DUAL-BAND -SHAPED

BRANCH-LINE COUPLER WITH

STEPPED-IMPEDANCE STUBS

KAUSHIK REDDY A(11BEC0285)

MANOJ CH(11BEC0040)

Abstract

A novel compact branch-line coupler operating in two

arbitrary frequencies is proposed, analyzed and designed.

Stepped-

impedance stubs are used in the branch-line coupler to achieve

dual-

band applications. Parameters of the structure are chosen and

provided for design guidelines. Broader operating frequency

ratios and

compactness are achievable. For the purpose of validation, a

microstrip

coupler operating at 2.4/5.2 GHz is fabricated and measured.

INTRODUCTION

Branch-line coupler is one of the most important passive components widely

used in modern communication systems.

To meet the increasing demands of multi-band communication systems, a

novel compact branch-line coupler operating in two arbitrary frequencies is
proposed, analyzed and designed.

Stepped- impedance stubs are used in the branch-line coupler to achieve

dual- band applications.

For the purpose of validation, a microstrip coupler operating at 2.4/5.2GHz is

fabricated and measured.

PROPOSED STRUCTURE AND ANALYSIS

The proposed dual-band branch-line is shown in Fig

Two stepped- impedance stubs are connected at the two ends of a

conventional branch-line.

The entire impedance of the stubs Zb and Zc is

The ABCD matrix of the novel branch-line can be derived by cascading the
matrices of three sections in Fig as
(1)

The proposed structure can act as a dual-band 90 branch-line if

(2)

(1)

Where,

Z0 is the characteristic impedance of the objective branch- line.

= (f2 f1)/(f2 + f1).

a0 and b0 are electrical lengths of corresponding parts evaluated at the

frequency f0 = (f1 + f2)/2.

Consequently, once the values of , and are decided, the values of

characteristic impedances and electrical lengths for each part in the
proposed dual-band branch-line are then determined through the above
Equations.

Quadrature Hybrid

Based on above analysis, the structure of a dual-band quadrature hybrid is

implemented as shown in Fig.

Every two stepped-impedance stubs of adjacent branch-lines are combined

to be an equivalent stub(i.e.,
), and the electrical
lengths are

evaluated at the frequency f0.

DESIGN PARAMETERS

The values of the design parameters for frequency ratio (f 2/f1 = 2.17) are chosen as
Za = 59.73, Zb = 107.31, Zc = 21.46, b0 = 25.35, and
c0 = 22.82.

The values of substrate parameters are chosen as

Er

= 3.5

f1 = 2.4 GHz
f2 = 5.2 GHz
fo = (f1+f2)/2 = 3.8 GHz
H = 0.76 mm
T = 0.05 mm
Tand = 0.001

SIMULATION LAYOUT

SIMULATION RESULTS

MEASUREMENT RESULTS
Frequency

2.4 GHz

5.3 GHz

Input return loss (|s11|)

-21.62

-31.701

Isolation factor (|S31|)

-21.67

-41.337

Insertion loss (|S21|)

-3.210

-3.159

Insertion loss (|S41|)

-3.110

-3.178

89.763 degrees

90.011 degrees

S21S41

COMPARISON RESULTS
Coupler
Dual band stub tapped
branch line coupler

Frequency
ratio range
1.252.85

Operating
frequencies

size

2.4/5.2GHz

340.8 degree 340.8

degree

Compact dual band branch

line coupler with stepped
impedance stubs

1.72.7

2.4/5.8GHz

272.4 degree 282.4

degree

Dual-band compact planar

90 branch-line coupler

1.83.7

2.4/5.2GHz

56.8 degree 170.5

degree

Dual-band -shaped
branch line coupler with
stepped impedance stubs
(proposed coupler)

1.16.3

2.4/5.2GHz

56.8 degree 117.6

degree

CONCLUSION

The proposed coupler can also be designed using T-shaped stubs, but using
stepped impedance stubs more realizable frequency ratios and compactness
can be achieved.

However, the added stubs take a lot of room, and due to the restriction of
realizable impedances, the dual-band frequency ratios are also very limited.

A novel 2.4/5.2GHz compact dual-band branch-line coupler using steppedimpedance stub is demonstrated and analysed.

The performance of the proposed coupler is evaluated and measured.