Transversely Compact Single-Ended and Balanced Bandpass Filters with Source–Load-Coupled Spurlines
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
electronics Article Transversely Compact Single-Ended and Balanced Bandpass Filters with Source–Load-Coupled Spurlines Fang Yan 1,*, Yong Mao Huang 2 , Tao Huang 2, Shuai Ding 3 , Kenian Wang 1 and Maurizio Bozzi 4 1 Center of Airworthiness, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China; [email protected] 2 School of Electrical and Electronic Information, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China; [email protected] (Y.M.H.); [email protected] (T.H.) 3 Institute of Applied Physics, and School of Physical Electronics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; [email protected] 4 Department of Electrical, Computers and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-158-229-69896 Received: 18 March 2019; Accepted: 6 April 2019; Published: 10 April 2019 Abstract: Multi-function wireless systems demand multi-channel transmit/receive (TR) modules, particularly as multiple functions are required to operate simultaneously. In each channel, passive components, including bandpass filters, must be compact, or at least transversely compact; thus, the entire circuitry of the channel will be slender, and consequently multiple channels can be parallel-arranged conveniently. In this work, single-ended and balanced bandpass filters for multi-channel applications are presented. As a unique resonator, the U-shaped stepped impedance resonator (USIR) can achieve size miniaturization compared with its corresponding uniform impedance resonator (UIR) counterpart. Hence, with the utilization of USIRs, the proposed bandpass filters are able to acquire compact transverse sizes. Moreover, by using the source–load coupling scheme, two transmission zeros (TZs) are respectively generated at the lower and upper sides of the passbands, which is useful for improvement of the selectivity performance. In addition, spurlines are introduced at the input and output ports to produce another TZ to further enhance the stopband performance, which cannot be acquired by the UIR or stepped impedance resonator (SIR). To verify the aforementioned idea, one single-ended and one balanced bandpass filter are implemented, with experimental results in good agreement with the corresponding simulations. Meanwhile, as compared with some similar works, the proposed balanced filter achieves compact transverse size, sharp selectivity skirt, and wide stopbands up to the fourth-order harmonic with suppression over 20 dB, which illustrates its suitability for differential signal transmission application in microwave circuits and systems. Keywords: balanced bandpass filter; common mode suppression; spurline; source–load coupling; stepped impedance resonator (SIR) 1. Introduction Recently, different kinds of radio frequency (RF) and microwave systems for various wireless applications like commutation, radars, and sensors have been widely investigated. As applications become increasingly concrete and specific, more and more functions are expected to be integrated into a single system, and the system circuitry eventually gets more and more complex. Meanwhile, there is also an increasing demand on high-performance passive components, to ensure that multiple Electronics 2019, 8, 416; doi:10.3390/electronics8040416 www.mdpi.com/journal/electronics Electronics 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 Electronics 2019, 8, 416 2 of 13 there is also an increasing demand on high-performance passive components, to ensure that multiple functions in the single system can all operate well. Passive components including filters functions in the single system can all operate well. Passive components including filters with excellent with excellent performance in amplitude noise, phase jitter, spurs, and harmonics are highly desired, performanceparticularly infor amplitude applications noise, such phase as jitter, fifth spurs, generation and harmonics (5G) mobile are highly access desired, and particularlytransmission, for applicationshigh-resolution such imaging as fifth generation radar, automotive (5G) mobile anti-collision access and transmission,sensors, and high-resolutionmany other specific imaging radar,applications. automotive For anti-collisioninstance, Figure sensors, 1 gives and the many diagram other of specific a typical applications. multi-function For instance,wireless system Figure1 giveswith themulti-channel diagram of areceivers. typical multi-function It can be easily wireless obtained system that withvarious multi-channel kinds of active receivers. and passive It can be easilycomponents, obtained including that various antennae, kinds low of active noise andamplifie passivers (LNAs), components, mixers, including