Current microwave and high frequency instrumentation perform many tasks behind the scenes, even more so in the mm-wave and high modulation rate regimes that are critical for new communications, imaging, and related applications, and it is easy to lose track of how the equipment, the processing algorithms, the setup and the signals are interacting. By exploring the measurement mechanics within some common instruments, it may be easier to understand where sensitivities or anomalies might increase, how to mitigate them and how the hardware has been evolving. Through a study of example architectures and measurements, including those in the 100+ GHz range and those with wide modulation bandwidths where linearity, dynamic range and other physical metrics are stressed even more, mechanisms and ideas for better measurements will be explored.

Speaker(s): IEEE MTT DL: Dr Jon Martens,

Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/283179