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Abstract-An analysis of lumped- and lumped-distributed- lumped-element (LE), lumped-distributed element (LDE)
element directional couplers is described. The assumed gener- and distributed-lumped element (DLE) networks, are
ality of the ring type four-port enables different types of direc-
tionality to be developed. The equations enabling an idealized considered. The analysis indicates that various types of
design of CO-,contra- and trans-directional couplers for arbi- networks fulfill the conditions 'required for an ideal cou-
trary power division and transformation ratio are derived. A pler. Therefore, greater design flexibility in the choice of
design procedure for three-branch, lumped-element directional the coupler structure and performance is possible. These
couplers, which enables an impedance transformation between possibilities have not previously been indicated in the lit-
the input and output, ports is also included. Computer simu-
lations of the performance of various couplers with lumped ele- erature. The equations presented in the paper are useful
ments represented by realistic models are included in the pa- for preliminary design of the circuits while final design
per. can be refined with the help of commercially available
simulators. Section IV provides design equations for
three-branch LE coupler-transformers which allow real-
ization of much wider bandwidths and larger transfor-
I. INTRODUCTION mation ratios than achievable with two-branch LE cou-
0
483
(3)
XI2
Fig. 1 . Equivalent circuit of a general ring-type four-port with lumped- A = 2 cos 83 - - sin 8,;
distributed elements. 23
in which the Y,,,, (i = 1, 2) are the admittances intro- these conditions into (Al) and (A2) one can calculate the
duced by the parallel coupling elements for the even (e) frequency characteristics of the coupler. The duals to (1)-
and odd (0) excitation, respectively. (3) may be obtained by interchanging [T,] and [To], and
Introducing the normalization replacing z,, Zo, with y , , YO,.
Z,,,, 111. DIRECTIONAL
PROPERTIES
OF FOUR-PORT
2ic.o = (Yie.ci)-I = ____
vzz2 NETWORKS WITH LUMPEDAND
DISTRIBUTED ELEMENTS
ZI 2 2,
212 = ___
Jz,z,, zf=- a (2) Three types of networks resulting from Fig. 1 can be
considered separately. The first consists of lumped ele-
and assuming lossless elements i.e., y,c.o = jb,,,,, z12 = ments (LE) only. The expressions (3) hold with the fol-
jx12,one can express the elements of the transmission ma- lowing substitutions:
trix [Te.o1 as O3 = 0; 8, = 0; b,, = bp,;
T,,., = ~ K , c , +~ lj3T,,.c19 b,, = bp, + 2b,; i = 1, 2. (4a)
1 For the second, with lumped-distributed elements (LDE),
@TlIe,o = -[ ( n + - B(bl,,, + nb2c,o)l,
4& the substitutions are
~
x I 2= 0; 6. = 0 ; bre. = bp i:
, F - ?
= b,,; + 2b;;
i = 1, 2, (4b)
and the third, with distributed-lumped elements (DLE), is
described by
03 = 0 ; b, = bpi + y i t i ;
e.
bi, = bpi - yi t ; I where ti = tan l. (4c)
2
1
_ _ -- bpIc- y I cot el,. = bP2,.- y2 cot el,..
- 1 1 x12c
; x:2c = (5)
b2c + bp2c 1 + nbi2, (9b)
which assure the codirectionality. The scattering coeffi-
The coupling can be calculated according to
cients representing the transmission and coupling are
given by
S12c= -jxIZc; s13c = &b2cx~2c = f G.(6)
The subscript c indicates that the equations apply at the As may be seen from ( 6 ) , (8), and (lo), the series react-
center frequency (f = fc) only. Consequently, the fre- ances x12cor the characteristic impedance 2 3 are directly
quency characteristics of the coupler are selective and related to the desired coupling. Then, the rest of the pa-
their shapes depend on the kinds of reactive elements se- rameters can be determined. The last network considered
lected. Fig. 3 illustrates the possible coupler options gives an additional degree of freedom i.e., the product of
which fulfill the conditions (5). It should be remarked that zi sin 0; is determined, and one of these parameters may
the networks shown in Fig. 3(e) and (f) can be realized be chosen arbitrarily, taking into account the physical
only when n # 1. The circuits presented in Fig. 3(b), (d), limitations only.
and (f) are obtained from the circuits shown in Fig. 3(a),
(c), and (e) by interchanging inductors and capacitors, B. Contradirectional Couplers (Si; = SI3= 0)
thereby inverting the frequency characteristics ( f/fc -+
Considering the contradirectional case one can find that
fc/f ). this feature is achievable for LE, LDE, and DLE circuits.
