Teledyne T3SP Series User manual

Operator’s Manual
T3SP-Series Time Domain
Reectometer

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Revision B - October 2019
Relang to the following release versions:
Soware Version Rev. 1.6.0
© 2018 Teledyne Test Tools is a brand and trademark of Teledyne LeCroy Inc.
All rights reserved. Specicaons, prices, availability and delivery subject to
change without noce. Product brand or brand names are trademarks or
requested trademarks of their respecve holders.
T3 stands for Teledyne Test Tools.
2
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Contents
1 General Information about the T3SP Series 6
1.1 Intended Applicaon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.2 Disclaimer............................ 6
1.3 Contents of packing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2 Commissioning 8
2.1 GeneralRemarks........................ 8
2.2 Soware Conguraon File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 SowareStartup........................ 9
2.4 Power Supply & USB Connecon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5 Descripon of the Applicaon Windows . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.5.1 MainWindow ..................... 10
2.5.2 Oscilloscope Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.5.3 Result Visualizaon Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.5.4 Opons Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.6 Soware Operaon Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.6.1 Sample List Operaon Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.6.2 Macro Operaon Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.6.3 Quick Operaon Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.7 Login with limited User Privileges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3 Quick Start Guide 24
4 Three-Term & 12-Term Correction 30
4.1 Fundamentals ......................... 30
4.2 Requirements.......................... 30
4.3 Calibraon Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.4 General Remarks on reloading TTC/12TC Data . . . . . . . . 32
4.5 Status Indicators for TTC & 12TC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
5 Measurement Modes 35
5.1 Impedance Measurements (Modes TDR & DTDR) . . . . . . 35
5.1.1 General Recommendaons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.1.2 Reference Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.1.3 Impedance Measurement Properes Window . . . . 39
5.1.4 User-dened Impedance Masks . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5.2 (D)S11 - Measurement Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.3 Full 2-Port S-Parameter Measurements (F2P, oponal) . . . . 47
6 Import & Export Modules 49
6.1 PDF-Export Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
6.2 CSV-Export Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.3 Touchstone-Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6.4 Matlab-Export ......................... 51
7 Workshop Files 52
8 ESD-Protection Module 53
9 Additional Information 54
9.1 Descripon of the Toolbar Items in the Main Window . . . . 54
9.2 Descripon of the Toolbar Items in the Result Window . . . 55
9.3 Descripon of the Main Window Menu Items . . . . . . . . 56
9.4 Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
10 Technical Specications 63
10.1 T3SP-Series Mainframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
10.2T3SP-DPROBE.......................... 64
10.3T3SP-DPROBE-F......................... 64
11 Troubleshooting 65
4
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
12 Safety Instructions 67
12.1 Operang Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
12.2Power.............................. 67
12.3 Safety Symbols & Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
12.4 Safety Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
13 Maintenance 70
5
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
1. General Informaon about the T3SP Series
The T3SP series is developed to perform true dierenal TDR measurement.
Complementary step signals with an ultra-wide bandwidth are emied and
acquired by the instrument. The signals are applicable to external compo-
nents via the coaxial connectors.
Please read this operaon manual carefully before commissioning the T3SP,
to avoid incorrect operaon of the instrument. Keep this manual carefully
the enre life-me of the instrument. Subsequently the T3SP TDR is gener-
ally described as ”device”.
1.1 Intended Application
The device is exclusively intended for usage in conjuncon with the deliv-
ered soware. Upon request soware libraries are available to integrate
the device control into other soware environments. Beware of using the
device for purposes other than intended!
1.2 Disclaimer
Warranty or liability claims for personal or property injury are excluded if
they are caused by one or more of the following reasons:
•Usage of the device for other purposes as described in this manual
•Disregarding the instrucons for correct operaon of the device
•Disregarding the safety instrucons listed in this operaon manual
•Opening of the instrument by the customer or user
1.3 Contents of packing
•T3SP me-domain reectometer
6
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
•USB 2.0 cable, Mini USB-B to USB-A
•External power supply: input 100-240VAC, output 24VDC, max. 3A
•Seunis installation program
•Integrated ESD-protection module
•Metal or plastic storage and transport case (optional)
•ESD-protection kit
•Cable(s), probe(s), adapters(s) (optional)
•Calibration Kit including RF connector torque wrench (optional)
7
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
2. Commissioning
Before the rst start of operaon you have to install the provided soware
(on old Windows XP systems also the USB-driver has to be installed). Please
follow the installaon instrucons given by the soware.
