1/ f-Type noise in a total power radiometer.

We report the experimental results of a study of the sources of 1/ f type noise (hereafter referred to as 1/ f-type noise for the sake of brevity) in a total power radiometer. We find this noise to have two main sources in the radiometer: microwave amplifiers and the square-law diode detector with a Schottky barrier. We present methods for a substantial reduction of 1/ f-type noise, which allow total power radiometer measurements to be performed with nominal sensitivity on time scales of up to 10 seconds. The sensitivity of the total power radiometer on time scales up to 100 seconds remains higher than that of a Dicke switched radiometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]