Pin-Diode Transients in High Speed Switching Applications

In guided millimeter-wave communication systems with high bit-rate the PCM is done in a reflection-type phase modulator with pin-diode. In this contribution the influence of the pin-diode switching transients on the modulator behaviour is studied both, experimentally and theoretically. Using sampling oscilloscope techniques the transient impedance was measured for various i-layer widths, dc-switching current ratios and microwave powers. The results are compared to theoretical ones obtained by an approximate charge-control model of the pin-diode.