Integrated bidirectional junction engineered dual insulator transceiver
View Patent ↗A bi-directional transceiver ( 100 ) having reduced circuitry and that may be formed on a non-semiconductor substrate includes impedance matching and filtering circuitry ( 114, 116, 122, 124, 128, 132 ) coupled to a non-linear diode ( 118 ) for converting a lower frequency modulated signal to a higher frequency RF transmit signal and to function as a square-law detector to envelope detect RF signals. The non-linear diode ( 118 ) includes, in one exemplary embodiment, at least two insulative layers disposed between two conductive layers, wherein a quantum well is formed between the insulators that allows only high-energy tunneling.
1. A bi-directional transceiver comprising:
a modulated transmit signal terminal;
a modulated transmit/receive terminal;
a demodulated receive signal terminal;
first impedance matching circuitry;
a first filter coupled between the modulated transmit/receive terminal and the first impedance matching circuitry;
a second filter coupled between a bias potential source and a node between the first filter and the first impedance matching circuitry; and
a non-linear diode coupled between the first impedance matching circuitry and both the modulated transmit signal terminal and the demodulated receive signal terminal.
2. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 1 wherein the non-linear diode comprises a nanoscale stack of a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulative layers.
3. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 1 wherein the non-linear diode functions as an RF resistive multiplier to upconvert modulated signals to an antenna, and a square-law detector to envelope detect incoming RF signals.
4. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 1 wherein the non-linear diode comprises at least two insulative layers disposed between two conductive layers, wherein a quantum well is formed between the insulators that allows only high-energy tunneling.
5. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 1 further comprising:
a third filter coupled to the modulated transmit signal terminal;
second impedance matching circuitry coupled between the third filter and the non-linear diode; and
a fourth filter coupling a bias potential source and the demodulated receive signal terminal to a node between the third filter and the second impedance matching circuitry.
6. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 5 further comprising a non-semiconductor substrate on which the non-linear diode, antenna, first filter, second filter, third filter, fourth filter, first impedance matching circuitry, and second impedance matching circuitry are disposed.
7. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 6 wherein the substrate material includes at least a portion selected from one of the group consisting of quartz, ceramics, Teflon, polyimides, plastic, liquid crystal polymer, epoxy.
8. A bi-directional transceiver comprising:
an antenna;
first impedance matching circuitry;
a first filter coupled between the antenna and the first impedance matching circuitry;
a second filter coupled between a bias potential source and a node between the first filter and the first impedance matching circuitry; and
a non-linear diode coupled to the first impedance matching circuitry and configured for converting a lower frequency modulated signal to a higher frequency RF transmit signal and to function as a square-law detector to envelope detect RF signals.
9. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 8 wherein the non-linear diode comprises a nanoscale stack of a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulative layers.
10. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 8 wherein the non-linear diode functions as an RF resistive multiplier to upconvert modulated signals to an antenna, and a square-law detector to envelope detect incoming RF signals.
11. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 8 wherein the non-linear diode comprises at least two insulative layers disposed between two conductive layers, wherein a quantum well is formed between the insulators that allows only high-energy tunneling.
12. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 8 further comprising:
a third filter coupled to the modulated transmit signal terminal;
second impedance matching circuitry coupled between the third filter and the non-linear diode;
a fourth filter coupling a bias potential source and the demodulated receive signal terminal to a node between the third filter and the second impedance matching circuitry.
13. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 12 further comprising a non-semiconductor substrate on which the non-linear diode, antenna, first filter, second filter, third filter, fourth filter, first impedance matching circuitry, and second impedance matching circuitry are disposed.
14. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 13 wherein the substrate material includes at least a portion selected from one of the group consisting of quartz, ceramics, Teflon, polyimides, plastic, liquid crystal polymer, epoxy.
15. A bi-directional transceiver comprising:
a modulated transmit signal terminal for receiving a first signal to be transmitted;
a modulated transmit signal terminal for transmitting the first signal and for receiving a second signal;
a demodulated receive signal terminal for providing the second signal;
a non-linear diode;
a first band pass filter coupled between the modulated transmit signal terminal and the non-linear diode;
a second band pass filter coupled between the non-linear diode and the modulated transmit signal terminal;
a first low pass filter coupled between the demodulated receive signal terminal and a node between the modulated transmit signal terminal and the first band pass filter; and
a second low pass filter coupled to a node between the non-linear diode and the second band pass filter, and configured to be coupled to receive a bias voltage.
16. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 15 wherein the non-linear diode comprises a nanoscale stack of a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulative layers.
17. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 15 wherein the non-linear diode functions as an RF resistive multiplier to upconvert modulated signals to an output, and a square-law detector to envelope detect incoming RF signals.
18. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 15 wherein the non-linear diode comprises at least two insulative layers disposed between two conductive layers, wherein a quantum well is formed between the insulators that allows only high-energy tunneling.
19. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 15 further comprising a non-semiconductor substrate on which the non-linear diode, antenna, first band pass filter, second band pass filter, first low pass filter, and second low pass filter are disposed.
20. The bi-directional transceiver of claim 19 wherein the substrate material includes at least a portion selected from one of the group consisting of quartz, ceramics, Teflon, polyimides, plastic, liquid crystal polymer, epoxy.