Negative resistance network

Claim 2

A network having two terminals and characterized at said two terminals by a negative resistance at frequency near nf o , where n is an integer greater than 1, said network comprising in combination: A. a negative resistance circuit element wherein the ratio of the voltage applied across said element to the resultant current passing through said element is negative for applied voltages at frequencies in the range f 1 to f 2 , wherein f 1 <f o <f 2 , B. a passive non-linear network including means responsive to an applied signal near frequency f o to generate the n th harmonic of said applied signal, C. a filter network including means for coupling said non-linear network to said negative resistance element only at frequencies near f o , and for coupling said passive non-linear network to said terminals only at frequencies near nf o .

Claim 3

A network according to claim 1 wherein said passive non-linear network includes a non-linear element which is characterized by a non-linear relationship between the voltage applied across said element and the current passing through said element.

Claim 4

A network according to claim 1 wherein said passive non-linear network includes a non-linear element which is characterized by a non-linear relationship between the voltage applied across said element and the charge stored by said element.

Claim 5

A network according to claim 3 wherein said non-linear element comprises a semiconductor diode and associated bias network adapted to maintain said diode in a reverse biased mode.

Claim 6

A network according to claim 4 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 7

A network according to claim 3 wherein said non-linear element comprises a varactor and bias network.

Claim 8

A network according to claim 6 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 9

A network according to claim 3 wherein said non-linear element comprises a step recovery diode and bias network.

Claim 10

A network according to claim 8 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 11

A network according to claim 1 wherein said non-linear network includes a non-linear element which is characterized by a non-linear relationship between the voltage applied across said element and the magnetic flux produced by the current passing through said element.

Claim 12

A network according to claim 1 wherein said filter network further includes means to impedance match said non-linear network with said negative resistance element at frequencies near f o .

Claim 13

A network according to claim 11 wherein said filter network further includes means to selectively control the impedance at said terminals to equal a predetermined value at frequencies near nf o .

Claim 14

A network according to claim 1 wherein said filter network further includes means to selectively control the impedance at said terminals to equal a predetermined value at frequencies near nf o .

Claim 15

A network according to claim 1 wherein said non-linear and filter networks comprise a varactor multiplier.

Claim 16

A network according to claim 14 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 17

A network according to claim 1 wherein said non-linear and filter networks comprise a varactor divider.

Claim 18

A network according to claim 16 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 19

A network according to claim 1 wherein said non-linear and filter networks comprise a step recovery diode multiplier.

Claim 20

A network according to claim 18 further comprising a d.c. source associated with said bias network.

Claim 21

A negative resistance amplifier comprising: A. a circulator having at least three ports, an input port, an intermediate port and an output port, said circulator including a substantially unidirectional signal path for coupling signals at said input port to said intermediate port only, and a substantially unidirectional signal path for coupling signals at said intermediate port to said output port only, and B. a two terminal network connected to said intermediate port, said two terminal network characterized at said terminals by a negative resistance at frequency near nf o , where n is an integer greater than 1, said network comprising in combination: i. a negative resistance circuit element wherein the ratio of the voltage applied across said element to the resultant current passing through said element is negative for applied voltages at frequencies in the range f 1 to f 2 , wherein f 1 < f o < f 2 , ii. a passive non-linear network including means responsive to an applied signal near frequency f o to generate the n th harmonic of said applied signal, iii. a filter network including means for coupling said non-linear network to said negative resistance element only at frequencies near f o , and for coupling said non-linear network to said terminals only at frequencies near nf o .

Claim 22

A negative resistance amplifier comprising: A. a circulator having at least three ports, an input port, an intermediate port and an output port, said circulator including a substantially unidirectional signal path for coupling signals at said input port to said intermediate port only, and a substantially unidirectional signal path for coupling signals at said intermediate port to said output port only, and B. a two terminal network connected to said intermediate port, said two terminal network characterized at said terminals by a negative resistance at frequency near nf o , where n is an integer greater than 1, said network comprising in combination: i. a negative resistance circuit element wherein the ratio of the voltage applied across said element to the resultant current passing through said element is negative for applied voltages at frequencies in the range f 1 to f 2 , wherein f 1 < f o < f 2 , ii. a passive non-linear network including means responsive to an applied signal near frequency f o to generate the n th harmonic of said applied signal, iii. a filter network including means for coupling said non-linear network to said negative resistance element only at frequencies near f o , and for coupling said non-linear network to said terminals only at frequencies near nf o .

Claim 23

A negative resistance oscillator comprising: A. a negative resistance network having two terminals and characterized at said two terminals by a negative resistance at frequency nf o where n is an integer greater than 1, including: i. a negative resistance circuit element wherein the ratio of the voltage applied across said element to the resultant current passing through said element is negative for applied voltages at frequencies in the range f 1 to f 2 , wherein f 1 < f o < f 2 , ii. a passive non-linear network including means responsive to an applied signal near frequency f o to generate the n th harmonic of said applied signal, iii. a filter network including means for coupling said non-linear network to said negative resistance element only at frequencies near f o , and for coupling said non-linear network to said terminals only at frequencies near nf o , B. a conjugate network and resistance network connected in series across said terminals of said negative resistance network, said conjugate network being characterized by the negative of the imaginary portion of the impedance of said negative resistance network, and said resistance network being characterized by the negative of the real portion of the impedance of said negative resistance network.

Claim 24

A negative resistance oscillator comprising: A. a negative resistance network having two terminals and characterized at said two terminals by a negative resistance at frequency nf o where n is an integer greater than 1, including: i. a negative resistance circuit element wherein the ratio of the voltage applied across said element to the resultant current passing through said element is negative for applied voltages at frequencies in the range f 1 to f 2 , wherein f 1 < f o < f 2 , ii. a passive non-linear network including means responsive to an applied signal near frequency f o to generate the n th harmonic of said applied signal, iii. a filter network including means for coupling said non-linear network to said negative resistance element only at frequencies near f o , and for coupling said non-linear network to said terminals only at frequencies near nf o , B. a conjugate network and resistance network connected in series across said terminals of said negative resistance network, said conjugate network being characterized by the negative of the imaginary portion of the impedance of said negative resistance network, and said resistance network being characterized by the negative of the real portion of the impedance of said negative resistance network.

Claim 25

An oscillator according to claim 21 further comprising means to inject a signal near frequency nf o across said resistance network.