US9459301B2
Active / In Force
US
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Apparatuses and methods for measuring flicker noise
Assignee: Primarius Technologies Co Ltd
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Filing: 2014-01-27
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Granted: 2016-10-04
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Expires: 2034-01-27
Abstract
Abstract Apparatuses and methods for measuring flicker noise are disclosed. In one embodiment, a noise measurement system may include a first circuit path configured to drive a first terminal of a device under test (DUT) in the noise measurement system, an amplification circuit configured to amplify an output signal of the DUT, a second circuit path configured to drive a second terminal of the DUT, a third circuit path configured to couple a third terminal of the DUT to a circuit ground, and a decoupling circuit configured to decouple the DUT and the amplification circuit, logic configured to detect output signal characteristics of the DUT, logic configured to adjust input impedance of the amplification circuit based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT, and logic configured to measure a flicker noise of the DUT using the amplification circuit with adjusted input impedance.
Inventors
- 👤 Zhihong Liu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:01
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R29/00; G01R29/26; G01R31/00; G01R31/26; G01R31/2646; H; H03; H03F; H03F1/00; H03F1/02; H03F1/0205; H03F1/0277; H03F1/52; H03F3/00; H03F3/189; H03F3/19; H03F3/195; H03F3/45; H03F3/45071; H03F3/45076; H03F3/45475; H03F3/72; H03F2200/00; H03F2200/261; H03F2200/411; H03F2200/462; H03F2200/471; H03F2203/00; H03F2203/72; H03F2203/7215; H03F2203/7221; H03F2203/7236
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A noise measurement system, comprising: a first circuit path configured to drive a first terminal of a device under test (DUT) in the noise measurement system; an amplification circuit configured to amplify an output signal of the DUT; a second circuit path configured to drive a second terminal of the DUT, a third circuit path configured to couple a third terminal of the DUT to a circuit ground, and a decoupling circuit configured to decouple the DUT and the amplification circuit; logic configured to detect output signal characteristics of the DUT; logic configured to adjust input impedance of the amplification circuit based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT, comprising logic configured to select a first amplifier in a plurality of amplifiers of the amplification circuit to be used to measure the flicker noise based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and logic configured to measure a flicker noise of the DUT using the amplification circuit with adjusted input impedance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A noise measurement system, comprising: a first circuit path configured to drive a first terminal of a device under test (DUT) in the noise measurement system; an amplification circuit configured to amplify an output signal of the DUT; a second circuit path configured to drive a second terminal of the DUT, a third circuit path configured to couple a third terminal of the DUT to a circuit ground, and a decoupling circuit configured to decouple the DUT and the amplification circuit; logic configured to detect output signal characteristics of the DUT; logic configured to adjust input impedance of the amplification circuit based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT, comprising logic configured to select a first amplifier in a plurality of amplifiers of the amplification circuit to be used to measure the flicker noise based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and logic configured to measure a flicker noise of the DUT using the amplification circuit with adjusted input impedance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The noise measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the noise measurement system further comprises: a fourth circuit path configured to couple a substrate of the DUT to the circuit ground.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
The noise measurement system of claim 2 , wherein the first circuit path comprises a first source-measurement unit (SMU), a first noise filter, and a variable load resistor, wherein the first SMU comprises a biased power source, a volt meter and a current meter; and the second circuit path comprises a second source-measurement unit (SMU), a second noise filter, wherein the first SMU comprises a biased power source, a volt meter and a current meter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
The noise measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the logic configured to adjust input impedance of the amplification circuit further comprises: logic configured to detect changes in the output signal characteristics of the DUT; logic configured to select a second amplifier in the plurality of amplifiers to measure the flicker noise based on the changes in the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and logic configured to transition from the first amplifier to the second amplifier to measure the flicker noise.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The noise measurement system of claim 4 , wherein logic configured to transition from the first amplifier to the second amplifier comprises: logic configured to transition from a high sensitivity low noise amplifier to a low sensitivity low noise amplifier to obtain bandwidth for measuring the flicker noise.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The noise measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a direct current coupling amplifier; or an alternate current coupling amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The noise measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a differential amplifier; or a single-ended differential amplifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The noise measurement system of claim 1 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a voltage low noise amplifier; or a current low noise amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The noise measurement system of claim 8 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a high resolution amplifier; a low resolution amplifier; a high bandwidth amplifier; or a low bandwidth amplifier.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of measuring flicker noise, comprising: providing a device under test (DUT) in a noise measurement system; wherein the noise measurement system comprises an amplification circuit configured to amplify an output signal of the DUT; detecting output signal characteristics of the DUT; adjusting input impedance of the amplification circuit based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT, comprising selecting a first amplifier in a plurality of amplifiers of the amplification circuit to be used to measure the flicker noise based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and measuring the flicker noise of the DUT using the amplification circuit with adjusted input impedance.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of measuring flicker noise, comprising: providing a device under test (DUT) in a noise measurement system; wherein the noise measurement system comprises an amplification circuit configured to amplify an output signal of the DUT; detecting output signal characteristics of the DUT; adjusting input impedance of the amplification circuit based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT, comprising selecting a first amplifier in a plurality of amplifiers of the amplification circuit to be used to measure the flicker noise based on the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and measuring the flicker noise of the DUT using the amplification circuit with adjusted input impedance.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the noise measurement system further comprises: a first circuit path configured to drive a first terminal of the DUT, a second circuit path configured to drive a second terminal of the DUT, a third circuit path configured to couple a third terminal of the DUT to a circuit ground, and a decoupling circuit configured to decouple the DUT and the amplification circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the first circuit path comprises a first source-measurement unit (SMU), a first noise filter, and a variable load resistor, wherein the first SMU comprises a biased power source, a volt meter and a current meter; and the second circuit path comprises a second source-measurement unit (SMU), a second noise filter, wherein the first SMU comprises a biased power source, a volt meter and a current meter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjusting input impedance of the amplification circuit further comprises: detecting changes in the output signal characteristics of the DUT; selecting a second amplifier in the plurality of amplifiers to measure the flicker noise based on the changes in the output signal characteristics of the DUT; and transitioning from the first amplifier to the second amplifier to measure the flicker noise.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the transitioning from the first amplifier to the second amplifier comprises: transitioning from a high sensitivity low noise amplifier to a low sensitivity low noise amplifier to obtain bandwidth for measuring the flicker noise.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a direct current coupling amplifier; or an alternate current coupling amplifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a differential amplifier; or a single-ended differential amplifier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a voltage low noise amplifier; or a current low noise amplifier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the amplification circuit comprises at least one of: a high resolution amplifier; a low resolution amplifier; a high bandwidth amplifier; or a low bandwidth amplifier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US6693439B1
Cited
US20100127714A1
Cited
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