3.

2 Noise

1
Outline

Thermal noise, noise power and noise temperature

Noise in RLC single-ports

Noise in diodes and photodiodes

2-port and multi-port noise parameters

Noise temperature and noise parameter measurements

2
Thermal noise, noise power, noise temp
2 definitions of Tn
Tn  T of resistor for given pn
pn
T n≡
k
3 definitions of noise power density, pn

[ ]
hf
Planck, kT
pn Planck =kT hf
kT
e −1
R− J
Rayleigh-Jeans (from Planck), pn =kT

[ ]
hf
kT hf
Callen-Welton p nC −W = p n Planck  p n vac =kT 
hf
kT
2
e −1
3
Difference between Tn and T for a resistor

T n R− J =T

[ ]
hf
kT
T n Planck =T hf
kT
e −1

[ ]
hf
C −W kT hf
Tn =T 
hf
kT
2k
e −1

A.R. Kerr and J. Randa, “ Thermal Noise and Noise Measurements –

A 2010 Update,” IEEE Microwave Magazine, pp.40-52, October 2010.

4
Lossy Single-Port Noise: Resistor

1
2
v n =4 k T f R R=
G
−2 3 −1
k =1.38×1 0 JK

2
i n =4 k T f G v n f =
 R
1k 
×4.06
nV
 Hz

5
Lossy Single-Port Resistor + Inductor

v n2 =4k T f R 1
R=
G

2 v n2 4k T  f G
i =
n 2 2 2
= 2 2 2
R  L 1 L G

6
Lossy Single-Port Noise: Resistor || Capacitor

i n2=4k Tf G 1
R=
G
2
2 in 4k T  f R
v = 2 2 2=
n
G  C 12 C2 R2

7
Example: series L-R series + shunt C-R

8
Diode Noise v2n s v ns 2 =4 k T  f Rs

RS
Intrinsic noise
sources inj, vns
CJ i2n j
RJ
2 I d
inj =2 q f I d K 1 f
f
Equivalent input
thermal noise
sources: vn or in
v2n

Equivalent noise RS RS
conductance
CJ CJ i2n
i 2
n q Id 1 RJ RJ
Ge ≝ ≈ =
4 kT f 2 k T 2 R j
9
Photodetectors

PIN diodes: M = 1, F(M) = 1

APDs: M = 10..50, F(M) = 5 .. 10
where: M is the multiplication factor and
F(M) is the noise factor of the photo-diode

I p h=RM P; R= diode responsivity and P= optical power

2
i n , p h=2 q I f =2 q f RM PM I dark  MF M

RPI dark M 2 FM  1

Pm i n= ×  2 qf I dark FM
Gseq = R
2kT
q
10
Noise source Te and ENR

White noise Te
No Re No Re
source
Re

Te = equivalent (thermal) noise temperature of

a white noise source
ENR = excess noise ratio ENRdB=10 log 10  T e −T 0
T0 
T0 = reference temperature, typically 290 oK.

11
 Multi-port noise representations: Y-params
One noise current source exiting each port
Y correlation matrix I1 I1

V1 V1

[][ ][ ] [ ]
Noiseless i 2n1
I1 Y 11 Y 12 . . Y 1n V 1 i n1 Noisy n-port
n-port
I2 Y 21 Y 22 . . Y 2n V 2 i n2 network
network
I2 I2
. = . . . . . .  . [Y] [Y]
V2
. . . . . . . . V2 i 2n2
In Y n1 Y n2 . . Y nn V n . i nn

[ ]
〈 i n1 , i *n1 〉 〈i n1 , i *n2 〉 . . 〈 i n1 , i *nn 〉
* * * In In
〈i n2 , i n1 〉 〈 i n2 , i n2 〉 . . 〈i n2 , i nn 〉
Vn
[ C y ]= . . . . . Vn i 2nn
. . . . .
* * *
〈 i nn , i n1 〉 〈i nn , i n2 〉 . . 〈 i nn , i nn 〉

For passive network: [Cy] = 4 kT f Re{[Y]}

12
 Multi-port noise representations: Z-params
One noise voltage source at each port
I1
Z correlation matrix I1
V1 Noiseless 2 V1
v n1

[ ][ ][ ] [ ]
Noisy n-port
V1 Z 11 Z 12 . . Z 1n I 1 v n1 n-port
network network
V2 Z 21 Z 22 . . Z 2n I 2 v n2 I2 I2
[Z] [Z]
. = . . . . . .  . V2 V2
v 2n2
. . . . . . . .
Vn Z n1 Z n2 . . Z nn I n . v nn

[ ]
〈v n1 , v *n1 〉 〈v n1 , v *n2 〉 . . 〈v n1 , v *nn 〉 In In
* * *
〈v n2 , v n1 〉 〈v n2 , v n2 〉 . . 〈v n2 , v nn 〉 Vn Vn
v 2nn
[ C z ]= . . . . .
. . . . .
* * *
〈v nn , v n1 〉 〈v nn , v n2 〉 . . 〈v nn , v nn 〉

