A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains

Abstract This paper proposes an automatic fixture removal (AFR) de-embedding method to address the embedding error introduced by the fixture in radio frequency (RF) chip parameter testing and the cumbersome calibration process of the short-open-load-thru de-embedding method. The method uses the 2X-t...

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Main Authors: Wenwen Zeng, Yaoli Wang, Zhibin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02785-3
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author Wenwen Zeng
Yaoli Wang
Zhibin Wang
author_facet Wenwen Zeng
Yaoli Wang
Zhibin Wang
author_sort Wenwen Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This paper proposes an automatic fixture removal (AFR) de-embedding method to address the embedding error introduced by the fixture in radio frequency (RF) chip parameter testing and the cumbersome calibration process of the short-open-load-thru de-embedding method. The method uses the 2X-thru de-embedding algorithm to extract the RF fixture model. In contrast to the traditional de-embedding method, the proposed method for de-embedding uses time-domain reflectometry to draw the time-domain representation of the whole measurement system (including the fixture and the device under test), peel the impedance curve of the fixture part from the impedance curve of the whole system through the two parameters of the delay and loss of the fixture, and then convert the impedance curve of the peeled fixture part into the S parameter again. In this study, RF chip ADRF5024BCCZN, with a frequency range of 100 MHz to 44 GHz, and the design of a four-in-one fixture (one fixture with four chips) were considered. The contact mode of the RF fixture was a belt pressure plate, which had the advantages of convenient assembly and disassembly, reliable contact, accurate positioning, and reusability. A comparison of the experimental results for the AFR de-embedding method with S parameter data from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) showed a minimum return loss reduction of 7.95733 dB and the insertion loss is increased by 0.03216 dB to 0.76802 dB.
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issn 2045-2322
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publishDate 2025-05-01
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spelling doaj-art-1cb65fdbc5344e78b04984a699448bf82025-08-20T03:16:51ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-02785-3A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domainsWenwen Zeng0Yaoli Wang1Zhibin Wang2Department of Electrical and Control EngineeringCollege of Electrical and Control Engineering, North University of ChinaDepartment of Electrical and Control EngineeringCollege of Electrical and Control Engineering, North University of ChinaDepartment of Instruments and ElectronicsCollege of Instruments and Electronics, North University of ChinaAbstract This paper proposes an automatic fixture removal (AFR) de-embedding method to address the embedding error introduced by the fixture in radio frequency (RF) chip parameter testing and the cumbersome calibration process of the short-open-load-thru de-embedding method. The method uses the 2X-thru de-embedding algorithm to extract the RF fixture model. In contrast to the traditional de-embedding method, the proposed method for de-embedding uses time-domain reflectometry to draw the time-domain representation of the whole measurement system (including the fixture and the device under test), peel the impedance curve of the fixture part from the impedance curve of the whole system through the two parameters of the delay and loss of the fixture, and then convert the impedance curve of the peeled fixture part into the S parameter again. In this study, RF chip ADRF5024BCCZN, with a frequency range of 100 MHz to 44 GHz, and the design of a four-in-one fixture (one fixture with four chips) were considered. The contact mode of the RF fixture was a belt pressure plate, which had the advantages of convenient assembly and disassembly, reliable contact, accurate positioning, and reusability. A comparison of the experimental results for the AFR de-embedding method with S parameter data from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) showed a minimum return loss reduction of 7.95733 dB and the insertion loss is increased by 0.03216 dB to 0.76802 dB.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02785-3Automatic fixture removalDe-embeddingRadio frequency chipShort-open-load-thru2X-thru de-embedding algorithm
spellingShingle Wenwen Zeng
Yaoli Wang
Zhibin Wang
A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
Scientific Reports
Automatic fixture removal
De-embedding
Radio frequency chip
Short-open-load-thru
2X-thru de-embedding algorithm
title A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
title_full A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
title_fullStr A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
title_full_unstemmed A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
title_short A de-embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
title_sort de embedding method based on combining time and frequency domains
topic Automatic fixture removal
De-embedding
Radio frequency chip
Short-open-load-thru
2X-thru de-embedding algorithm
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02785-3
work_keys_str_mv AT wenwenzeng adeembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains
AT yaoliwang adeembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains
AT zhibinwang adeembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains
AT wenwenzeng deembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains
AT yaoliwang deembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains
AT zhibinwang deembeddingmethodbasedoncombiningtimeandfrequencydomains