2) LDE Network (4b): The following expressions as- It can be easily checked that the realization of the quad-
sure codirectionality of the LDE network: rature coupler is impossible and only a magic-T case will
be considered.
1) LE Network: The equations which result from the
conditions (A1 1) and (A14) are
1 1 1
bl, = nb2,; z : sin2 eJc = 1~
1
x:2c = -
nb:, - 1 '
= (d) =
2) LDE Network
Fig. 4. Equivalent circuits of LE CTD couplers
x,, = +; m. (22)
The above solutions, combined with (5) modified for the
+ case of contributing couplers, lead to expressions describ-
ing the elements of the three-branch coupler. After
impedance unnormalization, these expressions are
1
BIlc= f -
z oI
(A7 1) = nB22c, (23b)
2
B2c = B21c + BI2, = - Bllcr (23c)
n1
1
.. = - - B..
Bprrc IIC (i=1,2), (234
Xsic
1 1
BP2 = - + - - B 2c. (23e)
Xscl xsc2
Fig. 5. Three-branch LE coupler as a cascade connection of two-branch In particular, if the coupler has the form of Fig. 6, (23)
couplers. can be rewritten as
n2. To derive the coupling coefficient of the three-branch It is worthwhile pointing out that in the coupler design an
coupler, one has to determine a scattering matrix of the additional degree of freedom exists, so the value of the
cascade connection of two contributing couplers. This internal impedance Z, or some reactive element may be
matrix can be derived by using the technique described in arbitrarily assumed. If, for instance, the value of C,, I (or
[ 113. For our purpose, the derivation at the center fre- Cp22) is chosen, one can calculate the transformation ratio
quency is sufficient. The scattering coefficient represent- nI from the following equation:
ing the coupling, obtained as a result of the calculations,
is equal to J2nJG-E
Jn,= (254
SI3 = Fj(xslc- +xs2cdFi5. (20) 2TfCCP22ZO2(Af 1) - 1
In principle, any coupling value may be realized. An ar- or
bitrary choice of one series element (xslc or xS2,) is also
allowable; however, for simplicity, further considerations
Jn,=
& J G z
will be limited to the case of equal couplings. Th.is leads (25b)
2TfcCp1I z, (Jz f 1) - 1
to the assumption
Such a possibility is particularly attractive in the design
Xslc = XS2C = xsc.
of balanced amplifiers because the external capacitances
Hence, (20) reduces to of the coupler can be replaced by the input or output tran-
sistor capacitances.
3 c = = F j 2 . x s c m .
~ 1 = (21) In general, the internal transformation ratio (n,) can be
Then, for a 3-dB coupling, (IS13cI = 1/&), (7) yields optimized to obtain the most convenient frequency char-
two pairs of possible solutions for the series elements acteristics of the coupler-transformer. The optimum value
258 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 40. NO. 2, FEBRUARY 1992
f
,
11
c
R
0
Fig. 6. Equivalent circuit of typical three-branch LE coupler-transformer. (b) (C)
Fig. 7 . Equivalent circuits of reactive lumped elements: (a) spiral or rec-
tangular inductor, (b) series interdigital capacitor, (c) shunt interdigital
capacitor.
is not necessarily the same as the value resulting from
(25).
