PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS OF MULTI SECTION SLOT COUPLED QUADRATURE COUPLER

Muhammad A. Ashraf (1), Abdel Razik Sebak (2), Zeyad O. Al-Hekail(1), Majeed A. Alkanhal (1)
1
Department of Electrical Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2
PSATRI, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT this design is more complex to fabricate [6]. Abbosh and

This paper presents a design procedure of an ultra wideband three Bialkowski proposed the elliptical shape for three section slot
section slot coupled hybrid coupler employing a parametric coupled quadrature coupler. However, the amplitude and phase
analysis of different design parameters. The coupler configuration imbalance is improved at the cost of difficult design [7]. A simple
is composed of a modified hexagonal shape at the top and bottom rectangular shaped three section slot coupled direction coupler is
conductor plane along with a hexagonal slot at the common ground presented by Moscoso-Martir [8]. This design has lesser degree of
plane. The coupler performance for different design parameters is freedom among the different parameters of design to achieve
studied through full wave simulations. A final design providing a specific objective of coupling and phase imbalance for certain
return loss and isolation better than 20dB, an amplitude imbalance applications.
between output ports of less than 0.9dB and a phase imbalance of In this paper, we developed a multi-section slot coupled
1.9 across the 3.110.6 GHz band is confirmed. directional coupler of modified hexagonal shape. The new shape
hexagon merged with semi circles (Omega), provides us more
Index Terms hexagonal slot, parametric variations, liberty in finding design dimensions. The parametric study of
performance analysis, microwave integrated circuit, software structure is conducted by full-wave electromagnetic analysis
package. software package, Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator
(HFSS). The final dimensions are found by the analysis of each
1. INTRODUCTION parametric solution.

Broadband quadrature hybrids have significant importance in the 2. DESIGN

design of microwave subsystems. They are commonly used to
combine or divide signals with appropriate phase and amplitude. The configuration of a symmetric multi-section directional coupler
They are the key components in the designing of important is shown in Fig. 1. It consists of a multilayer structure having two
microwave circuits such as mixers, balanced amplifiers, microstrip lines and a common ground plane separated by two
modulators and beamforming networks [1]. In the designing of dielectric layers. The port 1 and 2 are connected through top
microwave subsystems such as Buttler Matrix for Ultra Wide Band conductor layer, and the port 3 and 4 connected by bottom
(UWB) beamforming and UWB microwave imaging system for conductor layer. Both microstrip lines are coupled through a
breast cancer detection, compact size of microwave circuits is very hexagonal slot in the common ground plane. The typical geometry
important[2,3]. This problem is alleviated by the design of of top and bottom conductor layer is shown in Fig. 1(a) and (c).
Microwave Integrated Circuits (MICs) using multi-layer broad- The outer sections are elliptical shape connected with modified
side coupled strip-line or microstrip structures. In ideal conditions hexagonal central conductor. The central section is formed by
multi-layer slot coupled microstrip structures are found good tapering the top and bottom side of a hexagon. The design
candidates for the development of UWB microwave circuits [4-9]. procedure of such kind of typical shape requires finding an optimal
The microstrip coupled line circuits have the problems of solution for different parameters of the conductor layer and the slot
tight coupling and equalizing the phase velocities of even and odd layer.
modes. These problems are solved by different kind of coupler The analysis and design of a multi-section equal ripple
structures, the Lange interdegitated coupler, Kemp-type, tandem quadrature hybrid is instructed by finding the even-odd mode
type and reentrant type [10-13]. However the Lange coupler impedances of each section. The design parameters of a basic
requires the high value of dielectric constant to achieve tight rectangular shape slot coupled directional coupler can be found by
coupling. Moreover, it has manufacturing problems due to narrow following the procedure mentioned in [9]. As the multi-section is
strip widths and gaps. In addition the bandwidth achieved by an extension to single section design, the even and odd mode
Lange coupler is limited. The tandem type configuration requires impedances of each section is found by using tables presented in
undesired wire crossover, narrow or wiggled strips. Similarly the [14]. For the designing of our proposed circuit we assumed that
Kemp type and reentrant type coupler occupies more substrate central frequency is 7 GHz and the length of each section is quarter
area. The alternative approaches of designing broadband 3dB wavelength. The even and odd mode impedances can be found by
planner coupler are mentioned in literature [4,5]. The hexagonal the design equations mentioned in [15].
and elliptical shape has been used to fulfill UWB requirements of Z Z 0o
design, but the amplitude division has significant difference at C (dB) = 20 log 0e (1)
both edges of UWB. This problem is solved by multi-section Z 0e + Z 0 o
structures of different shapes [6-8]. According to Zheng,et.al
Vertically Installed Planer (VIP) couplers have been developed
with good agreement of amplitude and phase balance. However

