Network analysers get automatic fixture removal option

21st May 2014

Keysight Technologies (formerly Agilent)

Mick Elliott

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Datasheet

Agilent Technologies has unveiled an automatic fixture removal (AFR) option for its PNA Series network analysers. The fixture was previously available only in Agilent’s Physical Layer Test System (PLTS) software. Many of today’s devices do not have coaxial connectors and are put in fixtures to measure them in a coaxial environment.

However, accurate removal of the fixture’s effects is required to obtain a good measurement of the device-under-test. While EM simulation software modelling or multiple calibration standards fabricated on board can be used to characterize and remove a fixture, such approaches are complicated and time-consuming.

The AFR option for the PNA provides a faster and more accurate way to remove fixture effects from non-coaxial device measurements. A powerful five-step wizard quickly guides the engineer through the necessary steps. De-embed files can be saved in a variety of formats for later use in PNA, PLTS and Advanced Design System software.

Using the AFR option, the engineer must first calibrate in coax with the reference planes at the inputs to the fixture. Then, one or more standards designed as a replica of the fixture’s 2-port thru or fixture half terminated with an open or short are measured.

Even faster fixture de-embedding is possible with one-port AFR. In this case, the actual fixture is measured before the DUT is installed for the open standard. The AFR option then automatically characterises and removes the fixture from the measurement. This one-port AFR capability is also now available in the PLTS software.