Microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter fast test evaluation circuit and evaluation method

Abstract

The application discloses a microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter fast test evaluation circuit and an evaluation method, and the evaluation circuit comprises a host computer, an automatic auxiliary device, a vector network analyzer, a test fixture A, a test fixture B and a standard microwave integrated circuit. The application can meet the fast, efficient and stable test application requirements of the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter "just-measured and just-obtained", effectively reduce the cost, time and instrument resource invalid occupation caused by the calibration of a large number of customized adaptive test fixtures and corresponding operation complexity, large operation amount, calibration and error correction and the like, and improve the test application efficiency. The application reduces the hardware and software resource consumption and occupation in the test evaluation process, and is convenient to integrate the function into the production line comprehensive capacity judgment of the microwave integrated circuit production and manufacturing, so as to meet the low-cost, high-efficiency batch production and manufacturing application requirements and integrated measurement and control technical requirements of the microwave integrated circuit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of microwave test technology, and in particular to a microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test evaluation circuit and evaluation method. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of microwave integrated circuits and their technology, the types, quantities and scales of microwave integrated circuit production and application are rapidly increasing. Therefore, the testing workload in the mass production process is also increasing, bringing great challenges to the efficiency of testing and evaluating key characteristics such as scattering parameters.

[0003] When testing key characteristics such as scattering parameters of microwave integrated circuits using traditional methods, two methods are usually adopted: (1) using a vector network analyzer and configuring a custom-adapted test fixture calibration piece to perform corresponding testing and calibration, so that the calibration end face and the testing end face of the vector network analyzer are the same end face, and are the testing end face of the relevant pins of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, so as to obtain more accurate scattering parameter technical characteristic indicators of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested; (2) without a custom-adapted test fixture calibration piece, the scattering parameter characteristics of the test fixture need to be obtained by testing, and then the calibration end face of the vector network analyzer is extended to the testing end face, i.e. the testing end face of the relevant pins of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, through de-embedding error correction operation, to achieve the same effect as method (1), and to obtain more accurate scattering parameter technical characteristic indicators of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested.

[0004] For a wide variety of microwave integrated circuits to be tested and their large mass production quantities, the most concerned application requirements of mass production lines are short testing time, high testing efficiency, and consistency and stability of batch testing, rather than the accuracy of the test results of key characteristics such as scattering parameters of individual microwave integrated circuits to be tested. Based on traditional methods, whether it is a custom-adapted test fixture calibration piece (including the differentiated self-index characteristic parameter data of each calibration piece), or a custom test fixture and the scattering parameters of each test fixture are tested one by one (most of the accurate acquisition of the scattering parameters of the test fixture also depends on the customization of the corresponding adaptive calibration piece), the testing cost, testing time and corresponding instrument resources cannot effectively meet the actual application requirements of mass production lines and the related technical requirements for the continuous improvement of the comprehensive production capacity of microwave integrated circuits.

[0005] Therefore, in order to effectively reduce the cost, time, instrument resource invalid occupation rate introduced by a large number of customized calibration fixtures and their corresponding operation complexity and large operation amount of calibration and error correction, and to provide improved reference for production process quality and state control through batch testing evaluation, and to support the continuous improvement of microwave integrated circuit production and manufacturing comprehensive ability, a rapid testing and evaluation method and technology that meets the actual application needs needs to be innovated and formed. SUMMARY

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the application provides a microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid testing and evaluation circuit and method to realize rapid detection of microwave integrated circuit scattering parameters, meet the needs of mass production applications, and have strong versatility.

[0007] To achieve the above purpose, the technical scheme of the application is as follows:

[0008] A microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid testing and evaluation circuit, comprising a host computer, an automated auxiliary device, a vector network analyzer, a test fixture A, a test fixture B, and a standard microwave integrated circuit;

[0009] The test fixture A and the test fixture B form an adaptive unit in a combined manner, and realize adaptive connection with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, respectively. The end surface of the test fixture A and the test fixture B connected with the vector network analyzer is a calibration end surface, and the end surface connected with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested is a test end surface.

