Nonlinear resonance and parametric

phenomena in a complicated oscillating

circuit
V.N. Damgov, Dipl.-Eng., Ph.D.

Indexing terms: Oscillators, Resonance, Parametric phenomena

Abstract: Nonlinear resonance and parametric phenomena in an oscillating circuit with two nonlinear opposite
reactive elements and negative resistance are presented. The examination has been performed on the basis of a
nonlinear oscillating circuit represented by a two-transistor model of a pnpn-type device with nonlinear induc-
tance and negative resistance and a self bias pn junction with nonlinear capacitance and a nonlinear conduc-
tance.

1 Introduction devices, used as negative resistance (Andrew [3], Genin

and Brezel [4]).
Many modern resonance systems contain, or can be rep-
resented as, oscillating circuits with two opposite nonlinear
reactive elements [1-3]: thin-film contacts of superconduc- 2 Equivalent circuit and approximation of the
tors and semiconductors, HF transistor resonance ampli- nonlinear characteristics
fiers, resonance systems, tunable by means of JIG spheres, The equivalent circuit of the oscillating system is shown in
LC-systems with complex nonlinear elements etc. Using Fig. 2; where R(i) and L(i^) are the nonlinear negative
these oscillating circuits different generators, amplifiers and
transformers can be constructed. The investigation of these
systems is therefore of great theoretical and practical inter-
est. Great difficulties arise in the theoretical analysis of
such systems. The presence of two opposite nonlinear reac-
tive elements considerably complicates the corresponding
calculations. The original method used in this paper
(Samoylo [1] and Spasov [2]) provides an opportunity for
these problems to be treated correctly and at the same
time to considerably simplify the mathematical calcu-
lations.
The examination is performed with a nonlinear oscil- Fig. 2 Equivalent circuit of the complicated oscillating circuit with a
lating circuit represented by a two-transistor model of a negative resistance and four nonlinear elements
pnpn-type device with nonlinear inductance and negative
resistance, and a self-bias pn junction with nonlinear resistance and the nonlinear inductance of the pnpn-type
capacitance and nonlinear conductance (Fig. 1). The mode device, Cd(q) and Gd(q) are the self-bias diode nonlinear
capacitance and conductance (Damgov [5]), r is the resist-
ance of losses, u = U'm cos (cotp ip) is the external time-
harmonic voltage.
The characteristics of the elements used are represented
as polynomial functions:
ud = d\q-d'2q2 -d'3q3

L'2ij/

u(i)= -
Fig. 1 Complicated oscillating circuit represented by a two-transistor
model of a pnpn-type device with nonlinear inductance and negative resist- where ud and q are the voltage and the charge on the diode
ance and a self-bias pn junction with nonlinear capacitance and nonlinear D, \p is the total magnetic flux, L'n and k'n (n = 0, 1, 2, 3) are
conductance coefficients. The coefficients d'n and g'n:
of forced oscillations and the resonance of the second and F V
third subharmonics of the pumping signal are discussed. It
is also demonstrated that there is a possibility of excluding
d\ = ilk
the bifurcational instability in such an oscillating circuit. 2y-i
The investigated oscillating circuit of Fig. 1 may be useful
in practice. Consider, for instance, the requirements of d',=
microelectronics and the increased interest in pnpn-type 2C 0 <D k
E
Paper 2935G(E1O), received 3rd February 1983
The author is with the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1184
Sofia, Bulgaria

24 IEE PROCEEDINGS, Vol. 131, Pt. G, No. 1, FEBRUARY 1984

 where ij//L(il/) = i.
Using dimensionless parameters, the equations can be
rewritten:

are determined using the dependence of the pn-junction ^=/2(x2)-H(x,)

capacity on the applied voltage and V/A characteristics,
given by dx2
~dt = -/i(*i) - u(x2) - - (1)
Cd(u) =
co t - q>
Um cos
where
id = Is(e*u - 1)
where u = ud - Eo and Eo = E0(Qm) is the self bias, which
depends on the charge amplitude Qm, <!>k is the barrier j_ r_
potential and y = 1, 1/2, 1/3. The self bias Eo can be rep- Q ~ (o0l
resented by Eo = -(XiQm + X2 Ql) in the case of small Qm
and Eo = -x3(>m - Qc) w h e n Qm is large; coefficients xn U'
m 2 T
can be defined from the V/A characteristics. W
0 HO ^0
Further on, the polynomials approximating the charac- The essence of the method applied is in the introduction of
teristics are used in the nondimensional form: the new variables:
u 2 xi /2
/i(*i) = d(xi) = Xi(l -d2x1- d 3x ) f f T
- 03 = 2 / ^ x j dx\ sign xx
1 L Jo J
=x2(l x2
q0 co0 L(x2) r f i sign x 2
2 f i x ) dx\
A X
- \ \ J2\ 2) aX2x
= - 7 7 - fiM + k2lf2(x2)V + /c 3 [/ 2 (x 2 )] ; and a new time variable
L Jo J
1 1
where
dt
In terms of the newly introduced quantities, eqns. 1 can be
u0C0 rewritten:
[1 +

x, = dx2
(2)
d2y2
(On = dx2
where
u0 is an arbitrary constant voltage J'a

o q0 d3 =
"2

+ Um cos ^ t -
2
L 2 = L'2 0)

coQL tidx [ [
1
./ <?0 <QQ<1O
cos
k-,=k
v = 2(con (or)/(or = ft2 1, cor is the resonance frequency,
ft)n = (m/n)a>, m, n = 1, 2, 3 , . . . , n < 1 is a small parameter.
3 Equations The functions G^}^) and G2(^2) may be represented as
The differential equations of the circuit are polynomials:
d\\i i//
u(i) = U' cos (cot,, -

/ PROCEEDINGS, Vol. 131, Pt. G, No. 1, FEBRUARY 1984 25

4 Forced oscillations R
008
The solution of eqns. 2 can be represented in the form of
periodic functions: VV^-^ 0O6
*>\
yx = R cos fix = R cos \j/ -''TO
-j1 = fiR sin fix = fiR sin \j/ ) ^
dx
y2 = R sinfix= R sin \jj (3) i i i
-004-003 -0 02 -001 0 0 01 002 003 004
dy2 = / ? COS ^T = COS
0
dx Fig. 3 Calculated amplitude/frequency characteristics of a complicated
oscillating circuit (curves (i), (ii), (Hi), a circuit with a pnpn structure and
a
Where the differential equations for the establishment Of linear capacitance (curves (i)', (ii)'), and a circuit with a self-bias pn
the amplitude R and the phase q> of the oscillations are: Junction and a linear inductance
(curves 0)", W)
uml > un2 > um3
'2* \
sin ij/ dip where

The following polynomial functions, derived from eqn. 3,

- Um sin <p }Bl0 - r are considered in eqn. 4:
(4)
i) = S0 + St c o s if/ + S2 c o s 2ij/ +
cos sin
dx = 'o - h >A + / 2 sin 2 ^ +
l
G^yJ = B 0 + B\ cos \p + B\ cos 2i// +
B\+ k2[_I20B\
G2(y2) = B'o - Bll sin \j/ + B" sin 2i// +
x So The amplitude/frequency and the phase/frequency charac-
3/o 122 h
h B o\ ~ Um cos
teristics are derived from eqn. 4:

^o = vg- (5)
{UmBtf-\[-^I1+2k2

and

- -1, + 2k2lolx
cp = t a n " 1 i
UmBl0
where
-cooo)
'00

1
^00 =
'LC0
2co
i ( _ -L I0B\ + k2U20B\ Vl+3IOI2E^]+Som

is the equation of the so called 'skeleton curve', comprising the dependence of the resonance values Rmax and v0 max on the
amplitude of the forcing voltage Um.
The conditions for the 'linearisation' of the amplitude/frequency characteristics are

In the case of a 'linear' characteristic {dv%/dR = 0) the conditions for absolute stability are:
R
1 \L R \Mf3^Mk *^/-

It is clear that the condition dv90/dR = 0 is sufficient for the absolute stability of the stationary oscillations, i.e. the absence
of the bifurcate instability, and for the 'linearisation' of the amplitude/frequency characteristic.
The amplitude/frequency characteristic is shown in Fig. 3. It was calculated using eqn. 5. Here, and in the following
26 IEE PROCEEDINGS, Vol. 131, Pt. G, No. 1, FEBRUARY 1984
 Figures, the characteristics of the complicated oscillating circuit are given by solid lines; the corresponding characteristics
of the resonance circuit possessing only one nonlinear reactive element are represented by dashed lines.
Fig. 4 shows the experimental amplitude/frequency characteristics. In this way, Figs. 3 and 4 demonstrate the possi-
bility of bifurcational instability elimination and the 'linearisation' of the amplitude/frequency characteristics.

5 Parametric resonance
The differential equations for parametric resonance (co ^ 2coo) are:

2p = + 2 k i
sin
^ (~ j'' 'oI'+3ki /

(6)
= vR
*r ~ ~ &
I)2] cos
)2 sin

The amplitude/frequency characteristics for this mode are obtained from eqn. 6:

I0B\ + ^
'00

For the amplitude/frequency characteristic of the third subharmonic resonance one obtains
J_ i , 2 31012
Qz 0 1 2 0
IJ B\ {,] + So B" >

Figs. 5 and 6 show calculated (using eqn. 7) and experimental amplitude/frequency characteristics of parametric resonance
co ~ 2co0 respectively. The 'linearisation' of the characteristics is very clear.
From eqn. 7 we obtain formulas for the critical amplitude Umcr necessary for the excitement of parametric oscillations
(Fig. 7):
for the complicated oscillating circuit: 008

