Low loss links between wafer probes and load pull tuner

• US 20030107363A1
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christos Tsironis
• Original Assignee: Christos Tsironis
• Inventors: Tsironis, Christos
• Application Number:
  US10/316,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/95
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/24 Transmission-line, e.g. waveguide, measuring sections, e.g. slotted section
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2822 of microwave or radiofrequency circuits of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28

Abstract

A method for establishing a low loss microwave link between load-pull tuners and microwave wafer probes is presented. This link consists of an extension of the coaxial airline of the tuner, an extension of the tuner slab line or a co-planar waveguide tuner extension that connects directly to wafer probes, a separate airline section or a separate prematching module.

Claims

1. Means for establishing low loss microwave links between the test port of microwave load pull tuners and microwave wafer probes by extending the tuner'"'"'s transmission airline up to the probe connector, said extension being either part of the said tuner airline itself or a separate unit inserted between the tuner test port and the coaxial or waveguide connector of the wafer probe, said microwave tuners being used either for power load pull testing or for noise measurement testing.

2. Said low loss links, as in claim 1, made as a straight coaxial airline extension of the microwave tuner at its test port.

3. Said low loss links, as in claim 1, made as a straight parallel-plate airline (slabline) extension of the microwave tuner at its test port.

4. Said low loss links, as in claim 1, made as a coaxial airline extension bent by 30°

, 45°

or 90°

approximately, in order to compensate for the angle difference between the axis of the connector of the wafer probes and the horizontal airline of the tuner.

5. Said low loss links, as in claim 1, made as a parallel-plate airline (slabline) bent by 30°

, 45°

or 90°

approximately, in order to compensate for the angle difference between the axis of the connector of the wafer probes and the horizontal airline of the tuner.

6. Straight parallel-plate (slabline) or coaxial airline extension, comprising an airline and two microwave connectors, configured as a separate module, inserted between the wafer probe and the tuner test port, as in claim 1.

7. Parallel-plate (slabline) or coaxial airline extension, bent by 30°

, 45°

or 90°

approximately, comprising an airline and two microwave connectors, configured as a separate module, inserted between the wafer probe and the tuner test port, as in claim 1, and used to compensate for the angle difference between the axis of the wafer probe and the airline of the tuner.

8. Prematching module in form of a parallel-plate (slabline) or slotted coaxial airline in form of a straight structure, as in claim 6, comprising an airline and two microwave connectors, and means to generate microwave reflection by inserting a metallic or dielectric probe inside the slotted or parallel-plate airline, said prematching module operating very close to the DUT (device under test) and used in order to increase the reflection factor presented to the DUT by the microwave tuner.

9. Prematching module in form of a parallel-plate (slabline) or slotted coaxial airline in form of a structure bent by 30°

, 45°

or 90°

approximately, as in claim 7, comprising an airline and two microwave connectors, and means to generate microwave reflection by inserting a metallic or dielectric probe inside the slotted or parallel-plate airline, said prematching module operating very close to the DUT (device under test) and used in order to increase the reflection factor presented to the DUT by the microwave tuner.

10. Extension of the tuner airline (slabline) at the tuner test port, as in claim 1, said extension to be made in form of a coplanar waveguide (CPWG), said CPWG extension to be formed at the end close to the DUT as a wafer probe itself.

11. A method for replacing the components of the CPWG extension attached to the tuner for maintenance and repair purposes.

12. A method of aligning the characteristic impedance of the CPWG airline extension by changing the geometrical configuration at the level of the probe tips.