Covariance-matrix-based measurement uncertainty propagation law and analysis method for VNA, NVNA and LSNA

To characterize microwave devices and wireless system front-ends, VNA(vector metwork analyzer), NVNA(nonlinear vector netrwork analyzer)and LSNA(larger siginal netwrok analyzer)are the most commonly used frequency-domain measurement platforms. The uncertainty analysis for VNA, NVNA and LSNA measurement results is one of the research hotspots in instrumentation and metrology field. According to the measurement principles and calibration theories of these instruments, for the first time this paper gives the uncertainty propagation law for these platforms; and aiming at the high correlation among quantities under the situation of 'multi-frequency, multi-variable and complex-valued' measurements, this paper also proposes a covariance-matrix-based general uncertainty analysis method and procedure. The measurement experiments for impulse signals on a VNA made in China and a self-constructed prototype NVNA reveal that the uncertainty analysis results of the proposed method are quite different from those when the correlation information is neglected. The validity and accuracy of the proposed method can be further verified through the comparison with Monte Carlo simulation results.