Amplitude and phase noise in nano-scale RF circuits

Since the commercialization of MOSFETs in the 70s, the continual scaling of these devices has
been a tremendous drive for the electronic industry. These scaling efforts have recently lead to the
emergence of several types of nanoelectronic devices on silicon and non-silicon substrates. Under-
standing noise in these devices and its impact on the performance of RF circuits is an ongoing chal-
lenge in the area of nanoelectronic circuit design. Experimental observations show that the classical
long-channel MOSFET noise formulation underestimates the drain current noise of nano-scale MOS-
FETs by a factor often referred to as the excess noise factor. Several other nano-scale devices such as
nanotubes and nanowires are expected to show a similar noise behavior because the fundamental phe-
nomenon responsible for noise in these devices is essentially the same. In order to predict the effects
of this excess noise on amplitude and phase noise in future RF circuits, it is crucial to have a reliable
noise model and an accurate phase noise formulation. This presentation outlines the latest findings in
this area. By presenting an accurate phase noise formulation, we discuss the impact of the excess
noise on the performance of future communication circuits implemented using nano-scale devices.
These studies are part of a global effort aimed at the realization of a complex system using nanoelec-tronic technologies.