Printed Circuit Board Implementation of Wideband Radial Power Combiner

Sayyed-Hossein Javid-Hosseini,Vahid Nayyeri

doi:10.1109/access.2019.2924391

Sayyed-Hossein Javid-Hosseini, Vahid Nayyeri

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2019.2924391

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Abstract

This paper presents a new approach to design and implementation of a wideband microstrip radial power combiner with a planar structure in a way that it can be simply and inexpensively fabricated using a standard multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) technology. A 14-way power combiner with a two-octave bandwidth (1.5-6 GHz) is designed and fabricated on a three-layer PCB. Our measurements showed an amplitude and phase balance of ±0.75 dB and ±4.5 degrees, respectively, between the input ports. The main (output) port exhibited a reflection lower than -10 dB.

Highlights

The need for RF and microwave power in communications and military systems have usually been and still is greater than what a single solid-state device can provide
Microstrip radial power combiners are much easier to manufacture; they require the output port to be vertically attached to the center of the combiner very precisely [5], [14], which in turn causes manufacturing difficulties. in addition, it does not help that the impedance of this central port is usually much less than 50 ; in a wideband microstrip radial power combiner, the central port is not just a simple connector, rather a machined coaxial line with a step or taper profile which gradually increases the impedance of the port to 50 [5], [14], [15]
The designed radial power combiner was fabricated using printed circuit board (PCB) technology and 15 high-frequency SMA connectors were mounted on the board as shown in Figure 2a and Figure 2b

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The need for RF and microwave power in communications and military systems have usually been and still is greater than what a single solid-state device can provide. In addition, it does not help that the impedance of this central (output) port is usually much less than 50 ; in a wideband microstrip radial power combiner, the central port is not just a simple connector, rather a machined coaxial line with a step or taper profile which gradually increases the impedance of the port to 50 [5], [14], [15] This machining process which is required to be performed with high accuracy to preserve the phase and amplitude balance of the power combiner increases the cost and time of manufacturing. The combiner is designed in a way that it is fabricated using a standard multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) technology without the need for any machine work, thereby, cutting the cost and manufacturing time of the product significantly.

STRUCTURE AND DESIGN

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION