The performance comparison of frequency translators using RHTL and LHTL phase shifters

In this paper, we compared the performances of the Right Handed Transmission Line (RHTL) and the Left Handed Transmission Line (LHTL) phase shifters as a frequency translator. Unlike other phase shifters, both phase shifters show a 0°-360° phase variation for a broadband frequency and compact in size which are ideal to use as a frequency translator. For the performance comparison, we fabricated both a RHTL and a LHTL phase shifter to cover 1.5 GHz - 2.4 GHz range with the whole 360° phase variation. For the frequency range, a LHTL based frequency translator showed a much better performance whose Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) is 4dB - 17dB higher than the RHTL based frequency translator when the sawtooth modulation freqncy is 11 kHz. This is due to the linear phase-voltage variation of LHTL phase shifter. Furthermore, the LHTL phase shifter shows a less insertion loss and a insertion loss variation than the RHTL phase shifter. Overall, the LHTL based frequency translator outperformed RHTL based freqency translator.