Vector Receiver Load-Pull for mm-Wave: a Practical Comparison of Measurement Techniques

This presentation will focus on mm-wave vector load-pull solutions for W (75GHz–110GHz) and D-band applications (110–170GHz). Specifically, the direct coaxial measurement range of commercial vector network analyzers is limited to 67GHz. Therefore vector load-pull measurements for frequencies exceeding 67GHz requires a specialized system which incorporates additional synchronized receivers, configurable attenuation, and other specialized hardware. Additionally, the system calibration, dynamic range, and practical operation will be examined along with sample measurement results. Finally, we will compare and contrast the purely passive load-pull operation with the more complex hybrid-active load-pull. The former is simpler as it uses purely passive impedance control to synthesize the DUT matching conditions. Whereas the latter combines both passive and active impedance control, with the tradeoff of additional setup, calibration and measurement complexity.