Correlation-based phase noise measurements

In the characterization of the phase noise of a component, it is common practice to measure the cross-spectrum density at the output of two phase detectors that simultaneously compare the component output signal to a common reference. This technique, which is based on correlation and averaging, allows the rejection of the phase detector noise. On the other hand, it is known that the interferometer exhibits lower noise floor and higher conversion gain than other phase detectors suitable to radio-frequency and microwave bands. Thus, we experimented on an improved instrument in which the phase noise of a component is measured by correlating and averaging the output of two interferometers. The measurement sensitivity, given in terms of noise floor, turns out to be limited by the temperature uniformity of the instrument, instead of the absolute temperature T. This feature makes the instrument suitable to investigate the spectrum S(phi)(f) of phase fluctuations below k(B)T/P(o), i.e., the thermal energy k(B)T referred to the carrier power P(o). The described method is suitable to the implementation of instruments in a wide frequency range, from some 100 kHz to 40 GHz and beyond. In principle, this method can also be exploited for the measurement of amplitude noise. Theory and experimental proof are given. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)01708-1].