EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Feb. 21, 2018  AWR/NI announcement:

Directional couplers are a key circuit component used in balanced amplifiers, mixers, phase shifters and other RF/microwave devices. The performance of these couplers, however, is restricted by a relatively narrow bandwidth of about 10 percent, requiring the use of high-impedance lines. Consequently, the minimum coupling factor of the device is limited by the highest impedance of a pair of branch lines that can be manufactured by general printed circuit board (PCB) technologies.

Graduate students at the University of Hyogo, Japan, under the direction of Professor Tadashi Kawai, solved the minimum coupling factor limitation by using NI AWR Design Environment, specifically Microwave Office circuit simulator and AXIEM electromagnetic (EM) simulator, to design a pair of broadband branch-line couplers with loose couplings utilizing open/short-circuited coupled-transmission lines to replace the branch-line coupler.

‘‘The availability of and familiarity with NI AWR Design Environment through the AWR University Program was key in the success of this design. In particular, AXIEM enabled us to analyze with a very fine mesh such as 5 or 10 microns.’’

Where: The complete success story is available at awrcorp.com/customer-stories/university-hyogo.

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Contacts:

Sherry Hess
Vice President of Marketing, AWR Group, NI
(310) 726-3000
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