Redundant Measurements in Microwave Research and Development

Capability and accuracy of microwave measuring methods and instruments can be substantially improved by the use of general-purpose digital computers. One of the fruitful applications is concerned with redundant measurements and their evaluation. In a redundant measurement more data are measured than would be necessary for a singular evaluation and the excess information is used to reduce measurement errors. Redundant measurements are advantageous for sophisticated microwave measurements where the final results can be determined only by tedious graphical or numerical transforms of measured data. Redundant measuring methods also can be used to verify network or device models and, to determine the parameters of these models. The evaluation of redundant measurements can be carried out in simple cases by averaging and generally by fitting the hypothetical parameters to the measured data (e.g., by least-square error method) or by using integral transform (e.g., Fourier transform) techniques. Digital computers enable one to make fast and accurate evaluations.