2012 25th IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE)
978-1-4673-1433-6/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE
 Port 3 TABLE I
Top conductor Plane
FINAL PARAMETERS OF THE PROPOSED QUADRATURE HYBRID.

d LC LG DC DG W G

(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
106.2 1.15 7.0 10 1.69 1.1 7.10 11.34
Section 1 Section 3
d
Section 2
Common Ground Plane

Port 4
Bottom Conductor Plane

S12,S13 (dB)
S11,S14 (dB)
(a)
L

DG

LG LC
DC

Fig. 2. Comparison of CST and HFSS Simulated results.

(b) (c)
better than 1.9 is observed. The dimensions of proposed
Fig. 1. (a) Three-section multi-layer slot-coupled quadrature hybrid layout. structure are given in Table 1. The simulated results using both
(b) Common ground plane (c) Bottom conductor plane. CST and HFSS CAD tools are shown in Fig. 2. Both simulators
show good agreement.

Z 0 = Z 0e Z 0o = 50 (2) 3. PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS AND RESULTS.

C = C 2 2C 1 (3) The different parameters of our proposed design are selected for
Where, full wave analysis. The performance of hybrid coupler for the
Z0= Characteristic impedance of the port and is 50. different variations of these parameters is examined by simulation.
C= Overall coupling and is -3dB The analysis of varying these parameters, on the performance of
C1= coupling factor of outer section and is -22.1 dB. hybrid coupler is conducted in three steps. In the first step we have
C2=coupling factor of middle section and is -1.26 dB designed a preliminary structure with an equivalent rectangular
approximation. After this design, a variations in slot width G
Based on above specifications then from (1),(2), the even from (10.26 mm) to (12.69mm) and slot length L from (7.9 mm) to
and odd mode impedances of outer and middle sections, (Z0e)1,3= (8.9 mm) is performed and its simulation results are recorded. In
54.06, (Z0o)1,3= 46.24 , (Z0e)2= 182 and (Z0e)2= 13.717 are the second step, the flare angle is varied from (49.67) to
calculated. (110.07) against the tapered conductor diameter d from (0.1mm)
The basic dimensions regarding calculated even-odd to (1.45mm). In the final step, the simulations for the variations of
mode impedances are found by using qausi-static method LC from (7.0 mm) to (9.0 mm), LG from (9.0 mm) to (11.4 mm)
mentioned in [13]. For the design and parametric analysis of hybrid ,DC from (1.9 mm) to (2.3 mm) and DG from (1.1 mm) to (1.9
coupler, Rogers RO3003 substrate with r=3 and h = 0.508 mm mm) is conducted and their results are analyzed. The performance
has been selected. In order to design according to the of hybrid coupler is investigated in two frequency ranges. In the
specifications, design parameters equivalent to a multi-section first frequency range, we have taken our observations over the
rectangular shape are found as an initial dimensions of our complete ultra wide band (UWB) frequency (3.110.6 GHz). The
purposed shape. The preliminary design values, equivalent to a second frequency range under observation is a part of this ultra
rectangular shape having, W1,3 = 1.83mm, G1,3 = 1.6 mm wide band (4.2-9.2 GHz). It is noticed that for the second
W2=8.1mm and G2= 10.4mm are found. The final design values for frequency range, the stringent requirements of the minimum value
our proposed geometry are found through a parametric analysis of the phase and the amplitude imbalance can be achieved by this
conducted by several full-wave simulations. In this analysis the hybrid circuit.
flare angle , tapered diameter d, conductor width W, slot length L, Fig. 3 shows the simulation results of slot coupled hybrid
slot width G, and the outer sections lengths and diameters (LC, LG, coupler for the slot width and length variations. The return loss and
DC, and DG) are varied and their effect on the performance is the amplitude imbalance is depicted in Fig. 3(a) and (b),
studied. respectively. The results shown in these figures states that the
The final values of these parameters are found that can equal amplitude distribution among port 2 (through) and port 3
provide the amplitude imbalance less than 0.9 dB, return loss better (coupled) is rigorously effected by slot width and length. It is
than 21 dB, and port to port isolation better than 24 dB over the observed that the amplitude imbalance has higher values beyond
band of 3-11 GHz as shown in Fig. 2. The phase imbalance 8.5 GHz frequency range and the maximum imbalance of 5.2 dB is
observed for the certain values of slot width and length. It is also
observed for a particular value of width 7.9mm and length phase deviation of 2.2 is found. The port to port isolation more
12.42mm, the amplitude imbalance is less than1.7 dB. The than 25 dB is also archived over the complete UWB band.
corresponding values of return loss, port to port isolation are better
0
than 22 dB, and the phase deviation is 2.1 from the required 90 Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.1mm

