General Information

Introduction  The dielectric probe kit allows measurements of the complex permittivity for a wide range of semi-solid, pliable-solid, and liquid materials.  It performs all of the necessary network analyzer control, calculation, and data presentation functions.  The software controls the network analyzer to measure the complex reflection coefficient of the material under test (MUT).  Then it converts the reflection coefficient into the complex permittivity of the MUT.

Finally it displays the measurement results in a variety of graphical and tabular formats.  The software also facilitates printing or plotting the results, saving the results to disk, and saving test setups to disk.

The dielectric probe provides a convenient, repeatable method for measuring various dielectric materials.  The convenience is a result of needing only to press the probe against (or immerse it in) the MUT to make a measurement.  The probe is used with a vector network analyzer to take advantage of the analyzer’s measurement flexibility, speed, and accuracy.  Use of the vector network analyzer allows the software to calibrate out (as detailed later) a variety of measurement errors and thus enhances accuracy.

Topics in this section include:

•	Items Supplied with the Kit

•	Items You Must Supply

•	About This Manual

•	Probe Characteristics

 Work Safely  Hazardous material, operations, and equipment may be used with the probe.  This manual does not purport to address all of the safety concerns associated with its use.  The user must establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

The equipment required to operate a dielectric measurement system is detailed in, Getting Started.


Getting Started

This section details the hardware and software requirements of the

85070C dielectric probe kit.  Also covered are the installation procedures and basic operation of the software.  Details of the operation and use of the software are given in Measurement Tutorial, and Software Reference.   Remember, before the 85070C dielectric probe kit can be used to make measurements, the following must be accomplished.

•	A compatible GPIB interface card must be installed in the computer.

•	A compatible network analyzer must be connected to the GPIB card.

•	The 85070A/B/C dielectric probe must be connected to the Network Analyzer.

•	The 85070C dielectric measurement software must be installed on the computer.

When these items are complete, the software is ready to use.


Measurement Tutorial

This section provides a step-by-step, guided example of a calibration and measurement sequence with the 85070C software.  The example uses frequencies within the range of most systems, so feel free to make the calibration and measurement as outlined below.

Note.   This tutorial uses a 91% isopropyl alcohol and 9% water mixture as the MUT.

To continue with the tutorial click here.


Advanced Measurement Techniques

This section discusses a variety of topics intended to help you make more accurate measurements and analyze them.

The topics are:

•	Measurement Uncertainty

•	The Merits of Relative Measurements

•	Importing Data into Other Programs


Measurement Uncertainty

Uncertainty is an integral part of measurements in this imperfect world, but not an undefineable part.  The uncertainty of probe measurements results can be estimated with sensitivity numbers (or data) .  Sensitivity numbers represent the slope of the model that relates permittivity to reflection coefficient.  Recall that the network analyzer measures the reflection coefficient of the MUT, not its permittivity.  The software, through a model, converts the reflection coefficient to permittivity.

Since the actual measurement is a reflection coefficient measurement, the question of measurement uncertainty is this: what effect does a reflection coefficient measurement error have on permittivity?

Sensitivity numbers can show a relative, qualitative indication of uncertainty.  For example, if in one instance the sensitivity number is 50 and in a second instance it is 25, the measurement uncertainties of the first instance are twice (50/25 = 2) those of the second.

More precisely, error sources can be divided into two categories: network analyzer error sources and dielectric error sources.  Examples of network analyzer error sources are noise (about 0.0006) and the fixed load/probe directivity contribution (0.05 to 0.15, for a LOAD/AIR/SHORT calibration, depending on frequency).  Examples of dielectric error sources are probe model accuracy (3% to 5%) and uncertainty due to the accuracy of the permittivity characterization of calibration or reference standards.

The sensitivity numbers are useful in determining the measurement error contributions from both categories.

•	Typical Probe Accuracy

•	Network Analyzer Error Sources

•	Dielectric Error Sources

•	Overall Measurement Accuracy


Typical Probe Accuracy

The typical accuracy of the probe is graphed below.  Note that the practical frequency range, accuracy and resolution depend on the properties of the MUT.  Graphs indicate typical accuracy at 23 [image] 3 °C, not including the effects of probe contact and cable flexure.


Network Analyzer Error Sources

The effect of network analyzer error sources can be calculated as follows:

  Δε  = N x S

where

 	Δε	 is the error (or delta epsilon)

  	N	 is network analyzer uncertainty (in linear terms)

  	S	 is the sensitivity number (absolute value)

For example, assume Teflon (εr=2.1) is measured at 10 GHz with a LOAD/AIR/SHORT calibration.  At 10 GHz the fixed load/probe directivity contribution would be about 0.05.  At 10 GHz for εr=2.1 the sensitivity is 8.1.

The measurement error due to the fixed load/probe directivity would be computed as:

Δε = 0.05 x 8.1 = 0.4

The delta epsilon error will split between the orthogonal ε’ and ε’’ terms such that

Note that this is not total measurement error, only the portion due to the fixed load/probe directivity.


Dielectric Error Sources

The effect of dielectric error sources can be calculated as follows:

Δε = SM/SS x  Δs

 where

Δε  is the error (or delta epsilon)

SM  is the sensitivity of the measured material

SS  is the sensitivity of the calibration standard

Δs is the delta uncertainty of the material used in calibration


Overall Measurement Accuracy

In the case where Teflon is measured at 10 GHz using an air/short/water calibration, the total measurement error would be the sum of the errors due to probe model accuracy (typically about 2% to 5%), air, water.

First compute Δs for air.  The only effect to consider is the probe model accuracy of about 3%.  Thus

ΔsAIR = 0.03

Next compute Δs for water.  The model is accurate to within about 1% and the probe model contributes another 3%.  The permittivity of water at 10 GHz and 25 °C is 62.3 – j 30.   εrWATER is then the square root of the sum of the squares or 69.

ΔsWATER = (0.03 + 0.01) x 69 = 2.8

Next find the sensitivities for the various permittivities at 10 GHz.  The values for SSAIR, SSWATER , and SMTEFLON can be generated by first performing an air/short/water calibration.  After the calibration, remeasure air and store the measurement data into a data file.  Remeasure water and store it into a data file.  Then measure teflon and store it into a data file.

Finally, refer to Importing Data into Other Programs, and use a spreadsheet program or notepad.exe to read the sensitivity numbers.  Insert those sensitivity numbers in equations as shown below to calculate the uncertainty of the measured permittivity of the MUT.

