Directional coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9893408-B2
Application number	US-201615206614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A directional coupler includes: a first to a fourth port; a main line connecting the first and second ports; a first to a fourth subline section electromagnetically coupled to the main line; a first to a third matching section; and a stack. The first subline, first matching, third subline, third matching, fourth subline, second matching, and second subline sections are arranged in this order between the third and fourth port. The first and second matching sections include an inductor connecting two subline sections located on opposite sides of the matching section. Each of one or more conductor layers used to form the inductor includes two connection portions for electrical connection to respective other elements, and a line portion connecting the two connection portions. The inductor excluding the connection portions does not include potions that overlap each other when viewed in the stacking direction of the stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A directional coupler comprising:
a first port;
a second port;
a third port;
a fourth port;
a main line connecting the first port and the second port;
N subline sections each of which is formed of a line configured to be electromagnetically coupled to the main line;
(N−1) matching section(s); and
a stack for integrating the first to fourth ports, the main line, the N subline sections and the (N−1) matching section(s), wherein
N is an integer of 2 or more,
the N subline sections and the (N−1) matching section(s) are arranged in series between the third port and the fourth port such that one of the N subline sections is connected to the third port, another one of the N subline sections is connected to the fourth port, and the subline sections alternate with the matching section(s) in terms of circuitry,
the (N−1) matching section or each of the (N−1) matching sections causes a change in the phase of a signal passing therethrough,
the (N−1) matching section or at least one of the (N−1) matching sections includes a first path connecting two subline sections located on opposite sides of the matching section, and a second path connecting the first path to a ground,
the first path includes a first inductor,
the second path includes a first capacitor and a second inductor connected in series,
the stack includes a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of conductor layers stacked on each other,
the plurality of conductor layers include one or more inductor-forming layers which are one or more conductor layers used to form the first inductor,
each of the one or more inductor-forming layers includes two connection portions for electrical connection to respective other elements, and a line portion connecting the two connection portions, and
an entirety of the first inductor excluding the two connection portions does not include portions that overlap each other when viewed in a direction of stacking of the plurality of dielectric layers and the plurality of conductor layers.

2. The directional coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the stack has a top surface and a bottom surface located at opposite ends in the direction of stacking of the plurality of dielectric layers and the plurality of conductor layers, and
the first inductor is located closer to the top surface of the stack than are the first capacitor, the second inductor, the main line and the N subline sections.

3. The directional coupler according to claim 2 , wherein the second inductor is located closer to the bottom surface of the stack than is the first capacitor.

4. The directional coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the first inductor is formed only of one inductor-forming layer having a spiral shape.

5. The directional coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the first inductor is formed of a plurality of inductor-forming layers, the plurality of inductor-forming layers being arranged such that their respective line portions do not overlap each other when viewed in the direction of stacking of the plurality of dielectric layers and the plurality of conductor layers.

6. The directional coupler according to claim 5 , wherein the entirety of the first inductor has a spiral shape when viewed in the direction of stacking of the plurality of dielectric layers and the plurality of conductor layers.

7. The directional coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inductor has a first end and a second end opposite to each other,
the second inductor has a first end and a second end, the first end being closest to the first path in terms of circuitry, the second end being closest to the ground in terms of circuitry,
the first capacitor is provided between the first end of the first inductor and the first end of the second inductor, and
the second path further includes a second capacitor provided between the second end of the first inductor and the first end of the second inductor.

Assignees

• Tdk Corp

Inventors

• Ashida Yuta
• Sakisaka Yasunori
• Ootsuka Noriaki
• Goto Tetsuzo
• Kijima Takeshi

Classifications

• H01P5/187 Primary

  Broadside coupled lines · CPC title

• H01P5/18 Primary

  consisting of two coupled guides, e.g. directional couplers · CPC title

• H03H7/0115

  comprising only inductors and capacitors (H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03H2001/0078

  comprising spiral inductor on a substrate · CPC title

• H01P5/188 Primary

  the guides being dielectric waveguides · CPC title