Hi Chris, The calculation indeed is not difficult. In fact it is a (complex-) voltage divider: consisting of the DUT and the system impedance. I assume you measured in a 50 Ohm system. Since source and load are connected in parallel as seen by the DUT, the system impedance seen by the DUT = 25 Ohm. This 25 Ohm is now our reference, i.e. insertion loss is the ratio in dB of the DUT's impedance to this 25 Ohm system-impedance. The voltage divider: Vout/Vin = Zdut / (Zdut + 25) . Ins Loss in dB : 20Log ( Zdut / (Zdut + 25) ). (this is the readout of the VNA: S21 in dB). Following simplified equation is valid as long as the measured impedance is much lower than 25 Ohms Ins Loss in dB : 20Log ( Zdut / 25 ). Now the other way around: Zdut much lower than 25 Ohms: ------------------------------------------------------------ Zdut [Ohm] = 25 * 10^(ins.loss/20) __________________________________ To be complete: the exact equation (to be used when Zdut is not much lower than 25 Ohms) is: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zdut = 25 * [ 10^(ins.loss/20) / (1 - 10^(ins.loss/20)) ] _____________________________________________________ best regards, Bart Bouma www.yageo.com Chris Landrum x311 <clandrum@xxxxxxxxx> 06-01-04 23:12 Sent by: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Please respond to clandrum To: "'si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> cc: Subject: [SI-LIST] PCB Power Supply Impedance Category: Hello all, I am attempting to measure the impedance curve of the power planes of a test board I have built. I am using a spectrum analyzer to accomplish this and have obtained a nice capture of dB vs. Freq. I am having trouble relating the dB axis to impedance (Ohms). Can anyone shed some light as to how I would go about converting the dB to mOhms? I'm sure this is an easy one, but it is escaping me. Thanks. ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.org List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list or at our remote archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information contained in this communication is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. YAGEO Corporation is neither liable for the proper nor the complete transmission of the information contained in this communication nor for any delay in its receipt. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.org List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list or at our remote archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu