What is noisefigure?

Noise figure is a measure of the amount of additional signal noise added by an electronic component, such as an amplifier or a mixer, to an electronic signal as it passes through the component. It is typically expressed in decibels (dB) and is an important parameter for evaluating the performance of electronic circuits and systems. A low noise figure indicates that the component is effectively preserving the quality of the incoming signal, while a high noise figure indicates that the component is adding significant additional noise to the signal. In many applications, particularly in communication systems, achieving a low noise figure is critical for maintaining signal quality and ensuring reliable transmission.