NOISE
In this handout we will look at both Electrical Noise and
Audible Noise.
Prepared by: Clairmont Taitt
ELECTRICAL NOISE
Can be define as any unwanted signal that’s combined with the
desired signal.
Additional points to note
▪ Consists of random voltage and/or current signals, usually
having a broad range of frequencies.
▪ In any circuit, noise can come from anywhere; from external
systems as well as from the within a circuit itself.
▪ Creates undesired random disturbance of useful information signal
▪ Limits systems ability to process weak signals
TYPES OF ELECTRICAL NOISE
▪ Thermal Noise or Johnson Noise
▪ Shot Noise
▪ Flicker Noise
▪ Burst Noise
Thermal Noise or Johnson Noise
▪ caused by the random motion of electrons due to
thermal energy in electrical components and circuit.
▪ associated with resistance to the flow of electrons.
Thermal Noise Calculations
Thermal Noise generated exist in the form of a current and voltage. Therefore it has a power too.
Thermal noise Voltage Vn Thermal noise current In
Where:
K = Boltzmann's constant (1.38 × 10–23).
T = Absolute temperature (in Kelvins).
R = Resistance in ohms.
B = Noise bandwidth in hertz ( fmax – fmin ).
Thermal noise Power Pn Thermal noise Power PndBm
Expressed in dBm is:
Pn = KTB
PndBm = 10 log (1000 KTB)
Work Example: A 100 kΏ resistor at 25°C (298 K) passes a signal in audio frequency range of 20
Hz to 20 kHz. Calculate (i) the noise voltage (ii) noise current (iii) noise power in
watts and in dB.
R = 100K Ώ = 100,000 Ώ
T = 25°C - converting to kelvin = 273 + 25 = 298 Kelvin
B = fmax – fmin = 20,000 – 20 = 19800 Hz
K = Boltzmann's constant = 1.38 × 10–23
(i) Thermal noise Voltage Vn (ii) Thermal noise current In
Vn = 4 x 1.38 × 10–23 x 298 x 19800 x 100,000 In = 4 x 1.38 × 10–23 x 298 x 19800
100,000
Vn = 3.257 × 10–11
In = 3.257 × 10–16
Vn = 5.7 x 10-6 V 100,000
In = 3.257 x 10-21 A
Vn = 5.7 μV
(iii) b. Thermal noise Power PndBm
(iii) a. Thermal noise Power Pn PndBm = 10 log (1000 KTB)
Pn = KTB
Pn = 10 log (1000 x 1.38 × 10–23 x 298 x 19800)
Pn =1.38 × 10–23 x 298 x 19800 Pn = 10 log (8.142 × 10–14 )
Pn = 8.142 × 10–17 W Pn = 10 (-13.089) Pn = -130.89 dBm
Work exercise :
1. Calculate the thermal noise power available for any resistor at room temperature (290K) for a
bandwidth of 1MHz. Calculate also the corresponding noise voltage, given that R=50Ώ.
ANS: 4 x 10-15 W , 0.895 μV
2. For an electronic device operating at a temperature of 17 °C with a bandwidth of 10 kHz,
determine:
(a) Thermal noise in watts and dBm
(b) Noise voltage for a 100 Ώ load resistance.
ANS: (a) 4.002 x 10-17 W, -134 dBm , (b) 0.127 μV
Shot Noise
Arises when electrons cross a junction Such as a PN
junction, a vacuum in a vacuum tube, solder joints in the
circuit board, etc.
▪ is more prominent in semiconductors
▪ Increases with increase in current
Flicker Noise
▪ Dependent on frequency. Dominates at low frequencies
▪ Inversely proportional to frequency. Reason why it’s
also called 1/f noise. That is as frequency increases
flicker noise decreases.
▪ Increases with increase in current
Burst Noise
▪ Also known as Popcorn Noise
▪ Caused abrupt voltage or current transitions in
semiconductors, due to imperfections in
semiconductor material.
▪ Occurs only in semiconductors
▪ Reduced due improvements in semiconductor
manufacturing
Decibel (dB) scale
a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound, gain or the power
level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a
logarithmic scale.
The decibel which is 1/10 (one tenth) of a bel. It is more convenient
to use decibel because the bel is too large of a unit to be used. So
they scale it down to one tenth its size and called it a decibel.
Deci = 1/10 (one tenth).
