Precision Measurement of Microwave Thermal Noise

Comprehensive resource covering the foundations and analysis of precision noise measurements with a detailed treatment of their uncertainties

Precision Measurement of Microwave Thermal Noise presents the basics of precise measurements of thermal noise at microwave frequencies and guides readers through how to evaluate the uncertainties in such measurement. The focus is on measurement methods used at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), but the general principles and methods are useful in a wide range of applications. Readers will learn how to perform accurate microwave noise measurements using the respected author’s expertise of calculations to aid understanding of the challenges and solutions.

The text covers the background required for the analysis of the measurements and the standards employed to calibrate radiofrequency and microwave radiometers. It also covers measurements of noise temperature (power) and the noise characteristics of amplifiers and transistors. In addition to the usual room-temperature two-port devices, cryogenic devices and multiport amplifiers are also discussed. Finally, the connection of these lab-based measurements to remote-sensing measurement (especially from space) is considered, and possible contributions of the lab-based measurements to remote-sensing applications are discussed.

Specific topics and concepts covered in the text include:

• Noise-temperature standards, covering ambient standards, hot (oven) standards, cryogenic standards, and other standards and noise sources
• Amplifier noise, covering definition of noise parameters, measurement of noise parameters, uncertainty analysis for noise-parameter measurements, and simulations and strategies
• On-wafer noise measurements, covering on-wafer microwave formalism, noise temperature, on-wafer noise-parameter measurements, and uncertainties
• Multiport amplifiers, covering formalism and noise matrix, definition of noise figure for multiports, and degradation of signal-to-noise ratio

Containing some introductory material, Precision Measurement of Microwave Thermal Noise is an invaluable resource on the subject for advanced students and all professionals working in (or entering) the field of microwave noise measurements, be it in a standards lab, a commercial lab, or academic research.