US 2021/0063475 A1 · SELF-CALIBRATING DESKEW FIXTURE

Abstract

A deskew fixture includes first and second deskew probe points for contacting first and second probes, respectively, during deskew calibration, a signal generating circuit for generating a calibration signal provided to the first and second deskew probe points, and a feedback loop for automatically self-calibrating the deskew fixture. The feedback loop includes first and second analog to digital converters (ADCs) for digitizing the calibration signal at the first and second deskew probe points while contacting the first and second probes, respectively, to provide first and second digitized calibration signals, and a processing unit programmed to determine inherent skew of the deskew fixture between the first and second skew probe points using the first and second digitized calibration signals, and to provide the determined inherent skew to a test instrument for use in the deskew calibration of the first and second probes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A deskew fixture for improving accuracy of a deskew calibration of a first probe and a second probe, performed by a test instrument, to be used in measuring electrical parameters of a device under test (DUT), the deskew fixture comprising:

a first deskew probe point configured to receive a first calibration signal while contacting the first probe;
a second deskew probe point configured to receive a second calibration signal while contacting the second probe;
and
a feedback loop for automatically self-calibrating the deskew fixture, the feedback loop comprising:
a first analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to digitize the first calibration signal at the first deskew probe point to provide a first digitized calibration signal;
a second ADC configured to digitize the second calibration signal at the second deskew probe point to provide a second digitized calibration signal;
and
a processing unit programmed to determine inherent skew of the deskew fixture between the first and second skew probe points using the first and second digitized calibration signals, and to adjust timing of at least one of the first calibration signal or the second calibration signal.

5 more elements

a base;
a first modular deskew probe point removably connected to the base, and configured to contact the first probe during the deskew calibration, the first modular deskew probe point being customized according to geometrical and radio frequency (RF) characteristics of the first probe;
a second modular deskew probe point removably connected to the base, and configured to contact the second probe during the deskew calibration, the second modular deskew probe point being customized according to geometrical and RF characteristics of the second probe;
at least one signal generating circuit on the base for generating at least one calibration signal, respectively, provided to the first modular deskew probe point and the second modular deskew probe point;
a first analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to digitize the at least one calibration signal at the first modular deskew probe point with the first probe contacting the first modular deskew probe point, to provide a first digitized calibration signal;
a second ADC configured to digitize the at least one calibration signal at the second modular deskew probe point with the second probe contacting the second modular deskew probe point, to provide a second digitized calibration signal;
and
a processing unit programmed to determine skew between the first and second modular deskew probe points using the first digitized calibration signal and the second digitized calibration signal.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self-calibrating deskew fixture

Life of this patent

Self-calibrating deskew fixture

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20