Anti-parallel Diode Pair Research Articles

A general configuration for nonlinear circuit employing current-controlled nonlinearity: Application in Chua’s circuit

In this paper, a general configuration for nonlinear circuit employing current-controlled nonlinearity is proposed, which has a simple topology and only contains three linear energy storage components, one nonlinear element, and one multi-port network that can be made by linear resistor. Under this configuration, we design two new five-element chaotic circuits including the first third-order one employing a current-controlled anti-parallel connection diode pair and the second fourth-order one employing a current-controlled memristor emulator. The analyses show that the third-order chaotic circuit is dual to the canonical Chua’s circuit, and the extended fourth-order one can be regarded as a dual canonical memristive Chua’s circuit. The basic analyses including the model description, equilibrium point and stability are presented. Several rich dynamical properties of the two chaotic circuits are investigated using numerical simulations and certified by both Pspice circuit simulations and analog circuit measurements.

Analysis and Design of Novel 180° Hybrid for U-Band Monolithic Subharmonic Mixer in 0.15-μm GaAs pHEMT Technology

In this brief, a novel reduced-size 1800 hybrid is presented to implement a U-band subharmonic mixer (SHM) via a 0.15-μm GaAs pHEMT process. The isolations between Σ-port and -port of the proposed 1800 hybrid are significantly enhanced by two structures: one is a compact multiconductor edge-coupled line balun with artificial transmission line and the other is an in-phase power divider composed of λLO/4 coupled line. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, a single balanced SHM with an antiparallel diode pair configuration is designed and fabricated, which exhibits a conversion gain of -12.25 dB 1 1.55 dB within the operating RF frequency of 40 to 60 GHz under 14 dBm LO pumping power. The improved isolations of LO-to-RF and 2LO-to-RF are 33 to 47 dB and 44 to 57 dB, respectively. The measured results surpass previously reported performance of SHMs.

170 GHz quasi-optical sub-harmonic mixer with a back-to-back lenses packaging based on HDI.

The paper presents a 170 GHz quasi-optical sub-harmonic mixer with a 3D-printed back-to-back lenses packaging. The quasi-optical mixer is comprised by a pair of antiparallel GaAs Schottky diodes, a patch antenna for receiving local oscillator (LO) pump signal, a symmetric-slit patch antenna for receiving radio frequency (RF) signal, dual 3D-printed lenses and a matching network. The quasi-optical mixer with a pair of antiparallel GaAs Schottky diodes is designed on a multilayer build-up printed circuit board (PCB) utilizing commercially low-cost and high-density interconnect (HDI) technology. The LO and RF antennas are placed on the front and back of the multilayer build-up substrate, respectively, thus significantly simplifying the quasi-optical design. Furthermore, dual 3D-printed lenses placed back-to-back are proposed for LO and RF antennas radiation gain enhancement and mechanical robustness. Additionally, the buried planar reflectors in the substrate maintain effective radiation isolation between the antennas. For facilitating coupling efficiency of signal power into the Schottky diodes and signal isolation between the LO pump signal and RF signal, a compact matching network with low-loss quasi-coaxial via transition structure is integrated in the mixer circuit. The measured single-sideband conversion loss is from 11.3 to 15.4 dB in an operation range of 160 to 180 GHz. The measured radiation patterns agree well with the simulated results.

Demonstration and modeling of frequency tripler based on GaN Schottky diode pair

Based on GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD), frequency triplers using anti-parallel diode pair (APDP) are demonstrated and modeled at an output frequency of 3.6 GHz. In addition, two connection schemes, namely series APDP tripler and shunt APDP tripler are explicitly studied and compared. Compared to shunt APDP tripler, series APDP tripler achieved higher output power of −0.14 dBm and smaller minimum conversion loss of 26.9 dB. Precise compact models for both types of triplers were proposed to verify the generation of output power and performance of triplers. In the compact models, nonlinear SPICE parameters of SBD and parasitic parameters of the diode pair were extracted from I–V characteristic and broad band small signal S-parameters. Input and output networks of tripler were de-embedded so that accuracy of harmonic simulations were ensured. The outstanding performance of APDP as a frequency tripler and corresponding models provide a practical option in designing RF multipliers.

