Mixed-Mode S-Parameter Characterization of Differential Structures

W. Fan*, Albert Lu, L. L. Wai, B. K. Lok

Joining Technology Group
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech)
71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075
*wfan@SIMTech.a-stiu.edu.sg

definitions, normalized power waves can be defined in

Abstract
stimulus and response. Stimulus power waves are defined as
Combined differential-mode and common-mode (mixed-
propagating into the device-under-test (DUT), and response
mode) scattering parameters (s-parameters) are well adapted
power waves propagate away from it. A block diagram of a
to accurate measurements of linear networks at RF and
four-port device is shown in Fig. 1.
microwave frequencies. The relationships between standard
s-parameters with two-port vector network analyzer (VNA)
and mixed-mode s-parameters with four-port VNA are
derived in this paper. An example differential structure was
measured with standard two-port VNA and mixed-mode
four-port VNA. The correlation of standard s-parameters and
mixed-mode s-parameters is presented as well.
Port 3 4 DUT 2;
1. Introduction
The differential structures are widely used in RF, Fig. 1. Diagram of Single-Ended 4-port DU'I
microwave and high-speed broadband applications. The
evaluation of differential structures is necessary to ensure
An s-parameter is defined as the ratio of two normalized
optimal circuit and system performance. Combined
power waves: the response divided by the stimulus. A full s-
differential-mode and common-mode (mixed-mode)
matrix (1) describes every possible combination of a
scattering parameters (s-parameters) are well adapted to
response divided by a stimulus. The matrix is arranged in
accurate measurements of linear networks at RF frequencies.
such a way that each column represents a particular stimulus
However, differential stmcture measurements with a
condition, and each row represents a particular response
traditional two-port vector-network analyzer (VNA) present
condition. The standard four-port s-parameters matrix is
many challenges [1][2]. The major obstacle in RF
given below [I].
application of differential structures is that most test
equipment is intended for single-ended devices. The related
infrastructure is also unbalanced, such as calibration
standards, transmission lines and connnectors, and even
industry standard reference impedance [3][4]. This paper
presents the transformation between standard s-parameters
and mixed-mode s-parameters. An example of differential
structure is measured with two-port VNA and four-port Or Est, = S,, AI,, , where Er,, and Artd are response and
mixed-mode VNA, respectively, and the correlation data is stimulus waves matrix respectivly; S,, is the standard four-
presented as well. Although the transformation could ideally port s-parameters matrix. They are shown in (2) and (3).
be used to allow a traditional two-port VNA to make
measurements of mixed-mode s-parameters, a mix-mode
measurement system is necessary to accurately measure the
mode-conversion in the real differential test structures [l].
The paper is organizered as follows. In section 2, single-
ended four-port and differential-ended two-port structures
are introduced, and the transformation between standard s-
parameters and mixed-mode s-parameters is derived. The
test hoard, measurement setup and experimental results are
presented in section 3. The conclusions are given in section (3)
4.

2. Standard and Mixed-Mode S-Parameter of

Differential Structure
For a single-ended device, RF voltages and currents
relative to a common ground can be defined at each terminal
of the device. From the voltage, current and impedance
For a balanced device, differential- and common-mode
voltages and currents can be defined on each balanced port.
Differential- and common-mode impedances can be defined
also. A block diagram of a two-port differential DUT is
shown in Fig. 2.

