Quantification of channel performance and development and characterization of small magnetic field probes

This thesis presents a new approach to quantifying channel performance using a transmitter waveform and dispersion penalty (TWDP) with frequency domain S-parameter data. Initially TWDP was defined to characterize the performance of a transmitter in optical links. More recently its use has been extended to include the quantification of channel performance, especially in high-speed copper links. This project focused mainly on channel characterization. Instead of using the time-domain oscilloscope measurements involved in the original approach, it proposes a new method that relies on frequency-domain S-parameter data obtained either from measurements or simulations. It included a parametric study of TWDP with respect to factors such as bit rate, number of samples, and rise/fall time. This paper discusses the parameters and the results of that study. This thesis also describes a means to obtain a flat frequency response from the first-order-derivative behavior of an electrically small loop and an electrically short electric field probe by using both in combination with active oscilloscope probes. Several magnetic field (H-field) probes based on flex-circuit technology were designed to operate at up to about 5 GHz. The H-field probe terminals were connected to the differential amplifier of the active oscilloscope probe, which functioned as an integrator to achieve a flat frequency response. The integrator behavior compensated for the first-order-derivative response of the flex circuit probes. Another H-field probe was designed as a new approach to ensure high sensitivity without compromising spatial resolution. This thesis describes full wave simulations of the 1-mil probe and analyses the result --Abstract, page iii