Noise measurement may boost cell phone performance

Low background noise typically translates to better performance in electronics, such as longer ranges and clearer signals or higher information-carrying capacity. However, noise too low to measure means that circuit designers cannot tune the system for optimal performance. The NIST research focuses on CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) transistors, which are inexpensive and widely used in integrated circuits for wireless devices. Noise levels for CMOS transistors have, until now, been too low to measure accurately in much of their signal frequency range (1 – 10 gigahertz), and as a result CMOS circuits may be poorly matched to wireless transmission systems, resulting in significant signal loss.

In a collaboration with IBM Semiconductor Research and Development Center (Essex Junction, Vt.) and RF Micro Devices (Scotts Valley, Calif.), NIST has developed and demonstrated the capability to reliably measure the noise in CMOS devices before they are cut from silicon wafers and packaged. This is believed to be the first method for on-wafer noise measurements directly linked to national standards for thermal noise power. The new measurement methods were described June 12* at the IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium in San Francisco.

The team also demonstrated the use of “reverse” noise measurements–focusing on noise emitted from the input of the transistor when incoming signals are reflected and scattered–as a tool for checking overall noise parameters. This method can improve precision, particularly of the optimal impedance properties needed in transistors to minimize noise, the team found. Reverse noise measurements also may help improve modeling of CMOS transistors.

Media Contact

Laura Ost EurekAlert!

More Information:

http://www.nist.gov

All latest news from the category: Power and Electrical Engineering

This topic covers issues related to energy generation, conversion, transportation and consumption and how the industry is addressing the challenge of energy efficiency in general.

innovations-report provides in-depth and informative reports and articles on subjects ranging from wind energy, fuel cell technology, solar energy, geothermal energy, petroleum, gas, nuclear engineering, alternative energy and energy efficiency to fusion, hydrogen and superconductor technologies.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

High-energy-density aqueous battery based on halogen multi-electron transfer

Traditional non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, but their safety is compromised due to the flammable organic electrolytes they utilize. Aqueous batteries use water as the solvent for…

First-ever combined heart pump and pig kidney transplant

…gives new hope to patient with terminal illness. Surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed the first-ever combined mechanical heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant surgery in a 54-year-old woman…

Biophysics: Testing how well biomarkers work

LMU researchers have developed a method to determine how reliably target proteins can be labeled using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Modern microscopy techniques make it possible to examine the inner workings…

Partners & Sponsors