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Did you know how directional couplers work amazingly well at microwave frequencies?
In the field of radio technology, directional couplers and power dividers (sometimes called power combiners) are widely used passive components. These devices can transfer the electromagnetic power in the transmission line to other circuits in a certain proportion and are one of the key technologies for wireless communications. However, did you know the amazing effects these devices exhibit at microwave frequencies?
The characteristic of directional couplers is that they only allow signals to flow in one direction, which makes them play an important role in a variety of applications, such as signal sampling, monitoring and feedback system construction.
Considerations for directional couplers are not just their structure, but also the specificity of their operating frequency. At microwave frequencies, transmission line designs are widely used to implement many circuit components, whereas at lower frequencies, traditional discrete components can be used to construct them. In the higher microwave frequency range, waveguide design can also be effectively used in the construction of directional couplers, which makes the types and applications of directional couplers more diverse.
The main characteristic of a directional coupler is that the power entering the output end will only enter the isolation end and not the coupling end. This unique characteristic makes it extremely valuable in circuit design.
When designing these devices, several parameters such as coupling factor, insertion loss, and isolation often need to be considered. Coupling factor is one of the main indicators that defines the performance of a directional coupler. It is usually expressed in decibels (dB) and changes with frequency. Ideally, the coupling factor of a directional coupler should not exceed -3 dB because if the coupling factor is higher than this value, the output power will be reversed.
An ideal directional coupler should have a wide operating frequency band, high directivity and good impedance matching characteristics.
Insertion loss is an inevitable loss phenomenon during signal transmission. These losses not only come from power loss at the coupling end, but also include losses due to factors such as dielectric loss and conductor loss. Generally speaking, insertion loss will decrease as the coupling degree increases, so stable performance indicators are very important for applications.
In the microwave frequency range, waveguide structures are commonly used in the design of directional couplers. This type of structure performs best in terms of isolation and directness.
With the advancement of technology, the application scenarios of directional couplers are becoming more and more extensive. For example, they play an important role in feedback and signal forwarding and hybrid transceiver in antenna systems, and are often used in cable television systems as signal distribution equipment. In addition to the basic signaling functions, there are many novel application scenarios waiting for us to explore.
Combining the above characteristics and advantages, directional couplers present amazing application potential at microwave frequencies. These tiny devices play an indispensable role in communication technology, navigation systems and wireless networks. How will they change our lifestyles, and even to what extent will wireless technology develop in the future? This is a question worth pondering for us.
