3. Microwave Measurement Systems

In this chapter, the measurement of common microwave parameters such as RF power, attenuation, and scattering (S-) parameters are explained. An example of automated attenuation measurement is taken in detail in the next chapter based on the understanding acquired through this chapter about the nature of microwave measurements. A brief description of each parameter, instrumentation, its measurement setup, and uncertainty evaluation is given in the chapter. The first section introduces the reader to the basic measurement equipment used in modern microwave measurements. The next section enlists the common microwave measurements. The microwave measurement methods are chosen and explained in order of increasing complexity. For example, the power ratio technique uses a simple and generally available power meter and sensor, whereas there are also systems available that are specific to a single parameter, for instance, TEGAM’s VM-7 for microwave attenuation measurement. But some systems are even more versatile, such as spectrum analyzer and vector network analyzer (VNA), which are used in almost all microwave measurements.