  A simple model of a distributed, non-linear circuit that produces chaos at
GHz frequencies is introduced and tested experimentally. The model circuit is a
driven diode-terminated transmission line with the transmission line impedance
mismatched to that of the source. Experiments were performed with sinusoidal
driving frequencies of 10 MHz to 1.2 GHz, driving powers of -30 to +50 dBm and
transmission line delay times from 3 to 20 ns. Diode reverse recovery times
ranged from 4 to 100 ns. As a result of many experiments, it was found that
chaotic behavior was strongly dependent on the unbiased, small-signal reactance
of the system as seen by the driving source, and influenced by an applied DC
voltage-bias across the diode. In the experiments that showed period-doubling
and / or chaos, the reverse recovery times of the diodes were on the order of
both the driving period and the delay time of the circuits. Comparisons between
theory and experiment are in general agreement. Chaos produced with a driving
frequency of 1.105 GHz has been observed experimentally.
