Which test engineer doesn’t know about this classic vector network analyzer from Anritsu?

Anritsu was founded in 1895. Since its establishment, Anritsu's "original and high-level" products have been launched one after another and supported the development of the world's communications industry.

The merger with WILTRON in 1990 enabled Anritsu to successfully develop in multiple fields, from low frequency, RF to microwave, from optical communication to mobile communication. Since its establishment, Anritsu has launched the Lightning 37000 series vector network analyzers in the 1990s and early 2000s, covering frequencies from 40 MHz to 65 GHz. The Lightning 3700E series microwave and millimeter wave vector network analyzers provide measurement speeds suitable for R&D environments and high-performance component and system testing needs, while aiming to meet the growing needs of the defense, satellite, radar, broadband communication and optoelectronic component markets.

The 200 Series 37200E is configured for passive measurements, without step attenuators or bias tees. The 300 Series 37300E has a complete configuration for active and passive component testing. Due to its high reliability, powerful functions and wide frequency coverage, it was loved by many testers and R&D personnel at the time of its launch. However, due to its large size and heavy weight, it is very inconvenient to move the instrument during use. Therefore, with the development of science and technology, this large and bulky instrument is becoming less and less accepted by the market.

The variety of instrument types is sufficient to meet the testing needs of different products at that time:

37317A 22.5 MHz to 8.6 GHz

37325A 40.0 MHz to 13.5 GHz

37347A 40.0 MHz to 20.0 GHz

37369A 40.0 MHz to 40.0 GHz

37397A 40.0 MHz to 65.0 GHz

37247D 40.0 MHz to 20.0 GHz

37269D 40.0 MHz to 40.0 GHz

37277D 40.0 MHz to 50.0 GHz

37297D 40.0 MHz to 65.0 GHz

37347D 40.0 MHz to 20.0 GHz

37369D 40.0 MHz to 40.0 GHz

37377D 40.0 MHz to 50.0 GHz

37397D 40.0 MHz to 65.0 GHz

Test items include:

Amplifier Test - Automatically perform swept power gain compression or swept frequency gain compression.

Mixer Measurements - Direct Frequency Measurement

Multiport Testing - Add a multiport switch and perform balanced and differential testing on two or more port devices.

Optoelectronic Devices - Measure E/O and O/E devices, including de-embedding procedures and photodetector transfer functions.

Embed/De-embed – Provides S2P network form to automatically remove or add effects of known structure.

Calibration Selection – Choose from SOLT, offset short and waveguide as well as for metrology grade LRL/LRM calibration.

Adapter Removal Calibration – Connector Removal Calibration

Multi-Source Control - Independently control two sources for testing mixers, frequency multipliers, and frequency conversion devices.

Power calibration

etc.

In fact, from today's perspective, many functions and implementation methods of Anritsu's current Shockline series are the same as those of the early 373000 series VNA, such as the dual-source design and embedding/de-embedding functions of the MS465xx series.

It just so happens that I have a 37247C 40M~20G network splitter at hand, so today I will use it as an example to review the classics of the past.

The instrument consists of a display area and a physical button area, as shown in the figure below. The physical button area provides menus such as [Mark] function, [Channels] channel function, [Measurement] measurement function and [Display] display function setting. At the same time, the [Domain] time domain test function is integrated into the [Measurement] measurement function.

At the bottom of the display screen are the [Default Program] reset button and the [Begin Cal] calibration menu button, which are very different from today's VNA in terms of the logo and placement of the function buttons. However, they are still easy to find.

Let's take a look at the instrument's function settings:

First, we select the parameters of a window you need to modify through the 4 channel buttons corresponding to the [Channels] area. For example, I selected [Ch2]

Then press the [Graph Type] button to select the format to be displayed, such as Smith chart.

Then use the [S Params] button to modify the S parameters, such as S11

The [Set Scale] button can adjust the display area of ​​the Y axis. Of course, you can also press [Auto Scale] to process it automatically.

When you need to print the waveform, you can press [Trace Memory] to record the waveform or normalize it.

The [Mark] menu provides the function of setting and searching 6 Mark points for each channel.