Assume that the data files yield these sensitivity numbers:

SSAIR = 8.2

SSWATER = 223

SMTEFLON = 8.1

The worst case combination yields:

The RRS combination yields:

The Δε error will split between the orthogonal ε’ and ε’’ terms such that


The Merits of Relative Measurements

Typically, relative measurements are more accurate than absolute measurements.  Thus comparing measured results to a known reference of nearly the same permittivity is recommended in general.  Relative measurement comparisons are facilitated by the trace math feature Trace-Ref.


Importing Data into Other Programs

The data files created by the 85070C dielectric probe software can be imported directly into Lotus® 1-2-3® or Microsoft® Excel for further calculations.  There is no difference between the file formats for bringing the data into Lotus 1-2-3, Excel, or anything else; the one file will import into almost any other program since it is in ASCII format.  Another technique is to copy the table to the clipboard.  The data can then be pasted into Lotus, Excel or any similar program.


License Agreement

Please carefully read this License Agreement before opening the media envelope or operating the equipment.  Rights in the software are offered only on the condition that you agree to all terms and conditions of the License Agreement.  Opening the media envelope or operating the equipment indicates your acceptance of these terms and conditions.  If you do not agree to the License Agreement, you may return the unopened package for a full refund.

In return for payment of the applicable fee, Agilent Technologies grants you a license in the software, until terminated, subject to the following:

Use.

•	Customer may use the software on one network analyzer instrument.

•	Customer may not reverse assemble or decompile the software.

Copies and Adaptations.

•	Customer may make copies or adaptations of the software:

•	For archival purposes, or

•	When copying or adaptation is an essential step in the use of the software with a computer so long as the copies

and adaptations are used in no other manner.

•	Customer has no other rights to copy unless they acquire an appropriate license to reproduce which is available from Agilent Technologies for some software.

•	Customer agrees that Agilent Technologies provides no warranty, free installation, or free training for any copies or adaptations made by Customer.

•	All copies and adaptations of the software must bear the copyright notice(s) contained in or on the original.

Ownership.

•	Customer agrees that they do not have any title or ownership of the software, other than ownership of the physical media.

•	Customer acknowledges and agrees that the software is copyrighted and protected under the copyright laws.

•	Customer acknowledges and agrees that the software may have been developed by a third party software supplier named in the copyright notice(s) included with the software, who shall be authorized to hold the Customer responsible for any copyright infringement or violation of this License Agreement.

Transfer of Rights in Software.

•	Customer may transfer rights in the software to a third party only as part of the transfer of all their rights and only if Customer obtains the prior agreement of the third party to be bound by the terms of this License Agreement.

•	Upon such a transfer, Customer agrees that their rights in the software are terminated and that they will either destroy their copies and adaptations or deliver them to the third party.

•	Transfer to a U.S. government department or agency or to a prime or lower tier contractor in connection with a U.S. government contract shall be made only upon their prior written agreement to terms required by Agilent Technologies.

Sublicensing and Distributions.

•	Agilent Technologies may terminate this software license for failure to comply with any of these terms provided Agilent Technologies has requested Customer to cure the failure and Customer has failed to do so within thirty (30) days of such notice.

Updates and Upgrades.

•	Customer agrees that the software does not include future updates and upgrades which may be available for Agilent Technologies under a separate support agreement.

Export.

•	Customer agrees not to export or re-export the software or any copy or adaptation in violation of the U.S. Export Administration regulations or other applicable regulations.


Limited Warranty

Software.

Agilent Technologies warrants for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase that the software product will execute its programming instructions when properly install on the network analyzer instrument indicated on this package.  Agilent Technologies does not warrant that the operation of the software will be uninterrupted or error free.  In the even that this software product fails to execute its programming instructions during the warranty period, customer’s remedy shall be to return the measurement card “media” to Agilent Technologies for replacement.  Should Agilent Technologies be unable to replace the media within a reasonable amount of time, Customer’s alternate remedy shall be a refund of the purchase price upon return of the product and all copies.

Media.

Agilent Technologies warrants the media upon which this product is recorded to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.  In the event any media prove to be defective during the warranty period, Customer’s remedy shall be to return the media to Agilent Technologies for replacement.  Should Agilent Technologies be unable to replace the media within a reasonable amount of time, Customer’s alternate remedy shall be a refund of the purchase price upon return of the product and all copies.

Notice of Warranty Claims.

Customer must notify Agilent Technologies in writing of any warranty claim not later than thirty (30) days after the expiration of the warranty period.

Limitation of Warranty.

Agilent Technologies makes no other express warranty, whether written or oral, with respect to this product.  Any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness is limited to the 1-year duration of this written warranty.

This warranty gives specific legal rights, and Customer may also have other rights, which vary, from state to state, or province to province.

Exclusive Remedies.

The remedies provided above are Customer’s sole and exclusive remedies.  In no event shall Agilent Technologies be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including lost profit) whether based on warranty, contract, tort, or any other legal theory.

Warranty Service.

Warranty service may be obtained from the nearest Agilent Technologies sales office or other location indicated in the owner’s manual or service booklet.


Safety Notes

The following safety notes are used throughout this manual.  Familiarize yourself with each of the symbols and its meaning before operating this instrument.

  Caution.

The caution note denotes hazard.  It calls attention to a procedure which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or destruction of the instrument.  Do not proceed beyond a caution sign until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met.

 Warning.

The warning note denotes a hazard.  It calls attention to a procedure which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in injury or loss of life.  Do not proceed beyond a warning sign until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met.

 Instruction Manual.

The instruction manual symbol.  The product is marked with this symbol when it is necessary for the user to refer to the instructions in the manual.


