The Trace Is on Measurements: Developing Traceability for S?Parameter Measurements at Millimeter and Submillimeter Wavelengths

This article has described an on-going research activity to establish systems offering reliable S-parameter measurements in the range 110-1,100 GHz. Some of these systems have already been implemented-i.e., systems offering high-precision, traceable measurements at frequencies from 110 GHz to 330 GHz. In addition, primary attenuation standards, based on the cross-connected waveguide principle, are being developed as calculable devices offering system verification in any waveguide size operating at these frequencies (i.e., from 110 GHz to 1,100 GHz). Finally, work is now well underway to implement similar measurement capabilities for submillimeter-wave waveguide bands-including the WM-250 (WR-01) band that operates from 750 GHz to 1,100 GHz. Much of this work is being undertaken as part of a new European collaborative research initiative that is involving other European NMIs, academic research institutes and instrumentation manufacturers with interests in these types of measurements.