Glow discharge mixer based on a plasma effect in gas tube + wide range (kHz-THz). Non-linearity behavior of the plasma allowing a mixer&to down conversion modulated signal function
About
A Glow Discharge Detector (GDD) can be used as a mixer (GDM) for microwave and millimeter wave signals and extracting data from modulated signals. The GDM is based on a plasma tube. The detection range is very high from kHz to THz. When exposing the GDM to two incident nearby signals, one is the RF modulated signal and the other is the Local oscillator (LO), an intermediate signal is achieved and can be measured. When applying signal process techniques, the data of the modulating information (analog or digital) can be extracted and thus recover the data.
Key Benefits
Some of the many advantaged of the GDD are, extremely wideband spectrum, low cost, electrical ruggedness and working at room temperature. Also, The GDD can accept very high power signal, causing no damage.
Applications
Various equipment's that need special mixers with emphasis on one (or more) of the following: - Wide frequency bands - Low cost - High power signals