Parametric tunnel-diode amplifier frequency converter using pump harmonic

Claim 1

A FREQUENCY CONVERTER COMPRISING, A NON-LINEAR NEGATIVE CONDUCTANCE DEVICE HAVING A CURRENT-VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTIC INCLUDING A POSITIVE RESISTANCE REGION AND A NEGATIVE RESISTANCE REGION FORMING A POINT OF INFLECTION, THE SLOPE OF SAID NEGATIVE RESISTANCE REGION BEING GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID POSITIVE RESISTANCE REGION, MEANS FOR BIASING SAID DEVICE IN SAID POSITIVE RESISTANCE REGION IN THE VICINITY OF SAID POINT OF INFLECTION MEANS FOR APPLYING A PUMP VOLTAGE HAVING A FIRST FREQUENCLY TO SAID DEVICE, MEANS FOR APPLYING A SIGNAL VOLTAGE HAVING A SECOND FRQUENCY TO SAID DEVICE, MEANS FOR APPLYING A VOLTAGE HAVING A THIRD FREQUENCY EQUAL TO THE LOWER SIDEBAND OF THE SECOND HARMONIC OF SAID FIRST FREQUENCLY TO SAID DEVICE, SAID SECOND FRQUENCY BEING APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO BUT LESS THAN SAID FIRST FRQUENCY AND SAID THIRD FREQUENCY BEING APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO BUT GREATER THAN SAID FIRST FREQUENCY, FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS TUNED TO SUBSTANTIALLY SAID FIRST SECOND AND THIRD FRQUENCIES COUPLED TO SAID DEVICE, IDLER CIRCUIT MEANS TUNED TO SUBSTANTIALLY A FREQUENCY EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND FRQUENCIES COUPLED TO SAID DEVICE, AND ENERGY EXTRACTING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN OUTPUT VOLTAGE HAVING A FREQUENCY EQUAL TO ONE OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD FREQUENCIES.