Items Supplied with the Kit

These items constitute the for Agilent Technologies 85070C high-temperature dielectric probe kit

Item	Description

High-temperature dielectric	3.5 mm (m) connector type
Dielectric probe software	Provided on a CD compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0
Flexible cable	Connects probe to network analyzer test port; 1 meter long with  SMA (f) to SMA (f) connectors.
High-temperature cable (Option 002)	1 meter long semi-rigid high-temperature (−40 °C to +200 °C) cable  with SMA (f) toSMA (f) connectors.
Adapters	Adapts network analyzer test port to flexible cable, when necessary; includes one 3.5 mm (m) to 7 mm adapter for 7 mm test ports and  one 3.5 mm (m) to type-N (m) adapter to Type-N (f) test ports.
50Ω termination (load)	Used for open/short/load calibrations; 3.5 mm (m) connector type.
Shorting block and clamp	Fits over probe face for a repeatable short circuit.
Remote trigger switch and cable	Allows hands-free or remote measurements; 2 meter long cable connects to 8572, 8753, 8719, 8720 and 8722 network analyzers.
Mounting bracket	Keeps probe in a fixed position to minimize cable movement for  more repeatable measurements.   Bracket fits a ½-inch diameter  support rod.
Probe stand (Option 001)	Probe stand consists of a 24-inch high, ½-inch diameter metal  support rod with a 13x7-inch porcelain base.
Liquid vials (2) with stoppers and adapter	For measurements of liquids; 15 ml volume.
Before using the 85070C software, be sure that all of these items have been received and appear to be in good condition.  Contact the nearest Agilent Technologies sales or service office if any item is missing or appears to be damaged.


Items You Must Supply

To run the software you must supply the items listed below and detailed in  Getting Started:

•	Computer with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0 or higher operating system with an installed GPIB interface

•	Network analyzer

•	Printer (optional)


About This Manual

This manual is a complete guide to using the 85070C software and probe to make dielectric measurements.  As outlined below, it explains how the system works, how to set it up, how to use the software, how to check the system, and where to find reference material.

General Information introduces the concept of material measurements with a network analyzer.  It explains the functions of the analyzer, computer, software, and probe in making measurements.

Getting Started lists required system equipment; tells how to configure, load, and install the hardware and software.  It also discusses display organization (data presentation, entry prompts, and instructions).  At this point, the user is ready to make a measurement.

Measurement Tutorial provides a step-by-step, guided example of a calibration and measurement with the probe kit.  First-time users are urged to perform the sample test procedures outlined in this chapter.

Advanced Measurement Techniques describes several advanced aspects of using the software including alternative calibrations, permittivity parameters, measurement uncertainty, and how to import data into spreadsheets or word processors.

In Case of Difficulty presents common measurement hang-ups and solutions, error messages and what to do about them, and helpful hints.

Operator's Check is a simple procedure to check the operation of the network analyzer and probe.

Ordering Supplies is a listing of probe part and supply part numbers.  It tells how and where to order them.  It also contains a bibliography.

Software Reference is designed to serve as a reference for each function and setup parameter in the software.  Each menu, menu choice, and entry parameter is explained in this chapter.

Glossary defines important words and concepts of this manual.

Index tab lists the words, topics, softkeys, hardkeys, and error messages of the software and this help file.

Find tab allows you to find terms and phrases used in this help file.

What This Help File Covers.

This help file covers dielectric probes and software shipped with the serial number listed below.  The serial number plate is located on the dielectric probe software box and resembles the figure below.

Kit serial number prefix: 3033A and above

Software revisions: C 1.00

Microsoft® Windows® versions: 95, 98, NT


Description of the Dielectric Probe Kit

The software features the clean look of the Windows environment.  This version is for use with a personal computer.  It uses a mouse for most commands and entries.  It is not user-modifiable.

Options.

For part numbers of options, Ordering Supplies.

001, Probe Stand 24-inch high, ½ inch diameter metal support rod with 13x7 inch porcelain base.

002, High-Temperature Cable 1 meter long semi-rigid high-temperature (-40 °C to +299 °C) cable with SMA (f) to SMA (f) connectors

Software Features.

•	Completely controls the network analyzer

•	Guides you through calibration and measurement

•	Automatically computes permittivity (ε’-jε’’)

•	Offers a variety of data formats and displays

•	Refresh cal (provides corrected measurements over a wide temperature range, see Chapter 8, Software Reference, for details)


Probe Characteristics

Specifications describe the warranted performance over the temperature range 0 °C to 55 °C. Supplemental characteristics are intended to provide information useful in applying the instrument, by giving typical but non-warranted performance parameters. These are denoted as “typical,” “nominal,” or “approximate.”

Frequency range

Probe: 200 MHz to GHz (normal)

Maximum limited by MUT properties: <    110    GHz

                √|εr*|

Temperature

Range: -40 °C to +200 °C

Rate:<10 °C per minute

Accuracy (typical)

Dielectric constant, εr’,: ± 5%

Loss tangent, tan δ, εr “/εr’: ± 0.05%

Repeatability and sesolution (typical)

Two to four times better than accuracy.

Material under test assumptions

Material is “infinite” in size, non-magnetic (μr* = 1), isotropic (uniform orientation and homogeneous

(uniform composition). Solids have a single, smooth, flat surface with gap-free contact at the probe face.

Sample requirements

Diameter: >20 mm

Thickness: >     20     mm

               √|εr*|

Granule size4: < 0.3 mm

Maximum recommended εr’: < 100

Minimum recommended tan δ5: > 0.05

Dimemsions


Windows Version of the Software
Making a Measurement

  Warning.  Thermal and chemical burns can result from mishandling the probe or cable if they have residual effects of the test environment.  Make sure the probe is safe before handling.

Once you have started the software, the window the program is running in will look similar to the one shown below.  The exact appearance will depend on the frequency range of the instrument you are using. For this example, an 8714ET was used.   Details of the menu and dialog box operations described below are given in the Software Reference.

The first step in making a measurement is to set the frequency range and type of sweep.  This is accomplished by going to the Calibration Menu and selecting the Set Frequency choice.  The figure below shows the dialog box that will appear.

For this example, a frequency range of 500 MHz to 2.9 GHz is selected.  The calibration and measurement will be done for 51 points linearly spaced between these two frequencies.  Note that the Log Sweep choice is grayed out.  This is because the 8714ET does not support the sweep mode required to make a Log Sweep.

When the OK button is pressed, the main window will have the appearance shown above.  Note the new start and stop frequencies.  The next step in making a measurement is to calibrate the system. The calibration consists of measuring three known standards and using the results to characterize the three major sources of measurement error.  The default calibration standards are air, a short circuit, and water.   See Calibration in the Software Reference section for other choices.   To ensure measurement accuracy, do not move the probe cable between calibration and measurements.  If you have not already done so, stabilize the cable by locking the probe in the mounting bracket of the probe stand as shown below.

