Low-Frequency Noise Phenomena in Switched MOSFETs

Abstract

In small-area MOSFETs widely used in analog and RF circuit design, low-frequency (LF) noise behavior is increas- ingly dominated by single-electron effects. In this paper, we review the limitations of current compact noise models which do not model such single-electron effects. We present measurement results that illustrate typical LF noise behavior in small-area MOSFETs, and a model based on Shockley–Read–Hall statistics to explain the be- havior. Finally, we treat practical examples that illustrate the rel- evance of these effects to analog circuit design. To the analog cir- cuit designer, awareness of these single-electron noise phenomena is crucial if optimal circuits are to be designed, especially since the effects can aid in low-noise circuit design if used properly, while they may be detrimental to performance if inadvertently applied.