Synthesis of dispersive networks for pulse compression using iterative technique

A method is presented for automatic computation of transfer functions approximating to a quadratic phase characteristic in an equiripple manner for any prescribed minimum phase error. The program is based on a recently introduced method for the approximation of a linear phase characteristic in which only linear equations are involved. The characterization of the best nonlinear Chebyshev approximation of an arbitrary phase characteristic is discussed and it is shown that the necessary and sufficient conditions are fulfilled for the resulting solution to be unique and to represent the best Chebyshev approximation of a quadratic phase characteristic. By suitable modification the procedure described can also be used for determining the equiripple approximation of a linear slope group delay characteristic.