TY - JOUR
T1 - Sensitivity and Dynamic Range Considerations for Homodyne Detection Systems
AU - Jaggard, Dwight L.
AU - King, Ray J
N1 - Copyright 1973 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
PY - 1973
Y1 - 1973
N2 - The effects of modulation frequency, RF reference power, and external bias upon the sensitivity and dynamic range of microwave homodyne detection systems was measured for point contact diodes and low l/f noise Schottky and backward diodes. The measurements were made at 4.89 GHz using a signal to noise ratio of 3 dB and a detection system bandwidth of 10 Hz. Maximum sensitivities of -135, -150, and -145 dBm, and dynamic ranges of 92, 110, and 124 dB were measured for the point contact, Schottky, and backward diodes at modulation frequencies of 30, 30, and 3 kHz, respectively. It was found that the level of RF reference signal needed to obtain the maximum sensitivity was equal to or somewhat above the point where the diode changes from square law to linear detection. The results are significant in that previously reported homodyne sensitivities (not necessarily maximum) were on the order of -90 to -130 dBm for point contact diodes and no data are available for Schottky and backward diodes. Significantly improved stability, sensitivity, and dynamic range can be achieved using these low 1/f noise devices, the correct external bias, and the optimum RF reference power.
AB - The effects of modulation frequency, RF reference power, and external bias upon the sensitivity and dynamic range of microwave homodyne detection systems was measured for point contact diodes and low l/f noise Schottky and backward diodes. The measurements were made at 4.89 GHz using a signal to noise ratio of 3 dB and a detection system bandwidth of 10 Hz. Maximum sensitivities of -135, -150, and -145 dBm, and dynamic ranges of 92, 110, and 124 dB were measured for the point contact, Schottky, and backward diodes at modulation frequencies of 30, 30, and 3 kHz, respectively. It was found that the level of RF reference signal needed to obtain the maximum sensitivity was equal to or somewhat above the point where the diode changes from square law to linear detection. The results are significant in that previously reported homodyne sensitivities (not necessarily maximum) were on the order of -90 to -130 dBm for point contact diodes and no data are available for Schottky and backward diodes. Significantly improved stability, sensitivity, and dynamic range can be achieved using these low 1/f noise devices, the correct external bias, and the optimum RF reference power.
U2 - 10.1109/TIM.1973.4314183
DO - 10.1109/TIM.1973.4314183
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0018-9456
VL - 22
SP - 331
EP - 338
JO - I E E E Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
JF - I E E E Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
IS - 4
ER -