Estimation of the microwave load parameters' measurement error, caused by imperfection of the probe, used for study of the electromagnetic wave’s phase distribution in the transmission line

The study concerns the influence of a non-ideal probe on a measurement error of the complex parameters of microwave nodes in the implementation of the quadrature measurement method based on the analysis of the electromagnetic wave’s phase distribution in the transmission line. A mathematical model of the quadrature measurement method has been developed using an imperfect probe, and relations have been obtained that allow one to calculate measurement errors. A program for error modelling and calculating was developed and multiple numerical studies were performed using this program. It is shown that for practically important cases, the relative error in the measurement of the module does not exceed 0.5%, and the absolute error of the argument does not exceed 2 degrees.