Ultrafast sampler with non-parallel shockline
An ultrafast sampling system includes an interposer and a sampler that include series of Schottky diodes configured with a non-parallel waveguide to form shocklines or nonlinear transmission line (NLTLs) that produce a differential strobe pulse. The shocklines are defined by non-parallel conductors that are configured as, for example, triangular, dentate, arcuate, or other shapes, or as conductors that have edges that are triangular, dentate, arcuate, or the like. The conductors are defined with respect to a substrate, and are airbridged so that at least some portions of the conductors are displaced from the substrate to reduce waveguide capacitance. Electrical connection to the sampler is made with airline having a inner conductor that is deformable to contact an input pad defined on the sampler.
1. A sampler, comprising:
a signal conductor;
a sampling diode in electrical communication with the signal conductor; and
a non-linear transmission line that includes a non-parallel waveguide and a plurality of varactors, the non-linear transmission line configured to deliver sampling strobe pulses to the sampling diode.
2. The sample of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate frequency (IF) waveguide configured to electrically connect to the signal conductor as controlled by the sampling diode.
3. The sampler of claim 2 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to the signal conductor from the IF waveguide.
4. The sampler of claim 3 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
5. The sampler of claim 2 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to IF waveguide from the signal conductor.
6. The sampler of claim 5 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
7. The sampler of claim 1 , wherein the non-linear transmission line includes a plurality of Schottky mesa diodes.
8. The sampler of claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide includes at least one periodically repeated waveguide section.
9. The sampler of claim 1 , further comprising a strobe waveguide transition configured to receive the sampling strobe pulses from the non-linear transmission line and to deliver enhanced strobe pulses to the sampling diode.
10. The sampler of claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a slotline.
11. The sampler of claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a coplanar stripline.
12. A sampling circuit, comprising:
a first nonparallel waveguide configured to receive a sampling strobe and having a first impedance;
a second nonparallel waveguide configured to receive the sampling strobe from the first nonparallel waveguide and having a second impedance, wherein the first impedance and the second impedance are configured to produce an enhanced sampling strobe; and
at least one diode electrically controlled by the sampling strobe and configured to deliver a sampled portion of an input signal to an output conductor.
13. The sampling circuit of claim 12 , wherein the second nonparallel waveguide includes a termination configured to direct an inverted portion of the enhanced sampling strobe to the sampling diode, thereby establishing a sampling window.
14. The sampling circuit of claim 13 , wherein the first nonparallel waveguide and the second nonparallel waveguide are slotlines.
15. The sampling circuit of claim 13 , further comprising an IF waveguide configured to deliver the sampled portion to the output conductor.
16. A sampler, comprising:
a signal conductor;
a sampling diode in electrical communication with the signal conductor; and
a non-linear transmission line that includes a non-parallel waveguide and a plurality of varactors, the non-linear transmission line configured to deliver sampling strobe pulses to the sampling diode, wherein the non-parallel waveguide includes at least one periodically repeated waveguide section.
17. The sampler of claim 16 , further comprising an intermediate frequency (IF) waveguide configured to electrically connect to the signal conductor as controlled by the sampling diode.
18. The sampler of claim 17 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to the signal conductor from the IF waveguide.
19. The sampler of claim 18 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
20. The sampler of claim 17 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to IF waveguide from the signal conductor.
21. The sampler of claim 20 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
22. The sampler of claim 16 , wherein the non-linear transmission line includes a plurality of Schottky mesa diodes.
23. The sampler of claim 16 , further comprising a strobe waveguide transition configured to receive the sampling strobe pulses from the non-linear transmission line and to deliver enhanced strobe pulses to the sampling diode.
24. The sampler of claim 16 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a slotline.
25. The sampler of claim 16 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a coplanar stripline.
26. A sampler, comprising:
a signal conductor;
a sampling diode in electrical communication with the signal conductor; and
a non-linear transmission line that includes first, second, and third non-parallel waveguide sections having first, second, and third characteristic impedances, respectively, and a plurality of varactors, the non-linear transmission line configured to deliver sampling strobe pulses to the sampling diode.
27. The sample of claim 26 , further comprising an intermediate frequency (IF) waveguide configured to electrically connect to the signal conductor as controlled by the sampling diode.
28. The sampler of claim 27 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to the signal conductor from the IF waveguide.
29. The sampler of claim 28 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
30. The sampler of claim 27 , further comprising a measurement system configured to receive portions of an electrical signal applied to IF waveguide from the signal conductor.
31. The sampler of claim 30 , wherein the measurement system is configured to produce an equivalent-time representation of the electrical signal.
32. The sampler of claim 26 , wherein the non-linear transmission line includes a plurality of Schottky mesa diodes.
33. The sampler of claim 26 , wherein at least one of the non-parallel waveguide sections is periodically repeated.
34. The sampler of claim 26 , further comprising a strobe waveguide transition configured to receive the sampling strobe pulses from the non-linear transmission line and to deliver enhanced strobe pulses to the sampling diode.
35. The sampler of claim 26 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a slotline.
36. The sampler of claim 26 , wherein the non-parallel waveguide is a coplanar stripline.