N-path commutated capacitive networks provide a practical solution to implement highly sought on-chip high-Q filtering applications in which the use of lumped inductors is undesirable due to their significant footprints and low Q-factors. Recently, it has been also revealed that N-path networks can also exhibit other interesting functionalities, such as nonreciprocal phase-shifting and ultra-wideband true time delay, providing a path to miniaturization of various reciprocal and nonreciprocal devices. The analytical treatment of these networks, however, remains challenging, because their operation involves frequency mixing produced by the time modulation. In this article, we present a highly accurate frequency-domain approach for the analysis of N-path networks based on perturbation theory. Our method compares favorably to the state-of-the-art polyphase analysis by being much simpler mathematically, yet providing results essentially indistinguishable from numerical simulations, while offering physical insights into the N-path filter operation. We particularize the solution for the high-Q operation regime and obtain simple closed-form analytical expressions for harmonic transfer functions, scattering parameters and baseband impedance.

中文翻译：

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N-Path 网络的通用频域分析

N 路径换向电容网络提供了一种实用的解决方案，以实现备受追捧的片上高 Q 滤波应用，其中不希望使用集总电感器，因为它们占位面积大且 Q 因子低。最近，还发现 N 路径网络还可以展示其他有趣的功能，例如非互易相移和超宽带真实时间延迟，为各种互易和非互易设备的小型化提供了途径。然而，这些网络的分析处理仍然具有挑战性，因为它们的操作涉及时间调制产生的混频。在本文中，我们提出了一种基于微扰理论的用于分析 N 路径网络的高精度频域方法。我们的方法与最先进的多相分析相比，在数学上更简单，但提供的结果基本上与数值模拟没有区别，同时提供对 N 路径滤波器操作的物理见解。我们详细说明了高 Q 操作制度的解决方案，并获得了谐波传递函数、散射参数和基带阻抗的简单闭合形式的解析表达式。