For passive network: [Cz] = 4 kT f Re{[Z]}

13
 Multi-port noise representations: noise wave
One noise wave emanating from each port
wave correlation matrix
b 2n1

[ ][ ][ ] [ ]
b1 S1 1 S1 2 . . S1 n a 1 bn1 a1 Noiseless a1
b1 b1Te 1
b2 S2 1 S2 2 . . S2 n a 2 bn2 Noisy n-port n-port
network network b 2n2
. = . . . . . .  . [S] [S]
. . . . . . . . a2 a2 T
bn Sn 1 Sn 2 . . Sn n a n . bnn Z0 b2 Z0 b2 e 2

[ ]
〈b n 1 , b *n 1 〉 〈 b n 1 , b *n 2 〉 . . 〈b n 1 , b *n n 〉
〈b n 2 , b *n 1 〉 〈 b n 2 , b *n 2 〉 . . 〈b n 2 , b *n n 〉 2
b nn
[ C S ]= . . . . . an an T
. . . . . bn bn e n

〈b n n , b *n 1 〉 〈 b n n , b *n 2 〉 . . 〈b n n , b *n n 〉
+
For passive network: [C S ]=k T  f [U ]−[ S ][ S ] 
14
Other Noisy 2-Port (only) Correlation Matrices

I1 Noisy 2-port I2 Noisy two-port with internal noise sources

Y,Z,G,H,S or V2
V1
ABCD matrix which can be represented as:

2
I1 I2 v n1
Noiseless
V1 Noisy 2-port V2 H-matrix i2n2
H-matrix 2-port

[ ]
* *

[ ][
V1
I2
=
H 11 H 12 I 1
H 21 H 22 V 2 ][ ] [ ]

v n1
i n2
[ C h ]=
〈v n1 , v n1 〉 〈v n1 , i n2 〉
〈 i n2 , v *n1 〉 〈 i n2 , i *n2 〉

15
 Two-port Correlation Matrices: G

I1
2
I2 Noiseless v n2

V1 Noisy 2-port V2 G-matrix

i2n1
G-matrix 2-port

[ ][ ][ ] [ ] [ ]
* *
I1 G G 12 V 1 i 〈 i n1 i n1 〉 〈 i n1 v n2 〉
= 11  n1 [ C g ]=
V 2 G 21 G 22 I 2 v n2 *
〈v n2 i n1 〉 〈v n2 v n2 〉
*

16
 Correlation Matrices: ABCD

I1 I2 v 2n
Noiseless
V1 Noisy 2-port V2 ABCD-mat
i2n
ABCD-matrix 2-port

[ ]
* *

[ ] [ ][ ] [ ]
V1
I1
= A B V2
C D −I 2

vn
in
[ C A ]=
〈 v n v n 〉 〈v n i n 〉
*
〈 in vn〉 〈 in in〉
*

17
 Noise Correlation Matrix Transformations

[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
* *
1 −Z 11 1 0 −Y 11 1 −Y 11 −Y 22
[ C z ]= 0 −Z [ C A ] −Z * −Z * ; [ C y ] = −Y 0 [ C A ] 1 0
22 11 22 22

+ +
[ z]
C = [ Z ] [ y]
C [ Z ] ; [C z ]=[U ][ Z ][C S ][U ][ Z ]

+ +
[C y ]=[ Y ] [ C z ] [ Y ] ; [C y ]=[U ][Y ][C S ][U ][Y ]

1 + 1 +
[C S ]= [U ][S ][C y ][U ][ S ] ; [C S ]= [U ]−[S ][C Z ][U ]−[S ]
4 4

*
2 2
Im c nn =Im v = Im i = Im b =0
2 c ki =c ik
nn nn nn

18
Method to form the noise admittance
correlation matrix of an n-port

Cy[i,i] = sum of all noise currents connected to node i

Cy[i,j] = negative of sum of all noise currents between i

and j

If j = GND, the noise current is only added to C y[i,i]

19
 Example:
C2
C2
R2
P1 R2 P2 P2
P1

2
C3 i n1 i 2n2 C3
R1 R1

[
[C Y ]=
i 2n1i 2n2 −i 2n2
−i 2n2 i 2n2 ]
=4kT  f
−G 2 [
G 1G 2 −G 2
G2 ]
20
Noise Factor of a 2-port driven by a signal
source

2-port with input equivalent noise sources (sign is not important)

Noise of signal source is typically thermal: i2sn= 4kTf Re{Ys }

Signal source may be a photodiode: i2sn= 4kTfGseq ; Ys = jCD

Gseq is due to dark current and optical power.

