An Improved Solid-State Noise Source (Short Papers)

An improved solid-state noise source is discussed. By implementing such modifications as 1) heat sinking of a silicon avalanche noise diode, 2) proper dc RF decoupling, and 3) impedance matching, the stability of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) solid-state noise source is improved significantly over that of typical commercial solid-state noise sources. These modifications, how they are implemented, and the resulting improvement in stability are described.