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Design of Compact Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler with Adjustable Outputs

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 Design of Compact Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler
with Adjustable Outputs
Pejman Mohammadi Mirhamed Rezavni, Student Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering,
Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Urmia, Iran Urmia, Iran
p.mohammadi@iaurmia.ac.ir mirhamed.rezvani@iaurmia.ac.ir

Abstract—This article presents a novel design of compact from 30% to 60% [9]. One other design for miniaturization
Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler with folded lines technique and 3dB Coupler is using high-impedance transmission lines and
T-Shaped structure. This technique is employed to reduce the capacitors distributed in the inner region of empty space
dimensions of Coupler without the use of bonding wire and via [10]. Another way for miniaturization is, capacitive effect
holes. The Coupler outputs are affected T-Shape structures. By and defected ground structure (DGS) method [11]. To reduce
changing the dimensions of T-Shape structures, equal and the size of conventional Branch-Line Coupler, a novel slow
unequal output-power can be achieved. Outputs phase wave structure, which is composed of high-low impedance
difference of these Couplers is 90ᴼ±2ᴼ. In this method the lines cascaded in meander line configuration, leading to 62%
coupler size is 76% reduced. The Coupler design technique
size reduction has been achieved [12]. Furthermore a size
with equal and unequal outputs has been separately developed.
The amount of power toward output ports can be controlled
reduction up to 63% with artificial transmission lines instead
with T-Shaped structures. of conventional transmission lines is possible [13]. Harmonic
suppression and reduce the size by using the method MEBE
Keywords- Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler; Compact Size; (Microstrip Electromagnetic Bandgap Element) [14] are
Folded Lines; T-Shape Structures; Adjustable Outputs other optimization methods of Couplers.
This article introduces a method for miniaturization of
Branch-Line Hybrid Couplers without any bonding wires or
metallized vias. In this system, folded transmission lines and
I. INTRODUCTION T-Shape structures have been used instead of the
Branch-line Couplers (BLC) are one of the most integral conventional transmission lines. The proposed Coupler size
components employed in several microwave integrated decreased to 76% compared to its original size. Outputs of
circuits, such as, balanced and image rejection mixers, the proposed Coupler can be controlled with the T-Shape
balanced amplifiers, power dividers, combiners and structures which are added to the empty space of the folded
frequency duplexers [1]. A typical BLC is a four-section transmission lines.
structure with 3dB coupling and 90° phase shift between the
transmission and the coupling ports [2]. Description and
analysis of even and odd mode have been given in [3].
Conventional Branch-Line Coupler with four quarter-
wavelength branch lines, usually occupies a large circuit area
at low frequencies and has spurious responses at the integral
multiple of the fundamental frequency [4].
Many efforts have been made to reduce the size of
Couplers. Using composite right/left-handed transmission
structures for dual-band directional Couplers [5] and using
the comb line for 3dB Hybrid Coupler [6] are miniaturized
approaches. Also a 31% size reduction has been achieved by
design of Two-Section microstrip-slot Branch-Line Coupler
with the overlapped λ/4 open circuited lines at ports [7]. In
[8] equivalent T-Shaped structure is used to reduce physical
length about 55% compared to conventional models.
Optimization of monolithic microwave integrated circuit
(MMIC) coplanar waveguide (CPW) and asymmetric Figure 1. Schematic of a conventional Branch-Line Coupler with
characteristic impedances and electrical length.
coplanar strip line (ACPS) Branch-Line Couplers using
shunt and series stub loading reduces the size of the area
 II. CONVENTIONAL COUPLER AND ITS
EQUIVALENT T-SHAPED STRUCTURES
The conventional Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler with four
designated ports is shown in Fig. 1. The dimensions of the
conventional Coupler are 58×58mm2. It is consist of two λ/4
transmission lines with impedance of Z0/√2 and two λ/4
transmission lines with impedance of Z0 which are connected
to each other. These Couplers are usually designed by
microstrip lines. For 3dB Coupler the input power applied to
port 1 is divided equally to port 2 and 3 with 90 degree phase
differences. Since port 4 is isolated, no power can be applied
to it. According to [3], scattering matrix of Coupler is
defined as equation (1). Transfer parameters of ABCD for
even and odd mode are also achieved by equation (2) and
(3).
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
III. DESIGN OF COMPACT COUPLER WITH EQUAL
OUTPUTS
Fig. 3 (a) and Fig. 3 (b) represent the schematic of the
conventional and optimized couplers respectively. Fig. 3 (c)
shows a photograph of the fabricated coupler. The size of the
small coupler is 31.34×25.82mm2 which is 76% smaller than
the conventional one. It should be considered that line
impedance of Z0 don’t change, and the microstrip line also
has folded to empty space of Coupler in three stages
(consider Ɵ to be constant to 90ᴼ). This topology results in
partial size reduction of Coupler in the desired frequency. To
control power division ratio on outputs and also to more size
reduction of coupler, we will use equivalent T-Shaped
structures. These structures are connected in six different
sizes to each λ/4 transmission lines. Design processes of
coupler are shown thoroughly in Fig. 4. The final values of
the parameters of the presented coupler design are given in
TABLE I. The Coupler is printed on a Rogers 4003 substrate
with thickness of 0.508mm, Ԑr=3.55 and tanδ=0.0027.

