The VNA Applications Handbook


Book Description

Written by prominent experts in the field, this authoritative new resource provides guidelines for performing a wide variety of Vector Network Analyzers (VNA) measurements. The capabilities and limitations of modern VNA in the context of challenging real-world applications are explained, as well as insights for optimizing test setups and instrument settings, making accurate measurements and, equally important, avoiding costly mistakes. Organized by topic, the readers can focus on chapters covering particular measurement challenges. Application topics include linear and non-linear measurements of passive and active devices, frequency converting devices, and special considerations for high-power, high-gain, and pulsed devices. Signal Integrity and time-domain reflectometry are covered, as well as emerging applications at millimeter-wave frequencies driven by 5G and automotive radar. Waveguide is presented, with emphasis on understanding guided-wave propagation and the associated calculations required for creating calibration standards. Each application is supported by illustrations that help explain key concepts and VNA screenshots are used to show both expected and, in some cases, unexpected results. This book equips engineers and lab technicians to better understand these important instruments, and effectively use them to develop the technologies that drive our world.




Handbook of Microwave Component Measurements


Book Description

Handbook of Microwave Component Measurements Second Edition is a fully updated, complete reference to this topic, focusing on the modern measurement tools, such as a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), gathering in one place all the concepts, formulas, and best practices of measurement science. It includes basic concepts in each chapter as well as appendices which provide all the detail needed to understand the science behind microwave measurements. The book offers an insight into the best practices for ascertaining the true nature of the device-under-test (DUT), optimizing the time to setup and measure, and to the greatest extent possible, remove the effects of the measuring equipment from that result. Furthermore, the author writes with a simplicity that is easily accessible to the student or new engineer, yet is thorough enough to provide details of measurement science for even the most advanced applications and researchers. This welcome new edition brings forward the most modern techniques used in industry today, and recognizes that more new techniques have developed since the first edition published in 2012. Whilst still focusing on the VNA, these techniques are also compatible with other vendor's advanced equipment, providing a comprehensive industry reference.




RF Circuits and Applications for Practicing Engineers


Book Description

This comprehensive resource explains the theory of RF circuits and systems and the practice of designing them. The fundamentals for linear and low noise amplifier designs, including the S and noise parameters and their applications in amplifier designs and matching network designs using the Smith chart are covered. Theories of RF power amplifiers and high efficiency power amplifiers are also explained. The underpinnings of wireless communications systems as well as passive components commonly used in RF circuits and measurements are discussed. RF measurement techniques and RF switches are also presented. The book explores stability criteria and the invariant property of lossless networks and includes detailed theoretical treatments. The basic concepts and techniques covered in this book are routinely used in today's engineering practice, especially from the perspective of printed circuit board (PCB) based RF circuit design and system integration. Intended for practicing engineers and circuit designers, this book focuses on practical topics in circuit design and measurement techniques. It bridges the gap between academic materials and real circuit designs using real circuit examples and practical tips. Readers develop a numerical feel for RF problems as well as awareness of the concepts of design for cost and design for manufacturing, which is a critical skill set for today's engineers working in an environment of commercial product development.




