LSA relaxation oscillations in a waveguide iris circuit

Large-signal computer simulations of GaAs LSA relaxation oscillations in an X-band waveguide iris circuit are presented. The study is focused on a particular oscillator and a realistic model of an experimental circuit is used. However, the results are typical for other LSA relaxation oscillators. Basic features of the microwave circuit, characteristic voltage and current waveshapes, frequency tuning with bias voltage, and oscillator starting transients are discussed. The RF output power is shown to build up in less than ten cycles. Circuit optimization for high dc to RF conversion efficiency is discussed and circuit data for nearly 30 percent efficiency are given. Finally, efficiency degradation is discussed when doping gradients are present, and effciencies of 15 and 10 percent appear possible for doping gradients as high as 20 and 60 percent, respectively. Hence, the LSA relaxation mode is shown to be less sensitive to doping gradients than the sinusoidal LSA mode.