High-speed regeneration of phase-shift keying signals using phase-script logic

TLDR: In this article, a phase-script logic element is used to reconstruct phase-shift keying signals at carrier frequency without the need for down-conversion and an analysis of the switching performance of such regenerators is presented and applied to two specific circuit realisations.

Abstract: A novel method of regeneration of digital phase-modulated (phase-shift keying) signals is proposed, analysed and demonstrated using a parametric-subharmonic oscillator (p.s.o.) as a phase-script logic element. This technique of regeneration proceeds at carrier frequency without the need for down-conversion. An analysis of the switching performance of such regenerators is presented and applied to two specific circuit realisations. A switch-on time of 2ns and switch-off time of 1.5ns have been measured with a varactor diode p.s.o. at 8.2 GHz, hence demonstrating the feasibility of regeneration at 150 Mbits. A working regenerator is demonstrated at 4 GHz with a measurement of signal-to-noise/error-rate performance at 10 Mbits.