Small-signal BARITT noise measures

A one-dimensional small-signal noise model of p
⁺
nvp
⁺
and metal (M) nvp
⁺
BARITT diodes has been developed. Included in the model is a detailed description of the physical mechanisms which are present near the injecting contact of either type of diode. The equations resulting from the model have been solved to give the small-signal diode noise measure and admittance as functions of diode parameters and operating conditions. A comparison of the noise performance of p
⁺
nvp
⁺
diodes with that of metal nvp
⁺
diodes, shows that the latter possess inherently larger noise measures. A detailed examination of p
⁺
nvp
⁺
diode small-signal noise measures above X-band frequencies, shows that minimum noise measures of order 10 dB can be maintained up to at least 20 GHz.