PicoVNA™ 106 vector network analyzer

Reference plane extension

Reference plane extension (offset) allows you to shift the measurement reference plane

away from the point established during calibration. This is useful in removing the path

length of assumed ideal interconnecting , connectors cables or microstrip lines from

measurements. PicoVNA 2 software allows independent reference plane extensions

on each of the measurement parameters (S

11, S22, S12 or S21), either as an automatic

re-reference or by manual entry. Independent extensions allow, for example, different

extensions on the two ports for S

11 and S22 and then thru-line normalization for S21 and

S

12 transmission comparison with equivalent length thru-line.

Supported calibrations

The PicoVNA 2 software supports a comprehensive range of calibration modes to

address single or dual-port workload with male, female or mixed gender interfaces,

all with best achievable accuracy (least uncertainty). In some instances only a single

calibration kit may be required, as outlined in the tables above.

As you would expect, the Pico calibration kits are individually serial-numbered and

supplied with S-parameter data. This standard-form data is a traceable and accurate

record of measured errors for the calibration kit. It can be loaded into the software,

which will correct for these errors and those of the instrument during a calibration.

Alternatively, you can use a third-party calibration kit and its data, or you can enter its

electrical length, parasitic values and polynomial coefficients into the software if these

are supplied rather than a profile data set.

As for any vector network analyzer, for best accuracy a calibration is performed before

a measurement with the same sweep span and frequency steps as the measurement.

If, however, a change of sweep settings is necessary for a measurement, the PicoVNA 2

software will for convenience interpolate its corrections to the new sweep settings.

An enhanced isolation calibration setting is available for optimum dynamic range when

using resolution bandwidths below around 1 kHz.

After calibration

ref plane is here

For the measurement we want

the ref plane to be here

Actual device

to be tested

DUT on microstrip test jig