Millimeter Wave Measurements

with Vector Network Analyzer ZNA and Option K8

RF engineers are increasingly confronted with the task of characterizing devices operating in the mmWave range. The vector network analyzer (VNA) R&S ZNA, along with R&S or RPG ZC<xxx> mmWave converters, provides a broad range of measurement solutions fulfilling this task. This application note is intended to provide help for choosing the right measuring instruments and accessories, interconnecting them correctly, setting up the instruments, calibrating them and finally obtaining measurement results.

Both linear and nonlinear measurement quantities are covered. In both categories, one further distinguishes between devices that do not change the frequency of the input signal (e.g. transmission lines, attenuators, amplifiers) and those that do (e.g. mixers, frequency multipliers). Generally, the complexity of setup and calibration is higher in the latter case.

The ZNA user interface is designed to assist the user with defining the wanted measurement quantities and their associated parameters like source power, LO frequency, and tone distance for two-tone measurements. It shows the needed setup schematically and proposes how to calibrate this setup including all necessary steps. Many common pitfalls lurking when calibration is completely done manually are avoided by automatic compilation of the calibration.

Following this concept, the chapters of this application note first give a brief description of the characterization quantities treated in the chapter, then outline the measurement setup, take a look at calibration and provide examples of measurement results as they appear on the ZNA display.