Optimal design of passive devices for verifying on-wafer noise parameter measurement systems

Wu, A., Fu, X., Liu, C., Li, C. , Wang, Y., Liang, F. and Luan, P. (2020) Optimal design of passive devices for verifying on-wafer noise parameter measurement systems. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 69(6), pp. 2837-2844. (doi: 10.1109/TIM.2019.2929671)

Abstract

We propose the optimal design of passive devices that can be used to verify on-wafer noise parameter measurement systems. The design principles result from obtaining the minimum relative uncertainties of four noise parameters: Fmin, Rn, Γ|opt|, and ∠Γopt for a wide range of S-parameters of a passive two-port network. A Monte-Carlo (MC) method has been used for the investigation and the simulation results show that |S11| plays a primary role in deciding the optimal design and must be within 0.5 to 0.6. |S21| plays a secondary role in the design and ideally it should be as small as possible. Based on these findings, we designed and fabricated three planar attenuators on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The test results (at up to 40 GHz) show excellent agreement with the simulation. This is the first time that the effect of different designs of passive verification devices on the system noise measurement has been analysed and the design principles of optimal passive devices are given.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Li, Professor Chong
• Authors: Wu, A., Fu, X., Liu, C., Li, C., Wang, Y., Liang, F., and Luan, P.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Research Group: Microwave and Terahertz Electronics
• Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
• Publisher: IEEE
• ISSN: 0018-9456
• ISSN (Online): 1557-9662
• Published Online: 18 July 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 IEEE
• First Published: First published in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 69(6): 2837-2844
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher