Abstract: A method of forming a metal colloid comprising a plurality of particles, each particle comprising a core of a metal, is described. The method comprises the steps of providing an organometallic precursor comprising the metal, combining the organometallic precursor and a solvent, which comprises water molecules, heating the combination of organometallic precursor and solvent so that the organometallic precursor decomposes to form a solution including the metal colloid and by-products, and removing the by-products to provide the metal colloid.

Abstract: A frequency modulator (50, 150) for modulating a carrier signal according to a modulation data signal to provide a modulated output signal (RFout), comprises a reference signal generator (54, 154) coupled to receive the modulation data signal for performing a low frequency modulation process and for generating a reference signal modulated according to the modulation data signal, and a main synthesizer (52, 152) coupled to receive the modulated reference signal and the modulation data signal for performing a high frequency modulation process and for providing the modulated output signal at an output. Preferably, the modulated reference signal has a first modulation gain (Kr) and the modulated output signal has a modulation gain (KV) which is substantially proportional to the first modulation gain (Kr).