1.	Unscrew knurled probe nut from probe.

2.	Insert probe in probe mounting bracket.

3.	Tighten knurled probe nut on probe to secure it to bracket.

4.	Attach cable to probe.

Now the system can be calibrated.  Select Perform Cal under the Calibration menu.

Once this is done, a dialog box will appear that gives you instructions for performing the calibration.

With the probe left open in air, the display on the instrument will look similar to the one shown below.

Your display may look different depending on the instrument you are using.  Since this is an uncalibrated measurement, no two instruments will look the exactly same at this point.  Once you select OK in the dialog box, a measurement will be made and the display on the instrument will appear as shown below.

Next, the software will direct you to connect the shorting block.

Slide the short (circuit) onto the measurement end of the probe.  Tighten the knurled screw until the short makes good contact with the probe.  The measurement trace should appear tightly clustered on the left side of the polar chart on the network analyzer screen as shown below.

High frequency (up to 20 GHz) measurement traces are less tightly clustered as the one shown above.  Click on OK. When the measurement is complete, you will be instructed to remove the short circuit and place the probe in 25 °C water.   See the Software Reference to learn how to change the temperature setting.

Measure the temperature of a vial of deionized water with a thermometer.  It should be 25 °C.  Immerse the probe in the water by moving the water to the probe.  The network analyzer display should appear similar to the one shown below.

Click on OK.   When the calibration is complete, remove the probe from the water and dry it.  You may want to save the calibration by selecting Save Setup under the File menu.  You are now ready to make measurements.  A measurement can be made by selecting Trigger Measurement under the Measure menu.

When this is done, you will be directed to insert the probe into the material under test.  A similar set of instructions will appear next to the softkeys on the display of your analyzer.  Either the softkeys or the dialog box can be used to respond.

If you reinsert the probe into the water you used to calibrate the system, the analyzer’s display should look like the display below.

If you click OK, a measurement will be triggered.  The measurement should appear on the display of the computer as shown below.  This data can be saved to a file by selecting Save Data under the File menu.

This display above shows the Display menu opened.  If you select Data to Memory the following dialog box appears.

By selecting Memory 1, a copy of the measured water is made to this memory trace.  The Chart and Table will be updated to reflect this change.

Next, remove the water and dry the probe.  Insert the probe into the alcohol and trigger a measurement as before.  The display on the instrument will look similar to the one shown below.

When the measurement is complete, the display on the PC should look the one below.

Note that only the Data trace is changed.  The water measurement made earlier remains unchanged.  The Traces Displayed choice of the Display menu allows you to select which of the four valid traces are shown in the Chart and Table.

If you select only the Data selection and press OK, the displayed window will look like the one below.

The Chart menu allows you to select which parameter you want to plot.

The Autoscale selection automatically selects the scale for the displayed measurements.  When this is selected, the chart changes as shown below.

Alternatively, you can set the scale as desired using the Scale selection.  This dialog box allows you to set the scale to any value.

Selecting ε’’ from the Chart menu plots the measured loss factor.

Clicking on a point of interest turns on a marker.  Notice that the corresponding point in the Table is highlighted.

The marker can be moved by clicking at another location on the chart or a listed value in the table.  The up and down arrows on the PC keyboard also move the marker.  The marker can be turned off by clicking on the Marker item of the Display menu.

The Table menu allows you to select what is listed in the table.  One of two formats can be chosen.  Real (dielectric constant) and imaginary (loss factor) or real and loss tangent (ε’’/ε’).  The display below shows the same measurement with the real and loss tangent selected.

After working through this measurement tutorial, you should be familiar with the main operating techniques and features of the 85070C dielectric probe software.  Here’s how to improve your material measurement skills:

•	Use the program.

•	Refer to Software Reference, for details of each command and operation of the program.

•	See the glossary for help with unfamiliar terms.


In Case of Difficulty

Although the 85070C dielectric probe kit has been designed for convenience and ease of use, problems can arise.  Listed within this section are some common problems and their solutions.  To deal with problems associated with a specific instrument (like the computer, printer, or network analyzer) refer to its manual.

The topics are:

•	Common Problems and Solutions

•	Before You Contact Agilent Technologies ...

•	Error Messages


Common Problems and Solutions

Cable should be held in the same position during measurement as during calibration.  Hold the probe and cable with the mounting bracket and (optional) probe stand.  Its use is illustrated.

Deionized water should be used instead of tap water as a calibration standard for best measurement results.

Flatness of the probe is crucial for accurate measurements.  Visually inspect the measurement surface of the probe, especially the center portion.  Look for nicks, dents, discoloration, and other sign of stress.  Solid materials must also be flat.

Hardware problems should be resolved by referring to the manual of the instrument (network analyzer, printer, computer) at fault.

Non-repeatable measurements may be the result of excess cable flexing, poor or inconsistent contact of the MUT with the probe, temperature variation between measurements.

Probe, version A can be used with the 85070C software.  Make sure you select the correct probe under Configure Cal in the Calibration menu

If the short measurement does not resemble the example given, reposition the short on the probe end.  Make sure the short is in firm, even contact with the probe.  Short circuit measurements are unreliable if either the shorting block or the probe face is scratched.  Inspect each.  If the brass shorting block shows deep scratches, replace it.  If the surface of the probe shows deep scratches, replace it.

Temperature should be constant for best measurement results.  Avoid thermal shock.  Allow one-half hour for the probe to achieve temperature equalization if it has been subjected to temperature variations.  When deionized water is used as a calibration standard, it is important to enter the correct temperature and maintain that temperature during calibration and measurements.


Before You Contact HP...
Before You Contact Agilent Technologies...

If problems persist and you want to contact for Agilent Technologies, first

•	Save a copy of the setup file

Then log this information:

•	Product: for Agilent Technologies 85070C

•	Software revision:

•	Computer:

Operating system

Type of HP-IB or GPIB card

•	Network analyzer (and test set):

Network analyzer revision:

Network analyzer options:

•	Problem description:

•	Is the problem intermittent?

•	How can one duplicate the problem?

For more information about Agilent Technologies test and measurement products, applications, services,

and for a current sales office listing, visit our web site.

www.Agilent.com/

You can also contact one of the following centers and ask for a test and measurement sales representative.

United States:

Agilent Technologies Company

Test and Measurement Call Center

P.O. Box 4026

Englewood, CO 80155-4026

1 800 452 4844

Canada:

Agilent Technologies Canada Ltd.

