A Calibration Method for RF and Microwave Noise Sources

Uncertainties in noise-figure and noise-parameter measurements depend to a large degree on the accuracy with which noise sources are calibrated. In some cases, the uncertainties are similar to measured quantities. This paper discusses a method for calibration of RF and microwave noise sources agains...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques 2011-01, Vol.59 (1), p.178-187
Main Author: Belostotski, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Calibration
Circuit properties
Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits
Electronics
Equations
Exact sciences and technology
excess noise ratio (ENR)
Frequency measurement
Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits
Microwaves
Monte Carlo methods
Noise
noise figure
Noise levels
Noise measurement
noise parameters
noise source
Radio frequencies
Radiocommunications
Receivers
Telecommunications
Telecommunications and information theory
Temperature measurement
Transmitters. Receivers
Uncertainty
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Summary:Uncertainties in noise-figure and noise-parameter measurements depend to a large degree on the accuracy with which noise sources are calibrated. In some cases, the uncertainties are similar to measured quantities. This paper discusses a method for calibration of RF and microwave noise sources against a reference noise source. This method takes into account noise parameters of the receiver used for noise power measurements and includes temperature corrections to account for both drifts in the ambient temperature and heat transfer between the receiver and noise sources. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. As estimated with a Monte Carlo analysis, a uncertainty of 0.046 dB for a 5-dB excess-noise-ratio (ENR) noise source is obtained with the proposed method. This uncertainty is approximately one third of ENR uncertainties reported for commercial noise sources.
ISSN:0018-9480
1557-9670
DOI:10.1109/TMTT.2010.2086066