In this paper the electronic implementation of FitzHugh-Nagumo (F-N) neurons via monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) based upon a resonant tunneling diode (RTD) nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) using a coplanar waveguide (CPW) is considered. The goals are twofold. In the framework of electrical equivalent circuit emulating nonlinear active wave propagation effects, it is shown, on one hand, how different physical mechanisms are responsible for the time evolution of given input signals. A key result is that this medium supports stable and stationary pulse propagation that is only determined by the parameters of the RTD-NLTL and is independent of the boundary conditions. On the other hand, the influence of specific line elements on the output signal waveform is discussed in a most systematic manner. This leads, for the first time, to a more physical interpretation of the properties of the RTD-NLTL and, furthermore, to interesting technical applications at multi-GHz frequencies and on picosecond time scales. As a result, physically based ways are elucidated regarding how the technical design of those compact neuromorphic electrical circuits can be optimized by numerical simulations and performed using standard MMIC technologies.

Pulse propagation on high-frequency dissipative nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs)/resonant tunneling diode line cascaded maps is investigated for long-distance propagation of short pulses. Applying perturbative analysis, we show that the dynamics of each line is reduced to an expanded Korteweg–de Vries–Burgers equation. Moreover, it is found by computer experiments that the soliton developed in NLTLs experiences an exponential amplitude decay on the one hand and an exponential amplitude growth on the other. As a result, the behavior of a pulse in special electrical networks made of concatenated pieces of lines is closely similar to the transmission of information in optical/electrical communication systems.

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Analytic study and computer experiment investigations on a superconductive active transmission line using resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) are discussed. It is shown, based on nonlinear wave propagation effects, that the line supports pulse propagation appearing as pairs of kink–antikink profiles. This behavior is due to compensation between the effects of amplification and dissipation along the network.

The characteristics of N-type accumulation-mode MOS (NMOS) varactors line periodically loaded with resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) are used for soliton-like pulses generation and shaping. The problem of wide pulse breaking up into multiple pulses rather than a single is solved. Applying perturbative analysis, we show that the dynamics of the nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) is reduced to expanded Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. Moreover, numerical integration of nonlinear differential and difference equations that result from the mathematical analysis of the line is discussed. As results, NLTL can simultaneously sharpen both leading and trailing of pulse edges and one could obtain a rising and sharpening step pulse.