Substrate Integrated Suspended Line Circuits and Systems


Book Description

Substrate Integrated Suspended Line Circuits and Systems provides a systematic overview of the new transmission line - the substrate-integrated suspension line (SISL). It details the fundamentals and classical application examples of the SISL. The basic SISL concept and structure, various passive circuits and active circuits, and front-end sub-systems are systematically introduced. Featuring research on topics such as high-performance RF/microwave/mm-wave circuits and system, this book is ideal for researchers, engineers, scientists, scholars, educators, and students. Since transmission line is a fundamental component of microwave and mm-wave circuits, the properties of a transmission line, such as losses, size, and dispersion, are vital to the performance of the whole system. Suspended line has been proved to be an excellent transmission line, as it has attractive features such as low loss, weak dispersion, high power capacity, and low effective dielectric constant. However, Conventional waveguide suspended line circuits require metal housing to form air cavities which is Substrate Integrated Suspended Line Circuits and Systems essential to the operation of suspended lines circuits. Also, the metal shell should provide mechanical support and shielding, which contribute to large size and heavy weight. Meanwhile, precise mechanical fabrication and assembling are strongly required, which brings difficulties to the design and fabrication of conventional suspended line circuits, and the manufacturing cost of suspended line circuits increases correspondingly. In this book, we will introduce a new platform of high-performance transmission line, i.e. substrate integrated suspended line (SISL). SISL keeps all the merits of the suspended line while overcomes the drawbacks of conventional waveguide suspended line circuits. Moreover, it is self-packaged and highly integrated. The basic SISL concept and structure, various passive circuits and active circuits, and front-end sub-systems will be systematically introduced. Featuring research on topics such as high-performance RF/microwave/mm-wave circuits and system, this book is ideally designed for researchers, engineers, scientists, scholars, educators, and students.




Lumped Elements for RF and Microwave Circuits, Second Edition


Book Description

Fully updated and including entirely new chapters, this Second Edition provides in-depth coverage of the different types of RF and microwave circuit elements, including inductors, capacitors, resistors, transformers, via holes, airbridges, and crossovers. Featuring extensive formulas for lumped elements, design trade-offs, and an updated and current list of references, the book helps you understand the value and usefulness of lumped elements in the design of RF, microwave and millimeter wave components and circuits. You’ll find a balanced treatment between standalone lumped elements and their circuits using MICs, MMICs and RFICs technologies. You’ll also find detailed information on a broader range RFICs that was not available when the popular first edition was published. The book captures – in one consolidated volume -- the fundamentals, equations, modeling, examples, references and overall procedures to design, test and produce microwave components that are indispensable in industry and academia today. With its superb organization and expanded coverage of the subject, this is a must-have, go-to resource for practicing engineers and researchers in industry, government and university and microwave engineers working in the antenna area. Students will also find it a useful reference with its clear explanations, many examples and practical modeling guidelines.




Handbook of Microwave Component Measurements


Book Description

This book provides state-of-the-art coverage for making measurements on RF and Microwave Components, both active and passive. A perfect reference for R&D and Test Engineers, with topics ranging from the best practices for basic measurements, to an in-depth analysis of errors, correction methods, and uncertainty analysis, this book provides everything you need to understand microwave measurements. With primary focus on active and passive measurements using a Vector Network Analyzer, these techniques and analysis are equally applicable to measurements made with Spectrum Analyzers or Noise Figure Analyzers. The early chapters provide a theoretical basis for measurements complete with extensive definitions and descriptions of component characteristics and measurement parameters. The latter chapters give detailed examples for cases of cable, connector and filter measurements; low noise, high-gain and high power amplifier measurements, a wide range of mixer and frequency converter measurements, and a full examination of fixturing, de-embedding, balanced measurements and calibration techniques. The chapter on time-domain theory and measurements is the most complete treatment on the subject yet presented, with details of the underlying mathematics and new material on time domain gating. As the inventor of many of the methods presented, and with 30 years as a development engineer on the most modern measurement platforms, the author presents unique insights into the understanding of modern measurement theory. Key Features: Explains the interactions between the device-under-test (DUT) and the measuring equipment by demonstrating the best practices for ascertaining the true nature of the DUT, and optimizing the time to set up and measure Offers a detailed explanation of algorithms and mathematics behind measurements and error correction Provides numerous illustrations (e.g. block-diagrams for circuit connections and measurement setups) and practical examples on real-world devices, which can provide immediate benefit to the reader Written by the principle developer and designer of many of the measurement methods described This book will be an invaluable guide for RF and microwave R&D and test engineers, satellite test engineers, radar engineers, power amplifier designers, LNA designers, and mixer designers. University researchers and graduate students in microwave design and test will also find this book of interest.




