Low-Noise Gallium-Arsenide Field-Effect Transistor Preamplifiers for Stochastic Beam Cooling Systems

The present noise performance, bandwidth capability and gain stability of bipolar and field-effect transistors, parametric amplifier, Schottky diode mixer and maser are summarized and compared in the 100 MHz to 40 GHz frequency range for stochastic beam cooling systems. Stability factor of GaAs FET´s as a function of ambient temperature is presented and discussed. Performance data of several low-noise wide-band cryogenically cooled preamplifiers are presented including one with a noise figure of 0.35 dB over a bandwidth range of 150-500 MHz operating at ambient temperature of 20°K. Also, data are given on a broadband 1-2 GHz preamplifier having a noise figure of approximately 0.2 dB. The gain, operating noise temperature, stability, gain nonuniformity and phase-shift as function of frequency of interest for beam cooling systems are discussed.