In other words, the decibel is actually comparing a power value to
one watt of power, then finding the log of that value and multiply by
10,as shown in formula below;
PdB = 10 log P1/P2
Now, let look at converting a power in watts to decibels,
For, example: Convert (a) 2watts (b) 10 Watts (c) 20watt (d) 100watts
to decibel (dB)
(a) P1 = 2 w, P2 = (b) P1 = 10 w, P2 = (c) P1 = 20 w, P2 =
1w 1w 1w
Then, Then, Then,
PdB = 10 log 2/1 PdB = 10 log 10/1 PdB = 10 log 20/1
PdB = 10 log 2 PdB = 10 log 10 PdB = 10 log 20
PdB = 10 x 0.3 PdB = 10 x 1 PdB = 10 x 1.3
PdB = 3db PdB = 10db PdB = 13db
3dB gain means 10dB means the power 13dB means the power
the power has has increased 10 times has increased 20 times
doubled
(d) P1 = 100 w, P2 = 1w
On the decibel scale, the smallest audible
Then,
sound (near total silence) is 0 dB. A sound
PdB = 10 log 100/1 10 times more powerful is 10 dB. A sound
PdB = 10 log 100 100 times more powerful than near total
PdB = 10 x 2 silence is 20 dB. A sound 1,000 times more
PdB = 20db powerful than near total silence is 30 dB.
20dB means the power Q1. What is mean by a power level of 40dB?
has increased 100 times
Note: a minus sign indicates that the power level has reduced, for example a
power of -3dB means the power has reduced to half its original amount.. Which is
the opposite to 3dB level which is 2 times (double) it original amount.
Q2. What is mean by a power level of -10dB?
SIGNAL QUALITY
Signal quality is a measure of the ratio or proportion
of pure useful signal to signal impurity such as noise
and other interference.
Signal to noise ratio (SNR), noise factor (F) and
noise figure (N) are Some common ratios of measuring
signal quality.
Noise is an inherent part of an electrical/electronic circuits
and signals. The idea is to reduce or keep it to an
accepted level during signal processing.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR or S/N)
SNR is the ratio of the signal power to the noise power that corrupts
the signal.
PS = signal power (watts) PS
SNR = SNR =
PN = noise power ( watts) PN
▪ The higher this ratio, the better the quality of the signal.
Meaning there more useful signal than the corrupting noise
SNR expressed in dB :
PS
SNR (dB) =10 log
PN
Noise Factor (F)
Noise factor is the ratio of the signal to noise ratio of the input
signal to the signal to noise ratio of the output signal.
SNR of input signal Si
F= or
SNR of output signal Ni
F=
So
No
Where:
Si - Input Signal power So - Output Signal power
Ni - Input Noise power No - Output Noise power
Noise Figure (N)
Noise Figure is a parameter mostly use in specifications of radio
receivers, amplifiers, etc. Noise Figure is the Noise factor expressed
in decibels(dB)
▪ A number by which noise performance of an amplifier or a
radio receiver is specified.
Si
SNR of input signal Ni
N = 10 log or N =10 log dB
SNR of output signal So
No
Work Example:
The input signal to an amplifier is 3W with 0.001W noise and output signal
of 100W and noise 1w. Determine (a) the signal to noise ratio, (b) Noise
factor (c) Noise figure
(a) PS 3W
SNR = = = 3000
PN 0.001W
Expressed in dB : SNR = 10 log 3000 = 10 x 3.477 = 34.77 dB
(b) Noise factor SNR of input signal 3/0.001 3000
F= = = = 30
SNR of output signal 100/1 100
(c) Noise figure
SNR of input signal
N = 10 log
SNR of output signal
N = 10 log 30
N = 10 x 1.477
N = 14.77 dB
Methods for Noise reduction
• Grounding and Shielding
• Use of Difference and Instrumental Amplifiers
• Modulation
• Analog Filtering
• Digital Filtering
AUDIBLE NOISE
Audible Noise is unwanted sound that can be heard by the human ear.
▪ difference between sound and noise depends upon the
listener and the circumstances.
▪ Noise that can be heard by the human ears and fall with the
audio frequency range of 20Hz – 20,000Hz (20KHz)
A point to note that as persons ages their hearing becomes less sensitive;
meaning they would not hear sounds over the entire audio frequency,
especially higher frequencies sound that a baby or younger person would
hear.
The color of noise
The color of noise is determined by the energy of the sound signal. Specifically, it
depends on how energy is distributed over various frequencies, or the speed of
sound.
White noise
Pink noise
Since white noise contains all frequencies at
To the human ear, pink noise equal intensity, it can mask loud sounds that
sounds “flat” or “even.” e.g stimulate your brain. That’s why it’s often
rustling leaves, steady rain, wind. recommended for sleeping difficulties and
sleep disorders like insomnia.
Black noise Brown noise
informal term used to describe
also called red noise, has higher energy at
lack of noise. It refers to complete
lower frequencies. This makes it deeper
silence or mostly silence with bits
than pink and white noise. E.g. low roaring,
of random noise
strong waterfalls, thunder.
Noise levels in our environment
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM EXCESSIVE NOISE
