High-Frequency Measurement of Q-Factors of Ceramic Chip Capacitors

No reliable instrumentation systems have been available for the measurement of capacitor properties, particularly Q-factor, in applications requiring operation in the 100-1000 MHz range. The production of large numbers of multilayer ceramic chip capacitors for such special use is a very recent development. The need for reliable measurement equipment is increasing both for purposes of device evaluation and device development. A high-Q transmission line has been constructed, and a mathematical system has been devised for employing that line in a resonant mode to determine capacitor parameters, and particularly Q-factor, at the range up to and including microwave frequencies. The device produces accurate reliable data. The equipment can be reproduced and the system can be used in analysis and evaluation with a degree of confidence not possible in the past.