In this paper we report the performance of a continuous wave millimeter‐wave IMPATT diode oscillator with a wide‐band tunability. The diode is mounted in an iris wafer circuit; its oscillation frequency can be modulated either by a varactor diode or by direct modulation of the IMPATT diode bias current. The oscillator has been successfully used as a millimeter‐wave frequency deviator in an experimental pulse code modulation millimeter‐wave system.
We also report detailed measurements on subharmonic frequencies in IMPATT diode oscillators. Experimental results show that wide frequency tunability can be obtained with a circuit which provides an “idler” resonance at one‐half the fundamental transit‐time frequency. The results also show that by providing “idler” resonances at both the transit‐time frequency and at one‐half of the transit‐time, the oscillation at 3/2 the transit‐time frequency is enhanced and yields a useful output power of 2 mW at 86 GHz.
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