5150 Sectrum Way

Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5G1

(905) 206 4725

Europe:

Agilent Technologies

European Marketing Centre

P.O. Box 999

1180 AZ Amstelveen

The Netherlands

(31 20) 547 9900

Japan:

Agilent Technologies Japan Ltd.

Measurement Assistance Center

9-1, Takakura-Cho, Hachioji-Shi,

Tokyo 192, Japan

Tel: (81) 426-56-7832

Fax: (81) 426-56-7840

Latin America:

Agilent Technologies

Latin American Region Headquarters

5200 Blue Lagoon Drive, 9th Floor

Miami, Florida 33126, U.S.A.

(305) 267 4245/4220

Australia/New Zealand:

Agilent Technologies Australia Ltd.

31-41 Joseph Street

Blackburn, Victoria 3130, Australia

1 800 629 485

Asia Pacific:

Agilent Technologies Asia Pacific Ltd.

17-21/F Shell Tower, Times Square,

1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay,

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2599 7777 Fax: (852) 2506 9285


Section 1:  Windows Error Messages
Window Error Messages and Warnings

Before contacting for Agilent Technologies, be sure to log any error messages or warnings.  The messages usually are in the form of a dialog box and often can be used to reveal the nature of the problem.


Operator's Check

The following procedure is a simple, effective means of checking the functionality of the cable, probe, and shorting block.  Use it for incoming inspection or routine system check.  Note that all of the items shipped with the product are listed in "General Information."

The topics are:

•	Procedure

•	In Case of Difficulty


Procedure

1.	Visually inspect the measurement surface of the probe with a magnifying glass or low powered microscope.  Look for nicks, dents, discoloration and other signs of stress especially in the center portion.

2.	Connect the probe to the dielectric probe cable and the cable to PORT 1 of the network analyzer.

3.	Secure the cable to prevent its movement during the next steps.  Cable movement may produce erroneous test results.

4.	Turn on the network analyzer and press PRESET.  This should set the analyzer to sweep from its lowest to highest frequency.

5.	Set the analyzer to polar format and turn on a marker.  Set the marker to the lowest frequency.

6.	Store the active trace in memory (on most analyzers, press Display Data -> Memory).

7.	Divide the data by memory to normalize the data (on most analyzers press Data/Memory).  If all of the connections are tight and the probe is OK, the network analyzer display should resemble the figure below.  There should be a small dot (the trace) on the right edge of the polar chart.  A blurry or elongated “dot” indicates that the connections or the probe are not stable.  In this case, remedy the situation before proceeding.

8.	Attach the short circuit to the probe.

a.	Back out the knurled screw by turning it counterclockwise until it stops.

b.	Slide the short onto the probe.

c.	Tighten the knurled screw until the short makes good contact with the probe.

9.	Observe the trace on the network analyzer display.  It should look like the figure below, concentrated at the far left side of the Smith chart.  It will not be as small a dot as the one you just observed on the right edge.  Nonetheless, such a trace indicates that the probe, short circuit and network analyzer are operating as designed.


In Case of Difficulty

If the short measurement does not resemble the example given, reposition the short on the probe end.  Make sure the short is in firm, even contact with the probe.  If trouble persists, refer to "In Case of Difficulty."


Ordering Supplies

This section lists the parts of the probe kit and explains how to order these and other parts.

Part Number	Description

85070-80003	remote switch assembly

85070-20028	probe mounting bracket

8120-6192	cable, standard, SMA (f) to SMA (f)

9301-1212	rubber vial stopper, 7xl3 mm

9301-1214	large glass vial

85070-60003	shorting block assembly

8710-2036	Probe assembly

1250-1743	adapter, type-N (m) to SMA (m)

1250-1746	adapter, 3.5 mm (m) to 7 mm

1810-0118	50 ohm 3.5 mm fixed load

85070-40002	rubber adapter for large vial

85070-20025	plug, knurled (part of 85070-60003)

85070-20026	block, shorting (part of 85070-60003)

85070-20027	clamp, body (part of 85070-60003)

Options

9301-1298	Option 001, probe stand

8120-6286	Option 002, cable, high-temperature SMA (f) to SMA (f)


Ordering Information

To order a part listed in the replaceable parts list, quote the part number, indicate the quantity required, and address the order to the nearest Agilent Technologies office.  For more information about Agilent Technologies test and measurement products, applications, services, and for a current sales office listing, visit our web site.

www.Agilent.com/

You can also contact one of the following centers and ask for a test and measurement sales representative.

United States:

Agilent Technologies Company

Test and Measurement Call Center

P.O. Box 4026

Englewood, CO 80155-4026

1 800 452 4844

Canada:

Agilent Technologies Canada Ltd.

5150 Sectrum Way

Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5G1

(905) 206 4725

Europe:

Agilent Technologies

European Marketing Centre

P.O. Box 999

1180 AZ Amstelveen

The Netherlands

(31 20) 547 9900

Japan:

Agilent Technologies Japan Ltd.

Measurement Assistance Center

9-1, Takakura-Cho, Hachioji-Shi,

Tokyo 192, Japan

Tel: (81) 426-56-7832

Fax: (81) 426-56-7840

Latin America:

Agilent Technologies

Latin American Region Headquarters

5200 Blue Lagoon Drive, 9th Floor

Miami, Florida 33126, U.S.A.

(305) 267 4245/4220

Australia/New Zealand:

Agilent Technologies Australia Ltd.

31-41 Joseph Street

Blackburn, Victoria 3130, Australia

1 800 629 485

Asia Pacific:

Agilent Technologies Asia Pacific Ltd.

17-21/F Shell Tower, Times Square,

1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay,

Hong Kong

 (852) 2599 7777 Fax: (852) 2506 9285


Literature

A variety of materials measurement literature exists.  This list is by no means complete but should prove helpful in providing directions for further reading.  The list is organized in three sections:  Agilent Technologies literature, public technical papers, and a list of authors in the field of materials measurements.


Hewlett-Packard Literature
Agilent Technologies Literature

To order for Agilent Technologies literature, contact the nearest Agilent Technologies office.

•	“Basics of Measuring the Dielectric Properties of Materials,” application note 1217-1, part number 5091-3300E, March 1992.

•	“16451B Dielectric Test Fixture,” data sheet, part number 5950-2368, May 1989.

