Abstract: A passive slide screw load pull tuner structure can be used on-wafer, in millimeter-wave frequencies from 25 to 110 GHz and above. It uses special tuning probe brackets and a short slabline mounted below the tuner housing, which holds the control gear. The tuner is mounted under an angle matching the angle of the wafer-probe, is connected directly of the wafer-probe and ensures optimum tuning range.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed link for low loss coaxial airline connection between the wafer probe and the RF connector of an external instrument with 30 or 45 degrees wafer probes allows continuous, micro-positioner controlled, 3 axis horizontal and vertical probe movement. A flexible sealing ring ensures airtight and/or RF-EMI shielded operation. A metallic or plastic collar ensures wafer testing under EMI, airtight or high temperature conditions.

Abstract: Coplanar waveguide microwave transistor test fixtures include integrated wideband signal sensors/couplers and allow the detection of the main signal and its harmonic components, generated by a transistor in high power operation mode, by using a phase-calibrated network or signal analyzer and thus the reproduction of real time signal waveforms.

Abstract: Coaxial microwave transistor test fixtures provide lowest insertion loss possible and include, as part of the input and output sections, transformer networks either in form of single stage ?/4 segments, or, for larger bandwidth, multiple step transforming segments from 50? to the impedance closer to the internal impedance of the power transistor. The transforming networks are flat or elliptical and can be rotated around the axis of the center conductor and allow adjusting the characteristic impedance of the pre-matching section by a typical ratio of up to 2.3:1, resulting in a DUT presented Max to Min impedance transforming ratio of over 5:1.

Abstract: Coaxial microwave transistor test fixtures provide lowest insertion loss possible and include, as part of the input and output sections, transformer networks in form of single stage ?/4 segments bringing (pre-matching) the system 50? load closer to the conjugate internal impedance of power transistors. The transforming networks are flat, cylindrical or have oval or elliptical cross sections and have adjustable length, thus operating optimally for transistors with varying optimum frequency and internal impedance and/or capacitive or inductive impedance part. The change in length is done without affecting the overall fixture geometry and structure. The fixtures can be calibrated using standard TRL method.

Abstract: A hybrid RF electronic impedance tuner is made using multiple PIN diodes or MOSFETs mounted in a low loss slabline, between the bottom surface of the center conductor and ground. The diodes and FETs are DC controlled individually and spaced appropriately along the slabline for maximum Gamma and bandwidth. The electronic tuner is combined with a feed forward active loop using an adjustable wave-probe coupler and a fixed coupler or circulator to enhance the reflected signal towards the DUT. As a result, reflection factor up to 1 at DUT reference plane is reached, combined with the high tuning speed of the electronic tuner.

Abstract: An RF electronic impedance tuner uses multiple PIN diodes, Varactors or MOSFETs, mounted in a low loss slab-line, between the bottom surface of the center conductor and ground, are DC controlled individually and spaced appropriately along the slab-line in order to generate maximum Gamma and bandwidth. The electronic tuner is combined with a slide screw tuner, using the same slab-line in various configurations, before, after or sharing the same slab-line section, mounted on top of each-other. Calibration on a VNA allows high Gamma and harmonic tuning.

Abstract: A hybrid, fundamental and harmonic frequency, active injection load pull test setup includes a harmonic receiver, impedance tuners and operates using only a single power source at the fundamental frequency Fo whereby the signal is split between input and output signal path. The output signal portion is retrieved through the coupled port of an adjustable wave-probe, which is incorporated into the input tuner and attached on the vertical axis of one of the tuner's mobile carriages. Wideband and harmonic impedance tuners serve for pre-matching the DUT output and reducing the injection power requirement; the amplitude and phase control in the feedback loop uses the variable wave-probe coupler mounted inside the source tuner.

Abstract: A noise parameter test setup allows accurately measuring the four noise parameters (Fmin, Rn, ?opt) of microwave transistors over a wide frequency range using two distinct wideband measurement paths, based on differential wafer probes, instead of SPDT switches, to commute between s-parameter (signal) measurement and noise measurement path, avoiding thus the uncertainty of the accuracy as well limited availability of SPDT switches. Calibration of the system is the same as when using switches, when hopping the DUT chip from one set or subset of probes to the next. Additional power control precautions of the VNA sources are necessary to avoid injecting signal power into the sensitive noise receiver during s-parameter measurements and jamming the weak noise power during noise measurement.

Abstract: A compact harmonic tuner system uses a two-carriage harmonic slide-screw impedance tuner employs, single and dual frequency band metallic disc probes travelling along and rotating diametrically inside the same slabline, which therefore is only one half, instead of full, the wavelength long at the minimum frequency of operation. Using disc probes allows probe control operation without high precision vertical axes, as well as high resolution in the area where the gap between center conductor and probe is small (high GAMMA), a smooth increase of proximity between probe and center conductor and the possibility to compensate for the negative phase slope at higher GAMMA, native to traditional slide screw tuners using vertically moving square probes (slugs).

Abstract: A hybrid digital electronic tuner (HDET) uses a modified forward signal power injection technique, a variance of a prior art Gamma Boosting Unit (GBU) technique, cascaded with a digital, PIN diode based, electronic tuner, all integrated in the same low loss parallel plate airline (slabline) to create a compact hybrid tuner unit able of generating thousands of high reflection factors (|Gamma|?1) at millisecond tuning speed.

