Microwave interferometry: application to precision measurements and noise reduction techniques

A concept of interferometric measurements has been applied to the development of ultra-sensitive microwave noise measurement systems. These systems are capable of reaching a noise performance limited only by the thermal fluctuations in their lossy components. The noise floor of a real time microwave measurement system has been measured to be equal to -193 dBc/Hz at Fourier frequencies above 1 kHz. This performance is 40 dB better than that of conventional systems and has allowed the first experimental evidence of the intrinsic phase fluctuations in microwave isolators and circulators. Microwave frequency discriminators with interferometric signal processing have proved to be extremely effective for measuring and cancelling the phase noise in oscillators. This technique has allowed the design of X-band microwave oscillators with a phase noise spectral density of order -150 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz Fourier frequency, without the use of cryogenics. Another possible application of the interferometric noise measurements systems include “flicker noise-free” microwave amplifiers and advanced two oscillator noise measurement systems     

Vibration-induced PM and AM noise in microwave components

The performance of microwave components is sensitive to vibrations to some extent. Aside from the resonator, microwave cables, and connectors, bandpass filters, mechanical phase shifters, and some nonlinear components are the most sensitive. The local oscillator is one of the prime performance-limiting components in microwave systems ranging from simple RF receivers to advanced radars. The increasing present and future demand for low acceleration sensitive oscillators, approaching 10?13/g, requires a reexamination of sensitivities of basic nonoscillatory building-block components under vibration. The purpose of this paper is to study the phase-modulation (PM) noise performance of an assortment of oscillatory and nonoscillatory microwave components under vibration at 10 GHz. We point out some challenges and provide suggestions for the accurate measurement of vibration sensitivity of these components. We also study the effect of vibration on the amplitude-modulation (AM) noise.     

Residual phase noise measurements of VHF, UHF, and microwavecomponents

The results of residual phase noise measurements on a number of VHF, UHF, and microwave amplifiers, both silicon (Si) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) field effect transistor (FET) based, electronic phase shifters, frequency dividers and multipliers, etc., which are commonly used in a wide variety of frequency source and synthesizer applications are presented. The measurement technique has also been used to evaluate feedback oscillator components, such as the loop and buffer amplifiers, which can play important roles in determining an oscillator's output phase noise spectrum (often in very subtle ways). While some information has previously been published related to component residual phase noise properties, it generally focused on the flicker noise levels of the devices under test, for carrier offset frequencies less than 10 kHz. The work reported herein makes use of an extremely low noise, 500 MHz surface acoustic wave resonator oscillator (SAWRO) test source for residual phase noise measurements, both close-to-and far-from-the-carrier. Using this SAWRO-based test source at 500 MHz, we have been able to achieve a measurement system phase noise floor of -184 dBc/Hz, or better, for carrier offset frequencies greater than 10 kHz, and a system flicker phase noise floor of -150 dBc/Hz, or better, at 1 Hz carrier offset. The paper discusses the results of detailed residual phase noise measurements performed on a number of components using this overall system configuration. Several interesting observations related to the residual phase noise properties of moderate to high power RF amplifiers, i.e., amplifiers with 1 dB gain compression points in the range of +20 to +33 dBm, are highlighted     

A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter

A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter has been developed using commercial off-the-shelf components. Its phase noise is more than 10 dB below the best available microwave synthesizers. It covers a 7% frequency band with 0.1-Hz resolution. The X-band output at +23 dBm is a combination of signals from an X-band sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator (SLCO), a low noise UHF frequency synthesizer, and special-purpose frequency translation and up-conversion circuitry.     

"Real time" noise measurements with sensitivity exceeding the standard thermal noise limit

A possibility of "real-time" noise measurements with spectral resolution better than a standard thermal noise limit has been experimentally demonstrated at microwave frequencies. The enhancement in the sensitivity of spectral measurements was achieved due to more efficient use of the signal power via the power recycling technique. By utilizing such a technique, the noise floor of a 9 GHz "real time" measurement system was reduced by 3 dB below the standard thermal noise limit. This makes possible the characterization of intrinsic fluctuations in individual low-noise microwave components, such as ferrite circulators, without the need for cascading them or using the cross-correlation signal processing.     