[0010] The vector network analyzer is used to perform corresponding calibration at the calibration end surface and complete scattering parameter testing and data acquisition of the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested under this state at the test end surface.

[0011] The standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested are of the same type but have known scattering parameters, which provide scattering parameter standard data for the testing and evaluation circuit and support for eliminating circuit system error and obtaining threshold limit of testing and evaluation through iteration optimization.

[0012] The automated auxiliary device provides clamping and loading for the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, so as to meet the rapid and efficient testing application needs of mass production lines.

[0013] The main computer contains software, is the core and control center of the circuit, and is integrally and cooperatively controlled with the vector network analyzer, the adaptive unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment according to the test evaluation requirements of the production line production application, and the system error of the circuit itself is eliminated by test and calculation of the standard data of the standard microwave integrated circuit before the test evaluation, and the threshold limit of the test evaluation is obtained by iteration optimization, so that the rapid obtaining requirement of the scattering parameter of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested is met in the test evaluation of the production line production application.

[0014] A microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test evaluation method, comprising the following processes:

[0015] (1) Before the actual application of the test evaluation, the main computer integrally and cooperatively controls the vector network analyzer, the adaptive unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment, completes corresponding calibration between the standard type interface end surfaces of the vector network analyzer and the adaptive unit, and forms a calibration end surface on the end surface.

[0016] (2) The main computer integrally and cooperatively controls the vector network analyzer, the adaptive unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment, automatically loads a plurality of standard microwave integrated circuits between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adaptive unit for test in sequence, obtains the relevant influence factors of the test evaluation circuit through theoretical analysis, and obtains the threshold limit of the test evaluation through operation.

[0017] (3) In the actual application of the test evaluation, the main computer integrally and cooperatively controls the vector network analyzer, the adaptive unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment, automatically loads the microwave integrated circuit to be tested between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adaptive unit for test in sequence, and obtains the real-time test evaluation result through the relationship between the test result and the threshold limit.

[0018] Through the above technical solution, the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test evaluation circuit and the evaluation method provided by the application have the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. By using the evaluation circuit and evaluation method provided by the present invention, when conducting rapid testing and evaluation of microwave integrated circuit scattering parameters for mass production applications, there is no need to specially develop and mass-produce calibration parts that are compatible with the test fixture for the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, nor is there a need to perform de-embedding calibration based on the test fixture and its accompanying scattering parameter characteristic data and its large-scale calibration error correction. Instead, it is only necessary to perform calculations before the test and evaluation by testing and importing standard data of standard microwave integrated circuits to eliminate the influence of the circuit's own system errors, and iteratively optimize to obtain the threshold limit (i.e., the qualified criterion) for the test and evaluation. This allows for "instantaneous" rapid detection of the scattering parameters of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested during the test and evaluation, effectively solving the cost, time, and inefficient resource utilization issues of instrument resources introduced by the large number of customized calibration parts that are compatible with the test fixture and their corresponding complex operations and large-scale calibration and error correction. The method provided by the present invention is simple, economical, has high test and resource application efficiency, and is highly versatile.

[0020] 2. The evaluation circuit and evaluation method provided by the present invention can integrate the rapid test and evaluation function of the scattering parameters of microwave integrated circuits into the comprehensive production line capabilities of microwave integrated circuit production and manufacturing, realize integrated measurement and control applications that meet the application needs and technical requirements of low-cost, high-efficiency mass production of microwave integrated circuits, and meet the actual technical requirements of the actual mass production application needs of microwave integrated circuits in the field of testing engineering. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test and evaluation circuit disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a connection diagram between the adapter unit and the standard microwave integrated circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] The present invention provides a microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test and evaluation circuit, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes a main control computer, automated auxiliary equipment, a vector network analyzer, a test fixture A, a test fixture B and a standard microwave integrated circuit.

[0026] Test fixture A and test fixture B form an adapter unit in a combined manner, and realize the adaptive connection with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, respectively, as long as they have good matching characteristics as test fixture low reflection, and can realize good repeatability and reliable adaptive connection with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, without obtaining accurate scattering parameter characteristic data thereof by testing. The end surface of the test fixture A and the test fixture B connected with the vector network analyzer is a calibration end surface, and the end surface connected with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested is a test end surface.

