HARMONIC-BALANCE METHOD APPLIED TO THE NUMERICAL ELECTRICAL PHYSICAL MODELING OF 2-TERMINAL, NONLINEAR MICROWAVE CIRCUITS IN THE FREQUENCY-DOMAIN

A numerical frequency-domain modelling of two-terminal, non-linear microwave circuits is presented. It basically relies on a process allowing the solution of the frequency-domain circuit harmonic balance equations while accounting for the semiconductor device by means of an accurate numerical macroscopic physical model. In its present state of development, the model allows the study of a single two-terminal device circuit operating in harmonic mode. Its capabilities are illustrated by means of the results of a study devoted to the optimization of the load circuit configuration of a millimetre-wave avalanche diode frequency multiplier. The influence of the output load impedance level on the circuit output RF performance has been investigated for different input power levels in direct frequency multiplication mode and in the presence of additional circuit tunings at low harmonic rank idler frequencies.