Experimental studies on 1/f noise

TLDR

The study reviews 1/f noise experiments to identify the correct theoretical model and investigates the validity of an empirical relation. The authors compare experimental results with McWhorter's surface state theory and Clarke–Voss temperature‑fluctuation theory, and examine an empirical relation for 1/f noise. Neither theory adequately explains 1/f noise, but the empirical relation successfully predicts device behavior and attributes alpha noise to lattice‑scattering‑induced mobility fluctuations.

Abstract

Experimental studies on 1/f noise are reviewed with emphasis on experiments that may be decisive in finding the correct theoretical model for this type of noise. The experimental results are confronted with two theories: McWhorter's (1959) surface state theory and Clarke and Voss's (1974) theory of local temperature fluctuations. The applicability of either theory turns out to be very limited. The validity of an empirical relation is investigated. Its application to electronic devices proves successful. Experiments show that 1/f noise obeying the empirical relation ( alpha noise) is a fluctuation in the part of the mobility that is due to lattice scattering.