Noise Performance of a Phased-Array Feed With CMOS Low-Noise Amplifiers

Abstract

The University of Calgary and the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada are developing a low-noise ambient-temperature phased-array demonstrator for possible use in the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope. In December 2014, NRC made noise measurements of the Advanced Focal Array Demonstrator equipped with CMOS low noise amplifiers (LNAs) designed by the University of Calgary. The LNAs were specifically designed for the antenna array operating in the range from 0.7 to 1.5 GHz. Array beam-equivalent noise measurements, using an ambient load as a hot load and the sky as a cold load, show array beam-equivalent noise temperatures as low as 20 K.