An accurate determination of the characteristic impedance of lossy lines on chips based on high frequency S-parameter measurements

Abstract

A very accurate, novel determination of the characteristic impedance of interconnects on semiconducting substrates has been developed. The method is based upon high frequency, S-parameter measurements of two transmission lines of different lengths. The influence of the contact structures of the measurement probes are taken into account with the help of three additional measurements. The mathematical background of the method is presented. A comparison of the results obtained from measurements and from calculations is given and shows an excellent agreement.