Calibration Types and Characteristics

The table shows the different types of calibrations and the features of each method.

Calibration Method

Standard (s) Used

Corrected Error Factor

Measurement Parameters

Characteristics

No calibration

None

None

All parameters

  • Low accuracy

  • Calibration not required

Response Calibration

Following 2 error terms:

S11(Reflection characteristics at 1 port)

  • Medium-level accuracy

  • Quick calibration

  • Isolation calibration improves the accuracy in a reflection measurement of a DUT with high return loss

Following 2 error terms:

S21
(1 direction transmission characteristics at 2 ports)

  • Medium-level accuracy

  • Quick calibration

  • Isolation calibration improves the accuracy in a transmission measurement of a device with high insertion loss

1-Port Calibration

ECal module (2-port/4-port)

Following 3 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed)

  • Source Match (Es)

  • Reflection Tracking (Er)

S11
(Reflection characteristics at 1 port)

  • 1-port measurement with the highest degree of accuracy

  • Quick calibration with low chance of operator error

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • Highly accurate 1-port measurement

Enhanced Response Calibration

Ecal module (2-port)

Following 5 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1)

  • Isolation (Ex21)

  • Source Match (Es1)

  • Transmission Tracking (Et21)

  • Reflection Tracking (Er1)

S11, S21 (1 direction transmission/Reflection characteristics at 2 ports)

  • Highly accurate 2-port measurement (higher than response calibration)

  • Quick calibration with low chance of operator error

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • THRU

  • Highhly accurate 2-port measurement (higher than response calibration)

Full 2-Port Calibration

ECal module (2-port/4-port)

Following 12 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1,Ed2)

  • Isolation (Ex21,Ex12)

  • Source Match (Es1,Es2)

  • Load Match (El12,El21)

  • Transmission Tracking (Et21,Et12)

  • Reflection Tracking (Er1,Er2)

S11,S21,S12,S22
(All S-parameters at 2 ports)

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • THRU

Full 3-Port Calibration

ECal module (2-port/ 4-port)

Following 27 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1,Ed2,Ed3)

  • Isolation
    (Ex21,Ex31,Ex12,Ex32,Ex13,Ex23)

  • Source Match (Es1,Es2,Es3)

  • Load Match
    (El21,El31,El12,El32,El13,El23)

  • Transmission Tracking
    (Et21,Et31,Et12,Et32,Et13,Et23)

  • Reflection Tracking (Er1,Er2,Er3)

S11,S21,S31,S12,S22,S32,S13,S23,S33
(All S-parameters at 3 ports)

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • THRU

Simplified full 3-port calibration

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • THRU

Same as full 3-port calibration

S11, S21, S31, S12, S22, [S32], S13, [S23], S33
(Part of thru measurement can be skipped)

Full 4-Port Calibration

ECal module (2-port/ 4-port)

Following 48 error terms:

S11,S21,S31,S41,S12,S22,S32,S42,
S13,S23,S33,S43,S14,S24,S34,S44
(All S-parameters at 4 ports)

  • OPEN

  • SHORT

  • LOAD

  • THRU

Simplified full 4-port calibration

  • Open

  • Short

  • Load

  • Thru

Same as full 4-port calibration

S11, S21, S31, [S41], S12, S22, [S32],
[S42], S13, [S23], S33, S43, [S14], [S24], S34, S44
(Part of thru measurement can be skipped)

2-Port TRL Calibration

  • Reflection (OPEN or SHORT)

  • THRU

  • LINE

  • MATCH

Following 12 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1,Ed2)

  • Source Match (Es1,Es2)

  • Load Match (El1,El2)

  • Transmission Tracking
    (Et21,Et12)

  • Reflection Tracking
    (Er1,Er2)

S11,S21,S12,S22
(All S-parameters at 2 ports)

  • Highly accurate 2-port measurement

  • Effective for non-coaxial device measurement

3-Port TRL Calibration

  • Reflection
    (OPEN or SHORT)

  • THRU

  • LINE

  • MATCH

Following 27 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1,Ed2,Ed3)

  • Source Match (Es1,Es2,Es3)

  • Load Match (El21,El31,El12,El32,El13,El23)

  • Transmission Tracking (Et21,Et31,Et12,Et32,
    Et13,Et23)

  • Reflection Tracking (Er1,Er2,Er3)

S11,S21,S31,S12,S22,S32,S13,S23,S33
(All S-parameters at 3 ports)

  • Highly accurate 3-port measurement

  • Effective for non-coaxial device measurement

Simplified 3-port TRL calibration

  • Reflection (open or short)

  • Thru

  • Line

  • Match

Same as 3-port TRL calibration

S11, S21, S31, S12, S22, [S32], S13, [S23], S33
(Part of thru (or line) and line (or match) measurement can be skipped)

4-Port TRL Calibration

  • Reflection (OPEN or SHORT)

  • THRU

  • LINE

  • MATCH

Following 48 error terms:

  • Directivity (Ed1,Ed2,Ed3,Ed4)

  • Source Match (Es1,Es2,Es3,Es4)

  • Load Match (El1,El2,El3,El4)

  • Transmission Tracking (Et21,Et31,Et41,Et12,Et32,Et42,
    Et13,Et23,Et43,Et14,Et24,Et34)

  • Reflection Tracking
    (Er1,Er2,Er3,Er4)

S11,S21,S31,S41,S12,S22,S32,S42,S13,

S23,S33,S43,S14,S24,S34,S44
(All S-parameters at 4 ports)

Highly accurate 4-port measurement
Effective for non-coaxial device measurement

Simplified 4-port TRL calibration

  • Reflection (open or short)

  • Thru

  • Line

  • Match

Same as 4-port TRL calibration

S11, S21, S31, [S41], S12, S22, [S32], [S42], S13, [S23], S33, S43, [S14], [S24], S34, S44
(Part of thru (or line) and line (or match) measurement can be skipped)

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