Compact bandpass filters in coplanar strip lines

Abstract

The authors describe a compact bandpass filter design implemented in asymmetric coplanar strip lines. For initial demonstration, it was built on print circuit boards using modified two-pole Butterworth bandpass filter topology. The novel filter design does not use bonding wires, vias or any interconnecting structure. It is not based on quarter wavelength sections either. It uses the creation of an electrode pattern on the coplanar strip electrodes to emulate an equivalent circuit. The pattern is fine-tuned using full-wave simulations. Bandpass filters for 2.4 GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) and 5.15–5.85 GHz UNII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) bands were designed, fabricated and measured. Measurement responses agree well with full-wave simulation results. The electrode pattern can be scaled for different centre frequency and improved with fine-tuning procedure. For chip-level implementation, the filter size can be greatly reduced because of much smaller minimum electrode width.