An Investigation of Finite Width Slotline Open Circuits Comprised of Multiarm Short-Circuit Stubs

Abstract

Multiarm slotline stubs have been used to increase the bandwidth of slotline open circuits in transitions between microstrip and slotline and between coplanar waveguide and slotline. The model used in prior papers is a series connection of the short-circuit terminated stubs, resulting in an increase in the input impedance by a factor of $N$ , where $N$ is the number of stubs. In this paper, it is shown that this model cannot be applied for slotline with finite width metal planes or coplanar stripline (CPS), because it does not account for higher order modes that are necessarily excited on the multiarm structure. This paper presents a physical explanation and model that accounts for the higher order modes on the structure and explains how the multiarm finite width slotline/CPS stub structure increases the bandwidth of the transitions between slotline and other transmission lines. With the correct model presented in this paper, it is expected that improved slotline or CPS circuits can be developed.