Patent ID: 8410862
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: H01P,H03H

Abstract:
1. A multi-frequency range setup for testing the dependence of active RF devices on impedance conditions comprising test equipment such as signal sources, power meters, couplers and test fixtures, and wideband multi-frequency range impedance tuners, said tuners having an input port and an output port and comprising a cascade of two distinct tuning modules, (a) a medium frequency tuning module and (b) a high frequency tuning module; each said module having an input port and an output port; wherein said tuner cascades are inserted before said DUT (input tuner) and after said DUT (output tuner) in order to investigate its dependence on source and load impedances; and wherein the tuner module (b) of said input tuner, which said module is closest to the DUT, is capable of generating controlled reflection factors between low and high values at higher frequencies up to several gigahertz (high frequency module); and wherein the tuner module (a), which is further away from the DUT, is capable of generating controlled reflection factors between low and high values at lower frequencies in the megahertz frequency range (medium frequency module); and wherein the output tuner is configured having its high frequency module (b) closest to the DUT and its medium frequency module (a) farther away from the DUT; wherein said high frequency module (b) comprises an input port and an output port and a slotted airline between said ports and a number of conductive probes, said probes being insertable into the slot of said airline and movable vertically towards the center conductor of said airline and horizontally along the axis of said airline using remotely controlled electric motors and appropriate gear (automatic slide screw tuner); and wherein each said probe is optimized for a different frequency range and is able to approach the center conductor independently of the other probes; and wherein said medium frequency module (a) comprises an input port and an output port and a cascade of at least three segments, each said segment comprising a serial coaxial cable and a parallel variable capacitor; each said capacitor having a floating terminal connected to the end of said cable and a grounded terminal; and wherein the floating terminal of the capacitor of the last segment is connected to the output port of said module; and wherein said variable capacitors in said module (a) are remotely controlled through appropriate gear and electrical motors.