Specifications

Introduction

To achieve accurate and repeatable results at RF or

microwave frequencies, measurement uncertainties and

barriers to measurement repeatability must be minimized.

The performance of a device can be obscured if errors

are allowed to accumulate. For the most accurate

measurement, it is important to understand the nature

of the error contributors and identify which of these can be

influenced or changed to improve the quality of the results.

This application note provides useful tips that

will assist in making accurate noise figure measurements.

The checklist in Appendix A is a helpful tool to verify

that all hints have been considered for a particular

measurement.

A detailed explanation of the uncertainties in noise

figure measurements is provided in Agilent Technologies’

Application Note 57-2, Noise Figure Measurement

Accuracy (see reference 5). For a general understanding

of noise figure and its variety of measurement techniques,

refer to Agilent Technologies Application Note 57-1,

Fundamentals of Noise Figure Measurement (see

reference 2).