Dicaliant
Dicaliant provides a digital twin technology (DDT) that models the four distinct physical sections of pigtail cables used in Vector Network Analyzer measurements, enabling accurate RF impedance measurements directly on PCBs at frequencies up to 8.5 GHz. The method, validated in peer-reviewed IEEE conference publications, de-embeds cable effects to move the measurement reference plane to the cable tip, transforming distorted impedance readings into near-pure open-circuit responses.
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) measurements of PCB impedance using unconnectorized coaxial cables, or pigtails, suffer from severe calibration errors at gigahertz frequencies. Standard port extension assumes a uniform transmission line, but real pigtails consist of four distinct sections, causing measured impedance to rotate unpredictably around the Smith chart and making direct-on-PCB measurements unreliable.
Solution
Dicaliant develops a digital twin technology—called DDT (Dicaliant Digital Twin)—that models the four distinct physical sections of a pigtail cable to create an accurate mathematical representation of any pigtail sample. By de-embedding the DDT model, the measurement reference plane moves to the tip of the pigtail at the shell edge of the coaxial cable. This method transforms what appears as a wildly rotated impedance response into a nearly pure open-circuit response, enabling accurate impedance measurement directly on PCB. The approach is validated through peer-reviewed publications, including a calibration method tested up to 8.5 GHz and presented at the European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2025).
Target Audience
Primary users are RF engineers, antenna designers, and electronics manufacturers who perform VNA-based impedance measurements on PCBs and need accurate results without connectorized test fixtures.
Features
- Digital twin model that identifies and characterizes the four distinct sections of a pigtail cable, replacing the uniform transmission line assumption
- Accurate de-embedding of pigtail effects to move the measurement reference plane to the physical tip of the cable
- Operates across the 1.0–8.5 GHz frequency range for direct-on-PCB impedance measurements
- Validated methodology published in IEEE conference proceedings, including EuCAP 2020 and EuCAP 2025 papers
- Calibration accuracy verification method using T-Check tests for validating measurement standards