Soliton quenching NLTL impulse circuit with a pulse forming network at the output

• US 5,804,921 A
• Filed: 03/12/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Dallum, Gregory E., McEwan, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bettendorf, Justin P.
• Application Number:
  US08/614,408
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 333/19, 333/20, 327/181, 327/194, 327/335, 327/586, 309/105-109
• US Class Current: 333/20
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/80 using non-linear magnetic devices; using non-linear dielectric devices H03K17/95, H03K17/97 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/57 the switching device being a semiconductor device

Abstract

An impulse forming circuit is disclosed which produces a clean impulse from a nonlinear transmission line compressed step function without customary soliton ringing by means of a localized pulse shaping and differentiating network which shunts the nonlinear transmission line output to ground.

Claims

1. A nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) impulse generator, comprising:

a NLTL having an input and an output, and consisting of a plurality of inductors and reverse biased varactor diodes; and

a pulse forming network (PFN) connected in shunt between said output of said NLTL and ground, wherein said PFN is electrically connected in parallel with the last varactor diode of said plurality of reverse biased varactor diodes wherein said PFN is located within 1/2 of a pulse length in electrical length of said NLTL output, wherein said PFN rapidly reduces a NLTL output voltage to differentiate said NLTL output voltage.

2. The nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) impulse generator of claim 1, wherein said PFN comprises a transmission line that is shunted to ground.

3. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 1, wherein said reverse biased varactor diodes diminish in capacitance from said NLTL input to said NLTL output.

4. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of inductors diminish in inductance from said NLTL input to said NLTL output.

5. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 1, wherein said NLTL is tapered.

6. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 5, wherein an LC product diminishes from said NLTL input to said NLTL output.

7. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 1, wherein said pulse forming network comprises a differentiation circuit.

8. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 7, wherein said differentiation circuit comprises an inductor.

9. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 7, wherein said differentiation circuit comprises a short piece of transmission line.

10. A NLTL impulse generator according to claim 7, wherein said differentiation circuit rapidly reduces said NLTL output voltage during said differentiation process.