1/f noise modeling using discrete-time self-similar systems

Flicker noise, popularly known as 1/f noise is a commonly observed phenomenon in semiconductor devices. To incorporate 1/f noise in circuit simulations, models are required to synthesize such noise in discrete-time. This paper proposes a model based on the fact that 1/f processes belong to the class of statistically self-similar random processes. The model generates 1/f noise in the time domain with a simple white noise input and is parameterized by a quantity whose value can be adjusted to reflect the desired 1/f parameter, that is, the slope of the 1/f spectrum. It thus differs from most of the earlier modeling approaches which were confined to the spectral domain. To verify the fit between the model and actual 1/f noise measurements, experiments were conducted with a PIN photodiode at various bias conditions and sampling frequencies. The noise synthesized by the model was found to match the measurements quite well. These models can be easily incorporated with circuit simulation tools to generate 1/f noise.