Integrated split signal hybrid harmonic tuner

A RF hybrid (active-passive) impedance tuner comprising

• a) an active tuner section and
• b) a passive tuner section,
• both said tuner sections using a low loss slotted airline (slabline) as common transmission line, said slabline having an input (test) and an output (idle) port, a center conductor and two conductive side walls,
• and wherein
• a) the active tuner section comprises
• i) a fixed forward (away from the test port) coupling directional coupler (wave-probe #1), mounted on the slabline closest to the test port,
• ii) an adjustable reverse (towards the test port) coupling directional coupler (wave-probe #2), controlled by a mobile carriage #2 sliding along the slabline closest to the idle port,
• iii) each wave-probe having coupling and isolation ports and being inserted into the slot of the slabline;
• iv) a power amplifier having an input port and an output port, and
• v) characteristic impedance (Zo) terminations;
• b) the passive tuner section comprises
• at least one mobile carriage #1 sliding horizontally along the axis of the slabline, between wave-probe #1 and mobile carriage #2,
• wherein
• all mobile carriages have at least one vertically movable axis, carriage #2 carrying wave-probe #2 on its vertical axis and all other carriages carrying reflective tuning probes on their vertical axes, said tuning probes being insertable into the slot of the slabline and capacitively coupled to the center conductor;
• wherein
• the forward coupled port of wave-probe #1 is connected to the input port of the amplifier and the output port of the amplifier is connected to the reverse coupled port of wave-probe #2;
• and wherein
• the isolated ports of wave-probes #1 and #2 are terminated with characteristic impedance Zo.