This work investigates sources of measurement errors that result for common mode/differential mode (CM/DM) separators in a practical measurement environment, with a particular focus on the recently presented input impedance criterion for CM/DM separators, derives the respective analytical expressions, and employs a detailed analytical model to verify the obtained findings. Furthermore, a method is derived, which determines the worst-case measurement error by reason of cross coupling for given measured DM and CM output voltage components. Based on an example, this work illustrates how the obtained expressions can be advantageously used in a computer program to automatically decide whether a particular spectral measurement component represents a useful measurement result or if it is strongly affected by cross coupling (CM to DM and DM to CM). Finally, the paper presents the realization and accompanying experimental results of an active CM/DM separator, which allows for low realization effort and features competitive separation capabilities (DMTR/CMRR > 50 dB and CMTR/DMRR > 42 dB for frequencies up to 10 MHz).
QC 20170330