59 results about "Nonlinear transmission line" patented technology

The principal reason that commercially available 10 gigabits per second electrical interconnect has not previously been available is that such interconnect structures possess too high a level of parasitic inductance, capacitance, resistance and conductance. These result in signal degradation as a result of attenuation, harmonic distortion and dispersion and so sufficiently error-free transmission of data has been virtually impossible for high data rates such as those around 5 gigabits per second and above. By providing compensation mechanisms, signal integrity is improved thus enabling reliable data transmission at data rates of 5 gigabits per second, 10 gigabits per second and above. Non-linear transmission lines are used to form these compensation mechanisms. The non-linear transmission line may take the form of a distributed diode, for example, formed from a layer of N-doped silicon covered on its top surface by a layer of platinum and on its bottom surface by a layer of silicon dioxide. Advantageously, voltage biased sections of NLTL are used to perform compensation for different regions of a signal pulse according to the particular voltage biasing used. A plurality of such voltage biased sections of NLTL may be connected in series in order to obtain improved signal compensation.

A high-frequency VNA system is provided using non-linear transmission line (NLTL or shockline) based samplers configured to provide scalable operation characteristics. Scaling to adjust noise performance vs. frequency is accomplished as follows: (1) increasing or decreasing the fall time of a shockline's output voltage waveform. This is accomplished by changing the number of Schottky varactors in a shockline, as well as changing the shockline's Bragg cutoff frequency by setting the spacing between Schottky varactors; (2) changing the structure of the pulse-forming network connected with the sampler by changing the length of the differentiator arms in the sampler pulse-forming network; and (3) changing the LO signal frequency applied to the shockline. Multiple NLTL based samplers are multiplexed to form a broadband reflectometer with the multiplexing circuitry selectively connecting one of the NLTL based sampler segments at a time to allow user selection of a desired performance vs. frequency response for each segment.

A monolithic non-linear transmission line and sampling circuit with reduced shock-wave-to-surface-wave coupling are presented herein. In coplanar-waveguide (CPW) technology, this reduced coupling is achieved by selecting properly the thickness of the semiconductor substrate, and by elevating the center conductor of the CPW above the substrate surface. The elevated center conductor is supported by means of conducting posts, and may be backed by a low-loss dielectric such as polyimide or silicon nitride. In coplanar-strip (CPS) technology, the reduction in coupling between shock waves and surface waves is achieved by controlling the substrate thickness as in the CPW case, and by elevating the coplanar strips above the substrate surface. The elevated strips are supported by a low-loss dielectric. The reduced coupling in both guiding media enhances the high-frequency performance of nonlinear-transmission-line-based circuits. The semiconductor devices loading the CPW or CPS transmission lines may be Schottky diodes or some other type of variable-reactance device.

Systems and methods for ranging in indoor environment that are accurate and that are substantially undisturbed by multipath interference. The method includes illuminating a sensor tag with electromagnetic radiation generated from a transceiver; the transceiver are being located a distance away from the sensor tag; the sensor tag comprising at least one nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) for broadband harmonic generation, receiving backscattered electromagnetic radiation from the at least one NLTL at three or more locations; coordinates of the three or more locations being known, obtaining from the phase and magnitude outputs at a second harmonic and at least one sub harmonic of second harmonic, a distance from the sensor tag to each of the three or more locations and trilaterating a location of the sensor tag.

A system and method for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is disclosed. The system includes a multiphase oscillator preferable a rotary oscillator, a sample and hold circuit, an integrator and a time-to-digital converter. The multiphase oscillator has a plurality of phases that are used in the time-to-digital converter to measure the time of a pulse created by the integrator. The edges of the pulse may optionally be sharpened by passing the pulse through a non-linear transmission line to improve the accuracy of the measurement process. To cut down on noise a tuned power network provides power to the switching devices of the rotary oscillator. Calibration is performed by fragmenting the sample and hold circuit and integrator and performing a closed loop calibration cycle on one of the fragments while the other fragments are joined together for the normal operation of the sample and hold and integrator circuits.

