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White Paper: Test & Measurement

Understanding Phase Noise Measurement Techniques

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The spectrum analyzer method is the oldest, most straightforward, and most widely used way to measure phase noise. Phase noise is specified as the noise power contained within a bandwidth of 1 Hz. When making phase noise measurements using a spectrum analyzer, there are two additional steps that must be performed to ensure accurate measurement values: normalization and shape correction.

Phase noise can be measured and analyzed either with traditional spectrum analyzers or with dedicated phase noise analyzers. This educational note explains the differences between these two measurement approaches and provides guidance regarding which instrument is most suitable for a given phase noise measurement application.

This educational note assumes a basic familiarity with phase noise and phase noise measurements and provides insights into understanding of phase noise measurement techniques.


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