Opens a dialog to manage the calibration kits in use, add new kits and import or export kits.
Calibration kits
A calibration kit is a set of physical calibration standards for a particular connector type. The magnitude and phase response of the calibration standards (i.e. their S-parameters) must be known or predictable within a given frequency range.
The standards are grouped into several types (open, through, match,...) corresponding to the different input quantities for the analyzer's error models. The standard type also determines the equivalent circuit model used to describe its properties. The circuit model depends on several parameters that are stored in the cal kit file associated with the calibration kit.
As an alternative to using circuit models, it is possible to describe the standards by means of S-parameter tables stored in a file.
The analyzer provides a large number of predefined cal kits but can also import cal kit files and create new kits:
A selection of predefined kits with different types of parameters is available for all connector types. The parameters of these kits are displayed in the Add/Modify Standards dialog, however, it is not possible to change or delete the kits.
Imported and user-defined kits can be changed in the Calibration Kits dialog and its various sub-dialogs.
Calibration kits and connector types are global resources; the parameters are stored independently and available irrespective of the current setup.
The Calibration Kits dialog contains a series of buttons, each of them opening a dialog:
Import Kit imports a previously stored cal kit file. The analyzer asks whether to set the imported calibration kit active.
Add Kit combines different standards to form a new calibration kit.
View/ Modify Kit adds or deletes standards in an imported or user-defined calibration kit and/or changes their parameters.
Copy Kit to... creates a copy of the selected kit with a new cal kit name.
Delete Kit removes an imported or user-defined kit from the list of Calibration Kits in Use.
Export Kit exports calibration kit data to a cal kit file.
Avail. Conn. Types adds or deletes connector types.
The Calibration Kits in Use: table is used to select a calibration kit for each connector type. The pull-down lists contain all kits for the individual connector types.
Rohde&Schwarz offers special calibration kits for measurements involving external frequency converters. For a description of the standards and the system error procedure procedure refer to Waveguide Calibration Kits.
Universal, typical and ideal parameters
Creating a user-defined calibration kit
Remote control:
[SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:<conn_type>:SELect '<ckit_name>' [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:SELect '<conn_type>', '<ckit_name>' (the previous two commands also create new cal kits) [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:DELete 'ckit_name>'
Query connector types, calibration kits, and standards: [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CONNection:CATalog? [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:CATalog? [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:STANdard:CATalog?
The analyzer uses three types of parameters to describe the calibration standards. The parameter type is the same for all standards in a kit and therefore annexed to the kit name:
Universal parameters (no label) describe calibration kit models with highly standardized components so that the parameters are valid for all calibration kits of the model.
Typical parameters (labelled typical) approximately describe a calibration kit model. To correct for deviations between the standards, each kit of the model is individually measured and delivered with an additional, kit-specific parameter set. Therefore each typical parameter set <kit_name> typical is complemented by an additional parameter set <kit_name> containing optimized parameters for an individual kit.
Ideal parameters (labelled Ideal Kit) describe an idealized calibration kit for each connector type; see below.
Make sure to use universal or individual parameter sets if you need to obtain high-precision results. The precision of the calibration kit parameters determine the accuracy of the system error correction and of the measurements. The calibration wizard displays a warning if you use a typical or ideal parameter set to calibrate a channel.
Calibration kits can be obtained as network analyzer accessories; refer to the data sheet for the relevant ordering information. The name of all parameter sets is equal to the name of the corresponding calibration kit model.
Ideal parameters
All ideal kits contain the following standards:
Standard (Gender)
R (Load)
Electrical Length (Offset)
Open (f, m)
Ω
0 mm (Delay: 0 s)
Short (f, m)
0Ω
0 mm
Offset Short (f, m)
10 mm
Match (f, m)
Z0 (reference impedance of the connector type)
Sliding Match (f, m)
–
Reflect (f, m)
Through (ff, mm, mf)
Line (ff, mm, mf)
Attenuation (ff, mm , mf)
Symm. Network (ff, mm, mf)
The following additional parameters are used:
Characteristic impedance: Z0 (reference impedance of the connector type)
Loss: 0 dB / sqrt(GHz) or (0 GΩ / s) in Agilent mode
All inductance and capacitance parameters are set to zero.
Calibration kit files can be used to store the parameters of a particular calibration kit, to re-load the data and to exchange calibration kits from one network analyzer to another.
