A novel transmission line characterisation based on measurement data reconfirmation

Abstract

Due to inherent resonance effects and frequency-variant dielectric properties, it is very difficult to experimentally determine the stable and accurate circuit model parameters of thin film transmission line structures over a broad frequency band. In this article, a new, simple and straightforward frequency-variant transmission line circuit model parameter determination method is presented. Experimental test patterns for high-frequency transmission line characterisations are designed and fabricated using a package process. The S-parameters for the test patterns are measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA) from 100MHz to 26.5GHz. The parasitic effects due to contact pads are de-embedded. The frequency-variant complex permittivity and resonance-effect-free transmission line parameters (i.e., the propagation constant and characteristic impedance) are then determined in a broad frequency band.