Parametric signal behaviour in a nonlinear left-handed transmission line

Large signal excitation of a broadband nonlinear left-handed transmission line shows evidence of multiple, simultaneous parametric frequency pairs. The dispersion characteristic obtained from small signal S-parameter measurements was used to calculate the phase matching conditions. These were satisfied for only a small range of parametric frequencies, indicating more complicated mechanisms than the homogeneous media relationships apply for such electrically short structures. These results provide further evidence of the complicated dynamics of these nonlinear circuits.