Hostname: page-component-7857688df4-qtpdn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-12T17:59:56.365Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The accurate comparison (or calibration) of solid-state noise sources made simple

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 July 2014

René P. Meys Open the ORCID record for René P. Meys [Opens in a new window]  and
Fayçal Boukerroum
René P. Meys*
Affiliation:
Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium. Phone: +32 26 503 062
Fayçal Boukerroum
Affiliation:
NDT Laboratory, Jijel University, Jijel, Algeria
*
Corresponding author: René P. Meys Email: rmeys@ulb.ac.be
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The accurate comparison (or calibration) of conventional solid-state noise sources is often thought to be a difficult process that only specialized laboratories can perform. In this paper, the uncertainties due to the impedance differences between the sources and their on and off states are emphasized and a simple formula is developed that makes them negligible. It requires an isolator being used in front of the receiver. In the experimental section, the errors associated with common practice are evidenced and compared to what can be achieved through the correction formula.

Keywords

Low-noise and communication receiversMicrowave measurements

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 7 , Issue 5 , October 2015 , pp. 491 - 497
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

[1]Pozar, D.M.: Microwave and RF Design of Wireless Systems, Wiley, New York, 2001, pp. 89, 88, 196, 92, 95.Google Scholar
[2]Agilent Technologies Inc.: Agilent noise source calibration using the Agilent N8975A noise figure analyzer and the N2002A noise source test set, Santa Clara, California, 2007. Available at: http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5988-7229EN.pdfGoogle Scholar
[3]Agilent Technologies Inc.: Noise figure measurement accuracy –The y-factor method, Santa Clara, California, 2004. Available at: http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5952-3706E.pdfGoogle Scholar
[4]Agilent Technologies Inc.: Agilent 8757D scalar network analyzer, Santa Clara, California, 2005. Available at: http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5091-2471E.pdfGoogle Scholar
[5]Williams, G.L.: A broadband radiometer for calibrating mismatched noise sources. IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 40 (2) (1991), 443–445.Google Scholar
[6]Williams, G.L.: Measuring amplifier noise on a noise source calibration radiometer. IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 44 (2) (1995), 340–442.Google Scholar
[7]Wait, D.F.: Radiometer noise equation for noise comparison radiometer. IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 44 (2) (1995), 336–339.Google Scholar
[8]Randa, J.; Terrell, L.A.: Noise-temperature measurement system for the WR-28 band, Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol., Boulder, Colorado, Tech. Note 1395, 1997. Available at: http://ts.nist.gov/MeasurementServices/Calibrations/upload/TN1395.pdfGoogle Scholar
[9]Grosvenor, C.A.; Randa, J.; Billinger, R.L.: Design and testing of NFRad – A new noise measurement system, Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol., Boulder, Colorado, Tech. Note 1518, March 2000. Available at: http://ts.nist.gov/MeasurementServices/Calibrations/upload/TN1518.pdfGoogle Scholar
[10]Randa, J.: Noise measurements and remote-sensing radiometry (at NIST), in The Int. Conf. Measurement and Metrology, ICMM-2007, Beijing, China, 2007.Google Scholar