The window display is quite different from today's VNA. The setting method is to press [Channel Menu] to select several display modes provided by the instrument, and you cannot define your own.

My instrument has a built-in TDR option, so there is a [Domain] button on the front of the instrument. As mentioned in previous articles, TDR can be divided into low-pass time domain and band-pass time domain. The frequency and step must be set during low-pass time domain calibration, so the Time low pass mode cannot be turned on when calibration is not done. This is the same as Anritsu's current Shockline series instruments.

Next, we will do a normal two-port calibration. Click [Begin Cal] to enter the calibration menu screen.

It also provides coaxial, waveguide and microstrip connection methods, which can be used with the 3650 series coaxial and waveguide calibration kits, the 3680 series microstrip and coplanar waveguide universal test fixtures (UTF) and the 33, 34 and 35 series coaxial-coaxial and coaxial-waveguide adapters (specific accessory models can be found on the Anritsu official website).

Before calibration, the system will prompt whether isolation calibration is required. Generally, two-port network devices do not require isolation calibration, unless they are three-port or multi-port devices such as isolators and couplers.

The next screen displayed is the low-pass time domain calibration setting mentioned earlier. If you do not need to turn on the time domain function, just calibrate the [NORMAL 1601] point.

The maximum number of points is 1601, and several selection methods are provided, which cannot be set by yourself.

I chose the low-pass time domain calibration, as shown below. After setting the frequency, click [NEST CAL STEP] to proceed to the next step.

Further modify or confirm the connector type, calibration parameters, including load, through, etc. In fact, it is the same as the current instrument function, but the operation logic is slightly different.

Next, you can perform normal calibration. The calibration logic is slightly different, as shown in the figure below. I selected isolation at the time, so the isolation calibration popped up first. The system asked me to press [1] to perform isolation calibration for port 1, and press [2] to perform isolation calibration for port 2.

Then there is the OPEN of port 1 and the SHORT of port 2, and the SHORT of port 1 and the OPEN of port 2. The execution method is a little different from the current network division, but it is still easy to understand.

I originally wanted to calibrate it and then use the TDR function to test the indicators, but I found that the instrument had an error. I tried many times but still couldn’t calibrate it normally, so I didn’t do it. I’m sorry!

I think this instrument from Anritsu was mainly aimed at the mid-to-high-end market when it was launched, which is different from the 8753 series VNA launched by Agilent (HP) mentioned in the previous article, so the market share is estimated to be small. Of course, new models have been launched long ago, namely the MS4640B Series VectorStar™ series of advanced vector network analyzers.

MS4640B VectorStar Vector Network Analyzer

MS4642B – 70 kHz to 20 GHz 

MS4644B – (70kHz with option) 10 MHz to 40 GHz 

MS4647B – (70kHz with option) 10 MHz to 70 GHz 

Main options  

MS4640B-002 Time Domain Analysis 

MS4640B-007 Receiver Bias 

MS4640B-021 Universal Fixture Removal  

MS464xB-031 Dual Source Configuration  

MS464xB-032 Built-in RF combiner 

MS4640B-035 IF Digital Converter  

MS4640B-036 Expanding the memory of the IF digitizer  

MS4640B-041 Noise Figure Measurement 

MS4640B-042 PulseView™ Pulse Test  

MS4640B-043 DifferentialView™ Differential Testing  

MS4640B-044 IMDVie™ Third Order Intermodulation Test  

MS4640B-046 Fast CW  

MS4640B-047 Eye Diagram Measurement  

MS464XB-051 Direct Receiver Access Loop  

MS464XB-061/062 Active Measurement Kit  

MS4640B-070 70 kHz Low Frequency Extension   

A single coaxial test port on a single instrument can cover the 70 kHz to 70 GHz frequency range, and a broadband system configuration can cover the 70 kHz to 145 GHz frequency range. It can be extended to 1.1 THz with up to 142 dB dynamic range.

By pairing with the ME7838A/E/D broadband VNA test system, a coaxial + waveguide solution can be achieved, with a spectrum covering 70 kHz ~ 110/125/145 GHz.