Noise

1

The noise floor

24 bits at 5 V full scale: \(\frac{5 V}{2^{24}} \approx\) 298 nV, the noise of 50 Ω in 96 kHz

\[SNR = 6.02 \cdot B + 1.76 \text{ dB} = 146 \text{ dB at } B = 24\]

The best DAC of 2005: 120 dB, about 19.6 bits

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Chunk Noise type
Charge, \(q\) Shot noise, \(2qI\)
Energy per mode, \(hf\) Thermal noise, \(4kTR\)
Localized states, traps Telegraph noise, then \(1/f\)
3

Statistics

\[\overline{x(t)} = \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ x(t) dt} \tag{1}\]

\[\overline{x^2(t)} =\lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ x^2(t) dt} \tag{2}\]

\[\sigma^2 = \overline{x^2(t)} - \overline{x(t)}^2 \tag{3}\]

\[R_x(\tau) = \overline{x(t)x(t + \tau)}\]

4

Average Power

\[P_{av} = \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T} \int^{+T/2}_{-T/2} x^2(t) dt \tag{4}\]

\[P_{av} = \frac{1}{N}\sum_{i=0}^N x^2(i) \tag{5}\]

5

Noise Spectrum

\[S_x(f) = 2\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{R_x(\tau)e^{-j2\pi f \tau}d\tau} \tag{6}\]

\[\overline{x^2(t)} = \int_{0}^{\infty}{S_x(f)df} \tag{7}\]

\[S_y(f) = S_x(f)\vert H(f)\vert ^2 \tag{8}\]

\[f_x = \frac{\pi f_0}{2} = \frac{1}{4 R C}\]

6

Probability Distribution

**Theorem 1** (Central limit theorem). *The sum of \(n\) independent random variables subjected to the same distribution will always approach a normal distribution curve as \(n\) increases.*
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PSD of a white noise source

\[R_x(\tau) = \overline{x^2(t)}\,\delta(\tau) \quad\Rightarrow\quad S_x(f) = 2\,\overline{x^2(t)}\]

White: the same power density at every frequency

8

Summing noise sources

\[v_{tot}^2(t) = (v_1(t) + v_2(t))^2 = v_1^2(t) + 2v_1(t)v_2(t) + v_2^2(t)\]

\[\begin{aligned} \overline{e_{tot}^2} &= \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ v_{tot}^2(t) dt} \\ &= \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ v_1^2(t) dt} \\ &+ \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ v_2^2(t) dt} \\ &+ \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ 2v_1(t)v_2(t) dt} \\ &= \overline{e_{1}^2} + \overline{e_{2}^2} + \lim_{T\to\infty} \frac{1}{T}\int^{+T/2}_{-T/2}{ 2v_1(t)v_2(t) dt} \end{aligned}\]

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\[\overline{e_{tot}^2} = \overline{e_{1}^2} + \overline{e_{2}^2}\]

Uncorrelated sources: the cross term averages to zero, and the powers add

10

Signal to Noise Ratios

\[\begin{aligned} SNR &= 10 \log\left(\frac{Signal\:power}{Noise\:power}\right)\\ &= 10 \log\left(\frac{\overline{v_{sig}^2}}{\overline{e_{n}^2}}\right)\\ &= 20 \log\left(\frac{v_{rms}}{\sqrt{\overline{e_{n}^2}}}\right) \end{aligned}\]

11

Noise figure and Friis formula

\[F = \frac{\overline{v_o^2}}{source\:contribution\:to\:\overline{v_o^2}}\]

\[NF = 10 \log(F)\]

\[F = \frac{SNR_{input}}{SNR_{output}}\]

\[F = 1 + F_1 - 1 + \frac{F_2 -1}{G_{1}} + \frac{F_3-1}{G_{1}G_{2}} + ....\]

12

Spectral Density Confusion

  • Two definitions in the literature, a factor of two apart
  • Both: spectral density is the Fourier transform of the auto-correlation
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\[S_{x1}(f) = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{R_{x1}(\tau)e^{-j\omega\tau}d\tau}\]

\[S_{x2}(f) = 2\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}{R_{x2}(\tau)e^{-j\omega\tau}d\tau}\]

\[S_{x2}(f) = 2S_{x1}(f)\]

14

Sources of Confusion

\[\overline{x_2^2(t)} = \int_0^{\infty}{S_{x2}(f)df}\]

\[\overline{x_1^2(t)} = 2\int_0^{\infty}{S_{x1}(f)df}\]

\(S_{x1}\): two-sided, signal processing books. \(S_{x2}\): one-sided, noise books

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Example: Thermal Noise

\[S_{th}(f) = 4kTR\]

\[S_{th}(f) = 2kTR\]

