Designing a C-Band Downconverter for High Testability

This article describes the design of a C-band down-converter that incorporates hybrid probe points to provide a flexible, production-line test capability. These probe points, available commercially from Jmicro, allow repetitive, non-destructive testing during assembly as well as convenient trouble-shooting of post-production failures. As demonstrated within, the added functionality comes at little expense to the RF performance of the component. The article also describes techniques for accurate characterization of the measurement system and the down-converter itself.