Method for transmitting radio frequency signals to an MRI RF coil

A method of transmitting radio frequency signals to an MRI RF coil from a microstripline based hybrid coupler T/R switch comprising:

• forward biasing a first pin diode and a second pin diode both electrically connected to the microstripline based hybrid coupler T/R switch;
• receiving an RF input signal on a first port of the microstripline-based hybrid coupler T/R switch;
• and
• transmitting the RF input signal through a second port the of the microstripline-based hybrid coupler T/R switch to the MRI RF coil,
• wherein the multi-resonance transmit/receive (T/R) switch comprises:
• a microstripline based hybrid coupler having a top side and a bottom side;
• the first pin diode;
• the second pin diode;
• four vertical transmission lines arranged in a bended manner and six horizontal transmission lines arranged in a bended manner on the microstripline based hybrid coupler;
• wherein the top side of the microstripline based hybrid coupler is associated with the first port and the second port, and electrically connected to the first pin diode and the second pin diode, and wherein the bottom side is associated with a third port and a fourth port, and the bottom side is electrically connected with the first pin diode and the second pin diode;
• and
• wherein the multi-resonance transmit/receive (T/R) switch is configured to receive RF pulses of different frequencies that are transmitted to and received from the MRI RF coil, wherein the different frequencies are received concurrently and without tuning by the multi-resonance transmit/receive (T/R) switch from the MRI RF coil.