Phase noise is the frequency domain representation of rapid, short-term, random fluctuations in the phase of a wave, caused by time domain instabilities ("jitter").[1] Generally speaking radio frequency engineers speak of the phase noise of an oscillator, whereas digital system engineers work with the jitter of a clock.
An ideal oscillator would generate a pure sine wave. In the frequency domain, this would be represented as a single pair of delta functions (positive and negative conjugates) at the oscillator's frequency, i.e., all the signal's power is at a single frequency. All real oscillators have phase modulated noise components. The phase noise components spread the power of a signal to adjacent frequencies, resulting in sidebands. Oscillator phase noise often includes low frequency flicker noise and may include white noise.
Consider the following noise free signal:
- v(t) = Acos(2πf0t).
Phase noise is added to this signal by adding a stochastic process represented by φ to the signal as follows:
- v(t) = Acos(2πf0t + φ(t)).
Phase noise is a type of cyclostationary noise and is closely related to jitter. A particularly important type of phase noise is that produced by oscillators.
Phase noise (L(f)) is typically expressed in units of dBc/Hz at various offsets from the carrier frequency. For example, a certain signal may have a phase noise of -80 dBc/Hz at an offset of 10 kHz and -95 dBc/Hz at an offset of 100 kHz. These are really phase noise density values. Phase noise can be measured and expressed as single sideband or double sideband values. Phase noise is sometimes also measured and expressed as a value integrated over a certain range of offset frequencies. For example, the phase noise may be -40 dBc integrated over the range of 1 kHz to 100 kHz. This Integrated phase noise (expressed in degrees) can be converted to jitter (expressed in seconds) using the following formula.
Jitter(seconds) = PhaseError(degrees) / (360xFrequency(hertz))
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Measurement
Phase noise is often measured using a spectrum analyzer which can show the noise power over many decades of frequency eg. 1 Hz to 10 MHz. There is often a base noise curve with superimposed spikes at specific frequencies. The general slope in various frequency regions hints at the source of the noise, eg. low frequency flicker noise decreasing at 30 dB per decade (=9 dB per octave).[2]
The Leeson equation includes noise decreasing at 6 dB per octave due to resonators.[3]
Spectral purity
The sinewave output of an ideal oscillator is a single line in the frequency spectrum. Such perfect spectral purity is not achievable in a practical oscillator. Spreading of the spectrum line caused by phase noise must be minimised in the local oscillator for a superheterodyne receiver because it defeats the aim of restricting the receiver frequency range by filters in the IF (intermediate frequency) amplifier.
See also
External links
- The site http://rubiola.org contains a bunch of information and literature about phase noise, frequency stability, experimental techniques, etc.
- A technical article about phase noise in signal sources due to phase modulation.
- Phase-noise measurement software for various GPIB-equipped spectrum analyzers (freeware, includes Win32 C++ source)
- Clock (CLK) Jitter and Phase Noise Conversion
- Phase noise and frequency synthesizers
- Phase Noise measurement using the phase lock technique
- Noise in Mixers, Oscillators, Samplers, and Logic: An Introduction to Cyclostationary Noise by Joel Phillips and Ken Kundert
Further reading
- Rubiola, Enrico 2008. Phase Noise and Frequency Stability in Oscillators, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-88677-2
- Wolaver, Dan H. 1991. Phase-Locked Loop Circuit Design, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-662743-9
- A. Hajimiri and T.H. Lee, "A general theory of phase noise in electrical oscillators", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 33, No 2, Feb. 1998 Pages:179 - 194, DOI 10.1109/4.658619
- R. Pulikkoonattu, "Oscilattor Phase Noise and Sampling Clock Jitter[1]", ST Microelectronics Tech Note., DOI 08.09.2007
- A. Demir, A. Mehrotra and J. Roychowdhury, "Phase noise in oscillators: a unifying theory and numerical methods for characterization", IEEE Trans. on Circuits and Systems I: Fundamental Theory and Applications, Vol. 47, No 5, May 2000, Pages:655 - 674, DOI 10.1109/81.847872
- A. Chorti and M. Brookes, "A spectral model for RF oscillators with power-law phase noise", IEEE Trans. on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, Vol. 53, No 9, Sept. 2006 Pages:1989 - 1999, DOI 10.1109/TCSI.2006.881182
References
- ^
This article incorporates public domain material from the General Services Administration document "Federal Standard 1037C". - ^ http://rfdesign.com/mag/607RFDF2.pdf Low noise oscillators
- ^ http://www.odyseus.nildram.co.uk/Systems_And_Devices_Files/PhaseNoise.pdf
- Noise in mixers, oscillators, samplers, and logic: an introduction to cyclostationary noise
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Time and Frequency Metrology Group
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