一种微波源调频噪声测量系统

分析了一种微波源调频噪声测量方法的原理，根据需要研制了一套微波源调频噪声测量系统，详细给出了为保证系统测量结果准确可靠所必需的调试步骤，并结合实际设计出一种独特的定标方法，使用该系统实测了一个２２．６８ＧＨｚ锁相稳频信号的调频噪声，并对测量结果进行了讨论。     

微波、毫米波相位噪声测试系统的研制

提出了首先对微波、毫米波信号进行下变频,再利用锁相环提取被测试信号相位噪声的相位噪声提取方法,采用现代谱分析技术对提取出的相位噪声信号在频率中进行分析,并利用"反卷积"技术实现测试系统的误差校正,研制实现了微波、毫米波相位噪声测试系统.实验测试结果表明该系统具有测试灵敏度高和被测信号频率范围广的优点,证明了它具有较大的应用价值.     

Study of the excess noise associated with demodulation of ultra-short infrared pulses

The demodulation of ultra-short light pulses with photodetectors is accompanied by excess phase noise at the pulse repetition rate and harmonics in the spectrum of the photocurrent. The major contribution to this noise is power fluctuations of the detected pulse train that, if not compensated for, can seriously limit the stability of frequency transfer from optical to microwave domain. By making use of an infrared femtosecond laser, we measured the spectral density of the excess phase noise, as well as power-to-phase conversion for different types of InGaAs photodetectors. Noise measurements were performed with a novel type of dual-channel readout system using a fiber coupled beam splitter. Strong suppression of the excess phase noise was observed in both channels of the measurement system when the average power of the femtosecond pulse train was stabilized. The results of this study are important for the development of low-noise microwave sources derived from optical "clocks" and optical frequency synthesis.     

Phase noise performance of microwave analog frequency dividers: application to the characterization of oscillators up to the millimeter-wave range

The phase noise performance of two different microwave analog frequency dividers is characterized and compared with the values obtained using simple theories of noise in injection-locked systems. The direct measurement of the divider noise with a low phase noise synthesizer is not accurate enough, and the residual noise technique is used. The noise levels observed using this technique, between -120 and -155 dBc/Hz at a 10 kHz offset frequency, demonstrate that this divider noise is much lower than the phase noise of most microwave free running oscillators, even if this noise is still high with respect to the residual noise of amplifiers realized with the same active devices. The down conversion of microwave sources up to 40 GHz, is proposed as an application example.     

AM noise impact on low level phase noise measurements

The influence of the source AM noise in microwave residual phase noise experiments is investigated. The noise floor degradation problem, caused by the parasitic detection of this type of noise by an imperfectly balanced mixer, is solved thanks to a refinement of the quadrature condition. The parasitic noise contribution attributable to the AM to PM (phase modulation) conversion occurring in the device under test is minimized through the development of a dedicated microwave source featuring an AM noise level as low as -170 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from a 3.5 GHz carrier     

On the flicker noise of ferrite circulators for ultra-stable oscillators

The flicker noise of the ferrite circulator is a critical element in ultra-stable microwave oscillators, in which the signal reflected from the input of the reference cavity is exploited to stabilize the frequency. This paper explains why the circulator noise must be measured in isolation mode, proposes a measurement scheme, and provides experimental results. The observed flicker spans from -162 to -170 dB[rad2]/Hz at 1 Hz off the 9.2 GHz carrier, and at +19 dBm of input power. In the same conditions, the instrument limit is below -180 dB[rad2]/Hz. Experiments also give information on the mechanical stability of the microwave assembly, which is in the range of 10(-11) m. The measurement method can be used as the phase detector of a corrected oscillator; and, in the field of solid-state physics, it can be used for the measurement of random fluctuations in magnetic materials.     

Modeling phase noise in multifunction subassemblies

Obtaining requisite phase noise performance in hardware containing multifunction circuitry requires accurate modeling of the phase noise characteristics of each signal path component, including both absolute (oscillator) and residual (non-oscillator) circuit contributors. This includes prediction of both static and vibration-induced phase noise. The model (usually in spreadsheet form) is refined as critical components are received and evaluated. Additive (KTBF) phase noise data can be reasonably estimated, based on device drive level and noise figure. However, accurate determination of component near-carrier (multiplicative) and vibration-induced noise usually must be determined via measurement. The model should also include the effects of noise introduced by IC voltage regulators and properly discriminate between common versus independent signal path residual noise contributors. The modeling can be easily implemented using a spreadsheet.     