0-7603-8205-6/03/$17.00 02003 IEEE 533 2003 Electronics Packaging Technology Cmference

 ad2=- A1 (a, - a 4 )

port1 1 DUT port2

bd2=-(b
h
1
ac2 =-(a2
h
1
+a41

2 - 4
b )

Fig. 2 Diagram of Differential 2-port DUT

A mixed-mode s-matrix in (4) can he organized in a way
similar to the single-ended s-matrix, where each column
(row) represents a different stimulus (response) condition.
The mode information as well as port information must he
included in the mixed-mode s-matrix [3].
The transformation matrix in (12) between mndard s-
parameters and mixed-mode s-parameters can hs derived
from the relationships of the following equation:;: mixed-
mode incident waves A,, in (7); mixed-mode response
waves B,, in (8); mixed-mode s-parameters matlix , S in
(11); standard four port s-parameters matrix S,, in (3); and
the conversion matrix M in (9) and M' in (IO).
=
[ I 0 - 1 o

1 0 I O 1
Sdj& and SCj, (i, j=1, 2) are the differential-mode and
common-mode s-parameters respectively. sdjcj and SCj4 (i,
j=l, 2) are the mode-coovertion or cross-mode s-parameters.
The parameters Sdj4 (i, j=1, 2) in the upper left comer of the
1 0 - 1 0
mixed-mode s-matrix (4) describe the performance with a 0 1 0 - 1
differential stimulus and differential response. SdiCj(Scidi) (i,
j=1, 2) describes the conversion of common-mode 0 1 0 1
(differential-mode) waves into differential-mode (common-
mode) waves.
The mixed-mode s-parameters in (4) can be directly
related to standard four port s-parameters (3). If nodes 1 and
2 in Fig. 1 are paired as a single differential port, and nodes
3 and 4 are also paired as another differential port [ 5 ] . The
M=+
1 0 - 1
01

I
01 - 1

O
j
0

(9)

relations between the response and stimulus of standard-

mode and mixed-mode are shown in ( 5 ) and (6). Where ai
and bj (i=l to 4) are the waves measured at ports 1-4 in Fig.
o I 01
1.

sdldl sd1d2 sdlcl sd1c2

'd2dI sd2d2 sd2d 'd2c2

scldl sdd2 sclcl sclc2

1
b --(b,+b3)
cl - J;i sc2d1 sc2d2 ' ~ 2 ~ '1~ 2 ~ 2

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3. Test Board Characterization and Analysis PI&P3, Pl&P4, P2&P3, P2&P4 and P3&P4. These two-
port measurement results can be used to form standard four-
The test board is a 4-layer FR4 substrate with a coupled
port s-parameters matrix S,,d in (3). Standard s-parameters
differential smcture design. The cross section and photo of
matrix ss,d will be converted into mixed-mode s-parameters
test hoard are show in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively. The
matrix S,,,, in (12). The setup of differential-ended four-port
cross section shows top copper, prepreg and ground plane.
VNA measurement is shown in Fig. 5 (b). All of four ports
The geometric parameters of test hoard are show in Table I.
are connected to mixed-mode four-port VNA in the same
The differential microstrip is tight-coupled differential
time. The mixed-mode s-parameters have been measured and
structure. The differential impedance of coupled microstrip
drawn in the same figures as a comparison. The calibration
is IOOOhm. The SMA connectors are used for the
method of short-open-load-through (SOLT) is used both
connection with VNA.
two-port and four-port VNA.

,Cu Trace,
2-Port 2-Port
VNA <= PI
Differential p2 =’ VNA

Ground Plane
(a) For Single-Ended 2-Port VNA
Fig. 3. Cross-Section of Test Board

4-Port
VNA
<=I
I p3
Differential
DUT
E 4-POfi
I=’ VNA

(b) For Differential-Ended 4-Port VNA

Fig. 5. The Setup of S-Parameters Measurement

Fig. 4. The Photo of Test Board
In Fig. 6 to Fig. 14, the curves “Standard” represent the
Table I. Test Board Parameters mixed-mode s-parameters converted from two-port VNA
~

