Nonlinear transmission line modulator

A modulator comprising:

• a first nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that provides a delta delay path for a first carrier signal, the first NLTL being bias modulated by a baseband signal;
• a second NLTL that provides a reference delay path and is biased by a fixed DC point to provide a fixed delay amount to a second carrier signal, wherein a given logic state of the baseband signal determines a relative delay offset of first carrier signal with respect to the second carrier signal, wherein the first NLTL and the second NLTL have the same diode and bias polarity configuration;
• a third NLTL that receives the first carrier signal from the first NLTL;
• a fourth NLTL that receives the second carrier signal from the second NLTL, wherein the third NLTL and fourth NLTL having opposite diode and bias polarity configurations;
• and
• a power combiner that combines the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal and converts the relative delay offset to a sharp impulse that represents the given logic state of the baseband signal.

A method of modulating a baseband signal into an impulse waveform, the method comprising:

• providing a first carrier signal to a first nonlinear transmission line (NLTL);
• providing a second carrier signal to a second NLTL;
• biasing the second NLTL with a fixed DC voltage;
• biasing the first NLTL with a baseband signal, wherein a given logic state of the baseband signal determines a relative delay offset of first carrier signal with respect to the second carrier signal;
• providing the first carrier signal to a third NLTL from the first NLTL;
• providing the second carrier signal to a fourth NLTL from the second NLTL, the third and fourth NLTLs having opposite diode polarity configurations;
• and
• combining the first carrier signal from the third NLTL and the second carrier signal from the fourth NLTL to generate and impulse waveform representing the given logic state of the baseband signal.