A system and method for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is disclosed. The system includes a multiphase oscillator preferable a rotary oscillator, a sample and hold circuit, an integrator and a time-to-digital converter. The multiphase oscillator has a plurality of phases that are used in the time-to-digital converter to measure the time of a pulse created by the integrator. The edges of the pulse may optionally be sharpened by passing the pulse through a non-linear transmission line to improve the accuracy of the measurement process. To cut down on noise a tuned power network provides power to the switching devices of the rotary oscillator. Calibration is performed by fragmenting the sample and hold circuit and integrator and performing a closed loop calibration cycle on one of the fragments while the other fragments are joined together for the normal operation of the sample and hold and integrator circuits.

The invention discloses a broadband micro-strip antenna, which belongs to the technical field of antenna. The antenna consists of a transmission feeder, a composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line and a medium substrate, wherein the composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line is connected with the medium substrate, and the transmission feeder is connected with the composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line. The composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line is formed by alternately and serially connecting at least one left-handed nonlinear transmission line and one right-handed nonlinear transmission line; the left-handed nonlinear transmission line consists of a series variable capacitor and a parallel inductor; and the right-handed nonlinear transmission line consists of a series inductor and a parallel variable capacitor. The broadband micro-strip antenna uses the composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line to substitute a metal conductor slice on the prior micro-strip antenna, the left-handed nonlinear transmission line has high-pass characteristic, the right-handed nonlinear transmission line has low-pass characteristic, and the composite right / left-handed nonlinear transmission line has band-pass characteristic and greatly expands the bandwidth of the micro-strip antenna.

The invention discloses a metal-semiconductor contact nonlinear transmission line model and parameter fitting method and relates to the semiconductor device structure performance detection and representation field. The metal-semiconductor contact nonlinear transmission line model and parameter fitting method comprises 1, establishing a nonlinear transmission line model; 2, measuring an I-V curve of parallel double rectangular electrodes on semiconductor thin film materials; 3, obtaining an R-V curve through a relational expression that R is equal to dV / dI; 4, calculating a theoretical R-V curve of a testing structure through the nonlinear transmission line model; 5, fitting metal-semiconductor contact physical parameters through a simulated annealing inheritance algorithm. The metal-semiconductor contact nonlinear transmission line model and parameter fitting method has the advantages of establishing the nonlinear transmission line model and a corresponding numerical algorithm, quantitatively extracting the metal-semiconductor contact relevant physical parameters and providing a new method for precise representation and analysis of nonlinear metal-conductor contact.

A device for analyzing a sample using radiation in the terahertz frequency range is provided. The device comprises a transmitter (3) comprising a THz signal generator (5, 6, 7; 51) for generating an electromagnetic THz signal, the THz signal generator comprising a nonlinear transmission line (7; 52). The device further comprises a surface plasmon polariton generating unit (8) adapted to convert the THz signal into a surface plasmon polariton. The transmitter (3) and the surface plamon polariton generating unit (8) are either integrated on one common substrate or on two separate substrates.

A non-linear transmission line has high temperature superconductive elements periodically loaded thereon. The elements have non-linear characteristics that provide voltage dependent non-linearity to the transmission line. The line can have a circuit with a first layer and a second layer with the second layer having several interdigital circuits printed thereon. The line can also have a meandering configuration or a spiral configuration.

The invention discloses a tunable bandpass filter, which adopts a method of the combination of left-handed and right-handed non-linear transmission lines, wherein the left-handed non-linear transmission line consists of a series varactor and a shunt inductor, and has high-pass characteristic; and the right-handed non-linear transmission line consists of a series inductor and parallel varactor, and has low-pass characteristic. The capacitances of the varactors are changed by controlling the bias voltages of the varactors of the left-handed and right-handed non-linear transmission lines so as to adjust lower and upper side frequencies of the bandpass filter respectively.

A system is provided using one or more shocklines or non-linear transmission lines (NLTLs) to extend the bandwidth of an RF signal source. Extension of the RF bandwidth is achieved by means of multiplexing as well as frequency scaling. Frequency scaling tailors the performance of each NLTL for operation in a particular output frequency band(s) by adjusting the varactor spacing in the NLTL. Multiplexing amalgamates the output frequency bands of one or more NLTLs, thus resulting in a broad output frequency range.

