Low Noise Amplifiers

Prof. Girish Kumar

Electrical Engineering Department
IIT Bombay

gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in
prof.gkumar@gmail.com
(022) 2576 7436
1
 Noise Sources (Thermal Noise)
1. Thermal Noise:
Mean Square Noise Voltage: 𝑣𝑛2 = 4𝑘𝑇𝑅𝐵
𝑘 = Boltzmann′ s constant = 1.38 × 10−23 J/oK
𝑇 = Absolute Temperature (oK)
𝐵 = Bandwidth (Hz) and 𝑅 = Resistance (Ω)
Example: For bandwidth of 10 MHz, R=1kΩ and temperature of 300C
𝑣𝑛2 = 4 × 1.38 × 10−23 × (273 + 30) × 1000 × 10 × 106
𝑣𝑛2 = 1.67 × 10−10 𝑣𝑛 = 12.9 μ𝑉

This type of noise is usually called White Noise

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 2
 Thermal Noise Power
Maximum available power from noise source when 𝑅𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝑅𝑛

+ 𝑣𝑛 2
𝑅𝑛 ( ) 4𝑘𝑇𝑅𝑛 𝐵
𝑃= 2 =
𝑣𝑛
𝑅𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝑅𝑛 𝑅𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 4𝑅𝑛
2
𝑣𝑛2
- 𝑃 = 𝑘𝑇𝐵
Example: For bandwidth of 10 MHz and temperature of 300C
P = 1.38 × 10−23 × (273 + 30) × 10 × 106 = 4.18 × 10−14 W
= -133.8 dB = -103.8 dBm
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 3
 Noise Sources (Shot Noise )
2. Shot Noise / Schottky Noise  Present in all active devices
Mean Square Noise Current:

𝑖𝑛2 = 2𝑞𝐼𝑑𝑐 𝐵 𝑞 = 1.6 × 10−19 C

Example: For 𝐼𝑑𝑐 = 10 mA and 𝐵 = 10 MHz

𝑖𝑛2 = 2 × 1.6 × 10−19 × 10 × 10−3 × 10 × 106
𝑖𝑛2 = 3.2 × 10−14 𝑖𝑛 = 0.18 μA
P = 𝑖𝑛2 × 50 = 1.6 × 10−12 W = -118 dB = - 88 dBm
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 4
Signal to Noise Ratio and Noise Figure
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR):
Input Noisy N/W
Output 𝑃𝑠 𝑣𝑠2
𝐺𝑎 𝑆𝑁𝑅 = =
𝑃𝑛 𝑣𝑛2

Noise Figure (NF):

𝑃𝑠,𝑖𝑛
𝑆𝑁𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑛,𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑁𝐹 = = =
𝑆𝑁𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑃𝑠,𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑃𝑛,𝑖𝑛 𝐺𝑎
𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑃𝑠,𝑜𝑢𝑡
where 𝐺𝑎 =
𝑃𝑠,𝑖𝑛
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 5
Noise Temperature of a Network (Te )

𝑃𝑛,𝑖𝑛 = 𝑘𝑇𝐵 Noisy N/W 𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝑇𝐵 + 𝑃𝑛𝑒

𝐺𝑎
= 𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝐵(𝑇 + 𝑇𝑒 )

𝑃𝑛𝑒 = Noise Power at output by internal noise of the N/W

𝑃𝑛𝑒
𝑇𝑒 =
𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝐵

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 6

 Noise Temperature and Noise Figure
𝑘𝑇𝑒 𝐵 Noiseless
Noisy N/W
𝑃𝑛,𝑖𝑛 N/W
𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝑇𝐵 𝐺𝑎

𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝐵(𝑇 + 𝑇𝑒 ) (𝑇 + 𝑇𝑒 ) 𝑇𝑒
𝑁𝐹 = = = =1+
𝑃𝑛,𝑖𝑛 𝐺𝑎 𝑘𝑇𝐵 𝐺𝑎 𝑇 𝑇
𝑇𝑒
𝑁𝐹 = 1 + 𝑇𝑒 = 𝑇0 (𝑁𝐹 − 1)
𝑇0
In general, NF of a device is defined at standard temperature (𝑇𝑜 )
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 7
Noise Figure of Two Cascaded Networks
𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2
𝑇0 𝑇𝑒1 𝑇𝑒2 𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑁𝐹1 𝑁𝐹2
Network 1 Network 2
𝑃𝑛,𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2 𝑘𝑇0 𝐵 + 𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2 𝑘𝑇𝑒1 𝐵 + 𝐺𝑎2 𝑘𝑇𝑒2 𝐵
𝑇𝑒2
𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇0 + 𝑇𝑒12 = 𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇0 + 𝑇𝑒1 +
𝐺𝑎1
𝑇𝑒2 𝑇0 𝑁𝐹2 − 1
𝑇𝑒12 = 𝑇𝑒1 + 𝑇0 𝑁𝐹12 − 1 = 𝑇0 𝑁𝐹1 − 1 +
𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎1
𝑁𝐹2 − 1
𝑁𝐹12 = 𝑁𝐹1 +
𝐺𝑎1
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 8
 Noise Figure Example
For 3 Cascaded 𝑁𝐹2 − 1 𝑁𝐹3 − 1
𝑁𝐹13 = 𝑁𝐹1 + +
Networks 𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎1 𝐺𝑎2
Example: Find 𝑁𝐹13 , if NF1 = 2 dB, Ga1 = 10 dB
NF2 = 6 dB, Ga2 = 14 dB and NF3 = 10 dB, Ga3 = 18 dB
𝑁𝐹𝑑𝐵
( 10)
Numeric values: 𝑁𝐹𝑑𝐵 = 10 log 𝑁𝐹 𝑁𝐹 = 10
𝑁𝐹1 = 1.585, 𝐺𝑎1 = 10 𝑁𝐹2 = 3.981, 𝐺𝑎2 = 25.12
𝑁𝐹3 = 10, 𝐺𝑎3 = 63.10
3.981 − 1 10 − 1
𝑁𝐹13 = 1.585 + + = 1.919 = 2.83 dB
10 10 × 25.12
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 9
 Noise Figure of a 2-Port Amplifier
4 𝑟𝑛 Γ𝑠 − Γ0 2
𝑁𝐹𝑖 = 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛 +
1 − Γ𝑠 2 1 + Γ0 2

