During its 10 year lifetime, the NIST/Industrial MMIC Measurement Consortium developed accurate on-wafer measurement methods for the MMIC industry. Most consortium-developed methods are implemented in easy to use software packages. The Consortium was open to all US companies.
Industrial Members
TRW, Cascade Microtech, Inc., Raytheon, Hughes, and the Hewlett Packard Company
On-wafer microstrip calibrationsMeasurements for silicon ICs (Z0 measurement software)
References on:
Some Consortium Successes:
Multiline TRL for On-wafer Measurements
The most accurate on-wafer calibration method features reference impedance correction and is implemented in the easy-to-use MultiCal® software package.
Modified LRM Calibration Method
A new NIST calibration method that accounts for imperfect resistor and line standards typical of MMICs without the significant loss of measurement accuracy inherent in conventional implementations of LRM. (Of course, MultiCal also supports conventional LRM calibrations.)
Measurements on Lossy Substrates
Methods for the measurement of impedance parameters in transmission lines fabricated on polymers, silicon, or other lossy or dispersive dielectric substrates. Look at our Z0 measurement software.
Probe-Tip Capacitance Compensation Method
A coplanar waveguide calibration which automatically accounts for differences in substrate dielectric constants. This means that, in many circumstances, high accuracy can be maintained without any on-wafer calibration standards!
Developmen of Multiport and Orthogonal Calibrations
Look at the straightforward and easy to assemble on-wafer measurement systems for orthogonal and fixed-probe calibrations (and measurement software).
Accuracy Verification
Using other calibration software and methods? Now you can bound your measurement error by comparing to MultiCal's accurate multiline TRL calibration method. Also see the CPW Reference Material 8130.
Complete list of NIST High Speed Microelectronics projects, papers, and measurement software.
