HIGH
PERFORMANCE,
LOW COST,
SURFACE-MOUNT
QUADRATURE
COUPLERS
A
s system requirements increase, the de- curacy. Using design techniques developed
mands placed on passive components at Blue Cell, excellent performance was
also continue to rise in an effort to achieved with just one design iteration.
meet ever-increasing consumer demands. In-
dustry is demanding higher performance in PRODUCT ASSEMBLY
smaller footprints at a lower cost. Current The 3 dB quadrature couplers comprise a
quadrature coupler offerings suffer from vari- multilayer ceramic structure using processes
ous drawbacks such as narrow bandwidth and and materials chosen for best electrical perfor-
limited selection in the case of GaAs-based mance. Strict controls are placed on both the
products, poor repeatability for core- and wire- materials and the processes to ensure excel-
based products, and large size and leadless sur- lent performance repeatability from part to
face-mount package styles for other types. part. The use of ceramic material improves
A series of high performance 3 dB quadra- thermal dissipation and produces a hermetic
ture couplers has been developed using Blue structure, which results in excellent environ-
Cell™ technology. These products exhibit low mental ruggedness. The package consists of 10
insertion loss, amplitude unbalance and phase leads welded to the substrate, forming a ro-
unbalance with good isolation covering the bust and reliable assembly. The leads are sol-
800 to 2400 MHz frequency range. The fin- der plated for good solderability.
ished part has an ultra-low height of 0.05",
measures 0.290" × 0.300" and is targeted for COUPLER PERFORMANCE
high performance coupler de- The model QBA-12 coupler operates from
SUM TO PORT 1 signs for moderate to high vol- 800 to 1200 MHz, and its average insertion
SUM TO PORT 2 ume markets. loss is typically less than 0.3 dB across the full
AVERAGE band. Amplitude unbalance is 0.3 dB, with
INSERTION LOSS (dB)
3.7 COUPLER DESIGN phase unbalance of 2° and isolation of 22 dB
3.5
3.3 The designs were accom- across the band. Figure 1 shows the QBA-12
3.1 plished using HP Momentum, a
2.9
2.7
2.5-D electromagnetic simula-
2.5 tor that allows the designer to BLUE CELL TECHNOLOGY,
800 900 1000 1100 1200 model complex physical struc- A FAMILY MEMBER OF MINI-CIRCUITS
FREQUENCY (MHz)
tures with a high level of ac- Brooklyn, NY
AN-30-003 Rev OR (M79277) SH 1
PHASE UNBALANCE (°)
30
UNBALANCE (dB)
0.8
ISOLATION (dB)
96
AMPLITUDE
94 0.6 25
92 0.4 20
90
0.2 15
88
0 10
86 800 900 1000 1100 1200 800 900 1000 1100 1200
800 900 1000 1100 1200
FREQUENCY (MHz) FREQUENCY (MHz)
FREQUENCY (MHz)
▲ Fig. 2 Phase unbalance. ▲ Fig. 3 Amplitude unbalance. ▲ Fig. 4 Isolation.
TABLE I SUM PORT 1 PORT 2
1.4
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
1.3
Frequency Phase Amplitude
SWR
Model Isolation Insertion Loss* 1.2
Range Unbalance Unbalance
No. (dB) (dB)
(MHz) (°) (dB) 1.1
fL fU 1.0
Typ Min Sigma Max Max 800 900 1000 1100 1200
Avg Avg
FREQUENCY (MHz)
QBA-12N 800 to 900 28 20 0.25 0.30 0.02 3.0 1.0
QBA-12 800 to 1200 23 14 0.25 0.44 0.02 6.0 1.2
▲ Fig. 5 SWR performance.
QBA-20 1800 to 2000 23 18 0.47 0.54 0.02 4.0 0.7 temperature. With 120 W of RF in-
QBA-20W 1500 to 2200 23 16 0.41 0.58 0.02 5.0 1.2 put power, the leads detached from
the motherboard due to melting of
QBA-24 1900 to 2400 21 17 0.54 0.71 0.02 6.0 0.8 the solder connection. After reattach-
QBA-24W 1700 to 2400 21 15 0.49 0.71 0.02 6.0 1.2 ment, the unit performed as before
*Includes test fixture losses
with no performance change noted.
Continuous operation of the coupler
at 50 W for a week indicated no per-
coupler’s insertion loss; Figures 2 downloaded from the company’s Web formance degradation.
and 3 show phase unbalance and am- site at [Link] in the
plitude unbalance, respectively. The “What’s New” section. Table 1 lists CONCLUSION
unit’s isolation and return loss perfor- the coupler family’s specifications. A series of microwave high perfor-
mance are shown in Figures 4 and 5, mance, surface-mount quadrature
respectively. The model QBA-12N APPLICATIONS couplers have been presented, which
coupler is specified to operate over There are many applications that offer good power handling in a small
the cellular bandwidth of 800 to 900 utilize 3 dB quadrature couplers, footprint. These couplers are de-
MHz and features typical perfor- such as power combiners, balance signed using Blue Cell technology
mance of 0.25 dB insertion loss, 0.3 amplifiers, variable attenuators, phase and feature a very low height that is
dB amplitude unbalance, 1° phase shifters, I/Q modulators and image- suitable for use in Personal Comput-
unbalance and 24 dB isolation. Per- reject mixers. The couplers offer low er Memory Card International Asso-
formance is dependent on the quality thermal resistance and an ability to ciation cards. The products are in-
of the printed circuit board used for operate at an elevated temperature tended for demanding low cost, high
the motherboard. High performance due to their ceramic structure. The quality, high volume applications and
PCB materials with dielectric thick- units also can operate with up to 50 are priced at $6.95 in quantities of 10
ness of 30 mil or thinner and ground W of input power, enabling their use to 49. Delivery is from stock.
vias placed less than an eighth-wave- in moderate to high power circuits.
length apart should be employed. A Power capability tests conducted Blue Cell Technology
recommended footprint is provided indicate that each unit is capable of a family member of Mini-Circuits
in the coupler’s data sheet and can be handling even greater power at room Brooklyn, NY (718) 934-4500
AN-30-003 Rev OR (M79277) As seen in MICROWAVE JOURNALÆ from the June 2000 issue.
©
2000 Horizon House Publications, Inc. SH 2
