Date of Award
Summer 1995
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Advisor
Ishii, Thomas K.
Second Advisor
Jeutter, Dean C.
Third Advisor
Joshi, Shrinivas
Abstract
The focus of this work is on the theory and evaluation of the rectifying and propagation properties of two preliminary non-linear transmission lines. Questions· regarding the rectifying properties of such structures as a function of length are investigated and answered. The basic aim is to take advantage of the propagating character of these microstructures and simultaneously induce rectification along their lengths. A current-generator elemental model is developed and implemented. The behavior of the model is compared to that of experimental findings for an aluminum/silicon Schottky transmission line and for a cadmium-bismuth/selenium transmission line permitting decisions on the model's efficacy. These transmission lines are studied over a wide range of frequencies.from 1MHz to 2000 MHz and at rf power levels from -IOdbm to +3dbm for the Schottky line and +3Odbm in the case of the selenium line. The Schottky line measured is 2.5 cm in length; the selenium transmission line used is a meander line of 25 cm. Conclusions are drawn regarding the possibility of an enhanced design which is capable of distributing rectification along lengths of low-loss transmission lines, thereby allowing control of the rectification length spatially and temporally. The impact of this work on the promise of high power, microwave rectifiers is examined with regard to advantages over conventional point contact diodes. The contributions of this work lie in the establishment of the first general investigation of such structures' rectifying behavior and in providing the first indication that slow-wave mode operation is critical to the success of more optimal designs.