Analysis of a frequency divider by two based on a differential nonlinear transmission line

A recently proposed frequency divider by two, based on differential nonlinear transmission line, acting like a reflective distributed resonator, is analyzed in-depth. The flip bifurcation locus of a single cell is obtained analytically, which enables an understanding of the divider behavior and an initial estimation of its element values. The possibility to modify the division threshold and bandwidth through the proper selection of an additional linear capacitor is demonstrated. The influence of the number of cells on the division bandwidth and on the generated standing wave at the subharmonic frequency is also investigated. The techniques have been applied to two frequency divider with 1.5 and 2.2 GHz input frequency.