Cyclostationary noise analysis of large RF circuits with multi-tone excitations

Abstract

This paper introduces a new, efficient technique for analyzing RF noise in large circuits subjected to true multitone excitations. Noise statistics in such circuits are time-varying and are modelled in this work as cyclostationary stochastic processes, characterized in terms of their harmonic power spectral densities (HPSDs). Results from a large RF integrated circuit driven by an LO tone and a strong RF signal are presented. The analysis predicts correctly that the presence of the RF tone affects the noise significantly.