Measurement of Microphonic Noise

In the course of designing an airborne radar system, there is inevitably a requirement that the equipment does not generate microphonic noise over a specified level. The level of interest can be such that accurate measurement can be difficult. This paper compares three measuring systems: a simple microwave bridge system, the commercially available Allscott system, and a coherent system conceived and developed after the above two systems were found inadequate. Also presented are results of tests performed on typical microwave components.     

NIM相位噪声测量系统的改造

介绍NIM(中国计量科学研究院)相位噪声测量系统的组成,讨论HPE5501B在微波信号源相位噪声测量中的应用,即将HPE5501B的测量频段由1.6GHz扩展到18GHz的方法,并给出测量系统噪声本底的计算方法及典型测量结果     

Noise properties of microwave signals synthesized with femtosecond lasers

We discuss various aspects of high resolution measurements of phase fluctuations at microwave frequencies. This includes methods to achieve thermal noise limited sensitivity, along with the improved immunity to oscillator amplitude noise. A few prototype measurement systems were developed to measure phase fluctuations of microwave signals extracted from the optical pulse trains generated by femtosecond lasers. This enabled first reliable measurements of the excess phase noise associated with optical-to-microwave frequency division. The spectral density of the excess phase noise was found to be -140 dBc/Hz at 100 Hz offset from the 10 GHz carrier which was almost 40 dB better than that of a high quality microwave synthesizer.     

Method of power recycling in CoAxial Mach-Zehnder interferometers for low noise measurements

We present the first experimental study of a new type of power recycling microwave interferometer designed for low noise measurements. This system enhances sensitivity to phase fluctuations in a device under test, independent of input power levels. The single sideband thermal white phase noise floor of the system has been lowered by 8 dB (reaching −185 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset frequency) at relatively low power levels (13 dBm).     

基于潜标的海洋环境噪声测量系统

对海洋环境噪声测量系统技术进行了研究,设计和实现了一种基于潜标的海洋环境噪声测量系统,并进行了海上试验.该系统采用潜标的布放方式,利用矢量水听器测量浅海海洋环境噪声场的低频噪声.矢量水听器同步测量声场空间一点处的声压和质点振速三个正交分量, 测量信号经预处理后,对信号进行数模变换,得到的噪声数据可以在潜标中自记录或通过水面浮标传输到岸站存储.对噪声测量方法进行的分析和海上试验的结果表明,该系统稳定可靠,能正确地拾取海洋环境噪声.     

The effect of AM noise on correlation phase-noise measurements

We analyze the phase-noise measurement methods in which correlation and averaging is used to reject the background noise of the instrument. All the known methods make use of a mixer, used either as a saturated-phase detector or as a linear-synchronous detector. Unifortunately, AM noise is taken in through the power-to-dc-offset conversion mechanism that results from the mixer asymmetry. The measurement of some mixers indicates that the unwanted amplitude-to-voltage gain is of the order of 5-50 mV, which is 12-35 dB lower than the phase-to-voltage gain of the mixer. In addition, the trick of setting the mixer at a sweet point--off the quadrature condition--where the sensitivity to AM nulls, works only with microwave mixers. The HF-VHF mixers do not have this sweet point. Moreover, we prove that if the AM noise comes from the oscillator under test, it cannot be rejected by correlation. At least not with the schemes currently used. An example shows that at some critical frequencies the unwanted effect of AM noise is of the same order-if not greater--than the phase noise. Thus, experimental mistakes are around the corner.     

A novel phase noise measurement of phase modulation microwave photonic links

Abstract

Microwave photonic links can provide many advantages over traditional coaxial due to its low loss, small size, lightweight, large bandwidth and immunity to external interference. In this paper, a novel phase noise measurement system is built, since the input signal and the power supply noise can be effectively cancelled by a two-arm configuration without the phase locking. Using this approach, the phase noise performance of the 10-GHz phase modulation photonic link has been measured for the first time, evaluated the values of ?124 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset and ?132 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset is obtained. Theoretical analysis on the phase noise measurement system calibration is also discussed.