This paper provides the details of a novel systematic design methodology for two-way in-phase filtering Gysel splitter/combiner networks with high selectivity, which finds application in high power amplifier modules. It simultaneously realizes a filtering function and a two-way splitter/combiner function. The proposed five-port filtering device, based on the Gysel topology, is transformed into a ring of coupled resonators. A rigorous coupling matrix describing the network is used to synthesize the integrated filtering and combining functions. This general network can be implemented in any of the available filter technologies. In this paper, a few design examples are provided, and a six-pole prototype utilizing compact combline coaxial resonators is demonstrated. The proposed design provides an integrated dual function module, reducing component counts and system complexity. A design was fabricated and tested demonstrating good experimental results.

This manuscript presents a novel design for an absorptive bandpass filter for mm-wave applications, specifically the commercial FR2 spectrum. Three bands have been selected to be properly input matched with only one of them being the passband, where the insertion loss is minimized. The proposed approach relies on a multiplexer topology implemented through microstrip lines and on thin-film manufacturing process on alumina to shrink the footprint. Cascades of half-wavelength C-shape open-ended resonators are exploited to create the matched bands and define the filter’s selectivity. The selected passband spans from 26.5 to 28.5 GHz, with a measured maximum insertion loss of 3.05 dB for a −3 dB fractional bandwidth of 7.3%. Two absorptive bands are realized to match signals at 24 and 32.25 GHz. The alumina die footprint is 5500 × 3440 µm2, compatible with immediate integration within a mm-wave lineup.

A new isolated out-of-phase filtering power divider/combiner with high selectivity is presented. Based on a single-layer microstrip, required coupling strength and phase difference are achieved by two pairs of three-line coupled feeding structures. To realize desired bandpass responses, a specific resonator is located between the input and output coupled structures. By connecting a half-wavelength transmission line which is centrally loaded with a grounded resistor between two output ports, high port-to-port isolation is attained. Based on the impedance matrix of coupled three-line structure, theoretical filtering responses are predicted with the specified bandwidth and return loss. For demonstration, a prototype is designed, fabricated, and tested. Both simulated and measured results are displayed to verify the design mechanism.

An analytical and a numerical study on coupling in microstrip transmission line (MTL) are reported for different split-gap orientations of a single gap square-shaped split-ring resonator (SRR). Taking both magnetic and electric couplings and adopting Lagrangian formulation for this coupled system, mathematical relations are found for each orientation of SRR to determine the connection between coupling co-efficient and resonant mode frequency. It is shown that coupling results in higher resonance frequency when the SRR, with parallel split-gap, has the gap far from the MTL. But, a lower resonance frequency is obtained when the SRR is placed at shorter distances with parallel split-gap near to the MTL. Again, for perpendicular split-gap orientation of SRR, the resonant frequency is found in terms of an effective coupling co-efficient; at shorter distances it is found to be lower than the fundamental resonance frequency of uncoupled SRR and an opposite effect is obtained at longer distances. Using CST Microwave Studio, the resonance frequency for each split-gap orientation of SRR is also studied as a function of separation between MTL and SRR. It is observed that this phenomenon strongly depends on SRR side-length, substrate height, and separation between MTL and SRR.

This paper reports a novel fourth-order quasi-elliptic bandpass filter (BPF) based on capacitive-loaded eighth-mode substrate integrated waveguide (CLEMSIW) cavities. The CLEMSIW cavity is constructed by the conventional eighth-mode SIW with two dielectric substrates and three metal layers; a metal via is employed to connect the middle and bottom metal layers. The middle metal layer achieves a large loading capacitance to shift the resonance frequency. The proposed filter is designed in a quadruple scheme, and two controllable finite-transmission zeros can be realized. For the demonstration, a prototype with a center frequency of 1 GHz and a fractional bandwidth of 10% was designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured results agree well with simulated ones. The proposed filter has advantages of ultra-compact size, high selectivity, and good stopband performances.

Radiofrequency surface coils used as receivers in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rely on cables for communication and power from the MRI system. Complex surface coil arrays are being designed for improving acquisition speed and signal-to-noise ratio. This, in-turn makes the cables bulky, expensive, and the currents induced on cables by time-varying magnetic fields of the MRI system may cause patient harm. Though wireless power transfer (WPT) can eliminate cables and make surface coils safer, MRI poses a challenging electromagnetic environment for WPT antennas because the antennas made using long conductors interact with the static and dynamic fields of the MRI system. This paper analyses the electromagnetic compatibility of WPT antennas and reveals that commercially available antennas are not compatible with MRI systems, presenting a safety risk for patients. Even when the risk is minimized, the antennas couple with surface coils leading to misdiagnosis. This paper presents an approach to eliminate safety risks and minimize coupling using a filter named “floating filter.” A WPT antenna without a filter has a distortion of 27%, and floating filters reduce the distortion to 2.3%. Secondly, the floating filter does not affect the power transfer efficiency, and the transfer efficiency of 60% is measured with and without filters.

