Nested microstrip system and method

A nested microstrip power amplifier system comprising:

• a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first layer level, a second layer level, and a dielectric substrate positioned between the first and second layer levels, wherein a first conductive layer is positioned at the first layer level and a plurality of conductive traces are positioned at the second layer level;
• a power amplifier circuit formed at least partly on the PCB and including a transistor that includes an output terminal;
• a nested microstrip transmission line arrangement formed at least partly on the PCB and including the plurality of conductive traces, wherein the plurality of conductive traces includes a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace, and wherein at least the second conductive trace is electrically coupled to the output terminal of the transistor;
• wherein the first conductive trace is configured to extend along a first central path between a first location and a second location, and the second conductive trace is configured to extend also along the first central path within a first interior orifice formed within the first conductive trace, and a non-conductive gap portion of the interior orifice serves to electrically isolate the second conductive trace from the first conductive trace;
• and
• wherein the first conductive trace is configured to communicate one or more RF electromagnetic signals, and the second conductive trace is configured to communicate one or more baseband electromagnetic signals.

A nested microstrip method comprising:

• providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first layer level, a second layer level, and a dielectric substrate positioned between the first and second layer levels, wherein a first conductive layer is positioned at the first layer level and a plurality of conductive traces are positioned at the second layer level,
• wherein the plurality of conductive traces includes a first conductive trace and a second conductive trace, wherein the first conductive trace is configured to include a first interior orifice surrounded substantially by outer portions of the first conductive trace, wherein the second conductive trace is positioned within the first interior orifice, and wherein a first non-conductive gap portion of the first interior orifice exists between the second conductive trace and the first conductive trace so that the second conductive trace is electrically isolated from the first conductive trace across the gap portion;
• propagating one or more first electromagnetic signals having one or more first frequencies along the first conductive trace;
• and
• propagating one or more second electromagnetic signals having one or more second frequencies along the second conductive trace.