Low-noise sub-harmonic-mixing in 300-GHz band by Fermi-level managed barrier diode

We investigated the effect of device parameters on intermediate-frequency (IF) output power in sub-harmonic mixing by an anti-parallel diode pair based on Fermi-level managed barrier (FMB) diodes. The IF output power peaked as the local oscillator (LO) power increased due to the saturation of the FMB diode itself. The peak IF output power was found to increase as barrier height increased while it stayed nearly the same as the junction area increased. The lowest noise equivalent power of 4 × 10–19 W Hz−1 was obtained with an LO power of only 160 μW at a signal frequency of 304 GHz.

A simple anti-parallel diodes based chaotic jerk circuit with arcsinh function: theoretical analysis and experimental verification

This paper introduces a novel autonomous chaotic jerk circuit with an antiparallel diodes pair whose mathematical model involves an inverse hyperbolic sine function in the form: $$f\left( x \right) = k - 2x + 4\arcsin h\left( {mx} \right)$$ where $$k$$ (i.e. a constant excitation source) controls the symmetry of the model while $$m$$ represents the slope of the inverse hyperbolic sine. The presence of the inverse hyperbolic sine is unusual provided that such types of circuits are connected to hyperbolic sine nonlinearity. The analysis of the model indicates that in case of a perfect symmetry ( $$k = 0.0$$ ), the system undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking, period doubling scenario to chaos, symmetry recovering crisis, coexistence of multiple pairs of symmetric attractors, and coexisting symmetric bubbles of bifurcation. More complex and incoherent nonlinear dynamic patterns occur in the presence of symmetry perturbation ( $$k\ne 0.0$$ ) including for instance non-symmetric Hopf bifurcations, coexisting point attractor and limit cycle, coexisting asymmetric bubbles of bifurcations, critical transitions, and coexisting (i.e. up to five) non-symmetric periodic and chaotic attractors. The space magnetization resulting from the presence of various coexisting attractors is examined and illustrated by using basins of attraction. The predictions of theoretical investigations are supported by laboratory experimental tests based on a prototypal electronic circuit mounted on a breadboard.

A wideband subharmonic passive image rejection mixer

This article presents a circuit topology for a wideband subharmonic image rejection mixer. The mixer circuit is realized by employing two identical subharmonic mixers based on Schottky antiparallel diode pair, a wideband 90° differential phase shifter and a band pass filter without involving bonding wires, high impedance or tightly coupled arms. To demonstrate the topology, a mixer with 1 GHz as the fixed intermediate frequency is fabricated for 6 to 10 GHz of RF frequency. The lower side band is considered as the undesired band. Measurement results exhibit a minimum conversion loss of 7.87 dB and a maximum image rejection ratio of 41 dB at a local oscillator drive level of 9 dBm. Measured 1 dB compression point is 3 dBm. There is no requirement of DC bias.

A design of 210 to 235GHzfixed tuned mixer using planar Schottky diode

This paper presents the design of a fixed tuned 210 to 235 GHz subharmonic mixer (SHM). The mixer is designed using GaAs based planar antiparallel Schottky diode pair AP1/G2/0P95 from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. 3D model of the Schottky diode is discussed and simulated to consider parasitic effects of the diode. Detailed design technique of each of its subsections as well as the integrated mixer circuit is presented. Nonlinear co-simulation of the designed mixer exhibits double sideband (DSB) conversion loss less than 9.2 dB over the frequency band 210 to 235 GHz with 4 dBm of local oscillator (LO) power while the area of the rectangular printed section is 4.224 × 0.35 mm.

Low‐local‐oscillator‐power sub‐harmonic mixing in 300‐GHz band by Fermi‐level managed barrier diode

An anti-parallel (AP) diode pair based on a Fermi-level managed barrier (FMB) diode was developed for the sub-harmonic mixing of terahertz waves. A quasi-optical module integrating an AP–FMB diode pair and a trans-impedance amplifier exhibited a very low noise-equivalent-power of 9 × 10−19 W/Hz at an input signal frequency of 304 GHz with a very low local oscillator power of 30 μW.

