Radio frequency limiter circuit

A limiter circuit, comprising:

• a voltage divider circuit;
• a rectification circuit coupled to an input of the limiter circuit, such rectification circuit producing a voltage having a predetermined average level, such level being a function of an input signal fed to the input of the limiter circuit, such rectification circuit comprising:
• a plurality of unidirectional conducting devices;
• and
• a pair of capacitors;
• and
• wherein a first one of the capacitors is connected between the input of the limiter circuit and a junction;
• wherein one of the unidirectional conducting devices is connected between the junction and a reference potential;
• wherein another one of the unidirectional devices is connected between the junction and a second junction;
• wherein the other one of the capacitors is connected between the input of the voltage divider circuit and a predetermined reference potential,
• a voltage divider circuit coupled to the rectification circuit for producing an output voltage having a level proportional to the input signal;
• a plurality of coupling capacitors;
• a plurality of enhancement mode field effect transistors having gate electrodes fed by the output voltage produced by the voltage divider circuit, such transistors having a drain electrode and a source electrode, one of such source and drain electrodes of the plurality of transistors being coupled to an output of the limiter circuit through a corresponding one of the plurality of coupling capacitors and the other one of the source and drain electrodes of the plurality of transistors being coupled to a reference potential;
• and
• a transmission line coupled between the input of the limiter and the output of the limiter circuit, such transmission line having an electrical length nλ/4, where λ is the nominal operating wavelength of the limiter circuit and n is an odd integer.

A limiter circuit, comprising:

• a voltage multiplier circuit coupled to an input of the limiter circuit, such voltage multiplier circuit producing a voltage having a predetermined average level, such level being a function of an input signal level fed to the input of the limiter circuit;
• a voltage divider circuit coupled to the rectification circuit for producing an output voltage having a level proportional to the input signal;
• an enhancement mode field effect transistor having a gate electrode fed by the output voltage produced by the voltage divider circuit, such transistor having drain and source electrodes, one of such source and drain electrodes being coupled to an output of the limiter circuit and the other one of the source and drain electrodes being coupled to a reference potential;
• and
• a transmission line coupled between the input of the limiter and the output of the limiter circuit, such transmission line having an electrical length nλ/4, where λ is the nominal operating wavelength of the limiter circuit and n is an odd integer.