Variable-temperature attenuator calibration method for on-wafer microwave noise characterization of low-noise amplifiers

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Ardizzi, Anthony J., Zhang, Jiayin, Babenko, Akim A., Cleary, Kieran A., Minnich, Austin J.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Ardizzi, Anthony J.
Zhang, Jiayin
Babenko, Akim A.
Cleary, Kieran A.
Minnich, Austin J.
author_facet Ardizzi, Anthony J.
Zhang, Jiayin
Babenko, Akim A.
Cleary, Kieran A.
Minnich, Austin J.
contents Low-noise cryogenic microwave amplifiers are widely used in applications such as radio astronomy and quantum computing. On-wafer noise characterization of cryogenic low-noise transistors is desirable because it facilitates more rapid characterization of devices prior to packaging, but obtaining accurate noise measurements is difficult due to the uncertainty arising from the input loss and temperature gradients prior to the device-under-test (DUT). Here, we report a calibration method that enables the simultaneous determination of the backend noise temperature and effective-noise-ratio at the input plane of the DUT. The method is based on measuring the S-parameters and noise power of a series of attenuators at two or more distinct physical temperatures. We validate our method by measuring the noise temperature of InP HEMTs in 4-8 GHz. The calibration method can be generalized to measure the microwave noise temperature of any two-port device so long as a series of attenuators can be measured at two or more distinct physical temperatures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_13619
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Variable-temperature attenuator calibration method for on-wafer microwave noise characterization of low-noise amplifiers
Ardizzi, Anthony J.
Zhang, Jiayin
Babenko, Akim A.
Cleary, Kieran A.
Minnich, Austin J.
Instrumentation and Detectors
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Low-noise cryogenic microwave amplifiers are widely used in applications such as radio astronomy and quantum computing. On-wafer noise characterization of cryogenic low-noise transistors is desirable because it facilitates more rapid characterization of devices prior to packaging, but obtaining accurate noise measurements is difficult due to the uncertainty arising from the input loss and temperature gradients prior to the device-under-test (DUT). Here, we report a calibration method that enables the simultaneous determination of the backend noise temperature and effective-noise-ratio at the input plane of the DUT. The method is based on measuring the S-parameters and noise power of a series of attenuators at two or more distinct physical temperatures. We validate our method by measuring the noise temperature of InP HEMTs in 4-8 GHz. The calibration method can be generalized to measure the microwave noise temperature of any two-port device so long as a series of attenuators can be measured at two or more distinct physical temperatures.
title Variable-temperature attenuator calibration method for on-wafer microwave noise characterization of low-noise amplifiers
topic Instrumentation and Detectors
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.13619