Theory of drain noise in high electron mobility transistors based on real-space transfer

TL;DR

This paper presents a new theory explaining drain noise in high electron mobility transistors as partition noise from real-space transfer of hot electrons, providing insights for reducing device noise figures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical model of drain noise based on real-space transfer, clarifying its origin and dependencies in HEMTs.

Findings

Drain noise modeled as partition noise from real-space transfer

The theory explains the magnitude and dependencies of drain temperature

Strategies for lower noise figure devices are suggested

Abstract

High electron mobility transistors are widely used as microwave amplifiers owing to their low microwave noise figure. Electronic noise in these devices is typically modeled by noise sources at the gate and drain. While consensus exists regarding the origin of the gate noise, that of drain noise is a topic of debate. Here, we report a theory of drain noise as a type of partition noise arising from real-space transfer of hot electrons from the channel to the barrier. The theory accounts for the magnitude and dependencies of the drain temperature and suggests strategies to realize devices with lower noise figure.