Abstract: A compact harmonic tuner system uses a two-carriage harmonic slide-screw impedance tuner employs, single and dual frequency band metallic disc probes travelling along and rotating diametrically inside the same slabline, which therefore is only one half, instead of full, the wavelength long at the minimum frequency of operation. Using disc probes allows probe control operation without high precision vertical axes, as well as high resolution in the area where the gap between center conductor and probe is small (high GAMMA), a smooth increase of proximity between probe and center conductor and the possibility to compensate for the negative phase slope at higher GAMMA, native to traditional slide screw tuners using vertically moving square probes (slugs).

Abstract: A hybrid harmonic tuner uses a reverse injection technique, a modified adjustable Gamma Boosting Unit (GBU) cascaded with a passive multi-carriage harmonic impedance tuner in the same slabline and housing. The GBU samples a portion of the forward travelling signal at the fundamental frequency, adjusts its phase and amplitude, amplifies it and injects it back, in reverse direction into the main signal path. In the hybrid tuner technique, as is herein implemented, the forward coupler (wave-probe) is mounted on the vertical axis of a slide screw tuner-type carriage and, being horizontally and vertically controlled, it eliminates the need of a separated phase shifter and attenuator, which makes the solution better, simpler and more effective; harmonic tuning is performed using only the multi-carriage passive tuner.

Abstract: An RF electronic impedance tuner uses multiple PIN diodes, Varactors or MOSFETs, mounted in a low loss slab-line, between the bottom surface of the center conductor and ground, are DC controlled individually and spaced appropriately along the slab-line in order to generate maximum Gamma and bandwidth. The electronic tuner is combined with a slide screw tuner, using the same slab-line in various configurations, before, after or sharing the same slab-line section, mounted on top of each-other. Calibration on a VNA allows high Gamma and harmonic tuning.

Abstract: A high power low frequency tuner uses motor controlled rotary capacitors submerged in low loss high epsilon dielectric fluid and lengths of semi-rigid RF cable interconnecting the floating static blocks of the capacitors, the rotating blocks being grounded. And tuner calibration and tuning methods, allowing accurate tuning and perfect Smith chart impedance coverage. The full calibration lasts several hours and is reduced by the “de-embedded” calibration algorithm to minutes. A maximum power embodiment comprises full immersion of capacitors and interconnecting cables in circulated dielectric liquid (mineral oil) for breakdown voltage increase and heat removal.

Abstract: A test method allows investigating the dependence of microwave gain, power and linearity behavior of transistors, in which modulated RF signal is injected, as a function of source and load impedance at the signal RF carrier frequency and its harmonics as well as at the modulation (baseband) IF frequency using passive programmable tuners. A calibration method allows synthesizing independently impedances at the various frequencies without the need of on-line vector signal measurement. The test setup performs independent impedance tuning at RF and IF frequencies of the modulated signal at the input and output of the DUT. This allows optimizing IF impedances for nonlinear amplifier performance with modulated signal, such as ACPR, EVM etc. IF tuning is done using a low frequency programmable impedance tuner inserted in the DC branch of the bias networks, which act as frequency diplexers.

Abstract: A continuously adjustable programmable harmonic microwave attenuator and linear phase controller (HAPC) uses mobile signal couplers (wave-probes) in a slabline structure which is terminated with 50 Ohms. The coupled ports of the wave-probes are connected with the output port of the unit via a power combiner using flexible RF cables. The wave-probes are attached to the vertical axes of mobile carriages, which are placed at variable distances from the input port, corresponding to the expected transmission phases, whereas the depth, at which the wave-probes are inserted into the slabline, determines the coupling factors and thus the value of the attenuation. The unit can be calibrated at a number of harmonic frequencies typically equal to the number of the wave-probes used.

Abstract: Microwave micro-strip or coplanar waveguide (CPW) transistor test fixtures have the top surface of the input and output blocks forming a convex shape, to allow the soft dielectric substrate to be stretched over the surface and establish secure and continuous ground contact with the block surface and eliminate spurious cavities and discontinuities.

Abstract: An integrated hybrid (active-passive) harmonic impedance tuner uses a fixed and an adjustable directional coupler (wave-probe) and a number of independent wideband tuning probes, all mounted inside the same slabline and housing. The tuning probes are inserted between the fixed and the mobile wave-probes. The fixed wave-probe samples a portion of the forward travelling signal at the fundamental frequency, injects it into a power amplifier and the mobile wave-probe adjusts the phase and amplitude of the amplified signal and injects it back into the slabline towards the DUT. The mobile carriages and tuning probes are automated. The mobile wave-probe is either fully or partially (horizontal only) automated or fully manually controlled. Feedback signal phase and amplitude control is obtained through the horizontal and vertical movement of the mobile wave-probe.

Abstract: A compact remotely adjustable harmonic microwave attenuator and linear phase shifter (HAPC) is made using two mobile signal couplers (wave-probes) inserted back-to-back in a slabline which is terminated with 50 Ohms. The coupled ports of the wave-probes are connected with the input ports of a power combiner using flexible RF cables and the output port of the combiner is connected to the output port of the unit. The new structure allows reducing the required linear length of the slabline by half. The wave-probes are attached to the vertical axes of mobile carriages, which are movable to variable distances from the input port of the HAPC, corresponding to the adjustable transmission phases, whereas the depth, at which the wave-probes are inserted into the slabline, determines the coupling factors and thus the value of the attenuations.