Asymmetry-Induced Dynamics for a Class of Diode-Based Chaotic Circuits: A Case Study

We consider the modeling and asymmetry-induced dynamics for a class of chaotic circuits sharing the same feature of an antiparallel diodes pair as the nonlinear component. The simple autonomous jerk circuit of [J. Kengne, Z. T. Njitacke, A. N. Nguomkam, M. T. Fouodji and H. B. Fotsin, Coexistence of multiple attractors and crisis route to chaos in a novel chaotic jerk circuit, Int. J. Bifurcation Chaos Appl. Sci. Eng. 26 (2016) 1650081] is used as the prototype. In contrast to current approaches where the diodes are assumed to be identical (and thus a perfect symmetric circuit), we examine the more realistic situation where the diodes have different electrical properties in spite of unavoidable scattering of parameters. In this case, the nonlinear component formed by the diodes pair displays an asymmetric current–voltage characteristic which induces asymmetry of the whole circuit. The model is described by a continuous-time 3D autonomous system (ODEs) with exponential nonlinearities. We examine the chaos mechanism with respect to system parameters both in the symmetric and asymmetric modes of operation by using bifurcation diagrams and phase space trajectory plots as the main indicators. Period doubling route to chaos, merging crisis, and multiple coexisting (i.e., two, four, or six) mutually symmetric attractors are reported in the symmetric mode of oscillation. In the asymmetric mode, several unusual nonlinear behaviors arise such as coexisting bifurcations, hysteresis, asymmetric double-band chaotic attractor, crisis, and coexisting multiple (i.e., two, three, four, or five) asymmetric attractors for some suitable ranges of parameters. Theoretical analyses and circuit experiments show a very good agreement. The results obtained in this work let us conjecture that chaotic circuits with antiparallel diodes pair are capable of much more complex dynamics than what is reported in the current literature and thus should be reconsidered accordingly in spite of the approach followed in this work.

Phase characteristics of E class amplifier with various output networks

Phase shift of E class amplifiers with classical output network and output network that satisfies E class loading impedance conditions twice in the frequency band were studied by simulation and experimentally. The phase shift across switch in nominal operation mode was investigated analytically. The phase shift across switch in suboptimal class E operation mode that occurs while altering the operation frequency was investigated as well. The simulation method was the harmonic balance analysis using the switch model that considers the structure of power MOSFET device, namely, the existence of antiparallel diode pair that alters the switch current waveform. The input and transition capacitances of the transistor were considered. Experimental measurement of the phase shift was performed utilizing the recorded digitized waveforms of the switch input and output voltages by computing the phases of the voltages’ first harmonics with the help of Fast Fourier Transform. It was observed that characteristics of phase shift at switch output and amplifier output are dependent on the kind of load network. The relationship between the phase shift at the switch and hodograph of the loading impedance was demonstrated. For the network with double fulfilment of class E conditions that has a loop in the loading impedance hodograph the switch phase shift dependency has an extremum, which provides an opportunity to obtain the same phase shift at two frequencies within the operating frequency band. That facilitates control of the phase-frequency characteristic and the group delay of the amplifier. Knowledge of the phase-frequency dependency simplifies the conditions for calculation of the phase shift in the feedback network. The obtained results are useful for design of class E oscillator operating in a wide frequency band.

Silicon Integrated Subharmonic Mixer on a Photonic-Crystal Platform

This article presents a planar silicon integrated subharmonic mixer on top of a photonic-crystal (PC) platform. The local oscillator power is injected through a 2-D PC slab to a resonant cavity that effectively couples the signal to a planar bow-tie antenna. The same antenna, which is printed on the top of the PC cavity, contains an antiparallel Schottky diode pair, which performs the downconversion. The proposed design is a simple, easy-to-integrate, low-cost, low-profile device. Moreover, the described fabrication process is compatible with active component integration. The performance of the design has been experimentally demonstrated showing good agreement with the simulation and is comparable with the state of the art of planar mixers. The work presented here is based on concepts and technologies from electronics and photonics domains and may be a good starting point for the creation of new devices, allowing the integration and upgrading of existing techniques from both fields.