Nonlinear Design: FETs and HEMTs


Book Description

Despite its continuing popularity, the so-called standard circuit model of compound semiconductor field-effect transistors (FETs) and high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) is shown to have a limitation for nonlinear analysis and design: it is valid only in the static limit. When the voltages and currents are time-varying, as they must be for these devices to have any practical use, the model progressively fails for higher specification circuits. This book shows how to reform the standard model to render it fully compliant with the way FETs and HEMTs actually function, thus rendering it valid dynamically. Proof-of-principle is demonstrated for several practical circuits, including a frequency doubler and amplifiers with demanding performance criteria. Methods for extracting both the reformulated model and the standard model are described, including a scheme for re-constructing from S-parameters the bias-dependent dynamic (or RF) I(V) characteristics along which devices work in real-world applications, and as needed for the design of nonlinear circuits using harmonic-balance and time-domain simulators. The book includes a historical review of how variations on the standard model theme evolved, leading up to one of the most widely used—the Angelov (or Chalmers) model.




Wideband Microwave Materials Characterization


Book Description

This book is a practical engineering guide to microwave material measurements for both laboratory and manufacturing/field environments, including nondestructive inspection (NDI) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE). The book covers proven methods for characterizing materials at microwave frequencies, including both resonant and wide-bandwidth techniques, and gives you the necessary theory and equations for implementing these methods. You’ll understand how to invert dielectric and/or magnetic material properties from free space transmission and reflection, and how to measure traveling wave attenuation. You’ll also know how to measure dielectric and/or magnetic material properties from transmission line fixtures, and learn how to use computational electromagnetic modeling with a measurement fixture. The book shows you how to build and use microwave NDE equipment for radomes and/or structural dielectric materials. This is an excellent resource for Engineers/scientists conducting or analyzing RF/Microwave/MMW material measurements for applications in electromagnetic materials, as well as those who are developing or applying microwave non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods to their manufacturing problems.




Parameter Extraction and Complex Nonlinear Transistor Models


Book Description

All model parameters are fundamentally coupled together, so that directly measured individual parameters, although widely used and accepted, may initially only serve as good estimates. This comprehensive resource presents all aspects concerning the modeling of semiconductor field-effect device parameters based on gallium-arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), their structures and functions, and existing transistor models are also classified. The Shockley model is presented in order to give insight into semiconductor field-effect transistor (FET) device physics and explain the relationship between geometric and material parameters and device performance. Extraction of trapping and thermal time constants is discussed. A special section is devoted to standard nonlinear FET models applied to large-signal measurements, including static-/pulsed-DC and single-/two-tone stimulation. High power measurement setups for signal waveform measurement, wideband source-/load-pull measurement (including envelope source-/load pull) are also included, along with high-power intermodulation distortion (IMD) measurement setup (including envelope load-pull). Written by a world-renowned expert in the field, this book is the first to cover of all aspects of semiconductor FET device modeling in a single volume.




Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Vacuum Electron Devices: Inductive Output Tubes, Klystrons, Traveling-Wave Tubes, Magnetrons, Crossed-Field Amplifiers, and Gyrotrons


Book Description

Written by an internationally recognized as an expert on the subject of microwave (MW) tubes, this book presents and describes the many types of microwave tubes, and despite competition from solid-state devices (those using GaN, SiC, et cetera), which continue to be used widely and find new applications in defense, communications, medical, and industrial drying. Helix traveling wave tubes (TWTs), as well as coupled cavity TWTs are covered. Klystrons, and how they work, are described, along with the physics behind it and examples of devices and their uses. Vacuum electron devices are explained in detail and examines the harsh environment that must exist in tubes if they are to operate properly. The secondary emission process and its role in the operation of crossed-field devices is also discussed. The design of collectors for linear-beam tubes, including power dissipation and power recovery, are explored. Discussions of important noise sources and techniques that can be used to minimize their effects are also included. Presented in full color, this book contains a balance of practical and theoretical material so that those new to microwave tubes as well as experienced microwave tube technicians, engineers, and managers can benefit from its use.