A coupler-free differential noise figure measurement technique without noise source on a two-port network analyzer

This paper presents a measurement technique for the noise figure of differential amplifiers using commercially-available 2-port network analyzers. It is based on the measurement of the noise wave correlation at the output ports of the differential amplifier. A simple measurement setup is used as neither couplers nor calibrated noise sources are required. Measurement results of a radio-frequency low-noise differential amplifier demonstrate the validity of this new approach.