Leeson's equation

Leeson's equation is an empirical expression that describes an oscillator's phase noise spectrum.

Leeson's expression[1] for single-sideband (SSB) phase noise in dBc/Hz (decibels relative to output level per Hertz) is[2]

L(f_m) = 10 \log \bigg[ \frac{1}{2} \bigg( \bigg(\frac{f_0}{2 Q_l f_m}\bigg)^2 + 1\bigg)\bigg(\frac{f_c}{f_m} + 1\bigg)\bigg(\frac{FkT}{P_s}\bigg) \bigg]
where f0 is the output frequency, Ql is the loaded Q, fm is the offset from the output frequency (Hz), fc is the 1/f corner frequency, F is the noise factor of the amplifier, k is Boltzmann's constant, T is absolute temperature in Kelvins, and Ps is the oscillator output power.

References

  1. Leeson, D. B. (February 1966), "A Simple Model of Feedback Oscillator Noise Spectrum", Proceedings of the IEEE 54 (2): 329330, doi:10.1109/PROC.1966.4682
  2. Rhea, Randall W. (1997), Oscillator Design & Computer Simulation (Second ed.), McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-07-052415-7, p. 115.

Further reading

External links