Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T21:18:27.015Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Experimental characterization of the cyclostationary low-frequency noise of microwave semiconductor devices under large signal operation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2010

Antonio Augusto Lisboa de Souza ,
Emmanuel Dupouy ,
Jean-Christophe Nallatamby ,
Michel Prigent  and
Juan Obregon
Antonio Augusto Lisboa de Souza*
Affiliation:
DEE, CT, UFPB, Cidade Universitária, CEP:58059-900, João Pessoa/PB, Brazil.
Emmanuel Dupouy
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS IUT GEII, 7 rue Jules Valles, 19100 Brive la Gaillarde, France.
Jean-Christophe Nallatamby
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS IUT GEII, 7 rue Jules Valles, 19100 Brive la Gaillarde, France.
Michel Prigent*
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS IUT GEII, 7 rue Jules Valles, 19100 Brive la Gaillarde, France.
Juan Obregon
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS IUT GEII, 7 rue Jules Valles, 19100 Brive la Gaillarde, France.
*
Corresponding authors: A. Souza and M. Prigent Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Corresponding authors: A. Souza and M. Prigent Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed experimental analysis of the cyclostationary properties of low-frequency (LF) noise sources of microwave bipolar devices, in order to improve the LF noise description in compact models. Such models are used to help designers on predicting circuit performances such as phase and amplitude noise in oscillators. We start by reviewing the most relevant experimental and simulation results on the subject, and then investigate the model of conductance fluctuations proposed to explain the 1/f noise of carbon resistors. This simple linear case serves as a basis for understanding the complex case of a non-linear device under large-signal periodic operation. We then present the large-signal small-signal analysis of a pumped junction, focusing on the process of converting the fundamental LF noise process, a current fluctuation, into voltage fluctuations. We show why a stationary noise model would lead to an increase of the voltage noise observed around DC when the device is pumped, while the voltage noise would decrease if a cyclostationary model was used. A great amount of experimental data is presented not only to support our analysis, but also as a mean to distinguish between the two noise processes under consideration: stationary or cyclostationary. The goal of our noise measurement technique was to maximize the difference between those two concepts. Throughout the paper, we revisit some known concepts and show how some experimental results may lead to misinterpretations.

Keywords

1/f noiseCyclostationarityParametric effectMicrowave semiconductor devices
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 225 - 233
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2010

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.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Pérez, S.; Gonzâlez, T.; Delage, S.L.; Obregon, J.: Microscopic analysis of generation-recombination noise in semiconductors under dc and time-varying electric fields. J. Appl. Phys., 88 (2000), 800–807, doi: 10.1063/1.373739CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Sanchez, J.E.; Bosman, G.; Law, M.E.: Device simulation of generation-recombination noise under periodic large-signal conditions, in Int. Electron Devices Meeting, IEDM Technical Digest, 2001, 21.1.1–21.1.4, doi: 10.1109/IEDM.2001.979549Google Scholar
[3]Bonani, F.; Guerrieri, S.D.; Ghione, G.: Noise source modeling for cyclostationary noise analysis in large-signal device operation. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 49 (9) (2002), 1640–1647, doi: 10.1109/TED.2002.802638CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Lorteije, J.-H.J.; Hoppenbrouwers, A.-M.H.: Amplitude modulation by 1/f noise in resistors results in 1/Δf noise. Philips Res. Rep., 26 (1971), 29–39.Google Scholar
[5]Sanchez, J.E.; Bosman, G.; Law, M.E.: Two-dimensional semiconductor device simulation of trap-assisted generation-recombination noise under periodic large-signal conditions and its use for developing cyclostationary circuit simulation models. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 50 (5) (2003), 1353–1362, doi: 10.1109/TED.2003.813448CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6]Bonani, F.; Donati Guerrieri, S.; Ghione, G.: Compact modelling of cyclostationary noise in semiconductor devices : a critical discussion, in Int. Electron Devices Meeting, IEDM ‘02 Digest, 2002, 133–136, doi: 10.1109/IEDM.2002.1175796CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Bonani, F.; Donati Guerrieri, S.; Ghione, G.: Large-signal compact diode noise modelling strategies for non-autonomous RF nonlinear applications, In Gallium Arsenide Applications Symp., 2003, October.Google Scholar
[8]Bonani, F.; Guerrieri, S.D.; Ghione, G.: Compact conversion and cyclostationary noise modeling of pn-junction diodes in low-injection. Part II. Discussion. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 51 (3) (2004), 477–485, doi: 10.1109/TED.2003.821706CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[9]Bonani, F.; Donati Guerrieri, S.; Ghione, G.: Simulation of large-signal cyclostationary noise in microwave devices: from physics-based to compact modelling approaches, In Gallium Arsenide Applications Symp., 2004, October.Google Scholar
[10]Bull, C.-S.; Bozic, S.-M.: Excess noise in semiconducting devices due to fluctuations in their characteristics when signals are applied. Br. J. Appl. Phys., 18 (7) (1967), 883–885.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[11]Sanchez, J.-E.; Bosman, G.: Frequency conversion of flicker noise in bipolar junction transistors, In Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, 1998, 176–179.Google Scholar
[12]Sanchez, J.-E.; Bosman, G.: Measurements of 1/f noise amplitude modulated by a largesignal carrier in bipolar junction transistors. Microelectron. Reliab., 40 (2000), 1839–1845.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]Lisboa de Souza, A.-A.; Nallatamby, J.-C.; Prigent, M.; Obregon, J.: On the cyclostationary properties of the 1/f noise of microwave semiconductor devices, In IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp., 2008, 1569–1572, doi: 10.1109/MWSYM.2008.4633082Google Scholar
[14]Gribaldo, S.; Bary, L.; Llopis, O.: SiGe HBT nonlinear phase noise modeling, In 19th Int. Conf. on Noise and Fluctuations, 2007, September.Google Scholar
[15]Borgarino, M.; Florian, C.; Traverso, P.-A.; Filicori, F.: Microwave large-signal effects on the low-frequency noise characteristics of GaInP/GaAs HBTs. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 53 (2006), 2603–2609, 10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[16]Rudolph, M.; Lenk, F.; Llopis, O.; Heinrich, W.: On the simulation of low-frequency noise upconversion in InGaP/GaAs HBTs. IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., 54 (7) (2006), 2954–2961. doi: 10.1109/TMTT.2006.877055.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[17]Jones, B.-K.; Francis, J.-D.: Direct correlation between 1/f and other noise sources, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., (1975).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[18]Gardner, W.-A.: Introduction to Random Processes with Applications to Signals and Systems, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, 1989.Google Scholar
[19]May, E.J.P.; Sellars, W.D.: 1/f noise produced by radio-frequency current in resistors. Electron. Lett., 11 (1975), 544–545.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[20]Nallatamby, J.-C.; Prigent, M.; Camiade, M.; Sion, A.; Gourdon, C.; Obregon, J.: An advanced low–frequency noise model of GaInP-GaAs HBT for accurate prediction of phase noise in oscillators. EEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., 53 (5) (1975), 1601–1612.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[21]Lisboa de Souza, A.-A.; Nallatamby, J.-C.; Prigent, M.; Obregon, J.: Impact of self-heating in LF noise measurements with voltage amplifiers, In Fluctuations and Noise 2007 Symp., 2007.Google Scholar
[22]Maas, S.-A.: Nonlinear Microwave and RF Circuits, 2nd ed., Artech House, Boston, London, 2003.Google Scholar
[23]Lisboa de Souza, A.-A.; Nallatamby, J.-C.; Prigent, M.: Low-frequency noise measurements of bipolar devices under high DC current density: whether transimpedance or voltage amplifiers, In Proc. European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conf., 2006, September.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[24]Saleh, A.A.M.: Theory of Resistive Mixers, MIT Press, MA, 1971.Google Scholar
[25]Lisboa de Souza, A.-A.; Nallatamby, J.-C.; Prigent, M.; Obregon, J.: A new experimental method to characterize cyclostationary noise models of bipolar devices, In 2008 IEEE Int. Symp., May 2008, 165–169.Google Scholar