Measurements on devices with very high noise figure

Measurements of very high noise figure components are performed for a number of reasons. For instance, in a wide range of applications, devices under test (DUT) are characterized within a complex test setup that includes high losses before or after the low noise DUT. In case of high frequencies, the switch matrix with complex signal routing and cables might have a very high loss. In other cases, the device might be embedded in a test setup where direct access is physically impossible, on-wafer probing is one example for this case. Using conventional measurement equipment, the noise figure measurement of such a device is very unstable if not impossible at all.