Variable Attenuators

Uses:

1.Isolate a source from reflections

2. Adjust the signal level, as in one arm of a microwave bridge circuit 3. Measure signal levels, as with a calibrated attenuator

There are two versions of variable attenuator

1. Flap attenuators
Attenuation is accomplished by insertion of a thin card of resistive material (vane) through a slot in the top of the guide. Notice that tapered edges, minimize unwanted reflections.

2. Vane attenuator
In this type of attenuator the resistance card or vanes move in from the sides The losses will be minimum when vanes are close to the side walls where E is small and maximum when the vanes are in the center

Rotary Vane Attenuator (RVA)

Microstrip line

It is one of the most popular types of planar transmission lines It can be easily integrated with other passive and active micro-wave devices It can be fabricated by photolithographic processes It can be viewed as a two wire line consisting of two flat strip conductors of width w separated by a distance 2d in the absence of the dielectric Characteristic impedance for microstrip is given by

Characteristic impedance of wide microstrip line is given by

Coplanar strip lines

A coplanar strip line consists of two conducting strips on one substrate surface with one strip grounded.

coplanar waveguide

Back up Slides

Variable attenuators

Isolators

Isolators