Understanding VSWR and Return Loss
R&S®ZNA Vector network analyzers
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Understanding S Parameters
A Practical Guide to Measuring and Characterizing RF Networks
S-parameters (scattering parameters) are the standard method for characterizing RF networks and their ports. This video explains how networks such as antennas, filters, amplifiers, and directional couplers are analyzed by injecting RF energy into ports and measuring reflected and transmitted power. Understand the naming convention for S-parameters and learn how the four S-parameters of a two-port network (S11, S21, S12, S22) relate to common measurements like return loss, gain, and reverse isolation. We will also show that S-parameters are complex, frequency-dependent values typically measured using a network analyzer.
What you'll learn:
- How RF networks are defined by their ports and analyzed by measuring reflected and transmitted power across frequency ranges
- The S-parameter naming convention and how to interpret the four parameters (S11, S21, S12, S22) of a two-port network
- How S-parameters map to common RF measurements including return loss, VSWR, gain, and reverse isolation
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