Comments on "Noise source modeling for cyclostationary noise analysis in large-signal device operation"

We want to comment on a recent paper by Bonani et al. [see ibid., vol. 49, p. 1640-7, 2002] on the noise source modeling in devices driven in large-signal conditions. First, we would like to remind the readers that pioneering work was previously carried out based on Monte Carlo analysis together with a study of the impact of a large RF signal on the GR noise modulation. This work was published in two important scientific journals. More recently, two communications were presented on this problem at the 16th International Conference on Noise in Physical Systems and 1/f Noise by others research teams. Second, we would like to discuss the "system model" applied to homogeneous devices, presented in the discussed paper by Bonani et al., which was constituted by a white noise source driving a lowpass filter followed by a HF modulator. Third, the results obtained by all the teams were worthy of being carefully considered since they gave a different view on the noise factor stemming from a linear electrical two-port, which was classically viewed as a simple degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio introduced by the circuit.