Where, 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛 is the minimum NF, 𝑟𝑛 is the normalized noise

resistance and Γ0 is the optimum value of Γ𝑠 for minimum NF.
To find Constant Noise Figure Circles for the desired 𝑁𝐹𝑖 :
Noise Figure Γ𝑠 − Γ0 2 𝑁𝐹𝑖 − 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛 2
𝑁𝑖 = 2
= 1 + Γ0
Parameter Ni 1 − Γ𝑠 4 𝑟𝑛

Solving this for Γ𝑠 leads to NF circle equation

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 10
 Noise Figure Circle
2
Γ0 𝑁𝑖 2 + 𝑁𝑖 (1 − Γ0 2 )
Γ𝑠 − =
1 + 𝑁𝑖 (1 + 𝑁𝑖 )2
Γ0
c𝐹𝑖 =
1 + 𝑁𝑖 Center and
1 Radius of
r𝐹𝑖 = 𝑁𝑖 2 + 𝑁𝑖 (1 − Γ0 2 ) NF Circle
1 + 𝑁𝑖

For 𝑁𝐹𝑖 = 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑁𝑖 = 0

c𝐹𝑖 = Γ0 and r𝐹𝑖 = 0
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 11
 Noise Figure Circle: Example
Given: 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2 𝑑𝐵, 𝑅𝑛 = 4 Ω, Γ0 = 0.485∠1550 1550
Plot NF circle for 𝑁𝐹𝑖 = 3 dB, Z0 = 50 Ω
𝑁𝐹𝑖 − 𝑁𝐹𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑁𝑖 = 1 + Γ0 2 c𝐹𝑖
4 𝑟𝑛
1.995 − 1.585
= 1 + 0.485∠1550 2 Γ0
4 × 4 50
= 1.282 × 0.356 = 0.456
0.485∠1550
c𝐹𝑖 = = 0.333∠1550
1 + 0.456 r𝐹𝑖
1
r𝐹𝑖 = 0.4562 + 0.456 (1 − 0.4852 )
1 + 0.456
= 0.512
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 12
 LNA Design Steps
Given: S-parameters and Noise parameters of a transistor.
Design for: Required NF and Gain
2
𝐺𝑡𝑢 = 𝑔𝑠 𝑆21 𝑔𝑙
1. Plot Source Gain (𝑔𝑠 ) and NF Circles
2. Choose Γ𝑆 (hence 𝑔𝑠 ) for lowest/given NF
3. Once 𝑔𝑠 is selected, choose 𝑔𝑙 to meet the gain
requirement.
4. Plot Load Gain Circles (𝑔𝑙 ) and choose Γ𝐿
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 13
 LNA (Design Example – 1)
Which point, among
NF Circles
A, B, C and D, should
3dB
𝑔𝑛𝑠 be chosen for Γ𝑆 ?
2.5
𝐶 0.85
Γ0 𝐵

𝐴 𝐷 0.9
Choose B for lower
0.95
∗
NF but lower gain.
𝑆11 Choose D for higher
Source Gain Circles (𝑔𝑠 )
gain but higher NF
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 14
 LNA (Design Example – 2)
Source Gain Γ0 is same as in the previous
Circles (𝑔𝑠 ) ∗
example but S11 is different
𝑆11
𝐵
𝐴 Choose A for lower
Γ0 NF but lower gain.
Choose B for higher
gain but higher NF
NF Circles

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 15

LNA Fabrication Using SGL0622Z IC
Internally matched
(5 to 4000) MHz
Noise Figure:1.5 dB

• Input = -17 dBm at 920 MHz

• Output = 8.2dBm
• Cable losses = 3dB
• LNA Gain  28dB
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 16