16

Einstein: The source

\[\mathfrak{M} (\Delta) = \overline{F(t)F(t + \Delta)}\]

\[I(\theta) = \int_0^{T}{\mathfrak{M}(\Delta) \cos ( \pi \frac{\Delta}{\theta})d\Delta}\]

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Where white noise comes from

18

Thermal noise is Planck

\[S_V(f) = 4R\frac{hf}{e^{hf/kT}-1 + \frac{hf}{2}} \approx 4kTR \quad \text{if } hf \ll kT\]

\[\frac{kT}{h} = 6.25 \text{ THz at 300 K}\]

19

Shot noise and electron charge

\[\overline{i_n^2} = 2qI\,\Delta f\]

\[S_I(f) = 2q\vert\overline{I}\vert \text{ [A}^2\text{/Hz]}\]

In weak inversion, with \(\gamma = n/2\) and \(g_m = I_D/nV_T\)

\[4kT\gamma g_m = 4kT\frac{n}{2}\frac{I_D}{nV_T} = 2qI_D\]

20

Telegraph/Burst-noise and flicker noise

21

One trap

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  • A broken bond at the Si/SiO2 interface, or a defect a few nm into the oxide
  • A bound state: \(\psi_T\) localized to an atom or two
  • An energy \(E_T\) inside the silicon bandgap
23

The channel electron has a tail

\[\psi_{ch}(x) \propto e^{-\kappa x} \text{ in the oxide}, \quad \kappa = \frac{\sqrt{2 m_{ox}(\Phi_B - E)}}{\hbar}\]

\[\Phi_B = 3.1 \text{ eV}, \quad m_{ox} \approx 0.5 m_0 \Rightarrow \kappa \approx 6.4 \text{ nm}^{-1}\]

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Tunnelling sets the time constant

25

Dirac's golden rule

\[\frac{1}{\tau} = \frac{2\pi}{\hbar}\left\vert\langle\psi_T\vert H'\vert\psi_{ch}\rangle\right\vert^2 \rho(E)\]

\[\left\vert\langle\psi_T\vert H'\vert\psi_{ch}\rangle\right\vert^2 \propto e^{-2\kappa x_T}\]

\[\tau = \tau_0 e^{x_T/\lambda}, \quad \lambda = \frac{1}{2\kappa} \approx 0.08 \text{ nm}\]

Trap depth \(\tau\) (\(\tau_0\) = 0.1 ns)
0 nm 0.1 ns
1 nm 40 µs
2 nm 13 s
3 nm 2 months
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The lattice must move

27

Capture and emission

\[\frac{1}{\tau_c} \propto e^{-x_T/\lambda}\, e^{-E_B/kT}\, n_s\]

\[\frac{\tau_c}{\tau_e} = \frac{1}{g}e^{(E_T - E_F)/kT}, \quad g = 2\]

\[\frac{\partial \ln(\tau_c/\tau_e)}{\partial V_{GS}} = -\frac{q}{kT}\frac{x_T}{t_{ox}}\]

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What one trap looks like

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Not one Gaussian

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Two states, one Lorentzian

\[R_x(\tau) = \Delta I^2 \frac{\tau_c\tau_e}{(\tau_c + \tau_e)^2} e^{-\vert\tau\vert/\tau_0}, \quad \frac{1}{\tau_0} = \frac{1}{\tau_c} + \frac{1}{\tau_e}\]

\[S_x(f) = 4\int_0^\infty R_x(\tau)\cos(\omega\tau)d\tau = \frac{4\,\Delta I^2}{(\tau_c+\tau_e)\left[\left(\frac{1}{\tau_c}+\frac{1}{\tau_e}\right)^2 + (2\pi f)^2\right]}\]

33

The Lorentzian, measured

34

How big is one step?

\[\Delta V_T = \frac{q}{C_{ox}WL}\left(1 - \frac{x_T}{t_{ox}}\right), \quad \Delta I_D = g_m \Delta V_T\]

W x L \(\Delta V_T\) \(\Delta I_D/I_D\) at \(g_m/I_D\) = 20
0.42 µm x 0.15 µm 305 µV 0.6 %
1 µm x 1 µm 19 µV 0.04 %
10 µm x 10 µm 0.19 µV 0.0004 %

sky130 nfet_01v8: \(t_{oxe}\) = 4.148 nm, \(C_{ox}\) = 8.3 fF/µm²

35

How many traps?

Per decade of time constant

\[N \approx N_t \cdot kT \cdot W L \cdot \lambda \ln 10\]

\(N_t = 4 \times 10^{17}\) cm\(^{-3}\)eV\(^{-1}\) (sky130 nfet), \(kT\) = 26 meV, \(\lambda\) = 0.1 nm

W x L Active traps per decade
0.42 µm x 0.15 µm 0.15
1 µm x 1 µm 2.4
10 µm x 10 µm 240
36

Which transistor in GR06?