phase difference. Moreover, it is found that from the frequency -5 Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.4mm

range of 4-9 GHz the value of amplitude imbalance is less than -10 Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.9mm

0.25 dB. This very low value of amplitude imbalance with good -15

performance in terms of return loss, port to port isolation and phase -20
imbalance is useful for some broadband applications. -25

S11(dB)
-30
L =7.9mm,G=11.34mm
10 -35
L =8.4mm,G=11.34mm
L =8.9mm,G=11.346mm -40
0
-45

-10 -50

-55
S11(dB)

-20 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Frequency (Ghz)

-30
(a)
-40 3

-50 2.5

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2
Frequency (Ghz)

abs(S21(dB)-S31(dB))
1.5
(a)
1
7
L =7.9mm,G=11.34mm
6 L =8.4mm,G=11.34mm 0.5
L =8.9mm,G=11.346mm
5 0
Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.1mm
4
-0.5 Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.4mm
abs(S21(dB)-S31(dB))

3 Lc =7.0mm,Dc=1.7mm,Lg=10.2,Dg=1.9mm
-1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Frequency (Ghz)
1
(b)
0
Fig. 4. Simulated results for different 1st and 3rd sections
-1 parameters (a) return loss (b) amplitude imbalance
-2
Fig. 5 shows the simulated values of the return loss and
-3
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 the amplitude imbalance for the different values of copper
Frequency (Ghz)
conductor flare angle and tapered diameter of top and bottom
(b) plane. We have selected one the best values of the parameters
Fig. 3. Simulated results for different slot widths and lengths (a) finalized, in our previous steps. It is observed that, for = 78.6 and
return loss (b) amplitude imbalance. d = 0.1 mm the amplitude imbalance is less than 1.4 dB, the
isolation and return loss is better than 18 dB and the phase
The effect of outer sections parameters on the performance of deviation is not more than 2.7. The final values of the flare angle
designed 3-dB couplers is also simulated. The simulation results = 78.6 and the tapered diameter d=1.15 mm is selected
using different values of the outer sections conductors and slots correspond to the best performance observed. For this particular
diameter and length are shown in Fig. 4. value, the amplitudes of return loss is less than 21 dB with
Fig. 4 (a) shows that the return loss is well below -20dB for amplitude imbalance not greater than 0.9 dB. Similarly the phase
LC =7.0mm DC = 1.7mm, LG= 10.2mm and DG= 1.1mm the return variation and isolation are less than 1.9 and 24 dB respectively.
loss is degraded by increasing DG. A similar degradation is Measured results, once are done, will be discussed during the
observed for both increase in LC and Dc. In order to compensate presentation.
this effect a suitable increase in length LC and diameter DC is 4. CONCLUSIONS
required. Fig. 4(b) shows the amplitude imbalance results. It is
found that for DG =1.4mm, the amplitude imbalance better than A step by step design procedure of hybrid coupler employing a
1dB over the complete UWB band is achievable but the performance analysis of parametric solutions regarding different
corresponding return loss is unacceptable. For LG= 11.4mm and design dimensions has been presented This procedure shows how
DG = 1.4mm the amplitude imbalance from 4-9 GHz is less than to realize a multi section broadband directional couplers by using
0.6 dB. The phase deviation, not more than 3.6 is found for all multilayer structure. The effect of slot, outer sections dimensions
outer section parametric variations. The minimum value of the
 [5]. Abbosh, A. M.; Bialkowski, M. E.; "Design of Compact
-10
alpha=106.2, d =0.1 Directional Couplers for UWB Applications," IEEE Trans
-15
alpha=106.2, d =0.55
Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol.55, pp.189-194, 2007
alpha=106.2, d =1.15
[6]. Zheng, S. Y.; Chan, W. S.; Man, K. F.; , "Broadband coupler
-20 using improved vertically installed planar
-25
structure," Proceedings of the Fourth European Conference
on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 2010, pp.1-4, 2010.
S11(dB)

