Noise Modeling
Introduction
• Noise modeling is the process of modeling and characterizing
noise in a system, signal, or process.
• The goal of noise modeling is to understand the characteristics of
noise and to predict its behavior in a given system.
• This information can then be used to design filters, correction
algorithms, and other signal processing techniques to reduce the
impact of noise on a system or improve the quality of the signal.
• Noise modeling can be performed using mathematical models,
statistical methods, or a combination of both.
• The type of noise model used depends on the type of noise
present in the system, the desired level of accuracy, and the
computational resources available.
Noise sources in MOSFET transistors.
• Thermal noise in the channel
• 1/f noise
• Noise in the resistive poly gate
• Noise due to the distributed substrate resistance
• Shot noise associated with the leakage current of the drain
source reverse diodes
• For normal use, FLICKER and THERMAL NOISE are
important. The other noise sources must be taken into
account for very low noise applications.
NOISE SOURCES IN A MOSFET
• Flicker noise is a low-frequency noise and it mainly affects the
low frequency performance of the device, so it can be ignored at
very high frequency.
• The contribution of flicker noise should be considered in
designing some radio frequency (RF) circuits such as mixers,
oscillators, or frequency dividers that up-convert the low-
frequency noise to higher frequency.
• Channel resistance and all terminal resistances contribute to
the thermal noise at high frequency (HF), but typically channel
resistance dominates in the contributions of the thermal noise
from the resistances in the device.
FLICKER NOISE MODELING
• Among all noise sources, the flicker noise is the dominant source
for phase noise in silicon MOSFET circuits, especially in the low-
frequency-range.
• It sets a lower limit on the level of signal detection and spectral
purity and is one of the factors limiting the achievable dynamic
range of MOS ICs, so it is important for device and circuit designers
to minimize this effect in order to improve the circuit
performance.
• As designers begin to explore circuits with low-power and low-
voltage MOSFETs, the impact of low-frequency flicker noise
becomes more and more crucial for providing enough dynamic
range and better circuit performance.
Equivalent circuit to illustrate the noise
sources in a MOSFET
•iG2, iS2, and iD2 are the noise contributions by the terminal resistances at the gate, at
the source, and at the drain.
•id2 is the noise contribution in the channel, including the flicker noise portion.
•iDB2, iSB2, and iDSB2 are the noise contributions by substrate resistances and ig2 is the
induced gate noise
Physical Mechanisms of Flicker Noise
Three different theories on the mechanism of flicker noise as follows:
1. Carrier-density fluctuation models (number fluctuations), predicting an
input referred noise density independent of the gate bias voltage and
proportional to the square of the oxide thickness.
2. Mobility fluctuation models, predicting an input referred noise voltage
increasing with gate bias voltage and proportional to oxide thickness.
3. Correlated carrier and mobility fluctuation models, a unified model with a
functional form resembling the number fluctuation model at low bias and the
mobility fluctuation model at high bias.
The Mobility Fluctuation Model
Thermal Noise
