Active probes for on-wafer millimeter-wave network analysis

Emerging mm-wave and high-speed fiber-optic applications will demand signal and network instrumentation with bandwidths beyond 1O0 GHz. We have developed nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) pulse generators and NLTL-based sampling circuits with bandwidths exceeding 500 GHz. For on-wafer parameter and waveform measurements, we have constructed active probes incorporating an NLTL-based network analyser IC and rugged, low-loss quartz coplanar-waveguide probe tips. Measurements are made with a pulsed (NLTL) stimulus signal with frequency information obtained by Fourier transformation. On-wafer measurements have been demonstrated to 200 GHz.<<ETX>>