Experimental Investigation of On-Wafer Noise Parameter Measurement Accuracy

The accuracy problem of noise parameter characterization of active microwave devices in highly mismatched systems is addressed. An experimental investigation is made to determine the dependency of noise parameter measurement uncertainty on the device's output mismatch. We have designed and fabricated five different structures of a new passive device, useful as a verification artefact, suited for on-wafer measurements. The main feature specifiing this device is the same order of magnitude for input-output reflection coefficient and for noise parameters, as for low noise field effect transistors.