Impedance transforming tapered couplers
AssigneeQorvo US, Inc.
InventorsKelly M. Lear, Mark Greene, Deepukumar M. Nair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An impedance-transforming tapered coupler is disclosed. In one aspect, a quadrature coupler may be formed based on coupled lines where the lines are tapered so as to have an impedance transformation from one end of the line to the other end of the line. This transformation may be used to transform the impedance at two port while having minimal impact on the overall bandwidth of the coupler. By including the impedance transformation in the coupled lines, there is reduced need for impedance matching elements in a separate circuit. Reduction or elimination of such separate impedance-matching elements may save space and also reduce insertion losses, resulting in higher efficiency.
Claims20
A coupler comprising:
- a first port;
- a second port;
- a first transmission line extending between the first port and the second port, the first transmission line comprising a first lateral width proximate the first port and a second lateral width proximate the second port, wherein the first lateral width is different than the second lateral width;
- a third port;
- a fourth port;
- and
- a second transmission line extending between the third port and the fourth port, the second transmission line comprising a third lateral width proximate the third port and a fourth lateral width proximate the fourth port, wherein the third lateral width is different than the fourth lateral width.
A communication device comprising:
- a transceiver comprising:
- an amplifier chain comprising:
- a single-ended input;
- a differential output;
- a coupler coupled between the single-ended input and the differential output, the coupler comprising:
- a first port;
- a second port;
- a first transmission line extending between the first port and the second port, the first transmission line comprising a first lateral width proximate the first port and a second lateral width proximate the second port, wherein the first lateral width is different than the second lateral width;
- a third port;
- a fourth port;
- and
- a second transmission line extending between the third port and the fourth port, the second transmission line comprising a third lateral width proximate the third port and a fourth lateral width proximate the fourth port, wherein the third lateral width is different than the fourth lateral width.
A method of forming a coupler to provide impedance transformation between a single-ended input and a differential output, the method comprising:
- forming a first port and a second port with a first transmission line extending between the first port and the second port, the first transmission line comprising a first lateral width proximate the first port and a second lateral width proximate the second port, wherein the first lateral width is different than the second lateral width;
- and
- forming a third port and a fourth port with a second transmission line extending between the third port and the fourth port, the second transmission line comprising a third lateral width proximate the third port and a fourth lateral width proximate the fourth port, wherein the third lateral width is different than the fourth lateral width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.