[0027] The vector network analyzer is used to realize corresponding calibration at the standard type interface end surface, and a calibration end surface is formed at this end surface, and at the same time, the scattering parameter test and data acquisition of the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested in this state are completed at the test end surface.

[0028] The standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested are of the same type but have known scattering parameters (the scattering parameters thereof can be accurately measured by existing methods), and are used as standard parts to provide scattering parameter standard data for the rapid test evaluation circuit, and are the physical carriers and reference standards for solidifying the technical and index characteristics of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested which needs to be tested and evaluated in the production line, and mainly provide standard data for the rapid test evaluation circuit, and provide support for eliminating the system error of the rapid test evaluation circuit itself and obtaining the threshold limit (i.e. the pass criterion) of the rapid test evaluation through iterative optimization.

[0029] The automatic auxiliary equipment provides automatic clamping and loading for the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested, so as to meet the rapid and efficient test application requirements of the production line.

[0030] The main control computer, which contains software, is the core and control center of the circuit, and performs integrated and collaborative control on the vector network analyzer, the adapter unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment according to the test evaluation requirements of the production line, eliminates the system error of the circuit itself by calculation before test evaluation through test and import of standard data of the standard microwave integrated circuit, and obtains the threshold limit of the rapid test evaluation through iterative optimization, so as to meet the rapid, efficient and stable and consistent test application requirements of the scattering parameter "just-in-time" of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested in the test evaluation of the production line.

[0031] A microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test evaluation method, comprising the following processes:

[0032] (1) Before actual application of test evaluation, the main control computer performs integrated and collaborative measurement and control on the vector network analyzer, the adapter unit and the automatic auxiliary equipment, completes corresponding calibration at the standard type interface end surface between the vector network analyzer and the adapter unit, forms a calibration end surface at this end surface, and then performs subsequent test;

[0033] (2) The main control computer performs integrated collaborative measurement and control on the vector network analyzer, the adaptation unit and the automation auxiliary device, and automatically loads a plurality of standard microwave integrated circuits between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adaptation unit for testing in sequence one by one, obtains the relevant influence factors (i.e., the A, B and C factors) of the test evaluation circuit through theoretical analysis, and obtains the threshold limit (i.e., the pass criterion) of the rapid test evaluation through operation;

[0034] (3) In the actual application of test evaluation, the main control computer performs integrated collaborative measurement and control on the vector network analyzer, the adaptation unit and the automation auxiliary device, and automatically loads the microwave integrated circuit to be tested between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adaptation unit for testing in sequence one by one, and obtains the real-time test evaluation result through the relationship between the test result (which is not an accurate value obtained through large data operation through de-embedding, calibration and error correction) and the threshold limit.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2 , when testing the microwave integrated circuit to be tested (hereinafter referred to as the test piece), the standard microwave integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as the standard piece) is used to eliminate the system error of the test evaluation circuit itself and to obtain the threshold limit (i.e., the pass criterion) of the rapid test evaluation through iterative optimization. The theoretical analysis is as follows:

[0036] The four scattering parameters (self characteristics) of the test fixture A are respectively:

[0037] The four scattering parameters (self characteristics) of the test fixture B are respectively:

[0038] The above two are the self-scattering parameter characteristic data of the adaptation unit (test fixture A and test fixture B), which do not need to be obtained in advance.

[0039] The four scattering parameters (self characteristics) of the test piece are respectively:

[0040] The four scattering parameters (self characteristics) of the standard piece are respectively:

[0041] The above two are the self-scattering parameter characteristic data of the standard piece and the test piece, one of which is known in advance, and the other of which is obtained after test evaluation.

