Microwave noise sources contributions to SiGe:C/Si and InP/InGaAs HBT's performances

Abstract

The present work describes the quantification of the noise sources contributions to the microwave transistor noise performance, particularly focusing on the minimum noise factor ($F_{\text{min}}$) and on the equivalent noise resistance ($R_{n}$). For this analysis microwave noise small-signal modeling is used. This study is performed for one SiGe:C/Si and one InP/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) at several bias points and at two operation frequencies. It is shown that some parameters usually neglected to develop simplified formulas for noise analysis have a non-negligible contribution to $F_{\text{min}}$ and $R_{n}$. This demonstrates that for other HBT technologies it is necessary to carry out a similar study in order to determine whether noise sources can be neglected or not. This procedure may be useful when deriving simplified and accurate models of microwave noise analysis. The development of accurate and simplified analytical models for noise analysis for many other HBT (III-V and IV-IV) technologies may benefit from this procedure.