Advanced piecewise-harmonic-balance noise analysis of nonlinear microwave circuits with application to Schottky-barrier diodes

The authors introduce a number of significant advances in harmonic-balance noise analysis algorithms, and discuss their incorporation in a general-purpose nonlinear circuit simulator. The new capabilities allow the implementation of a full noise model of the Schottky diode, including the excess noise produced by hot electron generation, intervalley scattering, and trapping effects, and accounting for the series resistance nonlinearity. Computations of the noise temperature of a millimeter-wave diode mixer are presented for illustrative purposes, and the high numerical efficiency of the noise analysis technique is demonstrated.<>