A simple transmission line with characteristic impedance

Z and electrical length of Ɵ, and its folded equivalent are
shown respectively in Fig. 2 (a) and Fig. 2 (b). Fig. 2 (c)
represents equivalent T-Shaped structure which is divided to
three parts with impedances of Z1, Z2, Z3 and electrical
lengths of Ɵ1, Ɵ2 and Ɵ3. According to [15], the relation
between quarter wavelength transmission line and its
equivalent T-Shaped structure are shown with equations of
(4) and (5). To facilitate the calculation, it is considered that,
Z1=Z3.

Figure 3. Equal output Coupler, (a) Conventional size, (b) Compact size
Figure 2. (a) Conventional transmission line, (b) Equivalent folded line and (c) Fabricated structure.
and (c) Equivalent T-Shape structure.

Figure 4. (a) Step of conversion main lines to folded lines and T-Shape
structures of Z=50/√2Ω and (b) Z=50Ω.
Figure 5. Simulation and Measurement scattering parameters of S11 and
S14 for compact coupler with equal outputs.
Figure 6. Simulation and Measurement scattering parameters of S12 and
S13 for compact coupler with equal outputs.
Figure 7. Phase difference between port 2 and 3 for compact coupler with
equal outputs.
TABLE I. PARAMETERS VALUE OF PROPOSED COUPLER.
The simulation and experimental results of the coupler
with equal outputs are analyzing. Simulations are carried out
by the HFSS software. Port 1 and 4 are depicted as input and
isolated ports respectively. The parameters of S11=-13.4±0.1
dB and S14=-14.1±0.8 dB has obtained in frequency of
0.8GHz that shown in Fig. 5. According to Fig. 6, S12=-
3.3±0.1 dB and S13=-3.4±0.3 dB which represents equal
power division among ports 2 and 3 and finally Fig. 7 shows
phase difference of 90ᴼ±2ᴼ between ports 2 and 3.
IV. DESIGN OF COMPACT COUPLER WITH
UNEQUAL OUTPUTS
Fig. 8 depicts the schematic of the optimized Coupler
with specified ports and unequal outputs and it’s fabricated
photograph. The size of the small coupler is
31.34×25.82mm2 which is 76% smaller than the
conventional one. Transmission lines of this Coupler is
similar to the previous model (Coupler with equal outputs)
are fixed to electrical length of Ɵ=90ᴼ and characteristic
impedances of Z0=50Ω and Z0=50/√2Ω. Firstly λ/4
transmission lines fold to empty space of Coupler
environment, then by using six equivalent T-Shaped
structures with different sizes, compact coupler with unequal
outputs is obtained. The only difference between this coupler
with previous model is in the T-Shaped dimensions which
can be establish by changing the value of some parameters
as, L7=4.82mm, L7′=4.37mm, W2=1.6mm, W2′=2.9mm,
W4=1.25, W4′=2.25mm, W5=1mm and W5′=2mm, outputs
are under control and power is unequally divided between
output ports. This Coupler is also fabricated on Rogers 4003
substrate.

Figure 9. Simulation and Measurement scattering parameters of S11 and

S14 for compact coupler with unequal outputs.

Figure 10. Simulation and Measurement scattering parameters of S12 and

S13 for compact coupler with unequal outputs.

Figure 8. Unequal output Coupler, (a) Conventional size, (b) Compact

size and (c) Fabricated structure.

Scattering parameters and phase difference between ports

2 and 3 are discussing. Fig. 9 represents return loss of ports 1
and 4 at frequency of 0.8GHz with S11=-30.3±0.1 dB and
S14=-28.8±6 dB. Fig. 10 shows S12=-5.6±0.1 dB and S13=-
1.5±0.1 dB and Fig. 11 depicts the phase difference of 90ᴼ±2ᴼ
between ports 2 and 3.
A comparison between designed Coupler in this article
and Couplers which mentioned in reference 5 to 14, has
come in TABLE II. This comparison indicates maximum Figure 11. Phase difference between port 2 and 3 for compact coupler with
unequal outputs.
size reduction and also adjustable outputs have been
achieved in this article.
 TABLE II. COMPARE BETWEEN COUPLERS.
V. CONCLUSION
A compact Branch-Line Hybrid Coupler was represented
by using folded transmission lines technique and T-Shaped
structures. This Coupler is minimized to 76% in comparison
with conventional models. By changing the dimensions of T-
Shape structures, the outputs are also under control. In this
method, empty spaces between λ/4 lines are used. Relation
of a simple Coupler and its equivalent T-Shaped structures
with its schematic were discussed. Moreover coupler design
method with equal and unequal outputs are explained
separately. Scattering parameters results and phase
difference of output ports show a good response with low
tolerance in this approach. A good agreement between
measurement and simulated results indicated that this
method is appropriate for microwave integrated circuits that
require small size with controllable outputs.
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