
252 DISCRETE MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
The noise factor can be evaluated in a model that considers the amplifier ideal and
therefore only amplifies through gain G the noise produced by the input noise
source:
F,, = KTo BG + AN
(13- 6A)
KToBG
or
AN
Fn = (13- 6B)
KToBG
where
ZkN = noise added by the network or amplifier
All other terms are as defined previously.
Noise Figure (NF).
The noise figure is a frequently used measure of an am-
plifier's quality, or its departure from idealness. Thus, it is a figure of merit. The
noise figure is the noise factor converted to decibel notation:
NF = 10 log Fn (13-7)
where
NF = noise ...