Lake Shore Cryotronics will discuss a new approach to performing S-parameter measurements at cryogenic temperatures, Wednesday, June 13, at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2018 in Philadelphia. 

The 11:30 a.m. MicroApps presentation will cover “Faster S-Parameter Measurements from Below 2 K to 675 K Using Automatic Fixture Removal (AFR).” Dr. David Daughton, Lake Shore application scientist, will detail how AFR can be used to rapidly de-embed, from helium to room temperature, the long coaxial transmission lines and microwave probes from a cryogenic, wafer-level prober. For many measurements, cryo-AFR eliminates manual movement of probes from the calibration substrate to the device under test (DUT) at every temperature and frees valuable cold-stage space for larger sample wafers.

This topic is relevant to researchers interested in using a Keysight Technologies PNA, for which the AFR is an option, in conjunction with a Lake Shore cryogenic probe station to measure S-parameters of test structures over a wide temperature range—measurements that are valuable to researchers developing next-generation THz detector, radio astronomy and 5G wireless component technologies.

Lake Shore representatives will also be in Booth #1434 in the IMS2018 exhibit hall to answer questions about the company’s probe stations, platforms that allow for non-destructive RF/microwave measurements of devices as a function of low temperature and field within a highly controlled environment.

Various probing configurations and options are available from Lake Shore, including 40 or 67 GHz GSG style RF/microwave probes optimized for probing at low temperatures and a cryogenic THz probe arm option designed for on-wafer probing of mmWave devices at 75 to 110 and 140 to 220 GHz frequencies.

Also available: an affordable tabletop station (Model TTPX) for probing on full and partial wafers up to 51 mm (2 in.) in diameter. A demo version of this station will be set up in Lake Shore’s booth at IMS2018.