One may observe that the lower sign under the square TABLE I
ELEMENT VALUES FOR IDEAL
root in (22)-(25) lead to impractical element values, as CO-DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS AT
well as to very selective frequency responses. 10 GHz
It may also be noted that the three-branch LE coupler
Ls [nH]
Lc [nH]
enables lower output impedances ( - 1 a) than those or or
achievable with the two-branch coupler-transformer. Type Zs[Q]* Zc[Q]* Cp[pF]
-~
LE 0.56 0.8 0.11
V . COMPUTER SIMULATION OF FREQUENCY LDE 35.4 0.8 0.32
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUPLERS DLE 0.56 50 0.45
~
In the analysis presented above it has been assumed that *Characteristic impedance of h / 4 trans-
all contributing elements are ideal. In practice, the lumped mission line.
elements cannot be represented as simple reactive one-
port components, but all parasitic effects and losses have TABLE I1
to be taken into account. The small inductances are real- ELEMENT
VALUES FOR IDEAL CONTRADIRECTIONAL COUPLERS AT 10 GHZ
ized as short pieces of high-impedance microstrip lines
(up to 0.2 nH) or single-loop inductors (0.2-0.5 nH). The Ls [nH] Lc [nH] Cc [ p F ]
or or or
higher values (up to 10 nH) can be obtained by means of Type Zs[Ql* Zc[Ql* Zc** CpllpFl Cp2[pFl Lp21nHl ,
-
VOGEL: DESIGN OF LUMPED- AND LUMPED-DISTRIBUTED-ELEMENT DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS 259
0 0
-10 -10
0 8
U-
8;-20 s
;-20
0
a
3
a
3
// t +
t;;
ce r /
-30
' Lc[nH]
id.
0.80
o 1.
0.k
-30
-3
_.... Y . C -- z -
-6 - J \
.
.>.'I
.3
...... -
C21-real C31-real C21-ideal C31-ideal
0.- - -7 - ...... - -
CPi-real C31-real CZ1-ideal C31-ideal
-
\
\
\
\
I
I I I I I I I I I I I l l 1 I I I I I I
tioned later) are represented as lumped capacitors with a Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate the frequency properties of
finite Q value (e.g., Q = 50). the selected 3-dB CTD couplers. As before, the ideal
The simulations performed for COD couplers show that characteristics are given as a reference. It has been found
the LE construction assures the best balance of the output that the most attractive is the LDE coupler (Fig. 11). A
signals and flatness of the responses. The performance of particularly interesting feature of this coupler is a very
this circuit is very similar to that of the classical two good balance of the output signals over a relatively wide
branch-line coupler. The characteristics of the LDE and band. The imbalance is less than 0.5 dB in the octave
DLE couplers are asymmetrical about the center fre- band (flf, = 0.75-1.5). For the classical (iX) ring cou-
quency; this behavior is analogous to that of the two pler the same imbalance is achievable only over a 20%
branch-line couplers with the line lengths different from bandwidth. Owing to better properties and much less area
X/4 [5]. Figs. 8 and 9 show the frequency characteristics occupied by the coupler, its use, particularly at lower fre-
of the example COD (LE and DLE) couplers. The char- quencies, is more advantageous than a fully distributed
acteristics representing the ideal case (lossless elements, line coupler. It has to be remarked that, in the simulation
non-dispersive transmission lines, no discontinuities) are of the last coupler, all capacitors have been assumed as
given as a reference. To make the frequency behavior of interdigitated and represented by the appropriate models.
the real couplers similar to the ideal characteristics, the An example of the practical realization of such a coupler
values of the elements have to be reoptimized. The designed for S-band can also be found in 131.
changes are not too great and result mainly from the shift Considering the three-branch coupler-transformers it
of the center frequency due to the parasitic reactive com- can be seen (25) that the range of the transformation ratio
ponents. The figures show also the loss contributions is limited by the realizable values of inductances and ca-
which at the center frequency do not exceed 0.8 dB. pacitances at a given frequency. Assuming that an in-
The frequency properties of the 3-dB couplers pre- ductance of 3 nH is achievable at X-band and that the par-
sented here are also representative of couplers with dif- asitic capacitances to ground can be included as an integral
ferent coupling and transforming ratios. part of the coupler, the 50 0 impedances can be trans-
260 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 40, NO. 2 , FEBRUARY I992
0 0
-10 -10
I I
vi vi
VI
8a -20 0
z 2 -20
a z
U
3
5 -30
!ii
U
-30
-40 -40
1.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0 10.4 10.8 11.2 11.6 12.0
FREQUENCY, GHz FREQUENCY, GHz
(a)
(a)
-2 -2
-3 -3
I I
g
n
-4
6
za -4
n
.