-30 [7]. Abbosh, A. M. and Bialkowski, M. E. (2007), Design of ultra

wideband 3DB quadrature microstrip/slot coupler. Microwave
-35
and Optical Technology Letters, 49: 21012103
-40
[8]. Moscoso-Martir, A.; Wanguemert-Perez, J.G.; Molina-
Fernandez, I.; Marquez-Segura, E.; , "Slot-Coupled
-45 Multisection Quadrature Hybrid for UWB
Applications," Microwave and Wireless Components Letters,
-50
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 IEEE , vol.19, no.3, pp.143-145, March 2009
Frequency (Ghz)
[9]. Wong, M.F.; Fouad Hanna, V.; Picon, O.; Baudrand, H.; ,
(a) "Analysis and design of slot-coupled directional couplers
between double-sided substrate microstrip lines," Microwave
2
alpha=106.2, d =0.1 Symposium Digest, 1991., IEEE MTT-S International , vol
alpha=106.2, d =0.55
alpha=106.2, d =1.15
no.39, pp.755-758 vol.2, 10-14 Jul 1991
1.5 [10]. J. Lange, Interdigitated stripline quadrature hybrid, IEEE
Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-17, no. 12, pp.
11501151, Dec. 1969
abs(S21(dB)-S31(dB))

1
[11]. J. L. B. Walker, Analysis and design of Kemp-type 3 dB
quadrature couplers, in IEEE MTT-S Int. Dig., Jan. 1990, pp.
0.5 8890
[12]. J. P. Shelton, J. Wolfe, and R. Von Wagoner, Tandem
couplers and phase shifters for multi-octave bandwidth,
0 Microwaves, vol. 4, pp. 1419, Apr. 1965
[13]. S. B. Cohn, The re-entrant cross section and wide-band 3-dB
-0.5
hybrid coupler, IRE Trans. Microwave. Theory Tech., vol.
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 MTT-3, pp. 2938, Oct. 1955
Frequency (Ghz)
[14]. Cristal, E.G.; Young, L.; , "Theory and Tables of Optimum
(b) Symmetrical TEM-Mode Coupled-Transmission-Line
Fig. 5. Simulated results for different conductor's (top and bottom) Directional Couplers," Microwave Theory and Techniques,
parameters (a) return loss (b) amplitude imbalance. IEEE Transactions on , vol.13, no.5, pp. 544- 558, Sep 1965
[15]. D. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 3rd ed. New York: Wiley,
and copper conductors of top and bottom planes is studied. The 2005.
final design obtained by this analysis has been fabricated and under
the process of test and measurements.

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research is supported by the King Saud University - National

Plan for Sciences and Technology (NPST) through Research Grant
09ELE858-02.

6. REFERENCES

[1]. R. Mongia, I. Bahl, and P. Bhartia, RF and Microwave

Coupled-Line Circuits, Artech House , Boston 1999.
[2]. Ibrahim, S.Z.; Bialkowski, M.E.; , "Wideband butler matrix in
microstrip-slot technology," Asia Pacific Microwave
Conference, APMC 2009., pp.2104-2107, 7-10 Dec. 2009
[3]. X. Li, E. J. Bond, B. D. van Veen, and S. Hagness, An
overview of ultra-wideband microwave imaging via space-
time beamforming for early-stage breast-cancer detection,
IEEE Antennas Propag. Mag.,vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 1934, 2005
[4]. Lim, C. and Uysal, S. Design of a broadband directional
coupler using microstrip-like multilayer technology.
Microwave and Optical Techn. Letters, 23: 273275, 1999.