Submillimeter Wavelength Metrology Components

New tools and techniques are required to allow more accurate measurements of emerging sub-millimeter technologies. The submillimeter wavelength band (300 GHz to 1 THz) is entering into a new age where circuits require on-wafer probing and precision calibrations are a necessity. This work presents two tools that enable new or improved measurement capabilities in this sub-millimeter band. The first is a new design of on-wafer probes which utilizes micromachining techniques and is scalable to 670 GHz and beyond. The second tool is an electronically controlled MEMS-based calibration standard that reduces the introduction of non-systematic errors by replacing multiple standards with a single reconfigurable device. These two tools support the growth of the sub-millimeter band by enabling new measurement types and allowing for more precise measurements than previously available at these frequencies.