Measuring the quantum correction at zero bias in metal-oxide-metal diode noise

Abstract

According to van der Ziel's interpretation of Tucker's calculation of the noise and admittance of metal-oxide-metal (MOM) diodes, these devices, when operating at high frequencies (100 GHz) and low temperatures (2 K), show a transition from quantum thermal noise at zero bias to shot noise at ±1 mV bias. By slowly modulating the bias of the MOM diode between -1 mV and +1 mV, mixing and amplifying the noise, passing it through a quadratic detector and then LF filtering the detected MOM noise power, one can display the MOM diode noise power on a cathode ray oscillograph or strip-chart recorder as a function of bias, and thus calibrate the thermal noise at zero bias against the shot noise at higher bias.