Cal kit file contents
Cal kit files are independent of the current setup and contain the following information:
Name and label of the calibration kit
Connector type including all connector type parameters (name, polarity, offset model, reference impedance)
Type, gender and label of all standards in the kit together with the circuit model parameters (offsets, load) or S-parameter tables (.snp file) that are necessary to determine its magnitude and phase response.
By default cal kit files are stored in the C:\Rohde&Schwarz\NWA\Calibration\Kits directory.
To export cal kit data, the analyzer uses a specific binary file format *.calkit.
Three different import file formats are supported: ZVA-specific binary cal kit files (*.calkit), ZVR-specific binary cal kit files (*.ck), cal kit files in Agilent-specific ASCII formats (*.csv, *.prn; see notes below).
To import a ZVA-specific or ZVR-specific cal kit file (*.ck or *.calkit) you can also use the Windows Explorer and simply double-click the file or drag and drop the file into the NWA application. The imported cal kit file is automatically set active.
Importing older ZVR cal kit files
On loading some older ZVR-specific *.ck files, e.g. the ZV-Z23 cal kit file, the ZVA generates the message File does not comply with instrument calibration kit file format. The files must be converted using a ZVR network analyzer equipped with a firmware version V3.52 or higer. Proceed as follows:
On the ZVR, press CAL –CAL KITS – MODIFY KITS – INSTALL NEW KIT to import the *.ck file.
Press CREATE INST FILE in the same submenu to export the *.ck file in a ZVA-compatible format.
Import the converted file into the ZVA.
*.csv cal kit files: VNA Cal Kit Manager 2.1
The VNA Cal Kit Manager is a free, Windows-based software tool intended to import, edit, and export *csv cal kit files. The software is available for download at http://www.vnahelp.com/products.html. The decimal separator used by the VNA Cal Kit Manager V2.1 depends on the language version of the Windows operating system: Cal kit files generated on an English operating system contain dots, the ones generated on a German system contain commas.
The network analyzer expects the dot as a separator and displays an error message when a *.csv file with commas is loaded. Please install the VNA Cal Kit Manager V2.1 on an appropriate (e.g. English) Windows version to avoid trouble.
*.prn cal kit files: PNA Cal Kit Editor
The network analyzer can import and process cal kit files created with the PNA Cal Kit Editor. The files use the extension *.prn; the data format is identical to the *.csv format.
The decimal separator used by the PNA Cal Kit Editor depends on the language version of the Windows operating system: Cal kit files generated on an English operating system contain dots, the ones generated on a German system contain commas.
The network analyzer expects the dot as a separator and displays an error message when a *.prn file with commas is loaded. Please install the PNA Cal Kit Editor on an appropriate (e.g. English) Windows version to avoid trouble.
MMEMory:LOAD:CKIT "file_name" MMEMory:STORe:CKIT "kit_name", "file_name" [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:INSTall "<file_name>"
Combines different standards to form a new calibration kit, assigning a connector type and further attributes (name, labels). This dialog is opened from the Calibration Kits dialog using the Add Kit... button (the dialog title is Add Calibration Kit) or using the View/Modify Kit button (the dialog title is View Calibration Kit or View / Modify Calibration Kit). The functionality of both dialog versions is the same.
If Add Calibration Kit is used for a predefined calibration kit, the View / Modify Standard... button can be used to open the View / Modify Standard in <kit_name> dialog check the standard parameters. All other controls are inactive.
In its upper part the Add Calibration Kit dialog contains several controls to do the following:
Select a predefined or user-defined Connector Type.
Insert the (unique) Name of the new kit and assign a Label.
Qualify whether or not the Offset and Load parameters for the standards are defined and displayed in Agilent Mode.
Assigning a label to user-defined calibration kits is optional. However, the label is displayed in many dialogs and can provide useful information about the kit, e.g. its serial number.
The table in the center of the dialog lists all standards in the new kit together with either their gender or their port assignment (see Restrict Port Assignment) and the label (if defined). Clicking a standard opens the View / Modify Standard in <kit_name> dialog where it is possible to change the parameters. Four buttons can be used to change the entries in the list.
Copy Standards from...opens a dialog to copy standards from another calibration kit to the new kit.
Add Standard...selects, defines and adds a new standard to the kit. A calibration kit may only contain a single standard of each type.