[0042] The four scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network of the cascade combination of the test fixture A and the standard piece are respectively:

[0043]

[0044] The four scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network of the cascade combination of the test fixture A and the test piece are respectively:

[0045]

[0046] The four scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network of the cascade combination of test fixture A, the standard part and test fixture B are respectively:

[0047]

[0048] The four scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network of the cascade combination of test fixture A, the standard part and test fixture B are respectively:

[0049]

[0050] The above four are required for the equivalent derivation of the intermediate process, and do not need to be obtained in advance.

[0051] The four scattering parameters (test results) obtained by loading the standard part in test fixture A and test fixture B for testing are respectively:

[0052] The four scattering parameters (test results) obtained by loading the standard part in test fixture A and test fixture B for testing are respectively:

[0053] The above two are the test results of two test evaluations, which need to be obtained during the test evaluation, and the test evaluation results of the test part are obtained in real time.

[0054] The standard part or the test part and the test fixture A are equivalent to a two-port network, and the scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network can be obtained according to the network cascade formula as follows:

[0055]

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] The test fixture B is connected for scattering parameter test, and the scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network containing test fixture A, the standard part and test fixture B can be obtained according to the network cascade formula as follows:

[0060] And

[0061] And

[0062] And

[0063]

[0064] Similarly, the measured parts are replaced by the standard parts for scattering parameter testing, and according to the network cascade formula, the scattering parameters of the equivalent two-port network containing the test fixture A, the measured parts and the test fixture B can be obtained as follows:

[0065] And

[0066] And

[0067] And

[0068]

[0069] Since the test fixture A and the test fixture B remain unchanged during the test evaluation process, their scattering parameters (such as ) can be regarded as constant.

[0070] Therefore, by using the normalization data processing of the standard parts, we can obtain:

[0071]

[0072] Among them,

[0073]

[0074]

[0075]

[0076] Through operation, the normalization processing results of the forward and reverse transmission scattering parameters are as follows:

[0077]

[0078] Let Then

[0079] And

[0080] Using the above method of testing the standard parts and the measured parts, a plurality of standard parts (containing scattering parameter characteristic data) are tested respectively, and the test results obtained and the scattering parameter characteristic data of each standard part are substituted into the calculation and data fitting according to the above formula, so that the A factor containing the influence of the test evaluation circuit itself can be obtained.

[0081] Thus, in the actual application of the test evaluation, we according to the standard parts of the scattering parameter test results and the scattering parameter test results of the measured parts and the scattering parameter characteristic data of the standard parts and the upper and lower limits of the scattering parameter characteristics of the standard parts Δ and the A factor including the influence of the test evaluation circuit itself, that is, the threshold limit of the rapid test evaluation of the microwave integrated circuit (measured parts) can be obtained (that is, the pass criterion) is and As long as the forward and reverse transmission scattering parameters are within this threshold limit, it is a qualified product, and the test results excluding the test influence can also be calculated according to the scattering parameter characteristic data of the standard parts.

[0082] At the same time, we can normalize the forward and reverse reflection scattering parameters as follows:

[0083]

[0084] Among them,

[0085]

[0086] Neglecting the relatively small factor term, the normalized approximate result of the forward and reverse reflection scattering parameters is:

[0087] Let Then

[0088] Let Then

[0089] Using the above test standard parts and measured parts, a plurality of standard parts (including scattering parameter characteristic data) are tested, and the test results obtained according to the above formula and the scattering parameter characteristic data of each standard part are calculated and data fitting is performed, that is, the B factor and C factor including the influence of the test evaluation circuit itself can be obtained.

[0090] Thus, in the actual application of the test evaluation, we according to the standard parts of the scattering parameter test results and the scattering parameter test results of the measured parts and the scattering parameter characteristic data of the standard parts and The upper and lower limits Δ of the scattering parameter characteristics of the standard parts, and the B factor and C factor including the influence of the test evaluation circuit itself, i.e. the threshold limit (i.e. the pass criterion) of the fast test evaluation of the microwave integrated circuit (the part under test) can be obtained and As long as the forward and reverse reflection scattering parameters are within the threshold limit, the test results removed from the test influence can also be calculated according to the scattering parameter characteristic data of the standard parts.

