Verification of Noise-Parameter Measurements and Uncertainties

We propose and implement verification methods for measurements of the noise parameters of amplifiers and transistors. Because the verification rests on the comparison of different measurement results, it also serves as a test of the uncertainties. The verification process consists of first measuring separately both a passive two-port device and the amplifier or transistor of interest [the device under test (DUT)] and then measuring the tandem configuration of the passive device plus the DUT. The results of the measurements on the tandem configuration are compared to the results predicted based on the noise parameters and scattering parameters of the two individual components. In this paper, we describe the method, discuss the uncertainty analysis, and present measurement results demonstrating the application of the method using a mismatched transmission line as the passive device. We also present simulation results demonstrating the ability of the method to detect measurement errors.