International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 4, Issue 8, August-2013 1021

ISSN 2229-5518

Optimized Broad Band Riblet Short-Slot Waveguide Coupler for X-Band Applications A. A. Sarhan, M. Tayarani, H. Oraizi, N. Ghadimi, I. Hamidi

Abstract — The full-wave modeling and design of Riblet short-slot waveguide coupler (RSC) is addressed in this contribution. This type of directional couplers is commonly used by its compact size in comparison with other waveguide configurations. Simulation is achieved by the commercial software Computer Simulation Technology (CST2011) in the frequency range 8-10 GHz. For this purpose the standard WR-90 waveguide is used, and then the simulated results are compared with their experimental measurements.

Index Terms— Microwave, Multiport measurement, Power Divider/Combiner, Riblet Short-Slot Coupler (RSC), Waveguide

Components.

1. INTRODUCTION

—————————— ——————————
results.

2. SCATTERING MATRIX OF THE QUADRATURE

Directional waveguide couplers are found in many microwave systems. They can be designed in diverse technologies and can take many configurations. This wide range of options is motivated by the diverse functions that they can carry out [1], [2]. For instance, one common application is power monitoring or power division/combination [3] in balanced amplifiers and mixers. They can also be found in beam-forming networks for multi-beam array antennas. In this context, they are used in Butler matrices [4]. Six-port Riblet couplers have been also designed in [5], with equal power division for the three output ports. From a CAD point of view, the structure is an H-plane structure (the E-plane case would be dual) and its analysis and design can be carried out very efficiently by general techniques such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) or by modal techniques such as the Boundary Integral-Resonant Mode Expansion (BI-RME) [6] or the Boundary Contour Mode-Matching method (BCMM) [7].
The most suitable configuration for a specific application is determined by the frequency of operation, bandwidth, insertion losses and power handling capabilities [1], [2]. In addition, the selected structure must be able to provide the desired coupling and its size must comply with the mass and volume restrictions of the system. From this last point

HYBRID

The physical structure of Riblet short-slot coupler Fig. 1 consists of two waveguides with a common sidewall. Coupling takes place in the region where part of the common wall has been removed. In this region, both the TE10 (even) and the TE20 (odd) mode are excited, and by proper design can be made to cause cancellation at the isolated port and addition at the coupled port. The width of the interaction region must generally be reduced to prevent propagation of the undesired TE30 mode. For a 3 dB coupler, the length of the coupling region must be greater than half wavelength at center frequency.

Fig. 1. Riblet short-slot coupler (RSC) [9].

The General Scattering Matrix (GSM) for a four port junction Fig. 2 is
of view, the short-slot Riblet coupler [8] presents very

S11

S12

S13

S14

S S S S

interesting properties, because of its compact size and less

S =  21 22 23 24

(1)

S31

S32

S33

S34

weight. It can be used to implement the hybrid junction
used in many microwave circuits, with high isolation and
low return loss. It is usually shorter than other types of
couplers such as the branch-line or the multiple-slot
configurations, which is a significant advantage for spatial applications. Another relevant feature is its simple manufacturing, since it can be implemented in E/H-plane configuration. This contribution is focused on H-plane type of couplers, showing optimized design using the CST2011 software for modeling and compared with the measured

S S S S

41 42 43 44

Ph.D. Candidate, Dept. of Electrical Eng., Maleke Ashtar Univ. of Tech., Islamic

Republic of Iran. Email: alaaaldinn@Gmail.com

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical Eng., Iran Univ. of Sience and Tech. Islamic Republic of Iran. Email: m_tayarani@iust.ac.ir

Professor, Dept. of Electrical Eng., Iran Univ. of Sience and Tech. Islamic

Republic of Iran. Email h_oraizi@iust.ac.ir

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical Eng., Maleke Ashtar Univ. of Tech.,

Islamic Republic of Iran. Email: Ghadimi@Gmail.com

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical Eng., Maleke Ashtar Univ. of Tech., Islamic Republic of Iran. Email: emadhamidi@iran.ir

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ISSN 2229-5518

Fig. 2. Quadrature Hybrid Junction.

In a theoretical ideal quadrature hybrid junction, port 1 (P1) is isolated from port 4 (P4) and so are port 2 (P2) and port 3 (P3). Therefore, these elements in the matrix are

S14 = S41 = S23 = S32 = 0

( 2)

Fig. 3. (a) Simulated structure in CST, (b) Front profile, (c) Side profile.