•	“LCR Meters, Impedance Analyzers, and Test Fixtures,” selection guide, part number 5952-1430, January 1990.


Public Technical Papers

To obtain copies of these papers, contact the organization or publisher listed.

•	M. Afsar et al; “Measurement of the Properties of Materials”; proceedings of the IEEE, volume 74, number 1, January 1986.  This is an excellent short survey of many methods across wide frequency range.  With its 187 references, it is a good starting point for beginners.

•	H. M. Altschuler; “Dielectric Constant”; chapter 9 of “Handbook of Microwave Measurements” by M. Sucher and J. Fox; Wiley, 1963.  This is a good technical reference covering high frequency techniques.  It contains detailed procedures and equations (but using slotted line instead of a network analyzer).

•	ASTM; “Standard Test Methods for AC Loss Characteristics and Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Solid Electrical Insulating Materials”; Standard D-150-87; American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA 19103.  The US authority on testing methods features great technical depth on parallel-plate capacitor methods for low frequencies.

•	Richard G. Geyer; “Electrodynamics of Materials for Dielectric Measurement Standardization”; proceedings of the IEEE, IM-TC, January 1990.  A review of measurement concerns, standards, and traceability with examples of state-of-the-art measurements including NIST X-band cavity and the first public reference to Baker-Jarvis enhancement to S-parameter technique.

•	Deepak K. Ghodgaokar et al; “Free Space Method for Measurement of Dielectric Constants and Loss Tangents at Microwave Frequencies”; IEEE Transactions on IM volume 37 number 3, June 1989.  This describes the work at Penn States’s Center for Engineering of Electronic/Acoustic Materials.  The topic is the free-space method using spot-focusing antennas with an 8510B and TRL calibration.

•	Arthur R. von Hippel, ed; “Dielectric Materials and Applications”; MIT Press, 1954.  This book is over 45 years old, but still the bible on dielectrics and measurements; a good introduction to basics.


Other Authors

•	Stuart O. Nelson, US Department of Agriculture.  He has written many articles on microwave measurement of moisture in raw grains.

•	Stan Stuchley, U of Ottawa, Canada.  He is an authority on dielectric measurements using coax open-ended probe.

•	Gordon Kent, Dielectric Lab Inc.  He invented novel cavity methods and simplified equations to measure dielectric properties of ceramic substrates.


Glossary

The following entries are defined in terms of material measurements with the 85070C software.

absorption

to take in electro-magnetic energy, usually as heat

absorption bands

distinct frequency bands at which electro-magnetic energy is strongly coupled into a material and absorbed

AC loss

dielectric loss (as D for capacitors, but excluding DC “leakage”)

Cole-Cole plot

data format, with ε’’ on vertical axis and e’ on horizontal axis, with frequency as the independent parameter not displayed; lossy materials with relaxation mechanisms follow a semi-circle on these plots

conductivity

usually ionic dielectric loss; in dielectric measurements, does not mean true conduction (movement of electrons)

D

dissipation factor; usually measured for capacitors; D=tan δ

Debye functions

Simplified model to explain dielectric properties versus frequency, assuming that a simple rotational relaxation phenomenon is acting

δ

angle formed between the j-axis and vector representing the sum of storage and loss vectors; δ is small (nearly 0°) for low-loss materials, and large (up to about 45°) for lossy materials; see tan δ (used more often)

dielectric after-effect

polarization in a material lags behind the applied field in time; modeled by relaxation process; related to losses

dielectric constant

κ ratio of electric field storage capacity in a material to that of free space; usually means real (lossless) case only

dielectric loss

energy “lost” (absorbed) in material when applying an AC electric field; may be due to ionic, polar, atomic, or electronic mechanisms

dipolar

dielectric mechanism; see “rotational”

dipole

a structure where the net charge distribution can be represented by the two equal and opposite charges seperated by distance

dispersion

propogation characteristics change with frequency

dissipation factor

D; ratio of energy lost to energy stored (per cycle) in a system; same as tan δ, inverse of Q

Electronic

Dielectric mechanism (resonant, very weak, at very high frequencies), where the “orbits” of electrons around a nucleus are “stretched”

ε

symbol for absolute permittivity; εr is used more often

εr

symbol for relative permittivity (to free space); if complex, εr*= εr’ – j εr’’

free water

water molecules which are not “bound” and are free to orient themselves in an electric field

homogeneous

having uniform properties throughout; non-homogeneous materials are usually mixtures of two materials

induced dipoles

temporary dipoles, created by electric fields

ionic

a dielectric mechanism (fairly strong, lossy, operating at all frequencies), where mobile ionic charges migrate in a material

isotropic

properties do not vary with orientation; non-isotropic materials are usually fibrous or crystalline

κ

symbol for dielectric constant, and always relative to free space; if complex, κ*=κ’-jκ’’; equivalent to εr

loss angle

see δ

loss factor

see κ’’ or εr’’

loss index

see κ’’ or εr’’

loss tangent

see tan δ

MUT

Material Under Test

NDE

Non-Destructive Evaluation

non-destructive

attribute of test method, when material can be used for its end-purpose after testing

penetration depth

distance through a lossy dielectric over which the field strength falls by 1/ε, due to energy absorption

permanent dipoles

molecular structures that inherently have a non-symmetrical charge distribution

permeability

measure of effect a material has on magnetic fields; ratio of flux over field

permittivity

measure of effect a material has on electric fields; ratio of flux over field

phase angle

see θ

phase defect angle

see δ

polar

having permanent electric dipoles

polarize

to align dipoles in electric field

power factor

sinδ (or cosθ)

Q

see quality factor

quality factor

ratio of energy stored to energy lost (per cycle) in a system inverse of tan δ and D

relative permittivity

see εr

relaxation constant

see r

relaxation time

see r

relaxation wavelength

free-space wavelength corresponding to the frequency 1/r

restricted mobility dipoles

dipoles (such as H2O molecules) which are “bound” to a host material, and so are restricted in their ability to become oriented in an electric field

rotational

a dielectric mechanism (relaxation, fairly strong, often lossy, at moderate frequencies), where permanent dipoles (often entire molecules) “rotate” to align with an electric field

susceptor

material that can “respond” to electro-magnetic fields

tan δ

ratio of ε’’/ε’; indicates “lossiness” of material; typically varies from about 1.5 (high loss) to 10-5 (very high loss)

τ

relaxation time constant; for a simple substance, the time it takes for 1/ε of the constituent molecules to become aligned in response to an electric field

θ

angle between real-axis and vector representing sum of storage and loss vectors; θ=90°-δ


Software Reference

This chapter details the operations of each menu, command, and entry parameter in the 85070C dielectric probe software.  To learn how to perform basic software operations, refer to Getting Started.  To see how to perform a typical calibration and measurement sequence, see Measurement Tutorial.   The figure below shows the available menu choices and the toolbar.

