Robert T Norton

US Patent:

7084716, Aug 1, 2006

Filed:

Apr 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/833015

Inventors:

Agoston Agoston - Beaverton OR, US
John Ebner - Portland OR, US
Steven Pepper - Portland OR, US
Robert Norton - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Picosecond Pulse Labs - Boulder CO

International Classification:

H03H 7/38
H01P 1/00
H01P 5/08

US Classification:

333 33, 333245, 333260, 333127, 333136

Abstract:

An ultrafast sampler includes a series of Schottky diodes configured with a coplanar waveguide to form a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that compresses a local oscillator input to form a series of strobe pulses. Strobe pulses of opposite polarity are capacitively coupled to sampling diodes to obtain samples of a signal applied to a signal input. The samples are directed along an intermediate frequency waveguide to, for example, a signal processor such as an oscilloscope, for storage and analysis. The intermediate frequency waveguide is configured so that conductors of the intermediate frequency waveguide receive signal samples of a common polarity and strobe samples of opposite polarities so that portions of strobe pulses delivered to a signal processor are distinguished from signal samples. In an embodiment, the intermediate frequency waveguide and the strobe waveguide are symmetrically situated along a common axis, and conductors of the strobe waveguide are positioned between the axis and the conductors of the intermediate frequency waveguide. The sampling circuit is defined on a GaAs substrate and a coaxial-to-airline-to-substrate transition is configured to deliver signals from a coaxial cable to the sampling circuit.

US Patent:

7612628, Nov 3, 2009

Filed:

Sep 28, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/238592

Inventors:

Agoston Agoston - Beaverton OR, US
John Ebner - Portland OR, US
Steven Pepper - Portland OR, US
Robert Norton - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Picosecond Pulse Labs - Beaverton OR

International Classification:

H04B 3/04

US Classification:

333 20, 333137, 333251, 333135

Abstract:

An ultrafast sampler includes a series of Schottky diodes configured with a coplanar waveguide to form a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that compresses a local oscillator input to form a series of strobe pulses. Strobe pulses of opposite polarity are capacitively coupled to sampling diodes to obtain samples of a signal applied to a signal input. The samples are directed along an intermediate frequency waveguide to, for example, a signal processor such as an oscilloscope, for storage and analysis. The intermediate frequency waveguide is configured so that conductors of the intermediate frequency waveguide receive signal samples of a common polarity and strobe samples of opposite polarities so that portions of strobe pulses delivered to a signal processor are distinguished from signal samples. In an embodiment, the intermediate frequency waveguide and the strobe waveguide are symmetrically situated along a common axis, and conductors of the strobe waveguide are positioned between the axis and the conductors of the intermediate frequency waveguide. The sampling circuit is defined on a GaAs substrate and a coaxial-to-airline-to-substrate transition is configured to deliver signals from a coaxial cable to the sampling circuit.

US Patent:

7734271, Jun 8, 2010

Filed:

Aug 1, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/572985

Inventors:

Steven H. Pepper - Portland OR, US
John Ebner - Portland OR, US
Robert Norton - Beaverton OR, US

Assignee:

Picosecond Pulse Labs - Boulder CO

International Classification:

H04B 1/26
H04B 3/04

US Classification:

455313, 455258, 455325, 333 20

Abstract:

Frequency converters include waveguides configured for a local oscillator (LO) signal, an intermediate frequency (IF) signal, and an RF signal. A multimode IF waveguide can be used for selectively coupling of an IF signal and to reduce signal contributions produced by the LO signal. Typically, the multimode waveguide is situated to that the IF signal and the LO signal propagate in different waveguide modes, and a selected one of these signals can be selectively attenuated. In some examples, a periodically stepped waveguide is used to enhance propagation of a selected waveguide mode or a lossy conductor is used to attenuate a selected waveguide mode.