Agilent 5991-2524EN Optimizing On-Wafer Noise Figure Measurements up to 67 GHz - Application Note c20140917 free download

File name 5991-2524EN Optimizing On-Wafer Noise Figure Measurements up to 67 GHz - Application Note c20140917

Keysight Technologies Optimizing On-Wafer Noise Figure Measurements up to 67 GHz Application Note Introduction Noise figure (NF) measurements are often an essential part of device characterization in R&D and process verification in manufacturing. Getting accurate on-wafer NF measurements can be quite challenging, and the ability to get good results depends on the methodology and the test configuration. Two techniques are commonly used to measure NF: the Y-factor method and the cold-source method. The Y-factor or hot/cold-source method is the predominant approach and is most commonly implemented with noise-figure analyzers and spectrum analyzer-based solutions. In contrast, the cold-source method is usually performed using vector network analyzers (VNAs), which provide magnitude and phase information. As a result, the cold-source technique makes it possible to achieve much greater accuracy in NF measurements. This application note presents a cold-source solution based on the Keysight Technologies, Inc. PNA-X microwave network analyzer. When equipped with the optional source-corrected NF measurements (Option 029), the PNA-X provides exceptional accuracy. New hardware provides a convenient way to make measurements up to 50 GHz. Now, additional external hardware is needed only when making measurements from 50 GHz to 67 GHz. The PNA-X also enables a time-saving advantage: the ability to make multiple measurements such as noise figure, S-parameters, gain compression and intermodulation distortion (IMD) with a single set of connections to the device under test (DUT). 03 | Keysight | Optimizing On-Wafer Noise Figure Measurements up to 67 GHz - Application Note Overview: Noise figure Noise factor, which is linear, and noise figure, which is logarithmic, are very useful