A Circuit-Based Noise Parameter Extraction Technique for MOSFETs

Experimental verification of noise models is one of the major challenges in noise modeling. A circuit-based noise characterization technique is introduced which uses phase noise measurement data to extract MOSFET noise parameters. After a brief discussion on MOSFET noise, experimental data is presented on the severity of excess noise in a 0.18mum CMOS process using the proposed technique. It is shown that in this process, the noise power of minimum-channel-length devices is up to 6 dB larger than that of long-channel devices. The proposed technique can be used for model verification as well as for parameter extraction in developing CMOS processes.