A calibration procedure for phasor network measurements has been developed in which redundancy is exploited to: (i) provide integral calibration assurance, (ii) render the procedure tolerant to the measurement environment, and (iii) simplify the fabrication requirements on calibration standards, especially for monolithic devices. The measurement algorithm uses a known standard, an unknown standard, and a pair of offset transmission lines whose lengths are in a fixed known ratio, and outputs the calibration coefficients, the reflection coefficient of the unknown standard, and the loss and phase of the transmission lines. Furthermore, the procedure uses its built-in redundancy to furnish an indication of the nonsystematic errors in the calibration process. This technique is applicable to one-and two-port calibrations and is best suited for making phasor network measurements in monolithic environments.