D-Band Frequency Tripler Module Using Anti-Parallel Diode Pair and Waveguide Transitions

In this paper, D-band (110–170 GHz) frequency tripler module is presented using anti-parallel GaAs Schottky diode pair and waveguide-to-microstrip transitions. The anti-parallel diode pair is used as a nonlinear device generating harmonic components for Q-band input signal (33–50 GHz). The diode is zero-biased to eliminate the bias circuits and thus minimize the number of circuit components for low-cost hybrid fabrication. The anti-parallel connection of two identical diodes effectively suppresses DC and even harmonics in the output. Furthermore, the first and second harmonics of Q-band input signal are cut off by D-band rectangular waveguide. Input and output impedance matching networks are designed based on the optimum impedances determined by harmonic source- and load-pull simulations using the developed nonlinear diode model. Waveguide-to-microstrip transitions at Q- and D-bands are also designed using E-plane probe to package the frequency tripler in the waveguide module. The compensation circuit is added to reduce the impedance mismatches by bond-wires connecting two separate substrates. The fabricated frequency tripler module produces a maximum output power of 5.4 dBm at 123 GHz under input power of 20.5 dBm. A 3 dB bandwidth is as wide as 22.5% from 118.5 to 148.5 GHz at the input power of 15.0 dBm. This result corresponds to the excellent bandwidth performance with a conversion gain comparable to the previously reported frequency tripler operating at D-band.

A broken symmetry approach for the modeling and analysis of antiparallel diodes-based chaotic circuits: a case study

This paper focuses on the modeling and symmetry breaking analysis of the large class of chaotic electronic circuits utilizing an antiparallel diodes pair as nonlinear device necessary for chaotic oscillations. A new and relatively simple autonomous jerk circuit is used as a paradigm. Unlike current approaches assuming identical diodes (and thus a perfect symmetric circuit), we consider the more realistic situation where both antiparallel diodes present different electrical properties in spite of unavoidable scattering of parameters. Hence, the nonlinear component synthesized by the diodes pair exhibits an asymmetric current–voltage characteristic which engenders the explicit symmetry break of the whole electronic circuit. The mathematical model of the new circuit consists of a continuous time 3D autonomous system with exponential nonlinear terms. We investigate the chaos mechanism with respect to model parameters and initial conditions as well, both in the symmetric and asymmetric modes of operation by using bifurcation diagrams and phase space trajectories plots as main indicators. We report period doubling route to chaos, spontaneous symmetry breaking, merging crisis and the coexistence of two, four, or six mutually symmetric attractors in the symmetric regime of operation. More intriguing and complex nonlinear behaviors are revealed in the asymmetric system such as coexisting asymmetric bubbles of bifurcation (a new kind of phenomenon discovered in this work), hysteretic dynamics, critical phenomena, and coexisting multiple (i.e. two, three, four, or five) asymmetric attractors for some appropriately selected values of parameters. Laboratory experimental tests are conducted to support the theoretical analysis. The results obtained in this work clearly indicate that chaotic circuits with back to back diodes can demonstrate much more complex dynamics than what is reported in the relevant literature and thus should be reconsidered accordingly following the method described in this paper.

A Compact Broadband Monolithic Sub-Harmonic Mixer Using Multi-Line Coupler

A compact broadband monolithic sub-harmonic mixer is presented in a 70 nm GaAs Technology for millimeter wave wireless communication application. The proposed mixer adopts a novel multi-line coupler structure; where the two-sided coupling energy of radio frequency (RF) and local oscillation (LO) signals are both collected and efficiently feed to anti-parallel diode pair (APDP) topology; resulting in broadband performance and compact chip size. As a comparison in the same circuit configuration; the five-line coupler can expand the bandwidth of the existing three-line coupler by 85% and reduce the area by 39.5% when the central frequency is 127 GHz. The measured conversion gain is −16.2 dB to −19.7 dB in a wide operation frequency band of 110–170 GHz. The whole chip size is 0.47 × 0.66 mm2 including test pads. The proposed mixer exhibits good figure-of-merits for D-band down-converter applications

DESIGN OF A BEAM SWITCHTABLE SUPERDIRECTIVE DIPOLE FOR IOT GATEWAY

In this paper, a switchable beam and super-directive Electrically Small Antenna (ESA) dipole deployed at an IoT network gateway at 868 MHz is presented. It consists of one fed dipole and one loaded parasitic dipole. The nature and value of the load are obtained using the Uzkov equations, allowing determining current weighting coefficients in the case of two separately fed antennas, in order to maximize the gain and the directivity in a given direction. Reconfigurability in two directions is achieved using a pair of anti-parallel PIN diodes to steer the beam to the desired direction. The array final dimensions are 109 × 43 mm2 (0.3λ × 0.1λ) generating a high directivity of 6.8 dBi in simulation and 6.7 dBi in measurement at 868 MHz for each beam in the azimuth plane.

