[SI-LIST] Re: spatial resolution and effective rise time of VNA with TDR time-domain option

  • From: "Daniel, Erik S., Ph.D." <Daniel.Erik@xxxxxxxx>
  • To: blewandowski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, istvan.novak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,jan.vercammen.jv1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2002 15:39:29 -0600

All-

According to the HP8510C manual, the effective risetime achievable in low
pass time step mode is as follows:

  rise time = (1/fmax)*0.45 * F

Where fmax is the max frequency, and F is a windowing factor =1.0 for the
"minimum" window (which produces a step with some noticeable ring), F=2.2
for the "normal" window (which seems to get rid of the vast majority of the
ringing), and F=3.3 for "max" window mode (which suppresses ringing even
further).

Using our 0.045 - 110 GHz VNA system (Agilent HP8510XF), we have performed
some measurements that do seem to indicate a 4-9 ps risetime(!!) can in fact
be achieved as the equations would suggest for the minimum and normal window
modes respectively.  This, plus the availability of good calibration methods
and structures up to these frequencies, makes for quite an impressive TDR
tool, though it is in some ways more cumbersome than a scope with a TDR
head.

                                        - Erik

==================================================================
Erik Daniel, Ph.D.                   Voice:  (507) 538-5461      
Mayo Foundation                      Fax:    (507) 284-9171
200 First Street SW                  E-mail: daniel.erik@xxxxxxxx
Rochester, MN  55905                 Web:    www.mayo.edu/sppdg/
==================================================================


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lewandowski, Bob [mailto:blewandowski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 5:24 PM
> To: istvan.novak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 
> jan.vercammen.jv1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [SI-LIST] Re: spatial resolution and effective rise 
> time of VNA with TDR time-domain option
> 
> 
> 
> I think the bandwidth for the .35/Tr estimate is 
> significantly narrower
> than the NWA stop frequency would indicate.  The end of the sweep is
> effectively a filter with infinite attenuation beyond the stop
> frequency.  If this band shape is converted to the time 
> domain something
> called Gibbs phenomenon occurs and produces ringing artifacts in the
> time domain.  As a result the measured response is filtered to
> essentially reduce the amplitude response at the stop 
> frequency to have
> no effect on the time domain response.  I believe the filter shape can
> be selected and it will dramatically effect the time response.
> 
> ---Bob Lewandowski
>    Stratos Lightwave
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: istvan novak [mailto:istvan.novak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 5:47 AM
> > To: jan.vercammen.jv1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [SI-LIST] Re: spatial resolution and effective rise=20
> > time of VNA
> > with TDR time-domain option
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > Hi Jan,
> >=20
> > My 2 cents:
> > As you noted, the spatial resolution is different for=20
> > different Dk media,
> > so probably it is more effective to stay with 
> bandwidth/risetime.  The
> > complications there are that VNAs
> > - do not work all the way down to DC
> > - usually have a range of windowing options for IFFT
> >=20
> > The fact that VNAs dont include DC in their frequency range is
> > less of a problem when you want to resolve closely spaced
> > discontinuities, but it creates an uncertainty of baseline if you
> > have to do post processing.
> >=20
> > Windowing options may include flat, Hamming-like and Bessel-like
> > windows.  Their leakage is different, and it will directly 
> affect the
> > spatial resolution.
> >=20
> > With a 'typical' windowing, the first approximation of BW=3D0.35/tr
> > is a good start, and you could substitute the upper frequency end
> > of the sweep to BW, and get the equivalent tr.
> >=20
> > The benefit of using VNAs for TDR is that you can do a full
> > calibration up to the probe tips, if you want to, otherwise it is
> > usually more limited in resolution compared to true TDR.
> >=20
> > regards
> >=20
> > Istvan novak
> > SUN Microsystems
> >=20
> >=20
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jan Vercammen" <jan.vercammen.jv1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 7:57 AM
> > Subject: [SI-LIST] spatial resolution and effective rise time=20
> > of VNA with
> > TDR time-domain option
> >=20
> >=20
> > >
> > > Hello SI-list,
> > >
> > > I have a question about the saptial resolution of vector=20
> > network analysers
> > > (VNA)
> > > with time-domain TDR option, that is, to resolve 
> discontinuitites in
> > > space (=3Dlength dimension)
> > >
> > > Is there a rule of thumb for estimating the spatial=20
> > resolution of a VNA
> > > with a
> > > TDR time-domain option from knowlegde of its bandwith BW.
> > >
> > > I have found one rule in an application note: 15cm/BW(Ghz).=20
> > For example,
> > > for a 6GHz
> > > BW the spatial resolution is about 2.5cm for an effective 
> dielectric
> > > (dkeff) of 1.0.
> > > You probably get better resolution for PCB or cable=20
> > measurments. The rule
> > > of thumb would become: 15cm/(sqrt(dkeff) BW(GHz).
> > >
> > > Another question concerns the relation between the VNA=20
> > bandwith and the
> > > available
> > > effective rise time of the step or pulse of the time domain=20
> > signals. I
> > > assume that one
> > > cannot use the rule trise=3D0.35/Bw because there BW 
> refers to the =
> 3dB
> > > breakpoint
> > > (the effective BW is bigger). A VNA bandwith is its upper limit.
> > >
> > > -1- Is the above spatial resolution rule correct?
> > > -2- Is there a rule of thumb to convert bandwith (BW) into=20
> > an effective
> > > rise time (10-90%)
> > >       of a VNA with a time-domain option?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Kind regards,
> > >
> > > Jan Vercammen
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > To unsubscribe from si-list:
> > > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the=20
> > 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 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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >=20
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > To unsubscribe from si-list:
> > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the 
> Subject field
> >=20
> > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to:
> > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list
> >=20
> > For help:
> > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field
> >=20
> > List archives are viewable at:    =20
> >             //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list
> > or at our remote archives:
> >             http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages=20
> > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at:
> >             http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu
> >  =20
> >=20
> >=20
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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 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
>   
> 
------------------------------------------------------------------
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 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
  

Other related posts: