Extension of Attenuation Measurement range

in Intermediate Frequency (IF) substitution

and Vector Network Analyzer techniques
 Kamlesh Patel*, P.S. Negi and P. C. Kothari

Electrical & Electronics Standards

National Physical Laboratory (CSIR)
New Delhi, India

kpatel@nplindia.org
 ATTENUATION STANDARDS
 30 MHz WBCO  Inductive Voltage
attenuator Divider (IVD)
 Operated at 10 kHz
or 1 kHz usually

2
 ATTENUATION STANDARDS AND
TECHNIQUES
S.No. Standard/ Waveguide System Coaxial System
Technique (2.6 – 18 GHz) (30MHz & 1-18 GHz)
1. Primary i. 30MHz WBCO Attenuator i. 30MHz WBCO attenuator
Resolution:0. 001dB Resolution:0. 001dB
Accuracy: 0.005dB/10dB Accuracy:  0.005dB/10dB
Make: NIST, USA   Make: NIST, USA
ii. Audio Attenuator ii. Audio attenuator
Resolution: 0.002dB Resolution: 0.002dB
Accuracy: 0.02dB/30dB Accuracy: 0.02dB/30dB
Make: WE, USA Make: WE, USA
2. Transfer i. Parallel IF substitution i. 30MHz series substitution
Uncertainty:  0.02 dB/10 dB Uncertainty: 0.007 dB/10 dB
Range: 60 dB Range:100 dB
ii. Dual Channel AF substitution ii. Parallel IF substitution
Uncertainty: 0.02 dB/10 dB iii. Dual Channel AF
Range: 30 dB substitution
3. Reference Fixed & variable attenuator Fixed & variable
Rotary vane attenuators (Step/continuous) attenuators
3
Calibration equipments Calibration equipments
 IF SUBSTITUTION TECHNIQUE
Local Oscillator
A B
10 MHz reference signal

Master Oscillator Isolator No.1 Tuner No.1 Tuner No.2 Isolator No.2 RF mixer
DUT

A’ B’

VM-7

WBCO attenuator
( 0,005dB/10dB)

Block diagram of I.F. substitution technique

4
 TWO–PORT VECTOR NETWORK
ANALYZER TECHNIQUE

VNA

Port 1 Port 2

DUT

VNA based measurement set up and Wiltron VNA model 37247B

5
Exploration of the uncertainties
for WBCO attenuator

0.012
Expanded Uncertainity

0.010

0.008

0.006

0.004

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Measured Attenuation (dB)
6
TABLE I. UNCERTAINTY BUDGET FOR IF SUBSTITUTION TECHNIQUE

Frequency: 18,0 GHz Measured Attenuation: 79,449 dB

Standard
Source of Estimate Probability Type Sensitivity
uncertainty
uncertainty (± dB) Distribution A/B coefficient
(dB)

Repeatability 0,1273 Normal A 1,0 0,0569

Reference
Standard 0,04 Normal B 1,0 0,02
attenuator

Resolution 0,0005 Rectangular B 1,0 0,00029

Mismatch
0,015 U-shaped B 1,0 0,1061
uncertainty

Mixer
0,065 Rectangular B 1,0 0,03753
Non linearity

Mixer Noise 0,1 Rectangular B 1,0 0,05774

Combined uncertainty 0,098774

Expanded uncertainty (k = 2) 0,181 7

 TABLE II. UNCERTAINTY BUDGET FOR TWO-PORT VNA TECHNIQUE

Frequency: 18,0 GHz Measured Attenuation: 79,203 dB

Source of Estimate Standard Type Probability Sensitivity Uncertainty
uncertainty (± dB) uncertainty A/B Distribution coefficient Contributions
(± dB)
Repeatability 0,4 0,4 A t-distribution 1.0 0,126491

