A Monte Carlo Particle Study of the Intrinsic Noise Figure in GaAs MESFET's

The Monte Carlo particle model is well suited for noise studies as it reflects the basic transport physics and exhibits the same momentum and spatial distributions and fluctuations as the real semiconductor component. The model has been used to study the noise properties of a GaAs MESFET. The noise figure extracted is intrinsic, as the only contributions to it originate from the transistor itself, and does, therefore, exclude any effects of contact metallization and interface effects. This means that our definition of the noise figure has to deviate from the conventional one. It is found that fluctuations in the source current reduce the intrinsic noise figure significantly in a recessed gate structure, while the drain current fluctuations do not contribute to it.