Low conversion loss and high isolation harmonic mixer based on multilayer graphene

Low conversion loss (CL) and high isolation graphene harmonic mixer with inductor-capacitor resonators and microstrip reflective stubs (MRS) is presented in this paper. The nonlinear electromagnetic field characteristics of the multilayer graphene are similar to those of an antiparallel diode pair, which has very strong nonlinear characteristic and is suitable for the development of the Low-level even-combinatorial-frequency harmonic mixer. Through the reflection of radio frequency (RF) signal and local oscillator (LO) frequency signal, the CL of graphene harmonic mixer is significantly reduced, and the isolation between the ports is also improved. The measured minimum CL at the LO power of 16dBm is about 19.2dB, and 2-3dB lower than that without MRS over the frequency band from 2.05-2.5GHz, while the isolation between ports is better than 30dB.

Remerging Feigenbaum trees, and multiple coexisting bifurcations in a novel hybrid diode-based hyperjerk circuit with offset boosting

This paper proposes a novel chaotic hyperjerk circuit obtained from the autonomous 4-D hyperjerk circuit (Leutcho et al. in Chaos Solitons Fractals 107:67–87, 2018) via substituting the nonlinear component (pair of anti-parallel diodes) with a first order hybrid diode circuit. The nonlinear component (i.e. hybrid diode) is characterized by a frequency dependent nonlinear I–V characteristic which is responsible for complex behaviours of the whole circuit. The essential dynamic properties of the model are investigated by exploiting numerical tools of nonlinear theory such as bifurcation diagrams, graphs of Lyapunov exponents, as well as phase portraits. Some interesting features are found including period-doubling bifurcation, coexisting bifurcations, symmetry recovering crises, antimonotonicity, and offset-boosting. One of the most interesting features of the new hyperjerk circuit is the presence of various areas of parameter space in which the hyperjerk system exhibits the attractive and intricate property of coexisting bifurcation and several coexisting attractors (e.g. coexistence of two, three, four, five, six, or seven disconnected periodic and chaotic attractors) for the same parameter’ set. Laboratory experimental results show a very good agreement with the theoretical analysis.

Dynamical analysis of a novel single Opamp-based autonomous LC oscillator: antimonotonicity, chaos, and multiple attractors

A novel autonomous RLCC-Diodes-Opamp chaotic oscillator with a pair of antiparallel semiconductor diodes implementing hyperbolic sine nonlinearity is introduced. Basic dynamic properties of the new system are categorized numerically with respect to its parameters by exploiting standard nonlinear analysis tools such as time series, bifurcation diagrams, plots of largest Lyapunov exponent, phase portraits, Poincare sections, and basins of attraction. Some striking phenomena are reported including antimonotonicity, period doubling, crises, chaos, hysteresis, and coexisting bifurcations. More importantly, one of the most interesting results is the finding of various regions in the parameters’ space in which the proposed oscillator develops the phenomenon of multiple attractors characterized by the coexistence of up to four disconnected periodic and chaotic attractors for the same values of parameters. Laboratory measurements are consistent with the theoretical results.

Wideband Fourth-Harmonic Mixer Operated at 325–500 GHz

This letter presents an approach to design the fourth-harmonic mixer based on a pair of antiparallel Schottky diodes. To implement the proposed fourth-harmonic mixer, a two-level local oscillator (LO) low-pass filter is used to suppress the second, third, and fourth harmonics of the LO frequency, further to improve the isolation between RF and LO ports. Also, two shorted grounds are adopted to ensure the wideband performance of the proposed mixer. Furthermore, a wideband fourth-harmonic operating at 325–500 GHz is fabricated and measured. The results show that it has very low conversion loss from 15 to 22 dB in the whole operational band.