Cost-effective solar-powered solid-state driver circuit for continuous microwave millimetre-wave IMPATT diode control

Abstract

Low-voltage solid-state devices for pulsed and continuous-microwave transmitters have many applications. Their deployment can be further enhanced by refining their efficiencies and the cost-effectiveness of their driver circuits. In this paper, we present a technique that ensures the feature of nearly constant current for MOS-bipolar hybrid power devices. This has yielded a more cost-effective and energy-efficient control circuit than conventional current-limited power supplies, which also eliminates the danger of their slow response to destructive current transient. Moreover, its low-voltage nature makes it suitable for solar/battery-powered transmitters for remote rural communications.