File

Save or recall measurement setups or previous measurement results. Print copies of the measurement results in a tabular or graphical format.

Edit

Copy the measurement results to the clipboard. Either graph or the tabular listing can be copied. This allows your measurements results to be pasted into color applications.

View

Select the section you want to view.  Selection includes the toolbar, status bar, table of the measurement data and chart of the measurement data.

Calibration

Select the frequency range, number of points, linear or log sweep. Guided calibration sequence; choice of calibration materials or user-specified; refresh calibration for single standard, recalibration versus temperature.

Measure

Trigger a measurement

Chart

Select the format to be displayed on the chart. Choices include εr‘, εr ‘’, tan δ ,Cole-Cole. Set the scale factors either manually or automatically.  Select from linear, semi-log or log-log representation.

Table

Choose between a tabular formatting of real and imaginary or real and tan δ.

Display

Display current measurement data; save/display up to 3 memory traces; compare data to reference trace with trace math. Turn the marker on or off.

Preferences

Select your preferences of fonts, colors and annotations used to plot and list the measurement data.

Help

On line help including the product manual.

ToolBar

Provides single click access to the most important menu items.


File

Clicking on the File menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Open Setup File - Allows the user to open a previously saved setup file.  This file contains all the all the information pertaining to the measurement setup including the calibration, previous measurements and other preferences chosen at the time the file was saved.

Choose the file you desire and click OK.

•	Save Setup File - Allows the user to save the current setup.  The file created contains all the information pertaining to the measurement including the calibration, previous measurements.  If the current setup has not previously been saved, this choice is treated as ‘Save Setup File As’ described below.

•	Save Setup File As - Allows the user to save the current setup.  The file created contains all the information pertaining to the measurement including the calibration and previous measurements.

Enter the desired file name and click OK.

•	Open Data File - Allows the user to open a previously saved data file.  This file contains all the information pertaining to a measurement.

Choose the file you desire and click OK.  Next, you will be asked to select were you what to store the data.

Make your selection and click OK.

•	Save Data File  - Allows the user to save measurement data. First you will be asked which of the valid sets of data you want to save. The measurement is saved as tab separated text.  This file is compatible with most spreadsheet programs.

Make your selection and click OK.  Next enter the desired file name and click OK.

•	Include Sensitivity Data – When selected, the sensitivity data will be included. See Measurement Uncertainty for information on the use of sensitivity data.

•	Print Chart –  Prints the Chart (graph)

•	Print Chart Preview – Shows what the printed chart will look like.  Use Printer setup to change the orientation of the printed chart.

•	Print Table - Prints the Table (listing)

•	Print Table Preview – Shows what the printed table will look like.  Use Printer setup to change the orientation of the printed table.

•	Printer Setup – Allows the printer to be setup.  Exact behavior depends on the selected printer.


Edit

Clicking on the Edit menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Copy the chart – Copies the chart (graph) to the clipboard.  This allows this image to be pasted into other applications.

•	Copy the table – Copies the table (listing) to the clipboard.  This allows this text to be pasted into other applications such as spreadsheets.

•	Include Sensitivity Data – When selected, the sensitivity data will be included in Copy the table.  See Measurement Uncertainty for information on the use of sensitivity data.


View

Clicking on the View menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Toolbar – Toggles the toolbar.  When checked, the toolbar is visible.

•	Status Bar– Toggles the Status Bar.  When checked, the Status Bar is visible.

•	Chart only – When checked, only the Chart is shown.

•	Table only – When checked, only the Table is shown.

•	Chart and Table– When checked, both the Chart and Table are shown.


Calibration

Clicking on the Calibration menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Perform Cal - This selection guides the user through a calibration.  Calibration involves measuring three standards.  Below is an example of one of the possible dialog boxes giving user instructions.  See Measurement Tutorial for additional information.

•	Set Frequency – This selection allows the user to define the frequency range and sweep type of the calibration/measurement.

•	Configure Cal  -This selection allows the user to configure the calibration.  Two property page choices are available.  The first one allows the user to define the type of probe used, the type of calibration to be performed, the refresh standard and the temperature of the water standard.

Three calibration choices are available.  The first requires a measurement of a 50-ohm load connected to the end of the cable, measurement of the probe in air and measurement of the probe with the shorting block attached.  The second requires the measurement of the probe in air, with the shorting block attached to the probe and with the probe immersed in water.  The third allows the user to define calibration standards.  This type of calibration requires the measurement of the probe immersed in three liquids.  Three choices are available for the refresh standard.

The second property page, above, is used to define the liquids used in the user-defined calibration in terms of their Cole-Cole model coefficients.  A name that is used when the user is prompted to immerse the probe into the standard can be entered.

•	Refresh cal - After the calibration has been performed, the calibration can be refreshed by remeasuring one standard.  This is useful when measuring at a temperature other than the one at which the calibration was performed.  Below is a dialog box giving the operator instruction after this selection is made.

This example is for when air is selected as the refresh standard.


Measure

Clicking on the Measure menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Trigger Measurement – Making this choice causes the dialog box below to appear.

A similar message is given using the softkeys of the network analyzer.  Clicking OK on either the dialog box or the softkeys triggers a measurement.

•	Arm External Trigger – This feature does not work with the 8510, 8712 or 8714 network analyzers.  When selected the Remote Switch is used to trigger a measurement.  The Remote switch is connected to the external trigger connector on the back of the network analyzer.


Chart

Clicking on the Chart menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	ε’  – The real part of the complex permittivity (the dielectric constant) is plotted.

•	ε’’ – The imaginary part of the complex permittivity (the loss factor) is plotted.

•	Loss tangent e  – The ratio of the imaginary part (the loss factor) to the real part (the dielectric constant) of the complex permittivity (loss tangent) is plotted.

•	Cole-Cole –  loss factor is plotted vs. the dielectric constant.