R2(V2+-L2
Ulcr =~

for the resonance circuit possessing only a nonlinear

capacitance:
-0 05-0 04 -0-03-0-02 -0 01
1
U12 =
^ mcr Fig. 5 Calculated amplitude/frequency characteristics of parametric res-
onance in a complicated oscillating circuit (curves (i), (HJJ and corre-
sponding 'solitary' resonance circuits

v u -ud

3
/^
Ir \k ' '*' '?
[ l
' 1
2* t ! i
^f
f< ] !
1 * I
1
- i 1
h 1
I
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 0 I. l f
kHz 50 60 80 90 K)0 110
Fig. 4 Experimental amplitude/frequency characteristics of a compli- kHz
cated oscillating circuit (curves (ij, (ii), (Hi)) and corresponding resonance Fig. 6 Experimental amplitude/frequency characteristics of parametric
circuit possessing only one nonlinear reactive element resonance in a complicated oscillating circuit (solid line) and corresponding
V'ml > U'ml > U'n.3 resonance circuits with only a nonlinear reactive element

IEE PROCEEDINGS, Vol. 131, Pt. G, No. 1, FEBRUARY 1984 27

The conclusion is that the excitation threshold of para-
metric oscillations in a complicated oscillating circuit can
s 0008 S
S Nonlinear resonance and parametric phenomena in a
N
V^ ^ 0006
^^^^^^ o""oo"Z
iyiiuz -
i i i i 1 1 1 1
-0 05 -00/. -0 03 -002 -0 01 0 001 0 0 2 003 004
V 1 SAMOYLO, K.A.: 'A method of a second order system analysis' (Sov.
Fig. 7 Frequency dependance of the critical amplitude of forced para-
metric oscillations in a complicated circuit (solid line) and corresponding
resonance circuit possessing only a nonlinear capacitance (dashed line)
be considerably lower than in a circuit possessing one non-
linear reactive element. If, for example, BQ = B" a n d
B\/B'o = Bll/Bli = 0.8, then (UlmJUmcr)2 <* 5Bl02. This fact
can be explained by the improved conditions for para-
metric energy accumulation in the circuit of two para-
metric elements. The best conditions for the parametric
input of energy in a complicated oscillating circuit are rea-
lised for equal depth of the capacitive and inductive para-
metric element modulation.
6 Conclusion
The paper considers the most general case of an oscillating
circuit, including four nonlinear elements. The analytical
expression obtained gives an opportunity to examine the
influence of the characteristics of each element on the res-
onance and parametric phenomena in the circuits.
The complicated oscillating circuit considered can be
Authors of paper 2936G
P.C. Ching received his B.Eng. degree with first class honours in
electronics and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Liverpool
in 1977 and 1981, respectively.
He worked at the University of Bath as a Research Officer
from 1981 to 1982. Since 1982, he has been a member of the
Department of Electronic Engineering at the Hong Kong Poly-
technic, teaching courses in the areas of telecommunication engi-
neering, digital signal processing, switching and traffic theory. His
current research interests are low bit-rate speech transmission,
orthogonal transformation, adaptive filtering and voice-activated
graphic systems as speech aids for the deaf.
28
applied in oscillators, amplifiers and convertors, and active
filters which can be examined with the help of the method
applied here. Their construction using microelectronic
technology and know-how is of great importance.
complicated oscillating circuit with arbitrary different
characteristics of the nonlinear elements may be examined
in a similar manner.
7 References
Radio, Moscow, 1976)
2 SPASOV, A.Y., and NEMIGENCHEV, I.N.: 'Study of frequency-
modulated generators with a complex nonlinear occillating circuit',
Bulg. J. Phys., 1981, 8, pp. 72-77
3 ANDREW, H.R.S.: 'FET and transistor produce negative resistance',
Electron. Eng., 1977, 49, pp. 43-45
4 GENIN, R., and BREZEL, P.: 'The generation of negative resistance
by three-pole circuits', Int. J. Electron., 1977, 42, pp. 589-600
5 DAMGOV, V.N.: 'Peculiarities of an non-linear resonance in a oscil-
lating circuit possessing p-n junction at straight currents', Bulg. J.
Phys., 1977, 4, pp. 420-435
Vladimir N. Damgov was born on 22nd
November 1947 in Sofia, Bulgaria. He
received the Dipl.-Eng. degree in electrical
engineering from the Moscow Energetic
Institute, and Ph.D. degree in physics and
mathematics in 1977 from Moscow State
University 'M.V. Lomonossov', Moscow,
USSR. Since 1971 he has been a scientific
worker in the Institute of Electronics of the
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1184,
Bulgaria. His special interests are nonlinear
and parametric phenomena, and radiophysical aspects of syn-
ergetics. He is a Member of Union of Bulgarian Scientific
Workers.
Colin Goodyear received his B.Sc. degree in
physics at the University of Birmingham in
1956 and his D.Phil, at the University of
Oxford in 1960. His first appointment was
in the Physics Department of the Uni-
versity of Oklahoma, and he returned to
the UK in 1963 to take up an appointment
in the Department of Electrical Engineering
and Electronics at the University of Liver-
pool, where he has been a senior lecturer
since 1970. His early research interests were
in the fields of electrical discharges and atomic collision pro-
cesses. Digital signal processing is now his main research activity.
IEE PROCEEDINGS, Vol. 131, Pt. G, No. 1, FEBRUARY 1984