Probe with radio frequency power detector, test system and test method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11125779-B2
Application number	US-201816192187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 15, 2018
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

Probe for testing a radio frequency device, test system and test method. A probe is used for measuring radio frequency signals provided by the device under test or for providing test signals to the device under test. In particular, the probe comprises a power detector directly connected to the contacting elements of the probe. Accordingly, such a power detector can provide a power signal highly correlated with the power signal of a radio frequency signal at input or output terminals connected to the probe.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A probe connectable to a device under test, comprising:
a contacting means for contacting directly a number of input or output terminals of the device under test;
a power detector for measuring power of a radio frequency signal provided at said contacting means, wherein the power detector comprises a diode and two terminals of the power detector are connected directly to tips of said contacting means respectively, and no further elements are arranged between each of the two terminals of the power detector and the tips of the contacting means;
a processing unit connected to said power detector, wherein said processing unit is configured to receive an output signal of said power detector, and said processing unit is connected to said power detector via a measurement cable; and
a cable connected to said contacting means, the cable being configured to connect electrically said contacting means with a measurement device;
wherein said processing device is configured to provide a result of a power measurement to the measurement device.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the contacting means consists of a homogeneous electrically conductive material.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises an additional radio frequency circuit including at least one of a radio frequency splitter, a radio frequency coupler or a radio frequency switch, wherein the power detector is arranged in a signal path between the additional radio frequency circuit and the tips of the contacting means.

4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the contacting means comprises a number of contacting tips.

5. The probe of claim 4 , wherein each contacting tip is configured to contact directly with a terminal of a wafer.

6. A test system for testing a device under test, the test system comprising:
a probe connectable to the device under test, the probe comprises a contacting means for contacting directly a number of input or output terminals of the device under test, and a power detector for measuring power of a radio frequency signal provided at said contacting means, wherein the power detector comprises a diode and the power detector is connected directly to said contacting means and no further elements are arranged between the power detector and the contacting means; and
a processing unit connected to said power detector, wherein said processing unit is configured to receive an output signal of said power detector, and said processing unit is connected to said power detector via a measurement cable,
a measurement device for measuring a radio frequency signal of the device under test captured by said probe taking into account the power of the radio frequency signal measured by said power detector;
a cable connected to said contacting means, the cable being configured to connect electrically said contacting means with a measurement device;
wherein said processing device is configured to provide a result of a power measurement to said measurement device.

7. A test method for testing a device under test, comprising:
contacting directly a number of input or output terminals of the device under test by contacting means;
connecting electrically said contacting means with a measurement device by a cable;
measuring, by a power detector, power of a radio frequency signal provided at said contacting means, wherein the power detector comprises a diode and two terminals of the power detector are connected directly to tips of said contacting means and no further elements are arranged between each of the two terminals of the power detector and the tips of the contacting means; and
processing an output signal of said power detector by a processing unit connected to said power detector, wherein said processing unit is connected to said power detector via a measurement cable,
wherein said processing device is configured to provide a result of a power measurement to the measurement device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the contacting means consists of a homogeneous electrically conductive material.

9. The method of claim 7 , providing an additional radio frequency circuit, and arranging the power detector in a signal path between the additional radio frequency circuit and tips of the contacting means,
wherein the additional radio frequency circuit comprises at least one of a radio frequency splitter, a radio frequency coupler or a radio frequency switch.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the contacting comprises contacting the input or output terminals of the device under test by a number of contacting tips.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising contacting each contacting tip directly with a terminal of a wafer.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Gallhauser Markus
• Perndl Werner

Classifications

• G01R1/06772 Primary

  High frequency probes · CPC title

• G01R21/10

  by using square-law characteristics of circuit elements, e.g. diodes, to measure power absorbed by loads of known impedance (G01R21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/2822 Primary

  of microwave or radiofrequency circuits (of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28) · CPC title

• G01R1/0416

  Connectors, terminals (G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364) · CPC title