[0091] Since the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter fast test evaluation method and circuit suitable for mass production application of the present application can obtain the relevant influence factors (such as the above-mentioned A, B, and C factors) of the test evaluation circuit itself and the threshold limit (i.e. the pass criterion) by testing a number of standard parts (i.e. physical carriers and control standards whose technical and index characteristics are fixed for the test evaluation of the microwave integrated circuit in the production line) before test evaluation, and combining with the scattering parameter characteristic data thereof, as long as the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter fast test evaluation circuit of the present application controls the main control computer to integrally and cooperatively control the vector network analyzer, the adaptation unit, and the automated auxiliary equipment during actual test evaluation, the pass of the scattering parameters of the part under test can be determined in real time through the obtained test results (which are not accurate numerical values obtained through large amount of calculation for calibration and error correction) to meet the fast, efficient, and stable and consistent test application requirements of the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameters "just test and get", and effectively solve the problems of cost, time, and instrument resource invalid occupancy rate caused by the calibration of a large number of customized adaptation test fixtures and the corresponding complex operation and large amount of calculation for calibration and error correction, etc., to provide a solution for the fast test evaluation of the microwave integrated circuit scattering parameters in a general way to adapt to the fast, efficient, and stable and consistent mass production line manufacturing requirements.

[0092] The above description of disclosed embodiments enables a person skilled in the art to implement or use the present application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application will not be limited to these embodiments shown herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A microwave integrated circuit scattering parameter rapid test and evaluation circuit, characterized in that: Including main control computer, automated auxiliary equipment, vector network analyzer, test fixture A, test fixture B and standard microwave integrated circuit; The test fixture A and the test fixture B are combined to form an adaptation unit to respectively achieve adaptive connection with the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested. The end faces of the test fixture A and the test fixture B connected to the vector network analyzer are calibration end faces, and the end faces connected to the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested are test end faces. The vector network analyzer is used to perform corresponding calibration at the calibration end face, and complete the scattering parameter test and data acquisition of the standard microwave integrated circuit and the microwave integrated circuit to be tested in this state at the test end face; The standard microwave integrated circuit has the same model as the microwave integrated circuit to be tested but has known scattering parameters, which provides standard scattering parameter data for testing and evaluating the circuit, and supports eliminating the system error of the circuit itself and iteratively optimizing to obtain the threshold limit for test evaluation; The automated auxiliary equipment provides clamping and loading for standard microwave integrated circuits and microwave integrated circuits to be tested, so as to meet the fast and efficient test application requirements of mass production lines; The main control computer, which contains software, is the core and control center of the circuit. According to the test and evaluation requirements of mass production applications on the production line, it coordinates and controls the vector network analyzer, adapter unit, and automated auxiliary equipment in an integrated manner. Before test and evaluation, it performs calculations through testing and importing standard data of standard microwave integrated circuits to eliminate the circuit's own system errors, and iteratively optimizes to obtain test and evaluation threshold limits to meet the need for rapid acquisition of scattering parameters of the microwave integrated circuit to be tested during test and evaluation of mass production applications on the production line.

2. A method for rapid testing and evaluation of microwave integrated circuit scattering parameters, characterized in that: The process includes the following: (1) Before the actual application test evaluation, the main control computer performs integrated collaborative measurement and control of the vector network analyzer, adapter unit, and automated auxiliary equipment, and completes corresponding calibration at the standard type interface end face between the vector network analyzer and the adapter unit, forming a calibration end face at this end face; (2) The main control computer performs integrated measurement and control of the vector network analyzer, the adapter unit, and the automated auxiliary equipment, and automatically loads a number of standard microwave integrated circuits between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adapter unit one by one for testing. The relevant influencing factors of the test evaluation circuit itself are obtained through theoretical analysis, and the threshold limit of the test evaluation is obtained through calculation; (3) During the test and evaluation of actual applications, the main control computer performs integrated and coordinated measurement and control of the vector network analyzer, the adapter unit, and the automated auxiliary equipment, and automatically loads the microwave integrated circuits to be tested between the test fixture A and the test fixture B of the adapter unit one by one for testing, and obtains real-time test evaluation results through the relationship between the test results and the threshold limit.

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