LAB NO.

9
MEASUREMENT OF PROPERTIES OF A QUADRATURE/ BRANCH-
LINE COUPLER

Objective:
 To know how power may be spilt in microstrip system using a Quadrature coupler.
 To investigate their power division characteristics over a band of frequencies.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

Qty Designation Description

1 VCO Voltage Control Oscillator
1 PAD 5dB PAD
1 D Crystal Detector
1 HC Branch line Coupler
2 MT 50Ω Coaxial Termination
2 PPC SMA Plug To Plug Coaxial Connector
1 PS Power Supply for VCO source
1 DVM Digital Voltmeter For Diode Detector

Theory:
The Quadrature coupler is a 4-port device consisting of a closed rectangle of transmission
line of mean circumference λg with its 4 ports spaced as shown in fig. The coupler is a 3 dB
directional coupler with 90˚ phase difference in the through and coupled arms. With all the
ports matched the power entering port 1 is evenly divided between ports 2 and 3, with a phase
shift of 90˚ between these ports. No power is coupled to port 4 (the isolated port).
Branch-line coupler has high degree of symmetry as any port can be used as input port. The
output ports are will always be on the opposite side of the junction from the input port, and
isolated will be the remaining port on the same side of the input port.
The characteristic impedance of the transmission lines of branch-line coupler are Zo/√2 and
Zo. For a 50 ohm system, the value should be 35.35Ω . The transmission line joining ports 1
with 2 and ports 4 with 3 are of characteristic impedance Zo/√2 while transmission lines
joining ports 1 with 4 and ports 2 with 3 are of Z o characteristic impedance. The length of all
these lines is λg/4.
The action of the branch-line coupler is illustrated in fig. In (a) input power at port 1 emerges
at ports 2 and port 3. The magnitudes of the output powers, neglecting loss, are 3dB down of
the incident power level but the emergent waves at these ports drifts in phase by 90 degree
due to a quarter-wave length difference in their paths through the coupler. Ideally zero power
emerges at port 4 since waves following the path 1 Ø 2 Ø 3 Ø 4 travel ¾λg whilst those
traveling 1 Ø 4 cover ¼λg and hence the path difference is ½λg. The two components are
thus in anti-phase and cancel.
 Procedure:
1 Set up the equipment as shown in fig 5.9.4 with port 3 and 4 of the HC,
terminated in a 50 ohm loads. Using the voltage-frequency calibration data
supplied set the VCO to 2.5GHz. Measure the power, P 2, emerging from port 2 of
the divider using the crystal detector.

2 Repeat power measurements at 0.1GHz intervals through the band up to 3.6Hz

and record results in a copy of Table 5.6.1, reproduced at the end of this
assignment.

3 Interchange positions of the crystal detector and 50 ohm load so power, P3 at

port 3 can now be measured with port 2 matched. Measure the power emerging
at port 3 and record results over the band 2.5 to 3.6GHz.

4 Next terminate port 3 with MT, and connect detector at port 4. Measure the
power over the band 2.0 to 3.5GHz and record results.

5 The power incident to port 1 of branch-line coupler “P 1”, is measured using the
circuit below. The 5 dB pad improves output matching of the VCO. Crystal
detector is directly connected with the 5 dB pad. The frequency of VCO is
changed over the frequency range and detector output voltage is recorded.

6 Using detector calibration graph the detector voltage is converted to RF power.

The results are recorded below.

Results Table

Power Input at Port Frequency, f GHz

1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3
Power at P4
Power at P3
Power at P2

Observations:
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 LABORATORY ASSESMENT RUBRIC:
PLO
Criteria Beginning (1) Developing (2) Accomplished (3) Exemplary (4)
no

Apply Student is unable to apply With instructor/ supervisor’s With instructor/ Student is able to apply all
Procedural described procedure to guidance, student is able to supervisor’s guidance, procedural knowledge to
1 Knowledge to perform activity despite apply some of the described student is able to apply all independently perform
perform an instructor/ supervisor’s procedure to partially perform described procedure to fully activity without instructor/
guidance. activity. perform activity. supervisor’s guidance.
activity

Effectively Student is able to effectively

Student is unable to effectively Student is able to partially Student is able to
document/ and independently
document/ communicate document/ communicate effectively document/
10 communicate performed activities despite performed activities with
document/ communicate
communicate performed performed activities form
performed guidance. guidance. activities with guidance. without any guidance.
activities

Activity Name 

Group No. 

Student Roll No. 

CL PLO Domain +
No. Criteria Awarded Score (out of 4 for each cell)
O Taxonomy

1 4 1 P3 Apply Procedural Knowledge to perform the activity

2 6 10 A3 Effectively document performed activities