PN3 Signal Source Analyzer Additive Phase Noise
Application Notes
Additive phase noise, also referred to as residual phase noise, is the self-phase noise of a component that adds to an existing signal as the signal passes through it. Hence the additive (residual) phase noise measurement is a valuable technique used to identify the phase noise contribution of a single component as part of a system design.
One benefit of the PN3 Signal Source Analyzer is its capability to measure additive phase noise of non-self-oscillating DUTs, like amplifiers, transmitters, or even mixers or prescalers. This can be done on a single channel or using two-channel cross-correlation to achieve lowest phase noise.
Additive noise measurements are typically at a lower noise level and are more difficult to perform than absolute phase noise measurements, requiring careful measurement setup and calibration. While the setup involves traditional microwave plumbing, the calibration can be tedious and prone to significant error. The PN3 Signal Source Analyzer addresses this problem by completely automating the calibration.
This application note focuses on the single-channel additive phase noise measurement of an RF amplifier.