2.1 General Remarks
The Seunis measurement soware was designed to make series measure-
ments and therefore the central element of the main window is a spreadsheet-
like table. For a beer understanding, some regularly used terms are de-
ned below:
Sample Describes the individual objects/devices under
test (DUT)
Sample List Collecon of samples in the spreadsheet table
(D)TTC =
(Dierenal)
Three-Term
Correcon
Error correcon method, removes systemac
device & external cable/connector errors
12TC = Twelve
Term Correcon
Error correcon method for full 2-port
S-parameter measurements. Only used if full
2-port measurement mode is available
Measurement
Modes
The soware is capable of measuring various
parameters (impedance, S11, etc.). These
funconalies are called measurement modes
2.2 Software Conguration File
Some specialized opons & funconalies can be modied via the soware
conguraon le Seunis.cong. The default locaon of the conguraon
le can be found via Seunis in the Windows start menu. For proper use on
8
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
mul-user systems the locaon of the conguraon le can be changed via
the Opons Dialog (see secon 2.5.4).
2.3 Software Startup
The device must be turned on to operate the device, because the soware
queries the device for available measurement modes. Alternavely the so-
ware can be started with the Teledyne Viewer Key.
2.4 Power Supply & USB Connection
To enable measurements, connect the USB port of the instrument to a com-
puter. Please follow the instrucons given below:
•If available plug the Mini-USB-B plug connector of the USB-cable into
the corresponding USB-jack connector of the device and the USB-A
plug into an USB-port of your computer.
•Turn on the device by pressing the power buon for more than 1 sec-
ond. Aer a few seconds, the buon LED changes from green to red.
The device can be turned o by pressing the power buon for more
than 3 seconds.
•The 2-state red-green LED signals have the following meaning:
Green blinking LED: Device switched o, baery charging acve
Red blinking LED: Device switched on, baery charging acve
Red permanent LED: Device switched on, baery charging nished
•The soware will automacally probe your USB ports to communicate
with the device. You can check if this was successful in the status bar
on the boom of the main window, which shows whether the device
is Connected or Not connected.
•If the connecon to the device failed, retry to connect by pressing
9
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
CTRL-U or via the menu Extras. If you are not able to establish a con-
necon, check the USB-drivers in your device manager.
•Like other RF-measurement systems, the device needs some me to
warm-up for performing stable and accurate measurements. During
the warm-up phase, measurements are prohibited. If the tempera-
ture is stable, the status bar shows OK. If you try to measure during
the warm-up phase, the measurement is aborted, accompanied by an
audio warning and the nocaon Device temperature instable.
2.5 Description of the Application Windows
2.5.1 Main Window
Fig. 1: Main Window with sample list and control elements
10
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
The Main Window (see Fig. 1) allows the user to organize the measurement
campaigns. The spreadsheet format is used to prepare sample lists which
can be worked o accordingly. The main funconality for organizing the
data, results and further common tasks (e.g. saving, loading, exporng of
data) can be controlled via the main menu. ”At a glance”-informaon and
measurement results are also available.
The macro list is suitable for performing recurring series measurements.
Macros can be dened similar to samples. When working in macro mode
(see toolbar ), the listed macros are cyclically used as template for a new
measurements. The measurements are automacally labeled according to
the macro name and pushed in to the main sample list for further use.
2.5.2 Oscilloscope Window
Fig. 2: Oscilloscope Window showing a dierenal TDR measurement
11
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
General Remark
The Oscilloscope Window gives the user an overview over the current device
seng (average, me base sengs) and shows the real-me (”live”) TDR
trace(s), similar to an oscilloscopes screen. If a measured sample is selected
in the main window addionally the corresponding uncorrected TDR trace(s)
is/are displayed.
Number of Averages
The number of curves to be averaged (repeon measurements) for a sam-
ple can be set in the Average eld. In case a large number of averages is
chosen it may be advantageous to display only an averaged version of the
trace(s). This can be acvated via the menu entry View →Display averaged
Measurement.
Please note: in the Seunis.cong le a maximum number of averages can
be set (Compressed number of measurements, default: 50). If the selected
number of averages exceeds this number, the number of stored repeon
measurements is compressed to this value automacally.
TDR and Impedance View
The view can be switched to real-me impedance trace (menu View →Show
Impedance). The impedance trace represents the uncorrected (without three-
term correcon) impedance. The traces of the currently selected sample in
the sample list are not shown if impedance is turned on.
