Cheaper ways to test gigahertz-speed semiconductors

Several IMS booths featured instrumentation suites able to characterize RF ICs but at prices far lower than what you’d expect to pay for traditional ATE gear. An example was this semiconductor test system (STS) at the National Instruments stand. It uses PXI instruments to run S-parameter measurements for 48 ports and can vector and scalar-calibrate its measurements to the I/O pins used to attach the RF DUT. Visible in this cover-off view (top) is the vector signal generator and vector signal analyzer, along with the four-port connection module and port controller.
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