Linearity of 1f noise mechanisms

Measurements of statistical quantities other than the spectrum can distinguish between different 1f noise mechanisms. One such quantity, the average behavior before and after a given fluctuation amplitude, is used to determine if the noise mechanism is linear. Measurements on different sources show that 1f noise in some systems, such as carbon resistors and field-effect transistors, is due to a linear mechanism, while other systems, such as p-n junction devices, require a nonlinear mechanism. © 1978 The American Physical Society.