Solutions for Exploring Phase Noise Measurement Methods and Techniques
Application Notes
Introduction
The process of extracting signals from noise is a challenge faced by many engineers working with RF and microwave technologies. Those who are developing cutting-edge radar and communication systems often use extreme amounts of processing to extract maximum information from faint or impaired signals.
Phase noise is often the nemesis that limits the performance of a receiving system. For example, phase noise degrades the ability to process Doppler information in a pulse-based radar system and degrades error vector magnitude (EVM) performance in a digitally modulated communication system.
Measuring phase noise can often seem like a puzzle with many oddly shaped pieces that are difficult to connect. Even with today’s advanced hardware and improved techniques, the process of making measurements and interpreting the results may still contain a certain amount of mystery. To help unravel the puzzle, this application note provides a heuristic overview of phase noise fundamentals before describing the three most common measurement techniques and where they apply.