The live traces can be switched on/o via the Channel buons. A linear inter-
polaon between the points can be acvated via View →Interpolate Trace.
The background color can be changed via the View →Change Background
Color menu entry.
12
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Zooming
Zooming funcons are available via Posion, Zoom & Fit buons. The zoom
can be changed via the mouse (use mouse-wheel or hold le mouse buon
pressed down while dragging). A ”t-to-screen” is applied by a double right-
click in the diagram.
Memory Funcon
It is possible to display a previously acquired TDR trace on the screen by
pressing the CTRL buon and clicking the Show Mem buon simultaneously.
Either the live curve or a sample (average of all repeon measurements)
from the list can be displayed. The trace is displayed and saved into a tem-
porary memory. It can be switched on/o by clicking the Show Mem buon.
2.5.3 Result Visualization Window
Fig. 3: Impedance measurements results
13
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
General Remark
Most measurement modes yield more informaon than can be displayed in
the yellow result eld of the Main Window. To display the specic results
more in detail the Result Visualizaon Window can be used. The dierent
kinds of visualizaons depend on the currently selected measurement mode
and are therefore described in the specic secons.
Zooming
Zooming funcons are available via the buons in the toolbar. Furthermore
the zoom can be changed via the mouse (le buon & wheel) a ”t-to-
screen” can be achieved by double right-clicking within the diagram. Press-
ing the buon with the lock symbol has the eect that in me domain mea-
surement modes (as TDR, DTDR & TDR-Compare) the zoom is locked to the
current zoom of the Oscilloscope Window.
Measurement Buon
A small green arrow buon is located in the status bar to start a measure-
ment. Pressing the buon has the same eect as pressing the measurement
buon in the Main Window or pressing F5.
Live Traces
Working in Quick Operaon Mode (see secon 2.6.3) enables the user to
view a ”live” trace in the Result Visualizaon Window. This feature can be
acvated via the menu entry Extras →Live.
Seng Cursors
The soware features (delta) cursors for each displayed sample in the Re-
sult Visualizaon Window. Cursors can be set by pressing down the CTRL
key while le-clicking a trace. The cursor values are displayed on top of the
14
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
diagram in the cursor value eld. If two cursors are set up for a trace the
delta value is displayed as well. The cursor value eld can be double-clicked
to open an overview tabular.
Pressing the CTRL key and clicking a cursor again deletes the cursor. Alter-
navely all cursors can be cleared by pressing the CLR buon in the toolbar.
The precision of the cursor values can be changed via the menu item View
→Set decimal places of cursor.
Please note: at most two cursors can be set for each sample. That means that if two
cursors are already set in impedance measurement mode and the measurement
mode is changed (e.g. to S11 mode), no more cursors can be set. In this case delete
the exisng cursors before seng them in S11 mode.
Legend
By default the legend shows the samples row number corresponding to the
spread sheet row. Alternavely the sample name (only the rst 8 charac-
ters) can be displayed. Use View →Show sample names in legend to toggle
between the modes.
Trace highlighng
Trace highlighng can be achieved by clicking on the corresponding entry in
the legend (reset by clicking the entry again).
Data Export
The underlying data of the currently displayed samples can be exported to
various formats. Currently supported formats are csv, xlsx, mat (Matlab)
and sp1/sp2 (Touchstone for S-parameter). For exporng data via the Re-
sult Visualizaon Window use the export buon or the menu entry File →
Export.
15
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Please note: the Touchstone export is available for S-parameter modes only. Data
can be saved to the widely spread touchstone format. Each selected sample is ex-
ported into an individual le. The frequency data points are exported in MHz, the
scaering parameter values as magnitudes and degrees. Oponally the magnitude
of the data can be limited to 0dB.
Background Color
The background color of the diagram can be changed via the View →Change
Background Color menu entry.
Descripon of the Menu Items
File:
Export: Export data to various formats (e.g. external
processing).
Close: Close the Result Visualizaon Window.
View:
TDR: TDR/impedance related funconality.
S-Parameter: Scaering-Parameter related funconality (oponal).
Previous Parameter Switching to previous S-parameter (oponal for full
2-port).
Next Parameter Switching to next S-parameter (oponal for full 2-port).
Clear Clear result window.
Show names in legend Show the rst 8 characters of sample name in legend.
Set axis manually Set the diagrams axis manually.
Set decimal places Change precision of cursor values.
Change BG color Change the diagram background color.
