A Test and Characterisation Facility for Cryogenic Low Noise Amplifiers

This dissertation discusses how the receiver and the LNA contained within the receiver are the major contributors to the sensitivity. Furthermore, a method for testing and determining the equivalent noise temperature of a cryogenic LNA operating at a physical temperature of 20 K is selected and presented. This method was tested at the Klerefontein support base and the measurements allowed conclusions to be drawn that show that the uncertainty was unacceptable due to a few factors. One of the factors is the thermal gradient across the attenuator. This was investigated via a limited thermal study and a solution was proposed and implemented.

Grantor

Department of Electrical Engineering

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Newton, Wesley

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Schonken, Willem

• Engineering

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38101

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38101