In this paper, a 3 dB H-plane substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) power divider/combiner with improved isolation is reported. By adding two isolated ports into the Y-junction, it will perform like a multi-port coupler, so that the isolation between its dividing ports can be effectively improved as the newly-added ports are properly matched. To verify the availability and effectiveness of this concept, two prototypes, one is terminated by coaxial terminations and the other is loaded with lumped resistors, are developed. Their measured results are separately in good agreement with their corresponding simulations. Meanwhile, isolations better than 16 dB with fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 35 and 25% are achieved, respectively, as well as low phase and amplitude imbalances. Compared with some reported similar SIW power dividers, the proposed ones exhibit wider FBW with similar isolation, insertion loss, phase, and amplitude balance performance.

Tunable microwave devices will play an important role in future wireless systems, in which high-frequency bands, e.g. millimeter waves, will become promising, due to its huge spectrum availability. At such frequency bands, liquid crystals (LCs) exhibit low microwave loss, which is excellent compared with the other tuning elements. In this paper, LC-based microwave components are fabricated by using low temperature co-fired ceramic technology, allowing the integration of the LC into microwave structures. The first component, the amplitude tuner, controls the signal's amplitude by using the interference concept, which exhibits a tunable attenuation range from 11 dB to 30 dB at 30 GHz. The second component is a 3-pole tunable bandpass filter, which is realized by using a substrate integrated waveguide topology, enabling a device with comparatively high-quality factors (Q-factors). The measurement results show Q-factors in the range of 68 to 100 for a frequency tuning of 29.4–30.1 GHz, i.e. a tuning range of 700 MHz, accompanied by an insertion loss 2 dB to 4 dB.

In this work, an UWB/narrow band reconfigurable elliptical-shaped monopole antenna for cognitive radio applications with sequential perception and operation modes is presented. The proposed approach consists in integrating a reconfigurable filter, in an UWB antenna ground plan, by the mean of four horizontal slots and integrated switches that allow inserting/removing/varying zeros and poles in the frequency response. By acting on the slot lengths in order to alter their resonance frequencies, the different switch configurations allow the antenna to switch between an UWB mode that could be used for the perception (sensing) and different narrowband modes, mono-band and dual-band, that could be used for the operation at 2.4 or/and 3.5 GHz. To validate the concept, an experimental prototype has been fabricated and a good agreement between the simulated and the measured S-parameters has been obtained. While the presented work uses the presence/absence of a perfect conductive strip (PEC) to model real switch operation, it is believed that the obtained results conjugated with previous work using real switches on a very similar structure allows validating approach.

This paper proposes a dual notched band ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filter (BPF) based on hybrid transition of microstrip and coplanar waveguide (CPW). The CPW in ground plane houses a stepped impedance resonator shorted at ends, and is designed to place its resonant modes within the UWB passband. The microstrips on the top plane are placed some distance apart in a back-to-back manner. The transition of microstrip on top and shorted CPW in the ground is coupled through the dielectric in a broadside manner. The optimized design of the transition develops the basic UWB spectrum with good return/insertion loss and extended stopband. Later, defected ground structure, embedded in CPW, and split ring resonators, coupled to feeding lines are utilized to develop dual sharp passband notches. The simulated data are verified against the experimentally developed prototype. The proposed dual notched UWB-BPF structure measures only 14.6 × 7.3 mm2, thereby justifying its compactness.

This paper presents an active Q-enhanced LC dual-band band-pass filtering approach using parallel synthesis techniques at X- and Ku-bands in 0.13 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology. By employing two independently tunable parallel LC-tanks with either in-phase and out-of-phase addition, independently tunable dual-band filtering is achieved. For higher out-of-band (OOB) attenuation, subtraction of the two 2nd-order bandpass filter is implemented. The two bands are independently tunable in terms of Q and center frequency. The dual-band filter at 9.7 GHz and 13.9 GHz achieves a normalized dynamic range of 165–154.5 dB.Hz with an OOB attenuation of >50 dB below 3 GHz. In between the two bands, the attenuation is 22 dB when the two passbands have 200 MHz bandwidth each. The total group delay is 0.8 ns and 1.9 ns for Q of 20 and 50, respectively. The filter achieves better OOB rejection with wider band channels at X- and Ku-bands compared with state of the art integrated filters. The filter consumes 115–130 mW of DC power. The core die area is 0.53 × 0.7 mm2.

We present a new ultra-wideband (UWB) band-pass filter (BPF) configuration with a stepped impedance short-circuited stub (SISS)-loaded triple-mode resonator (TMR) and stepped impedance radial stub (SIRS). The novel SISS-loaded TMR and SIRS improve the roll-off ratio at both ends. Even though this UWB BPF is based on a single resonator, the measured results show excellent in-band performance with a small insertion loss less than 0.6 dB and return loss greater than −16 dB. The proposed UWB BPF has sharp roll-off ratio of 96 and 43 dB/GHz, respectively, at the lower and upper edges of the pass-band, and a wide stop-band from 10.8 to 15.6 GHz with the rejection greater than 20 dB.