Sheet

1 of 13

(1) BranchLine Coupler - Quadrature

Zo
2

Zo
/4

90

NOTE This device is sensitive to load mismatches.

(2) Lange Coupler (Quadrature)

Output

Coupled
90

Broadband coupling
3dB 20dB
Quadrature

/4
Input

Directive

To calculate the finger dimensions and spacings, we need to calculate the even and odd
mode line impedances:-

C = 10

Z 0e =

Z 0o =

Coupling coefficien t
20

4C 3 + 9 8C 2
2C (1 C ) /(1 + C )
4C + 3 9 8C 2
2C (1 + C ) /(1 C )

Z0

Z0

Armed with these line impedances the finger widths and spacings can be read from the graph
plotting coupled micro-strip line data against even and odd mode line impedances.

Sheet
2 of 13

Even and odd-mode characteristic impedance design data for coupled micro-strip
lines.
Example
Lange coupler for use at 7.5GHz, 3dB split into 50 ohms. Coupler made from Alumina
0.508mm thick, Dielectric constant 8.8. Determine S and W of fingers.

C = 10

-3(dB)
20

= 0.707

4 * 0.707 3 + 9 (8 * 0.707 )

Z 0e =

2 * 0.707 (1 0.707) /(1 + 0.707 )

4 * 0.707 + 3 9 (8 * 0.707 )

* 50 = 176.2

Z 0o =

2 * 0.707 (1 + 0.707) /(1 0.707)

* 50 = 52.6

Sheet
3 of 13

~176ohms

~52ohms

From the graph we read S/d ~ 0.075 and W/d = 0.08

The thickness of substrate = 0.508mm so the dimensions of the fingers are:Width = 0.04mm and Spacing = 0.038mm.
One quarter wavelength on this material is 4.15mm long (50 ohm line is 0.5mm wide).
To check our rough design we can enter the parameters into the ADS MLANGE model and
analyse.

Sheet
4 of 13

ADS simulation setup

MSub
MSUB
MSub1
H=0.508 mm
Er=8.8
Mur=1
Cond=1.0E+50
Hu=1.0e+033 mm
T=0 mm
TanD=0
Rough=0 mm

Term
Term1
Num=1
Z=50 Ohm

Term
Term2
Num=2
Z=50 Ohm

Term
Term4
Num=4
Z=50 Ohm
MLANG
Lang1
Subst="MSub1"
W=0.0406 mm
S=0.0381 mm
L=4.35 mm

Term
Term3
Num=3
Z=50 Ohm

S-PARAMETERS
S_Param
SP1
Center=7.5 GHz
Span=800 MHz

The Lange length was increased by 0.2mm to centre the response shown below:-

Sheet
5 of 13

m1
freq=7.501GHz
dB(S(4,1))=-2.963

-2.960

m3
freq=7.502GHz
phase(S(4,1))=-0.129

m1

phase(S(4,1))

dB(S(4,1))

-2.965

-2.970

-2.975

-2.980

m3
0

-2

-4
7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

-3.065

-86

-3.070

-88

-3.075

m2

-3.080

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

freq, GHz

phase(S(3,1))

dB(S(3,1))

freq, GHz

m4
-90

-92

-94

-3.085
7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

freq, GHz
m2
freq=7.502GHz
dB(S(3,1))=-3.081

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

m4
freq=7.501GHz
phase(S(3,1))=-90.053

7.5

freq, GHz

Sheet
6 of 13

(3) Lumped Quadrature (90 degree) Coupler

This lumped element hybrid provides a 3dB split with a 90 degree phase shift. Its bandwidth
is very narrow being approximately 1-2%.
The element values are given by:-

C1 =

; L =

2C

1 + C1.Z

; Co =

2L

C1

2C

2
2C

L
2C

(4) Lumped 180 degree Coupler

This lumped element hybrid provides a 3dB split with a 180 degree phase shift. Its bandwidth
is approximately 20%.
The element values are given by:-

1
= L = 1.414Zo
C

2C

2C

2
2C

C
2C

Sheet
7 of 13

Wilkinson Power Divider & Passive Dividers (In Phase)

Microstrip
The wilkinson power splitter provides a 3-dB split with no phase shift. In microstrip form the
two arms are usually made from quarter wavelength lines with an impedance of 70.7 ohms in
a 50-ohm system.

Zo

Zo. 2

2.Zo

Zo
/4

Zo

Lumped
The bandwidth of the lumped Wilkinson is approximately of the micro-strip version.

