Synthetic load pull tuning probe and methods

An automatically configurable synthetic tuning probe system for a load pull tuner, comprises:

• the load pull tuner including a slabline with a center conductor linking two ports, a control port, and a neutral port, and at least one remotely controlled mobile carriage moving along the slabline and having a vertical axis mechanism which moves perpendicular to the slabline, wherein the vertical axis mechanism is configured to holds and being remotely controlled for the configuration of the synthetic tuning probe capacitively coupled with the center conductor;
• the synthetic tuning probe including three parallelepiped tuning slugs with a front, a back and two side walls, wherein the three parallelepiped tuning slugs are formed by a center tuning slug confined between two side tuning slugs along the slabline, a first side slug towards the control port and a second side slug towards the neutral port, wherein the center tuning slug is positioned at the vertical axis and wherein the two side slugs slide on their side wall vertically against the side walls of the center slug and are lockable at distinct relative vertical positions using an interlock mechanism;
• and
• the configuration of the synthetic tuning probe being remotely controlled and including:
• studs protruding from the front and the back wall of each side of the two side slugs perpendicular to the slabline, and an unmovable horizontal fork being parallel to the slabline for controlling independently a vertical position of a side slug relative to the other slugs using only movement of the carriage and the vertical axis, and an automated procedure for controlling the vertical position of the two side slugs.