Linearity 0,1 0,1 B Rectangular 1.0 0,05

Test port Match 0,07433 3,89732E-05 B

Load Match 0,012589 0,000148662 B  

Test port*Load
0,000936 0,000935764 B
Match
Mismatch
  0,000187942 B U-shaped 1.0 0,000133
calculated
Cross-talk 0,27042 0,27042 B Gaussian 1.0 0,156132
System
0,095354 0,09535424 A Gaussian 1.0 0,047677
Repeatability
Noise 0,05 0,05 B Gaussian 1.0 0,025

Cable fixture 0,0003 0,0003 A Gaussian 1.0 0,00015

Ambient
0,02 0,02 B Rectangular 1.0 0,011547
Conditions
Connector
0,085898 0,085898001 A Gaussian 1.0 0,000075
Repeatability
Combined Standard Uncertainty 0,218525

Expanded Uncertainty (k=2) 0,437 8  

 RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS
2 0 .3
IF te c h 2 0 4 0 .4
2 0 .2 VN A20
2 0 .1
4 0 .0
2 0 .0
Measured Attenuation (dB)

Measured Attenuation (dB)

1 9 .9
3 9 .6
1 9 .8 IF te c h 4 0
VNA40
1 9 .7 3 9 .2
1 0 .2 0 3 0 .4
IF te c h 1 0 IF te c h 3 0
1 0 .1 5 VN A10 VN A30
1 0 .1 0 3 0 .2
1 0 .0 5

1 0 .0 0 3 0 .0
9 .9 5

9 .9 0 2 9 .8
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
F re q u e n c y (G H z )
F re q u e n c y (G H z )

Measured attenuation with associated uncertainties

(a) 0-10 dB, 0–20 dB, (b) 0-30 dB, 0–40 dB

9
 RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS
IF te c h 8 0
VNA80
8 0 .4
6 0 .8 IF te c h 6 0
VN A 60
8 0 .0
6 0 .4
7 9 .6
6 0 .0

Measured Attenuation (dB)

Measured Attenuation (dB)

7 9 .2
5 9 .6

5 9 .2 7 8 .8

5 0 .8 IF te c h 5 0 7 1 .2 IF te c h 7 0
VN A 50 7 0 .8 VN A70
5 0 .4
7 0 .4
5 0 .0 7 0 .0
6 9 .6
4 9 .6
6 9 .2
6 8 .8
4 9 .2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
F re q u e n c y (G H z ) F re q u e n c y (G H z )

Measured attenuation with associated uncertainties

(a) 0-50 dB, 0 - 60 dB, (b) 0-70 dB, 0–80 dB

10
 CONCLUSIONS
30 MHz piston
attenuator
 IF substitution technique: (NMI Australia)   VNA technique:
± 0.001 dB/ 10 dB
 The mixer non-linearity, RF
Measurements provide the fast,
leakage and noise are the major 30 MHz accurate and complete
factors to be controlled in order to WBCO attenuator
(NPL, India) characterization of microwave
enhance the measurement dynamic
± [0.004+0.0001] dB components over broad
range and better uncertainty. : measured attenuation value frequency range.
The measurement process is time
RF attenuation measurement
consuming with better uncertainty at system using
Wide measurement range can
spot frequency since measurements IF substitution technique be achieved by improving the
have taken at each frequency. ± 0.01 dB/ 10 dB linearity, directivity, tracking
(0.1-60 dB, 30 MHz to 18 GHz)
and effective test port match
However the estimation of
terms.
uncertainty is easy and measurement RF step attenuator
speed can be improved through the The expanded uncertainty in
automation of the complete system RF attenuation measurement VNA technique is within  0,06
using Vector network analyzer
The expanded uncertainty in IF ± 0.06/10 dB
dB/10 dB for 80 dB in frequency
substitution technique is estimated (0.1-80 dB, 50 MHz to 18 GHz) range 50 MHz to18 GHz.
within  0,03 dB/10 dB for 80 dB in
the frequency range 50 MHz to 18 Traceability of RF attenuation
GHz. measurements 11