power amplifiers antennae, (PAs), low noiseand amplifiersfilters, are (LNAs), contained mixers, in each power channel amplifiers (frequency (PAs), sy andnthesizers filters, arefor containedcarriers are in omitted). each channel On one (frequency hand, synthesizersas depicted forin [1], carriers active are components omitted). On are one mostly hand, integrated as depicted circuits in [1 ],with active extremely components compact are mostlysizes. integratedHence, the circuits passive with components extremely of compact a multi-channel sizes. Hence, radio thetypically passive occupy components about 65% of aof multi-channel its circuitry radiosize. typicallyTherefore, occupy size reduction about 65% of ofpassive its circuitry components size. Therefore, is important size to reduction miniaturize of passive the overall components size of isthe important system. to On miniaturize the other thehand, overall for sizethe ofreceiver the system. of each On channel the other in hand, Figure for 1, the all receiver components, of each channelespecially in Figure the passive1, all components, ones, are supposed especially to be the compact passive ones,(or at areleast supposed transversely to be compact) compact (ortherefore at least transverselythe entire channel compact) circuitry therefore is slender. the entire In channelthis way, circuitry all channels is slender. can be In parallel-arranged this way, all channels easily can and be parallel-arrangedthe circuit board easilyof the andmulti-channel the circuit system board ofwill the eventually multi-channel be compact. system Thus, will eventually passive components be compact. Thus,with passivecompact components transverse size with are compact quite useful transverse for multi-channel size are quite systems. useful for multi-channel systems. Antenna Filter 1 LNA Mixer 1 Filter 2 PA1 Mixer 2 Filter 3 PA2 1 Carrier 1 Carrier 2 Base Band n-1 n Figure 1. Diagram of a typical multi-function wireless system with multi-channel receivers. Figure 1. Diagram of a typical multi-function wireless system with multi-channel receivers. Meanwhile, it can be inferred from Figure1 that most of the passive components in the multi-channelMeanwhile, system it can are be filters. inferred For from instance, Figure as 1 shownthat most in Figureof the1 passive, Filter 1components is a single-ended in the bandpassmulti-channel filter, system Filter 2 are is afilters. balanced For oneinstance, (which as isshown also called in Figure a differential 1, Filter 1 filter) is a andsingle-ended Filter 3 is bandpass filter, Filter 2 is a balanced one (which is also called a differential filter) and Filter 3 is a a single-ended lowpass filter. Actually, passband selecting by filter seems be one of the most effective single-ended lowpass filter. Actually, passband selecting by filter seems be one of the most effective approaches for suppression of the unwanted spurs or harmonics in the received signals. In the approaches for suppression of the unwanted spurs or harmonics in the received signals. In the literature, guided-wave structure of different forms, planar and nonplanar, have been developed literature, guided-wave structure of different forms, planar and nonplanar, have been developed to to implement high-performance filters. It is known that microstrip technology is conventional but implement high-performance filters. It is known that microstrip technology is conventional but has has the advantage of being able to integrate with other planar components and circuits due of its the advantage of being able to integrate with other planar components and circuits due of its simple simple and compact structure [2]. Compared to the waveguide, substrate-integrated waveguide, and compact structure [2]. Compared to the waveguide, substrate-integrated waveguide, and and coplanar waveguide technologies, it is very easy to design a variety of filters with complex coplanar waveguide technologies, it is very easy to design a variety of filters with complex structures and coupling mechanisms as well as miniature size by using microstrip line. In past structures and coupling mechanisms as well as miniature size by using microstrip line. In past decades,decades, microstrip microstrip uniformuniform impedanceimpedance resonators (UIRs) of of various various electrical electrical lengths lengths have have been been widelywidely utilized utilized to to design design filtersfilters [[2].2]. ToTo improveimprove the design flexibility flexibility of of UIRs UIRs and and miniaturize miniaturize their their size,size, the the stepped stepped impedance impedance resonatorresonator (SIR)(SIR) hashas been developed [3]. [3]. Its Its modified modified forms—folded forms—folded SIR SIR (FSIR)(FSIR) and and U-shaped U-shaped SIR SIR (USIR)—can(USIR)—can achieveachieve