21
Deriving the Noise Factor of the 2-Port

Yin, gm

Find input shortcircuit current iscn due to isn, in, vn by superposition

Input short circuit current iscsn due to isn

2
i scn
Determine F as the ratio: F= 2
i scsn

22
 Two-Port Noise Parameters (1)

Noise admittance formalism Noise resistance formalism

v n =v n ; i n =i u i c =i u Ycor v n i n =i n ; v n =v u v c =v u Z cor i n

2 2 2
vn iu vu i n2
Rn = Gu = Ru = Gn =
4kT f 4kT f 4kT f 4kT f

in v x v n i nx
Ycor=
n
=Gcor  j Bcor Z cor = 2
=Rcor j X cor
v n2 in

23
Two-Port Noise Parameters (2)

2 2 2
v n ∣Ycor Ys∣ iu 2
i n ∣Z ' 2
Z s∣ vu
2
F=1  2
 2 F=1 
cor

i sn i sn v sn
2
v sn
2

Rn 2 Gu Gn 2 Ru
F=1  ∣Ycor Ys∣  F=1  ∣Z cor Z s∣ 
Gs Gs Rs Rs

Rn 2 Gn 2
F=FMIN ∣Ys −Ysopt∣ F=FMIN ∣Z s −Z sopt∣
Gs Rs

Constant Noise Circles on Smith Chart

24
Two-Port Noise Parameters (3)

Y sop=Gsopt jBsopt Zsopt =Rsopt  j Xsopt

Fmin=12RnGcor Gsopt  Fmin=12GnRcor Rsopt 

 2Gu
Gsopt = G  ;Bsopt =−Bcor
cor
Rn  Ru
2
Rsopt = R  ; Xsopt =−Xcor
cor
Gn

1 x Zcor 2 Ru
Ysop= Y =
cor 2 Rn=Gn∣Zsopt∣ Gu= 2
Zsopt ∣Zsopt∣ ∣Zsopt∣

25
Two-Port Noise Circles
2
Rn ∣ s− sopt∣
F s =Fmin 4
Z0 1−∣ ∣2 ∣1 2
S sopt∣

r=
i
 2
N N 1−∣
i i ∣
sopt
2

1Ni
 sopt
Ci=
1N i
F i −F min 2
Ni = ∣1 sopt∣
4 rn
Constant Noise Circles
on Smith Chart
26
Correlation Matrix and 2-Port Noise Parameters

[ ]
FMIN −1
Rn −R n Y *opt
[ ][
* *

[ CA ]=
〈 v n1 vn1
*
〈in1 vn1 〉
〉 〈 v n1 in1
*
〈in1 in1 〉
〉
=
Cuu * C ui *
C iu * Cii *]=
FMIN −1
2
−R n Y opt
2
R n∣Yopt∣
2

 [  ]
2

Y opt =
Cii
Cuu
−ℑ
Cui
*

Cuu *
*

*
j ℑ
 
Cui
Cuu
*

Cui Cuu Y *opt

* *

FMIN =1
kT
Cuu *

R n=
kT From Stephen Maas’ “Noise”
27
Correlation Matrix and 2-Port Noise Parameters

[ ][ ]
* * 2 *
〈in1 i 〉 〈in1 i 〉 GuRn∣Y11−Ycor∣
n1 n2 Rn Y21 Y 11−Ycor 
[ C y ]= * *
= * * 2
〈in2 i 〉 〈in2 i 〉
n1 n2 R n Y 21 Y 11−Y cor  Rn∣Y 21∣

Cy22 C y12
R n= 2
Y cor =Y11− Y 21
∣Y21∣ C y22

2
Gu=C y11−Rn∣Y 11−Y cor∣

From Stephen Maas’ “Noise”

28
 Noise in Passive 2-ports

A lossless passive 2-port has NFMIN=0 dB

In a lossy passive 2-port the noise figure is equal to the

insertion loss.

If a noisy 2-port is cascaded with a lossless passive 2-port

the minimum noise figure is preserved.

Hence the popularity of reactive matching networks in

tuned LNA design

29
Two-Port Noise Temperature Measurements
R, T1 (hot)
Ta N1
G, ∆f N2

R, T2 (cold)
N1=GkT 1  f GkT a  f ; N2=GkT 2  f GkTa  f
N1 T1T a T 1−YT 2
Y= = ; T a=
N2 T 2 T a Y−1
Also know as the Y-factor measurement

Measures output noise for two loads at significantly different

temperatures connected at the input of the two-port

30
Two-Port Noise Parameter Measurements

Rn 2
Fk =FMIN ∣Y sk −Y sopt∣
Gsk

Want small Rn for insensitivity to source noise impedance

mismatch

31
Two-Port Noise Parameter Measurements (2)

The 4 noise parameters are measured indirectly using a

Noise Figure Meter

Measure noise figure for 4 or more different source

impedances and solve for the noise parameters:
Rn 2
Fk =FMIN ∣Y sk −Y sopt∣
Gsk

k = 1..4..
Choice of Ysk is critical to meas. accuracy

32
 Summary

NF is a function of signal source impedance and of the 4 noise

parameters of the 2-port

For a 2-port there is an optimum signal source impedance

which minimizes NF

To achieve NFMIN the 2-port must be "noise-matched"

Noise matching can be achieved using negative feedback or

(lossless) impedance transformation techniques

The noise figure of a passive 2-port is equal to its insertion loss.

33