Wide-band logarithmic power detectors

A method for logarithmic power detection, the method comprising:

• receiving an input signal at an input stage that comprises an input matching network and an input rectifier, the input matching network provides impedance matching to the input signal to generate an output signal of the input stage, the input rectifier rectifies the output signal of the input stage into an input stage DC output signal;
• processing the output signal of the input stage in a stage chain that comprises one or more cascaded stages, each cascaded stage comprises a limiting amplifier coupled in series to the input stage or a preceding cascaded stage, a matching network coupled in series to the limiting amplifier, and a cascaded stage rectifier, each cascaded stage performing:
• amplifying, using the limiting amplifier, an output signal from the input stage or the preceding cascaded stage into an amplifier output signal for each cascaded stage;
• receiving, at the matching network, the amplifier output signal and outputting, from the matching network, an output signal of each cascaded stage;
• and
• rectifying, at the cascaded stage rectifier, the output signal of each cascaded stage into a DC output signal of each cascaded stage;
• and
• performing, using a linear operation circuit that couples to the input rectifier and the cascaded stage rectifier in each cascaded stage, a linear operation to the input stage DC output signal and the DC output signal of each cascaded stage to generate a linear output signal.