•	Autoscale – Automatically selects the scale based on the traces displayed.

•	Set Scale – Allows the horizontal and vertical scales to be set.  Also allows the data to be plotted in a log, semi-log or log-log format.

•	Default – Resets the scale to their default values.


Table

Clicking on the Table menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Real and imaginary – Lists the real (dielectric constant) and imaginary (loss factor) parts of the complex permittivity.

•	Real and tan d – Lists the real (dielectric constant) and loss tangent (e’’/e’) of the complex permittivity.


Display

Clicking on the Display menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Data->Memory – This allows the current measurement to be copied to one of the memory locations.  This allows new measurements to be compared to previous measurements.

•	Traces Displayed – This allows the choice of which valid measurements are to be displayed.

•	Trace Math – Trace math is performed between two or more measurements.  This allows measurements to be compared.  All displayed measurements can be displayed as either the difference from or ratio to another measurement.

•	Marker – This toggles the marker on and off.


Preferences

•	Title – This selection allows you to type in a title for your measurement, select the font that you want your title to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default title with the one desired.  Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Subtitle  – This selection allows you to type in a subtitle for your measurement, select the font that you want your subtitle to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default subtitle with the one desired.  Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the ‘Color’ button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Time and Date – This selection allows you to set the time and date. It also allows you to select the font that you want the date and time to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the ‘Color’ button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Parameter font  – This selection allows you to select the font that you want the parameter (e’, e’’ etc) to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Scale font  – This selection allows you to select the font that you want your scale parameters to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Grid  – This selection allows you to select the grid line width and select the color of the grid.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Moving the slider will change the line width.

Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the grid lines.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Table font  – This selection allows you to select the font that you want your table to be printed with and select the color of the font.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Data  – This selection allows you to type in a label for your data, select the font that you want your data label to be printed with and select the color of the font and the line used to plot the data.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default label with the one desired.  Clicking on the ‘Font’ button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Memory 1  – This selection allows you to type in a label for Memory 1, select the font that you want the memory 1 label to be printed with and select the color of the font and the line used to plot memory 1.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default label with the one desired.  Clicking on the ‘Font’ button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Memory 2  – This selection allows you to type in a label for Memory 1, select the font that you want the memory 3 label to be printed with and select the color of the font and the line used to plot memory 3.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default label with the one desired.  Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	Memory 3  – This selection allows you to type in a label for Memory 3, select the font that you want the memory 3 label to be printed with and select the color of the font and the line used to plot memory 1.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Replace the default subtitle with the one desired.  Clicking on the Font button causes the font selection dialog box to appear as shown.

Select the desired font and size.  A sample of the font will be displayed.  Click on OK when satisfied or Cancel to revert back to the previously selected font.  Clicking on the Color button allows you to select the color of the font.  The color dialog box will appear.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

Select the desired color and click OK or click Cancel.

•	GPIB/Instrument – This selection allows to configure your measurement system.  When selected, the following dialog box appears.

Fill in the requested information or press Find to automatically find all the instruments connected to all the installed GPIB cards.  This takes several minutes.  The Test button allows you to confirm your entries.

•	Save as default – This selection saves the currently selected preferences in a file.  This information will be used each time the program is started.

•	Reset default– This selection restores the previously saved preferences.  This puts the software in a startup state.


Help

Clicking on the Help menu item causes the choices shown below to appear.

•	Help topics – This causes this help fine to run.

•	About 85070 – Gives information about the program.


ToolBar

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Open Setup

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Open Data

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Save Setup

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Save Data

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Copy the Chart

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Copy the Table

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Print Chart

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Print Table

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Perform Cal

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Chart and Table

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Chart only

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Table only

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Trigger Measurement

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as e'

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as e''

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Loss tangent e

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Cole - Cole

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Autoscale

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Set scale..

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Set scale..

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as real and imaginary

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as real and tan d

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Data->Memory...

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Trace Math...

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as Traces Displayed...

Clicking on this toolbar item is the same as About 85070C...


Software Requirements

Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0 or higher


Hardware Requirements

•	A PC capable of running one of the supported operating systems

•	The PC must have at least 10 Mbytes of free disc

•	The PC must have a CD-ROM drive

•	The PC must have one of the IEEE-488 interface cards supported listed below installed and operational

82335B

82340A/B

82341C/D/ ET/ES

82350A

National Instrument Card

•	A compatible network analyzer

8752A/C	300 kHz to 1.3 or 3 GHz

8753A/B/C/D/ET/ES	30 kHz to 3 or 6 GHz

8719A/C/D/ ET/ES	50 or 130 MHz to 13.5 GHz

8720A/B/C/D/ ET/ES	50 or 130 MHz to 20 GHz

8722A/C/D/ ET/ES	50 MHz to 40 GHz

8712ET/ES	300 kHz to 1.3 GHz

8714ET/ES	300 kHz to 3 GHz

8712B/C	300 kHz to 1.3 GHz

8714B/C	300 kHz to 3 GHz

8510B/C	45 MHz to 110 GHz

Note: The software will set the 8510B/C system bus.  It will set it to one more than the analyzer GPIB address if the analyzer address is even and one less if the analyzer address is odd.  For example, if the analyzer address is set to 16, the system bus will be set to 17 by the software.  If the analyzer address were set to 19, the system bus would be set to 18.  It is important that no two devices on the GPIB bus have the same address.

•	An 85070A/B/C probe kit


Installation Procedure

To install the 85070C software on your computer, simply place the CD in the CD drive of the computer.  This will launch the installation program.  If the installation is not automatically launched, do the following.

•	Click on the Windows Start button.

•	Select the Control Panel under the Settings Menu

•	Double click on  Add/Remove Programs

•	Click on Install.

 The install program will guide you through the rest of the installation.


Basic Operation

After you have installed the software, the program can be started two ways.  One way is to double click on the program’s icon on your Window’s Desktop.

Another way is to select the program from the Windows Start Menu.

The first time you run the program, you will be asked to identify the type of GPIB card installed in your computer and the model of network analyzer you are using.

Consult the manuals for your GPIB card and network analyzer for the correct information to enter.  Pressing the Test button will check for correct entry.  Pressing the Find button will automatically search for your correct configuration.  This process will take several minutes.

You are now ready to make measurements.  The Measurement Tutorial outlines the basic operations for making a measurement.  The Software Reference gives a complete description of the menus and dialog boxes.