TABLE 1

If all the ports are matched, the diagonal elements therefore
equal zero

OPTIMIZED DIMENSIONS OF RSC.

S11 = S22 = S33 = S44 = 0

(3)

The junction is reciprocal. This makes the rest of the matrix’s elements symmetrical, therefore they become

S12 = S21 = S24 = S42 = 1 2

S13 = S31 = S24 = S42 = − j 2

( 4)

The resulted matrix becomes
 0 1 − j 0 
 
S = =1
 1 0 0
j  5
The fabricated RSC Fig. 4 is measured by Network

2 − j

( )

0 0 1 
Analyzer (NA) and waveguide calibration is used. Return
  loss parameters are shown in Fig. 5. This figure shows a
 0 − j
1 0 
good agreement between simulated and measured S- parameters (<-23.5 dB) in the frequency range 8-10 GHz.
If port 1 (P1) is taken as input port, one can deduce that
Transmission parameters are shown in Fig. 6. It shows
output signals from port 2 (P2) and port 3 (P3) are with
equal amplitudes, but with 90o phase difference.

3. SIMULATION AND MEASUREMENT

about

−3.2 ± 0.3 dB.

In practice, a capacitive dome (tuning screws) Fig. 3(a), (b) and (c) is placed in the coupling region in order to adjust the 900 phase difference (phase balance between modes TE10 and TE20 ). Nevertheless, the structure can be also designed without these elements [10], which may simplify the manufacturing. Full wave simulation and optimization are done using the CST2011. Optimized dimensions are shown in Table. 1.

Fig. 4. Photograph of the manufactured device.

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Fig. 5. Simulated and measured Return Loss (RL (dB)) parameters.

Fig. 6. Simulated and Measured Transmission Parameters (TL (dB)).

Fig. 7. Simulated and Measured Isolation (dB).
Isolation is shown in Fig. 7. It shows that isolation is better than 25 dB (<-25 dB). Phase difference is shown in

Fig. 8. Simulated and Measured phase balance (Degrees).

4. CONCLUSION

RSC in X-band has been presented with bandwidth about 22.2 %. Its main properties and modeling has been described, with special emphasis on their electrical properties. The experimental results have been compared with the simulations results.

REFERENCES

[1] G. Matthaei, L. Young and E. Jones, ”Microwave Filters, impedance- atching networks and coupling structures”, New York: McGraw- Hill ,

1964.

[2] R. Levy, “Directional Couplers” in “Advances in Microwaves,” Edited by

L. Young. Academic press, New York and London, 1967.

[3] G. Ferrel , L. Dickens, J. Gipprich, R. Hayes and Fred Sacks, “A High Efficiency 10 Watt Power Amplifier Assembly Using Combining Techniques,” 1995 IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Dig., pp. 327-330, June 1995.

[4] S. Yamamoto, J. Hirokawa and M.Ando, “A single-layer hollow-

waveguide 8-way Butler matrix,” IEEE 2005 APS Int. Symp., vol. 1A, pp.

647-650, July 2005.

[5] F. Alessandri, M. Giordano, M. Guglielmi, G. Martirano and F. Vitulli, “A new multiple-tuned six-port Riblet-type directional coupler in rectangular waveguide,” IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 51, pp. 1441-1448, May 2003.

[6] G. Conciauro, P. Arcioni, M. Bressan, L. Perregrini, “Wideband modeling of arbitrarily shaped H-plane waveguide components by the Boundary Integral-Resonant Mode Expansion method”, IEEE Tran. on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 44, no. 7, pp. 1057-1066, July 1996.

[7] J. A. Ruiz-Cruz, J. M. Rebollar, “BCMM Analysis of short-slot waveguide couplers with an FFT algorithm”, Proc. IEEE 2003 APS Int. Symp., vol. 2, pp. 1193-1196, June 2003.

[8] H.J. Riblet, “The short-slot hybrid junction,” Proc. IRE, vol. 40, pp. 180-184, Feb. 1952.

[9] David M. Pozar, “Microwave engineering”, 3rd ed. Wiely, 2005 John

Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp 362-363.

Fig. 8, which shows a phase balance about

−900 ± 1.30.

[10] L.T. Hildebrand, “Results for a simplecompact narrow-wall directional coupler,”, IEEE Microwave and guided wave letters, vol. 10, no. 6, pp 231-232, June 2000.

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