View / Modify Standard... displays or changes the properties of the selected standard.
Delete Standard removes the selected standard from the list and from the calibration kit.
Use Copy Standards from... to avoid the (re-)definition of their properties. Standards are copied together with their parameters and their label, which you can modify once they belong to the new kit.
[SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CKIT:LABel
Copies standards together with their parameters from a calibration kit in use to a new calibration kit. This dialog is opened from the View / Modify Calibration Kit dialog (Copy Standards from... button).
In the dialog, it is possible to select one of the calibration kits in use (Kit Name) and select either all or a single standard to be copied. A calibration kit may only contain a single standard of each type.
Displays a list of calibration kits to be deleted. This dialog is opened from the Calibration Kits dialog (Delete Kits... button).
The table shows the imported and user-defined calibration kits with their name, connector type and label (if defined). OK deletes the selected kit. Predefined kits cannot be deleted.
Displays and modifies the list of available connector types. This dialog is opened from the Calibration Kits dialog (Connector Types... button).
The list shows the available connector types with their name (Conn Type), polarity (Sexless) and reference impedance (Ref Imp). The Offset Model describes the mode of wave propagation in the transmission lines of the standards associated with the connector type. The buttons below are used to add and delete user-defined connector types. Deleting a connector type will also delete all calibration or adapter kits assigned to it.
Impact of reference impedance
The reference impedance (Ref Imp) Z0 for the connectors is a critical value that is displayed in the Port Configuration menu and represents an input value for various parameter conversions. Z0 enters into:
The calculation of the S-parameters for the calibration standards associated with the connector type, provided that they are derived from a circuit model (Add/Modify Standarddialog).
The calculation of the (default) reference impedances for balanced ports (Def. Balanced Port tab of the Balanced Ports and Port Groups dialog).
The calculation of impedance and admittance parameters.
Storing connector type settings
Calibration kits and connector types are global resources; the parameters are stored independently and available irrespective of the current setup. The connector type settings are always stored together with the associated calibration kit parameters. It is possible to export and import the connector settings using Export Kit... and Import Kit... in the Calibration Kits dialog.
The name, polarity and reference impedance of a user-defined connector can be changed in the table. The button in the Offset Model column opens the Offset Model dialog to define the propagation mode in detail.
After assigning a calibration or adapter kit to a user-defined connector type, you can still change its name, offset model and reference impedance. Switching between sexed and sexless will delete all kits assigned to the connector type.
[SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CONNection [SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CONNection:DELete
Defines the wave propagation mode in the lines of the standards associated with the connector type. This dialog is opened from the Available Connector Types dialog ( button in the table).
The Parameters to be selected depend on the Line Type:
If the calibration kit standards contain lines with transverse electric propagation mode (TEM), then the Relative Permittivity εr of the dielectric can be defined. The default permittivity is the value for air. TEM-type lines have no cutoff frequency.
If the calibration kit standards contain waveguides, then the lowest frequency where a wave propagation is possible (Cutoff Frequency fc) can be defined. The default cutoff frequency if 0 Hz (propagation at all frequencies). No relative permittivity is needed for waveguides.
The impedance for waveguides is frequency-dependent. If a waveguide line type is selected, various dialogs (e.g. Add Standard...) will indicate varies instead of a definite impedance value.
Impact of offset model parameters
The offset model parameters are used for the calculation of the S-parameters for the calibration standards associated with the connector type, provided that they are derived from a circuit model (Add/Modify Standarddialog).
For TEM-type lines, the relative permittivity εr is needed for the conversion of a ZVR-type Loss (in units of dB/sqrt(GHz)) into an Agilent-type Offset Loss (in units of GΩ/s) and vice versa (see OffsetandLoadparameters). The Electrical Length and Delay values in the Modify Offset dialog are directly entered and therefore independent of εr.
For waveguides, the low frequency cutoff frequency fc is important because no wave propagation is possible at frequencies below fc. If a standard is measured in order to acquire calibration data, the analyzer checks the low frequency cutoff. If the start frequency of the sweep range is below fc , then the calibration wizard generates an error message.
The offset model parameters are not used except in the context of calibration. The offset parameterdefinitions (seeMechanical Length) are based on independent εrvalues.
[SENSe<Ch>:]CORRection:CONNection