Picotest

05/25/2026

Your simulation says the power integrity and PDN impednace is fine. Your hardware says otherwise.

The mismatch usually traces back to one place: the capacitor and ferrite bead models you're using were never measured properly.

The new Picotest Component Test Fixture (CTF), paired with the Bode 100 or Bode 500 VNA, or other VNA, gives you impedance and S-parameter measurements up to 3 GHz with pH-level fidelity — accurate enough to extract ESL, ESR, and full equivalent circuits that actually correlate with what's on your board.

What that earns you:

→ More Accurate simulation (SPICE/ADS/Simplis) models built from real measurements, not vendor datasheets
→ Better-targeted decoupling — smaller BOM, less board area
→ Confident PDN simulation from DC into the GHz range
→ Fewer late-cycle EMC and stability surprises

Designed specifically to solve the calibration limitations of the Bode platform.
Full breakdown of what's new in the Bode 100/500 ecosystem →

The OMICRON Lab Bode 100 and the newer Bode 500 VNAs have evolved significantly over the past 1–2 years. Combined with new Picotest accessories, software enhancements, and application workflows, today’s Bode platform supports measurements and modeling capabilities that previously required multip...

05/18/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined Steve Sandler and Tektronix's Seamus Brokaw on this week's "Hidden Measurement Errors in AI Data Center Power Integrity" webinar.

If you would like to watch the archived version of the webinar, simply click the following URL: https://app.webinar.net/r/boeY9Rz9gjX

The recurring theme: PDN measurements in high-current, fast-switching environments fail quietly. The waveform looks fine. The numbers look fine. The setup is the problem.

Three places measurements go sideways — and the Picotest gear built specifically for each:

→ J2154A, https://www.picotest.com/product/j2154a-perfectpulse-differential-tdr/
→ P2105A, https://www.picotest.com/product/p2105a-power-rail-tdr-and-impedance-probe/
→ P2104A, https://www.picotest.com/product/p2104a-1-port-transmission-line-pdn-probe/
→ J2115A, https://www.picotest.com/product/j2115a-probe-coaxial-isolator/
→ Port Saver - https://www.picotest.com/product/port-saver-instrument-protection-dc-block/

05/06/2026

The Picotest Load Stepper is built for transient load testing.

The Picotest browser probe and full custom Load Stepper board solutions are built for transient load testing in demanding power integrity and power supply environments.
The s2000 setup supports load steps up to 2000 A per nanosecond and helps engineers assess ultra-low impedance, transient response, and overall power supply performance in high-current power systems.
For teams working on high-power rails, fast transients, and full power supply characterization, this is about getting cleaner, more repeatable insight into real system behavior.

View more about the Load Stepper here - https://www.picotest.com/product/transient-load-steppers-for-power-systems-test-and-vrm-pdn-validation/

05/04/2026

AI data centers are pushing power delivery networks past where typical measurement setups can keep up. Massive currents, fast transients, and a probing system that can quietly lie to you if probe flatness, CMRR, or ground loops aren't handled correctly.

On Wednesday, May 13, Picotest's Steve Sandler and Tektronix's Seamus Brokaw team up for a Tech Briefs webinar on the hidden measurement errors that distort power integrity validation — and the practical techniques that fix them.

What you'll take away:
– Common measurement errors that affect PDN validation
– How probe flatness, CMRR, and noise change what your waveform actually shows
– Techniques to reduce ground loops and measurement noise
– Best practices for reliable PDN measurement in AI data center systems

45 minutes + live audience Q&A. Two sessions so you can pick your time zone:
Session 1 — 8:00 AM PDT / 5:00 PM CEST (EMEA-friendly)
Session 2 — 5:00 PM PDT / 8:00 AM CST, May 14 (APAC-friendly)

Register: https://app.webinar.net/r/boeY9Rz9gjX

04/20/2026

Output impedance and poor stability.
A quick example of how output impedance can reveal a control loop mismatch and poor stability in a power rail.
Using the Picotest P2102A 2-Port Probe, this setup shows how engineers can evaluate PDN impedance, identify spikes that point to instability, and inspect the effect of decoupling on the rail.

04/15/2026

The Picotest Load Stepper is built for transient load testing.
The Picotest browser probe and full custom Load Stepper board solutions are built for transient load testing in demanding power integrity and power supply environments.
The s2000 setup supports load steps up to 2000 A per nanosecond and helps engineers assess ultra-low impedance, transient response, and overall power supply performance in high-current power systems.
For teams working on high-power rails, fast transients, and full power supply characterization, this is about getting cleaner, more repeatable insight into real system behavior.

04/13/2026

P2102A 2-Port Probe
A quick look at using the Picotest P2102A 2-Port Probe in a two-port shunt-through setup to measure output and PDN impedance and evaluate power supply stability.

04/08/2026

CTF: From Accurate Measurement to Model
Measurement accuracy directly determines model quality. Using the Picotest Component Test Fixture (CTF), engineers can capture repeatable, calibrated data that translates into reliable, measurement-based models. The CTF works with any VNA that can perform a 2-port shunt-through measurement.
A clear example is current shunt characterization. Using CTF, the measured inductance of an ultralow insertion loss current shunt is 21 pH—a result that would be obscured or distorted by uncontrolled fixturing. This level of accuracy enables models that reflect actual component behavior across frequency, improving correlation between simulation and hardware.
CTF supports a disciplined path from accurate measurement to trustworthy models, reducing uncertainty and increasing confidence in design decisions.
Shop the CTF - https://www.picotest.com/product/component-test-fixture-ctf/

03/25/2026

In a world increasingly full of AI images - here are the BTS of a pic we posted in Feb
Did you see this post and have any thoughts about the image?
Here are the unedited BTS - it is truly a real-life shot of the DC Block with a Tesla Coil lightning arc, perfectly shot by Steve Sandler.
https://www.picotest.com/product-type/dc-block/

03/19/2026

Struggling with inconsistent component measurements and inaccurate simulation results that don't match your test data?
The Picotest Component Test Fixture('CTF') App Note describes proven techniques for component characterization and test that help reduce errors, control parasitics, and greatly improve your models. Get confidence in your test and modeling results with the Picotest CTF!
* Tests all types of passive elements with pH accuracy!
* DC Bias up to 75V
* Works with all types of VNAs - Great for Bode 100 and Keysight E5061B Users
* Takes full advantage of the Bode Analyzer Circuit Fit Modeling feature
🔗 Download the App Note: CTF-Blog.pdf