3
8 \
-5 -5
-6
RL2BC21-real
0.0 .....
RL1BC41 .real RL2BCZl-ideal
- 0 -
RLI BC41-ideal
-6
8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0 10.4 10.8 11.2 11.6 12
FREQUENCY, GHz
(b)
Fig. 10. Retum losses (a) and couplings (b) of the LE CTR 3 dB coupler. Fig. 1 I . Retum losses (a) and couplings (b) of the LD CTD 3 dB coupler.
0.065 nH, Cpll = 1.09 pF, Cp2= 6.9 pF, C,,, = 6.1 pF Fig. 12. VSWR's and couplings of LE 3 dB coupler-transformers.
for the two-branch coupler. The VSWR's and couplings
of both couplers are shown in Fig. 12. The bandwidth of
the hybrids is mainly limited by the input VSWR and iso- coupler, the same parameters can be achieved over nearly
lation between the output ports. For the two-branch cou- a 30-percent bandwidth.
pler, and input VSWR of less than 2 to 1 with an isolation For comparison the frequency responses of the 3-dB LE
between output ports greater than 10 dB can be achieved three-branch coupler with equal terminating impedances
only over an 5-percent bandwidth. For the three-branch and different values of nl = 0.5-0.75 have also been cal-
VOGEL: DESIGN OF LUMPED- AND LUMPED-DISTRIBUTED-ELEMENT DIRECTIONAL COUPLERS 26 I
of the internal transformation ratio n l . respond to the upper and lower indices on the LHS, re-
spectively. In the case of the four-port (2n = 4), assuming
the port numeration according to Fig. 1, Sve,,coefficients
VI. CONCLUSION of the equivalent two-port networks can be expressed by
The analysis presented in the paper shows that the con- the corresponding coefficients of the wave-amplitude
ventional distributed four-port ring structures which in- transmission matrix [SI
clude, among others, the branch line and rat-race couplers
have lumped and lumped-distributed equivalents. All three T21e.o. 1 TI 2e. 0
S1le.o - 7 S12e.o = -* 9 S22r,u = - -.
types of directionality and quadrature and magic-T phase TI le,, T1le.o Tl1e.u
responses are achievable if the required conditions are ful-
(A21
filled. The frequency properties of the lumped and
lumped-distributed couplers are analogous to the distrib- The wave-amplitude transmission matrix is defined as [SI
uted equivalents, particularly if compared to the couplers
with the perimeters different from X or $ X [ 5 ] .
The generality of the analysis enables the development
of different types of couplers with interesting properties
attractive for the applications in MIC an MMIC. The de- For reciprocal and lossless two-port networks, T I I= T;2
velopment of more complex directional structures based and TI2 = T2hI. The use of the transmission matrix sim-
on the ring type sections is also possible. This is illus- plifies the formulation of the conditions that a four-port
trated by the example of the LE three-branch coupler- be a directional coupler. Three types of directional cou-
transformer. The appropriate design equations are also plers can be defined:
given. It has been shown that a LE technique enables the codirectional (COD) couplers, for which
transformation of a 50 fl input impedance to the level of s.. = s14
11 = (A41
a few ohms at the coupler output ports. Such transfor-
mation ratios are not achievable using conventional contradirectional (CTD) couplers, for which
branchline microstrip or stripline couplers. The added
freedom in the design resulting from the three-branch
s., = s13 - O,
II (A51
structure enables the shaping of frequency characteristics transdirectional (TRD) couplers, for which
or an arbitrary choice of some reactive elements. This last sii = SI2 = 0. (46)
possibility can be useful in the design of balanced tran-
sistor amplifiers. The external coupler elements can be It can be proved that for the COD coupler, the phases
replaced by the transistor input and/or output reactances. of the scattering coefficients are related according to
The equations presented in the paper concern the ideal-
ized reactive elements and are helpful in the preliminary ~ S 1 =
3 ~ S 1 2 + (2k + 1) -;2 ?r
k = 0, f 1 , f 2 *
*
The additional condition [3] R. W. Vogel, Directional couplers with lumped and distributed ele-
ments, in Proc. 26 Intern. Wies. Koll., TH Ilmenau, Vortragsr. Mi-
krowellentechnik, 1981, pp. 79-81,
[4] R. K. Gupta, W . J. Getsinger, Quasi-lumped-element 3- and 4-port
leads to the following relations networks for MIC and MMIC applications, in 1984 IEEE MTT-S
Int. Microwave Symp. D i g . , San Francisco, pp. 409-41 I .