A circuit can include an amplifier having at least a first junction field effect transistor (JFET) of a first conductivity type with a source coupled to a first power supply node, and a drain coupled to an amplifier output node. A first variable bias circuit can be coupled between the drain and at least one gate of the first JFET. The first variable bias circuit can alter a direct current (DC) bias to the first JFET according a potential at the amplifier output node. A first bias impedance can be coupled between the drain of the first JFET and a second power supply node. The circuit can also include a non-linear transmission line (NLTL) coupled between the amplifier output and a gate of the first JFET. The NLTL being configured to propagate an electrical soliton.

A noise reduction filter is inserted between the source and non-linear transmission line (NLTL) in a frequency multiplier to improve phase noise performance. The noise reduction filter is suitably coupled directly to the input of the NLTL. The noise reduction filter and the output BPF are suitably low complexity filters.

A high-frequency VNA system is provided using non-linear transmission line (NLTL or shockline) based samplers configured to provide scalable operation characteristics. Scaling to adjust noise performance vs. frequency is accomplished as follows: (1) increasing or decreasing the fall time of a shockline's output voltage waveform. This is accomplished by changing the number of Schottky varactors in a shockline, as well as changing the shockline's Bragg cutoff frequency by setting the spacing between Schottky varactors; (2) changing the structure of the pulse-forming network connected with the sampler by changing the length of the differentiator arms in the sampler pulse-forming network; and (3) changing the LO signal frequency applied to the shockline. Multiple NLTL based samplers are multiplexed to form a broadband reflectometer with the multiplexing circuitry selectively connecting one of the NLTL based sampler segments at a time to allow user selection of a desired performance vs. frequency response for each segment.

The invention discloses a frequency multiplier. The frequency multiplier is composed of at least a composite left / right handed non-linear transmission line unit. The composite left / right handed non-linear transmission line unit is formed by connecting a single left-handed non-linear transmission line and a single right-handed non-linear transmission line in series. In combination with the advantages of the left-handed non-linear transmission line and the right-handed non-linear transmission line, the invention can improve the working frequency and the frequency multiplying efficiency of the frequency multiplier.

The invention relates to the technical field of microwave circuits, in particular discloses a multiplier of a left-hand nonlinear transmission line based on Schottky diodes, comprising single-sectionor multi-section left-hand nonlinear transmission line units. An equivalent circuit of the left-hand nonlinear transmission line units comprises variable capacitors connected in series and inductors connected in parallel, wherein a variable capacitor is formed by the back-to-back connection of a pair of Schottky diodes, and blocking capacitors in a traditional left-hand nonlinear transmission lineare replaced by back-to-back diodes in a self-biasing structure. The invention increases the working efficiency of the multiplier, improves the microwave characteristics and simplifies the circuit structure.

A modulator is provided that comprises a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that is bias modulated by a baseband signal. A given logic state of the baseband signal determines a delay amount of a first carrier signal through the NLTL. The modulator further comprises an impulse forming network (IFN) that includes a first NLTL that receives the first carrier signal delayed by the determined delay amount and a second NLTL that receives a second carrier signal having a fixed delay amount. The first NLTL and second NLTL within the IFN have opposite diode polarity configurations. The modulator further comprises a power combiner that converts a delta delay of the first carrier signal relative to the second carrier signal to a sharp impulse that represents the given logic state of the baseband signal.

The invention relates to a coaxial high-power microwave generator based on a nonlinear transmission line. The generator comprises a first fixing flange, a second fixing flange, an outer conductor of the transmission line, an inner conductor of the transmission line, a front segment of a nonlinear ferrite magnet ring, a rear segment of the nonlinear ferrite magnet ring, a solenoid, a solid dielectric medium and a nylon fixation device. The front edge of input high voltage pulses is sharpened, an input pulse magnetic field is mutually coupled with the magnetic moment of a non-linear material to generate and output high-frequency microwave oscillation signals, and the generator is characterized by high repetition rate, high versatility, low using cost, convenient and safe performance and the like.

