Basics on measurement systems for noise characterization of active devices

Optimum design of low noise apparatuses need the accurate knowledge of noise parameters of the adopted active devices. Such parameters may be extracted following different characterization procedures carried out on wafer probing systems, for different operation frequencies and at several bias points. In this paper the commonly adopted techniques for active device noise characterization and their relative advantage and drawbacks are reviewed. The aspect of cost and measurement complexity will be evaluated.