Extras:
Change x-mask Change the tolerance mask x-limits to current x-axis for
all displayed traces (TDR/DTDR mode only)
Change y-mask Change the tolerance mask y-limits to current y-axis for
all displayed traces (TDR/DTDR mode only)
16
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Change x/y-mask Change the tolerance mask x- and y-limits to current axis
for all displayed traces (TDR/DTDR mode only)
Set reference manually Change the reference posion (point in me to be
indicated in nanoseconds) to a user-dened value. Make
sure the current reference measurement is not empty
(see secon 5.1.2).
Live Enable live trace (only available in Quick Operaon
Mode, not for full 2-port mode).
2.5.4 Options Dialog
Some program sengs can be changed in the Opons Dialog. This informa-
on is persistent and restored on each startup of the program.
Common tab:
•The user name is saved automacally with the samples in the data
les (*.sqc).
•The users email address.
•The company name and address is printed e.g. in the PDF reports.
•If Load Project on Startup is checked, the last known project le is
automacally reloaded on startup.
•If Restore Windows Posion is checked, the last known window ar-
rangement is restored.
•The soware automacally saves backups in the user’s applicaon
folder. The backup interval can be set (minutes). If set to ”0”, imme-
diate backup is acvated, if set to ”-1”, backup is completely turned
o (this is NOT recommended).
17
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
Fig. 4: The Common tab in the Opons Dialog
Device tab:
•In most cases the soware is started with a connected device and it is
intended to connect automacally. However if the soware shall be
started with a Viewer Key it is possible to deacvate the Auto-Connect
on Startup.
•Data Rate: data transfer rate between device and soware (read only)
•The Single Shot Measurement box should be checked, if all average
measurements shall be carried out at once. Otherwise all measure-
ments can be performed separately. This may be desirable in some
very specic applicaons. By default this opon is turned on.
•In some rare cases it may be necessary to switch o the instable signal
protecon during measurements, there for the Ignore Instable Signal
18
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
box can be checked. Usually this opon should be unchecked.
•The last valid TTC is loaded automacally in case the corresponding
box is checked.
•In the ESD auto-protecon eld the number of seconds is set aer
which the device switches on the ESD-protecon automacally.
•If the ESD-auto-o me is set to 0 the ESD-protecon is only turned
o during the measurements. This is the safest operaon mode and
recommended to be used in unsafe environments.
Advanced tab:
•Stop macro execuon on failure: see secon 2.6.2 about macro mode
measurements.
•Enable frequency domain smoothing: this opon can be used for de-
noising frequency domain results (S-parameter measurements). By
default the video bandwidth is set to 20MHz . The value can be set in
the conguraon le Seunis.cong.
•Equalize transmission coecients in F2P: only enabled if full 2-port S-
parameter measurement mode is available. If checked the mean value
of S12 and S21 parameters are calculated, in order to suppress asym-
metries of the measurement system. This opon is only reasonable
for linear passive devices.
•Suppress informaon in PDF-report: the user can suppress the output
of pass/fail informaon, dielectric constant, full PDF saving path, step
rise me, and signal velocity.
•Set TTC-locaon: for mul-user systems the saving locaon for the last
known TTC/12TC can be modied. This circumvents problems with
19
931776 RevB

T3SP-Series Operator’s Manual
le access permissions.
•Self-Test: Perform a device self-test.
•Please note: generally the advanced tab is password protected. Aer
program installaon the password is empty. Once the password is
given correctly the protecon is turned o unl the Seunis program
is closed. Use the ALT-P shortcut to reacvate it immediately. In case
you have lost your password please contact Teledyne LeCroy support.
2.6 Software Operation Modes
The soware provides three dierent operaon modes; sample list mode
(default), macro mode and quick mode. Each of these modes can be se-
lected via the corresponding toolbar icons shown below:
Sample List Operaon Mode (2.6.1)
Macro Operaon Mode (2.6.2)
Quick Operaon Mode (2.6.3)
2.6.1 Sample List Operation Mode
The sample-list mode is the default operaon mode. It is acvated on pro-
gram startup and/or by clicking the sample-list item in the toolbar. The
funconality was already described in secon 2.6.1. Furthermore measure-
ments made in macro operaon mode (cp. secon 2.6.2) can be edited in
this mode aer exing the macro operaon mode
2.6.2 Macro Operation Mode
In case the same sequence of measurements (oponally with dierent mea-
surement modes or dierent impedance sengs) has to be repeated over
20
931776 RevB