DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-NOISE RAPIDLY TUNABLE SOLID-STATE AMPLIFIER

Abstract

Efforts were continued on the feasibilit of a low-noise solid-state amplifier capable of being rapidly tuned in less than 0.1 millisecond over the 250 to 500 mc range. The backward-wave parametric amplifier (BWPA) was found to be most practical. However, the conventional BWPA has many disadvantages. As a result, 2 new BWPA configurations that eliminate or minimize these disadvantages were evolved: (1) semiconventional operation using 2 forward-wave transmission lines, and (2) constant idler output frequency operation using one forward-wave and one backward-wave transmission line and using 2 forwardwave transmission lines. These were analyzed in detail and the predicted operation verified experimentally. A UHF model of the BWPA was designed, fabricated, and successfully operated using 2 forward-wave transmission lines having a constant idler output frequency. The amplifier used 19 varactor diode pairs and yielded gains in excess of 20 db over the 230 to 500 mc frequency band; the noise temperature was less than 135 K. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0267213

Entities

People

  • E.w. Sard
  • S. Okwit

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Low Noise
  • Noise
  • Parametric Amplifiers
  • Transmission Lines
  • Varactor Diodes
  • Wave Propagation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering