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Variable Termination Unit for Noise-Parameter Measurements
Published
Author(s)
Dazhen Gu, Dave K. Walker, James P. Randa
Abstract
NIST has upgraded its measurement capability of noise parameters on low-noise amplifiers with a variable termination unit (VTU) in the 1 to 12.4 GHz frequency range. Such a unit allows improved time efficiency and accuracy in the noise-temperature measurements used to de-embed noise parameters of amplifiers. We present the design and the characterization of the VTU. Measured results of one particular amplifier at integer frequencies from 8 GHz to 12 GHz show satisfactory accuracy. The VTU method is also validated through comparison with results from the manual method.
Citation
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Gu, D.
, Walker, D.
and Randa, J.
(2009),
Variable Termination Unit for Noise-Parameter Measurements, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=33050
(Accessed October 4, 2025)