What is a Vector Network Analyzer?

A vector network analyzer (VNA) is an extremely sophisticated instrument capable of characterizing impedance of electrical networks with measurements offering magnitude and phase details that enable thorough behavioral insights. The device under test (DUT) often tends to be used in radio frequency (RF) applications that involve understanding the response of things such as individual components, cables, antennas, filters, amplifiers, and much more. In all cases, it is the job of the VNA to compare its source signal to measurements of reflected and transmitted signals, yielding impedance and scattering parameter (S-parameter) data to inform the user of a device’s power-handling capabilities.