Power divider for harmonically rich waveforms
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorWilliam Herbert Sims, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power divider divides an RF signal into two output signals having a phase difference of 180° or a multiple thereof. When the RF signal is a square wave or another harmonically rich signal, the phases of the fundamental and the harmonics have the proper relationship. The divider can be implemented in the form of microstrips on a board, with one of the output microstrips having several bends to provide a different electrical length from the other.
Claims20
A power divider for dividing a harmonically rich input signal into a first output signal and a second output signal, the power divider comprising:
- an input transmission line for transmitting the input signal to a T-point at which the input signal is split into a first portion and a second portion;
- a first output transmission line having a length which is a first non-zero integer multiple of approximately λ/2 of a wavelength of a fundamental frequency of the input signal, the first output transmission line receiving the first portion of the input signal at the T-point for transmitting the first portion while imparting a first phase delay to the first portion of the input signal to form the first output signal;
- and
- a second output transmission line having a length which is a second non-zero integer multiple that is at least twice the value of the first non-zero integer multiple of the first transmission line, the second output transmission line receiving the second portion of the input signal at the T-point for transmitting the second portion while imparting a second phase delay to the second portion of the input signal to form the second output signal;
- wherein the first phase delay and the second phase delay have a difference which is a non-zero integer multiple of 180°, and
- the ratio of lengths of said first and second output transmission lines provide that harmonic frequencies output from each of the output transmission lines are in phase with each other.
A method of dividing a harmonically rich input signal into a first output signal and a second output signal, the method comprising:
- (a) splitting the input signal into a first portion and a second portion;
- (b) imparting a first phase delay to the first portion of the input signal by providing a first transmission line having a length which is a non-zero integer multiple approximately λ/2 of a wavelength of a fundamental frequency of the input signal to form the first output signal;
- (c) imparting a second phase delay to the second portion of the input signal by providing a second transmission line having a length which is a non-zero integer multiple of at least twice the value of the non-zero integer multiple of the first transmission line to form the second output signal;
- wherein the first phase delay and the second phase delay have a difference which is a non-zero integer multiple of 180°, and
- the ratio of lengths of said first and second output transmission lines provide that harmonic frequencies output from each of the output transmission lines are in phase with each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.