[5] R. W. Vogel, Directional properties of four-port ring structure,
SI4 = $3; ~ S 1 2= ~ S 1 4 + (2k + ?r
1) -
2
(A13) Archiwum Elektrorechniki, t. XXVI, z. 1, pp. 107-120, 1977
(in Polish).
[6] R. Gupta et a l . , Impedance transforming 3-dB 90 hybrids, in 1987
which indicate that the coupler is completely, electrically IEEE MTT-5 Inr. Microwave Symp. D i g . , pp. 203-206.
symmetrical and the phase difference of the output signals [7] J . Reed, G. A. Wheeler, A method of analysis of symmetrical four-
port networks, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-
is 90. However, the condition 4 , no. 4, pp. 246-252, Oct. 1956.
[8] R. E. Collin, Foundations for microwave engineering. New York:
3T12 = =0 (A141 McGraw-Hill, 1966.
[9] E. Pettenpaul et al., CAD models of lumped elements on GaAs up
makes the output signals of the coupler being in or out of to 18 GHz, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 36, no. 2,
phase, which is seen from the resulting expressions pp. 294-304, Feb. 1988.
[IO] F. Sellberg, Simple and accurate algorithms to include Lange- and
SI4 = ~ arg
-SZ3; L S = ~ SI4 + ka. (A15) asymmetric microstrip couplers in CAD-packages, in Proc. 18th
Europ. Microwave Con$, Stockholm, 1988, pp. 1157-1 162.
Such a four-port network is classified as a magic-T. [I I] T. A. Abele, Uber die streumatrix allgemeiner zusammengeschal-
For the TRD coupler (A6), the unitary principle leads teter mehrpole, Arch. El. obertrag, Bd. 14, heft 6, pp. 161-168,
1960.
to expressions
2 ~ S 1 3= ~ S 1 4+ ~ S 2 3 + (2k + l ) ~ ,
k = 0, f l , + 2 * * * (A 16)
Ryszard W . Vogel (M89-SM91) was born in
T I I=~ - T I I ~ ; T12e = T12o. (A 17) Lwow, Poland, in 1941. He received the M . S c . ,
Ph.D. (with honors) and the habilitation degrees
As previously, the conditions (A12) and (A14) make the from the Technical University of Gdansk, Poland,
coupler of the quadrature or magic-T type, respectively. in 1965, 1971, and 1981, respectively.
From 1965 to 1981 he was an Instructor and
then Assistant Professor at the Technical Univer-
REFERENCES sity of Gdansk working in the field of microwave
theory and technique. From 1981 to 1990 he was
[I] M. Caulton er a l . , Status of lumped elements in microwave inte- a Senior Scientist in the Swedish Institute of Mi-
grated circuits-present and future, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory croelectronics (formerlv the Institute of Micro-
Tech., vol. MTT-19, no. 7, pp. 538-599, July 1971. wave Technology). Currently he is with the NobelTech (formerly Bofors
[2] C. Y. Ho, Lumped element quadrature coupler design, Microwave Electronics), Sweden. His research interests are in the areas of MICs and
J . , vol. 22, no. 9 , pp. 67-70, Sept. 1979. MMICs.