Accelerated N-Path Network Analysis Using the Floquet Scattering Matrix Method

Abstract

Advances in semiconductor devices have allowed researchers to explore temporal modulation as a means to achieve nonreciprocity. This is of practical importance, since nonreciprocity is often desired in electronic systems that are incompatible with the integration of magnetic materials. Recently, $N$ -path networks, a class of electronic systems, whose behavior was first introduced in the 1950s, have been shown to allow nonreciprocity. An analysis technique was introduced by Krishnaswamy et al. in 2016 to analytically characterize an $N$ -path network, used in the implementation of a microwave circulator. In general, the technique enables the analysis of $N$ -path networks that consist of first-order circuits. However, the extension of the technique to $N$ -path networks with higher-order internal circuits is unclear. Meanwhile, commercial harmonic balance solvers often fail to converge when the excitation frequency is close to the frequency of modulation. In this article, we develop an efficient, semianalytical technique for analyzing $N$ -path networks. The benefits of the analysis technique presented are that it converges for all excitation frequencies, the simulation time is independent of the number, $N$ , of paths, and it can be used to simulate the performance of complicated, higher-order internal networks.