Patent ID: 7071707

Claim:
A method for calibrating a microwave measurement network having N terminals, N being an integer larger than one, the microwave measurement network comprising a vector network analyzer and a plurality of probe tips, the microwave measurement network having a parasitic impedance between the vector network analyzer and the probe tips, the method comprising the steps of: measuring open network parameter values of an open device having N terminals, which are mutually electrically insulated; measuring short network parameter values of a short device having N terminals, which are mutually electrically connected by conductors, each conductor having a short device DC resistance; measuring load network parameter values of a load device having N terminals, which are mutually electrically connected by resistors, each resistor having a load device DC resistance, which is larger than the short device DC resistance, the load device having a parasitic load impedance, and determining the parasitic impedance between the vector network analyzer and the probe tips, wherein the method further comprises the step of determining the parasitic load impedance prior to the step of determining the parasitic impedance between the vector network analyzer and the probe tips; and wherein the step of determining the parasitic load impedance comprises the sub-step of measuring auxiliary open network parameter values of an auxiliary open device having N terminals, which are mutually electrically insulated, the auxiliary open device having a parasitic auxiliary open impedance, which is substantially identical to the parasitic load impedance.