The invention provides a nonlinear transmission line comb wave generation circuit for fundamental wave mixing. A uniform lossless transmission line is designed on a radio frequency printed board, variable capacitors are selected according to rising edge compression parameter requirements to be uniformly connected to the transmission line to simulate nonlinear transmission line characteristics, so that a comb wave generation function is realized. According to the circuit, the nonlinear transmission line technology is adopted in a comb wave generation module for fundamental wave mixing, the structure is simple, and design and debug are easy; engineering implementation can be realized on the printed board only, without other chips, so that the cost is low, and the practical value is high; and moreover, a well pulse shaping characteristic is provided, so that a low-noise and high-quality higher harmonic signal can be generated conveniently.

The invention relates to the technical field of microwave circuit, and discloses a left-handed nonlinear transmission lines-based frequency multiplier. The frequency multiplier consists of a single or a plurality of sections of left-handed nonlinear transmission lines, wherein an equivalent circuit of the left-handed nonlinear transmission lines consists of a series variable capacitor and a shunt inductance; and the variable capacitor consists of a self-bias PIN diode. The frequency multiplier can increase the working frequency of the frequency multiplier and improve the microwave characteristics of the frequency multiplier without additionally matching a circuit and adding a bias circuit, thereby greatly simplifying a circuit structure.

A system and method for generating high power pulses including a photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS), a laser for triggering the PCSS and a bipolar pulse generator coupled to the PCSS. The bipolar pulse generator is activated when the PCSS is triggered. A bipolar pulse is generated by the activated bipolar pulse generator. A modulator unit modulates the bipolar pulse to create a modulated bipolar pulse. The modulator unit is a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL).

A non-linear waveguide comprises a transmission line including a first conductive line and a second conductive line; a first bias voltage supply connected with the transmission line; and one or more pairs of diodes connected between the first conductive line and the second conductive line, the one or more pairs of diodes including: a first diode having an anode connected with the first conductive line and a cathode connected with the second conductive line; a second diode having a cathode connected with the first conductive line and an anode connected with the second conductive line; and a second bias voltage supply connected between the anode of the second diode and the second conductive line.

A modulator is provided that comprises a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that is bias modulated by a baseband signal. A given logic state of the baseband signal determines a delay amount of a first carrier signal through the NLTL. The modulator further comprises an impulse forming network (IFN) that includes a first NLTL that receives the first carrier signal delayed by the determined delay amount and a second NLTL that receives a second carrier signal having a fixed delay amount. The first NLTL and second NLTL within the IFN have opposite diode polarity configurations. The modulator further comprises a power combiner that converts a delta delay of the first carrier signal relative to the second carrier signal to a sharp impulse that represents the given logic state of the baseband signal.

Systems and methods for ranging in indoor environment that are accurate and that are substantially undisturbed by multipath interference. The method includes illuminating a sensor tag with electromagnetic radiation generated from a transceiver; the transceiver are being located a distance away from the sensor tag; the sensor tag comprising at least one nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) for broadband harmonic generation, receiving backscattered electromagnetic radiation from the at least one NLTL at three or more locations; coordinates of the three or more locations being known, obtaining, from the phase and magnitude outputs at a second harmonic and at least one sub harmonic of second harmonic, a distance from the sensor tag to each of the three or more locations and trilaterating a location of the sensor tag.

The invention discloses a cross coupling magnetic saturation nonlinear transmission line structure comprising a coaxial rectangular external cylinder, an external cylinder cover and a coaxial internal core. The rectangular external cylinder and the external cylinder cover are fixedly connected as a whole via screws, and the rectangular external cylinder is internally provided with a sealing space. The coaxial internal core is arranged in the rectangular external cylinder, and the rectangular external cylinder is internally filled with transformer oil. The coaxial internal core comprises multiple metal block internal cores, ceramic dielectric blocks and conductor rods. The metal blocks are symmetrically and evenly distributed at the upper side and the lower side of the coaxial line. The conductor rods are successively connected between the metal blocks arranged at the upper side and the lower side of the coaxial line from input to output of the coaxial internal core. The ceramic dielectric blocks are arranged between the metal blocks arranged at the upper side or the lower side of the coaxial line. The external surface of a glass tube is sleeved by a ferrite magnetic core. The cross coupling magnetic saturation nonlinear transmission line concrete structure with high power capacity can be constructed so that generation of high-power radio frequency pulse can be realized, and a technical problem of generating high-power microwave by utilizing the nonlinear transmission line can be solved.