Comparative Evaluation of Multiline TRL and 2X-Thru De-Embedding Implementation Methods on Printed Circuit Board Measurements

This work presents a comprehensive study of two different de-embedding techniques: the Multiline method and the 2X-Thru fixture removal. The methods are compared in terms of calibration standard requirements, de-embedding methodology, fixture removing accuracy, and de-embedding results. The comparison reveals that the accuracy of the Multiline method strictly depends on the impedance variation between calibration standards. The 2X-Thru with impedance correction, on the other hand, is more prone to impedance variation since it relies on a single calibration standard, which also eases the measurement routine and reduces the complexity. One important aim of this study is to contribute to the development of open-source de-embedding tools since the validity and accuracy of commercial tools cannot be evaluated for academic purposes.