Network Analyzer Accuracy Overview

Calibration and error-correction technology is fundamental to accurate network analyzer measurements. This paper will discuss the sources of errors in a network analyzer and which errors can be reduced by the calibration, which errors can not be removed and which errors are increased by the error-correction process. The residual errors that remain after the calibration can then be quantified so that an error-corrected measurement accuracy can be determined. This paper will then summarize a process that can be used to determine sound and traceable specifications for a network analyzer and the tradeoffs between various calibration methods.