L
2

2R
1

L
3
2C

2C
C

R = 2 * Zo
L=

R
1
[H] ; C =
[C]
2f
2 2fR

Sheet
8 of 13

Passive (6dB power split)

A resistive splitter provides a broad-band power split, but has a greater insertion loss through
each port (6dB) and only has 6dB of isolation between output ports.

R/3

R/3

R/3
R

Hybrid Ring

antiphase

in phase
B

C
/4

/4

Input
/4

at

1-90

D B
C

outputs

1-90 0
0

1-90

D 1-270 0
3/4
Signal Flow Graphs 2 - Port

B1 = S11.a1 + S12.a2
B2 = S21.a1 + S22.a2

1-90
0
1-90

D
1-270
0
1-90
0

Sheet
9 of 13

S21

a1

b2

S11

b1

S22

S12

a2

Value of outgoing wave at each node ie b1 or b2 is equal to : (branch value) x ingoing node
b1 = S11.a1 + S12.a2
b2 = S21.a1 + S12.a2
Couplers
(1) Microstrip Backward Coupler

Directive
(Isolated)

Coupled

Input

/4

Output

We use a similar design process for designing this coupler as used with the Lange coupler in
that we need to calculate the odd and even mode line impedances given a particular coupling
coefficient:-

C = 10

Coupling coefficien t
20

Z 0e = Z 0

1+ C
1 C

Z 0o = Z 0

1 C
1+ C

Sheet
10 of 13

And once we have found the line impedances we can again read off the values of W and S
from the Normalised even and odd mode characteristic impedance design data for edge
coupled strip-line graph.
Note This type of coupler can only be used for loose couplings, as the track spacing becomes
too narrow at low coupling factors to be manufactured.
Example:- Design a 15dB Microstrip directional coupler for 7.5GHz, using Alumina substrate
0.508mm thick and a dielectric constant of 8.8.
-15

C = 10 20

= 0.1778

Z 0e = 50 *

1 + 0.1778
= 59.8ohms
1 0.1778

Z 0o = 50 *

1 0.1778
= 41.8ohms
1 + 0.1778

Using the graph below we can read off the values of S and W

~60ohms

~42ohms

10

Sheet
11 of 13

From the graph we read off S/d = 0.85, therefore S = 0.508*0.85 = 0.43mm
And W/d = 0.9, therefore W = 0.508*0.9 = 0.46mm.
Wavelength @ 3GHz in this material = 10.5mm
These values were entered into the ADS model for a coupled line namely and analysed.
ADS schematic for analysing coupler circuit.

S-PARAMETERS
S_Param
SP1
Start=
Stop=
Step=

MCLIN
CLin1
Subst="MSub1"
W=0.46 mm
S=0.4 mm
L=4.45 mm
Term
Term2
Num=2
Z=50 Ohm

Term
Term1
Num=1
Z=50 Ohm

Term
Term4
Num=4
Z=50 Ohm

Term
Term3
Num=3
Z=50 Ohm

11

Sheet
12 of 13

Analysed results

-0.1865

dB
(S
(2,
1))

Through path

m1
freq=7.501GHz
dB(S(2,1))=-0.188

-0.1870

-0.1875

-0.1880

m1
-0.1885
7.0

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

8.0

freq, GHz

m2
freq=7.495GHz
dB(S(3,1))=-15.295

Coupled Output

-10

-20.2

-11

-20.4

-12

dB
(S
(3,
1))

dB
(S
(4,
1))

-13

m2

-14
-15

m3
freq=7.507GHz
dB(S(4,1))=-20.837

Directivity

-16

-20.6

m3

-20.8
-21.0
-21.2

-17
-18

-21.4

-19

-21.6

-20
7.0

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

7.0

8.0

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

8.0

freq, GHz

freq, GHz
Isolation
-36.132

Eqn Isolation=m3+m2

(2) Lumped Coupler (loosely coupled)

This lumped approximation of the microstrip backward wave coupler gives ~ 10% bandwidth
for 20dB directivity.

Input

L
Output

Cc

Cc
L

Isolated
Coupled
2C

12

Sheet
13 of 13

L=

Zo
2f

Note Cc <

C=

1
2f .Zo

0.18
2f .Zo

; Cc ~

10 (CF/20)
2f .Zo

CF < - 15dB

(3) Lumped Coupler (3dB)

The power split for 3dB 1dB is ~ 20% bandwidth although the 90 degree split (between the
two output ports) is broadband.

Input

L
Output

C/2

C/2

C/2

Isolated
Coupled
C

2C

L=

Zo
2f

C=

1
2f .Zo

13