Thickness (bm) 42.5 measurements, and curves “Mixed” represent the mixed-
mode s-parameters measured with mixed-mode four-pon
VNA. In Fig. 6 , the insertion loss of differential
Spacing (pm) 510 response and differential stimulus bas very good agreement
Thichess(pm) 190 between ‘Standard” and “Mixed”. The curve “Single-Ended
Prepreg Dielectric Constant Er 4.0 S 12” is the insertion loss between single-ended port 1 and
1 Loss Tangent 6 0.02 single-ended port 2 as a reference.
The insertion (return) loss of fesponse and stimulus with
same mode has very good agreement between “Standard
The setup of single-ended two-port VNA measurement is
and “Mixed” mixed-mode s-parameters in Fig. 7 to Fig. 10.
shown in Fig. 5 (a). During the two-port VNA measurement,
For the response and stimulus with the different mode, there
two ports are connected to two-port VNA respectively, and
is slightly difference of insertion (retum) loss between
the rest two ports should be terminated with 50 Ohm. All
“Standard and “Mixed’ mixed-mode s-parameters in Fig.
combinations of four individule ports are measured to get
11 to Fig. 14. The transformation method between standard
standard s-parameters matrix, i.e. all of the two-port: P1&P2,

535 2003 Electronics Packaging Technology Conference

and mixed-mode s-parameters can be used to characterize
the differential structures for the users who only have
traditional two-port VNA.

IEsZzq FWmw l o h l

Fig. 9. Differential-Mode of Response and Stimulus

Fig. 6. Single-Ended and Differential-Ended S-Parameters

80
n@ " 4 m l M y i -

1.m 2.m 3.m ,.ea*

hnWTr"l-¶l

Fig. 7. Differential-Mode of Response and Stimulus

-1)o
-
0
~M.0

4E -so
8 -ea00
-700

.m 0

-93.0
001 1.20 2." It34 am2 6

-9-d -wed m w . n i-i

Fig. 1I. Differential-Mode Response and Common-Mode
Stimulus

Fig. 8. Common-modeof Response and Stimulus

536 2003 Electronics Packaging Technology Conference

 0.0
-- parameters between the two methods have good agreement
for the stimulus and response with the same mode, and
slightly difference for the stimulus and respone with the
different mode. Although the transformation could be ideally
used to measure mixed-mode s-parameters with a uaditional
VNA, a mixed-mode VNA system is necessary to accurately
measure the mode conversion in real integrated differential
test smcmres [I].

1
%; . : :
-70.0

-Y-l

hwerr?lWl
-wed

.
__ o ’
References
1. D. E. Bockelman and W. R. Eisenstadt, “Pure-Mode
Network Analyzer for On-Wafer Measurements of
Mixed-Mode S-Parameters of Differential Circuits,”
Fig. 12. Common-Mode Response and Differential-Mode IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 43 (Jul.
Stimulus 1997), pp107 1-1077.
2. D. E. Bockelman and W. R. Eisenstadt, “Combined
differential and common-mode scattering parameters:
Compdron ot Standax and Mixed-ModeS - P w m e t m
56151 Theory and simulation,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory
0.0
I Tech., vol. 43 (Jul. 1995), pp. 1530-1539.
3. Application Notes: “Balanced Device Characterization,”
Agilent Technoloies, Jun. 2002.
4. Application Note 1373-1: “An 1nh.oduction to Multiport
and Balanced device Measurements,” Agilent
Technologies, Nov. 2002.
5 . K. Kurokawa, “Power Waves and the Scatering Matrix,”
IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 13 (Mar.
1965). pp. 194-202.

lm 2406 3m lam
ne“ WI

Fig. 13. Differential-Mode Response and Common-Mode

Stimulus

.ma
-200
a
4

l:omf
b
5
= -60.0
-%O

l r;- l
1.2% Z.46 IW 4.12

Fig. 14. Common-Mode Response and Differential-Mode

Stimulus

4. Conclusions
The transformation between standard s-parameters and
mixed-mode s-parameters has been presented in this paper.
An example differential stmcture has demonstrated the
transformation and the good agreement between the mixed-
mode s-parameters converted from two-port VNA
measurements and the mixed-mode s-parameters measured
with mixed-mode four-port VNA. The mixed-mode s-

537 2003 Electronics Packaging Technology Conference