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How GR06 works

  • A PTAT current, divided by 100 in two mirrors, charges a 53.8 fF MIM capacitor
  • A comparator trips when the ramp reaches \(V_{ref} = V_{DD}/3\), from three poly resistors
  • Pulse width \(t = C V_{ref}/I \approx\) 7.1 µs, so \(I \approx\) 4.5 nA
  • Every analog transistor is a 3.2/0.94 µm unit, deep in weak inversion; the reset switch is 1.92/0.22

\[\frac{\Delta t}{t} = \frac{\Delta V_{ref} + V_{os}}{V_{ref}} - \frac{\Delta I}{I} = 1760 \text{ ppm}\]

38

Is it the supply?

39

Memoryless

\[\tau_0 = \left(\frac{1}{3.7 \text{ s}} + \frac{1}{1.4 \text{ s}}\right)^{-1} = 1.0 \text{ s}, \quad f_0 = \frac{1}{2\pi\tau_0} = 0.15 \text{ Hz}\]

40

The suspects

Device W/L [µm] \(\Delta V_T\), one electron \(\Delta t/t\)
Comparator input pair 4 x 3.2/0.94 1.6 µV 3 ppm
Comparator load 3.2/0.94 6.4 µV 11 ppm
Reset switch, off leakage 1.92/0.22 46 µV < 1 ppm
PTAT core 3.2/0.94 6.4 µV 30 to 90 ppm
Ramp current mirror unit 3.2/0.94 6.4 µV 190 ppm
Measured 1760 ppm

\(C_{ox}\) = 8.2 fF/µm² (pfet), 8.3 fF/µm² (nfet), from \(t_{oxe}\) in the sky130 model cards; \(nV_T\) = 34 mV

41

How to tell

Source Step \(\Delta t/t\) vs \(T\) Step \(\Delta t/t\) vs \(V_{DD}\)
Comparator offset constant \(\propto 1/V_{DD}\)
Supply ruled out ruled out
Weak inversion current \(\propto 1/T\) or faster constant
Measured falls, 2500 to 1750 ppm from 5 °C to 45 °C not measured
42

Many traps

43

McWhorter: uniform in depth is \(1/f\)

\[\tau = \tau_0 e^{x/\lambda} \Rightarrow dx = \lambda\frac{d\tau}{\tau}\]

\[S(f) \propto \int_{\tau_1}^{\tau_2} \frac{\tau}{1 + \omega^2\tau^2}\frac{d\tau}{\tau} = \frac{1}{\omega}\left[\arctan(\omega\tau)\right]_{\tau_1}^{\tau_2} \approx \frac{\pi}{2\omega}\]

for \(1/\tau_2 \ll \omega \ll 1/\tau_1\)

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Back to the design equation

\[S_{V_G}(f) = \frac{q^2\, kT\, \lambda\, N_t}{W L\, C_{ox}^2\, f}\]

  • \(\lambda\): Schrödinger, the tunnelling length
  • \(kT\): Fermi-Dirac, \(\int f(1-f)\,dE = kT\)
  • \(N_t\): the process, how broken the oxide is
  • \(1/WL\): more traps, each smaller - \(WL \times (1/WL)^2\)
46

The model card knows

BSIM4, flicker noise model 1, as used by ngspice:

\[S_{I_D} \propto \frac{q^2\, kT\, \mu\, I_D}{10^{10}\, f^{EF} A_{bulk} C_{oxe} L^2} \left[\text{NOIA} \ln(\ldots) + \ldots\right]\]

sky130 01v8 \(t_{oxe}\) NOIA [J\(^{-1}\)m\(^{-3}\)] \(N_t\) [cm\(^{-3}\)eV\(^{-1}\)] EF
nfet 4.148 nm 2.5e42 \(4.0 \times 10^{17}\) 0.84
pfet 4.23 nm 1.5e42 \(2.4 \times 10^{17}\) 1.0
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Summary

  • Noise is random: describe the amplitude by its distribution (usually Gaussian) and the power by its spectral density
  • Integrate the density over the band you keep to get the power the signal must beat; uncorrelated sources add in power
  • Friis: with gain up front, only the first stage's noise matters - spend your current there
  • Thermal noise is Planck, \(4kTR\) below 6 THz; in weak inversion it is shot noise, \(2qI\)
  • Flicker noise comes from traps: a bound state in the oxide, reached by tunnelling, a decade of time constant per 0.18 nm of depth
  • Capture also moves the lattice, which makes it Arrhenius - 226 meV on GR06
  • One trap is a telegraph signal: two Gaussians, exponential dwell times, a Lorentzian - all three measured on GR06
  • Many traps, even in depth, are \(1/f\); small transistors have few, so their noise varies from device to device
  • The simulator's flicker model is the same physics: sky130's NOIA is a trap density, 4e17 per cm³ per eV
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Would you like to know more?

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