Abstract: A miniaturized wideband surface mount bias tee comprises a printed circuit board with a functioning first capacitor and a dummy second capacitor, and an inductor bonded atop the two capacitors. The capacitors, adhesive and solder are depositable by standard surface mount pick and place machinery. The inductor wires are bonded to one of the first capacitor bonding pads and to an inductor bonding pad. The circuit element bonding pads include portions bordering the pc board edges and are conductively connected to bonding pads on the bottom face of the pc board. Conductive thru-vias for the first capacitor bonding pads reduce parasitic inductance and extend the operating frequency range. A flat-topped insulating cap encloses the bias tee sides and top. The cap forms an air gap between the inductor and circuit elements and provides a surface for manipulating the bias tee with present-day assembly equipment.

Abstract: A dual output autotransformer is realized by employing a novel topology in which three transformers are wound on a single, high permeability, ferrite, binocular core. The three transformers are (1) an autotransformer; (2) a coupled winding to the autotransformer; and, (3) a transmission line transformer. Within the topology employed, the outputs of the coupled line transformer and the transmission line transformer provide the balanced output (secondary) and the input to the autotransformer forms the unbalanced primary. Such an approach results in a wideband response of from 30 MHz to 3000 MHz or greater with the requisite amplitude and phase balance.

Abstract: A mixer harmonics calculator system is described. The system is designed to perform rapid online calculation of mixer harmonics up to 10×10 RF and LO order using actual measured parametric data optionally supplemented with interpolated or otherwise calculated data. Output options from the mixer harmonics calculator include a comprehensive range of presentations of tabular and graphed data. The mixer harmonics calculator is designed to function either independently or within a more comprehensive electronic component database search system.

Abstract: A single sideband mixer is constructed with digital logic elements such as T-type flip-flops and inverters and with FETs, and the resulting mixer circuit simultaneously improves control over the frequency resolution, noise floor and operating frequency range. The use of this group of elements also allows the mixer circuit to be easily realized in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A single side band mixer is composed of standard digital logic elements and field effect transistors, forming a pair of quadrature generators coupled with a mixer-splitter circuit. This design results in a single side band mixer with a bandwidth from DC to at least 100 MHz when realized with CMOS digital logic circuitry. This design allows the single side band mixer to bring particular improvement to circuits including frequency synthesizers, quadrature demodulators and up-converters.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer is built using a phase locked loop incorporating a single side band mixer in the input. The single side band mixer is preferably realized with digital logic and FETs, and the resulting frequency synthesizer simultaneously improves control over the frequency resolution, noise floor and operating frequency range.

Abstract: An improved electromechanical switch designed to operate at frequencies from DC through microwave has terminal probe tips that are formed from an alloy of noble metal and contoured with a pattern of peaks and valleys in order to provide better contact wiping operation and capture of wear debris. The switch incorporates damper elements to reduce switching contact bounce, thus providing increased contact life as well as higher quality signal switching.

Abstract: A high frequency electronic component database search system is described. The system is designed to allow rapid online searches for a variety of types of components, each type of component present in considerable variety within the database, and each individual component having a volume of parametric and physical data. Search functions include entering a mixture of required and optional parameter values and parameter value ranges, and prioritizing one or more search parameters to improve data matching. Output options from the search system include a comprehensive range of presentations of tabular, graphed and mechanical data.

Abstract: There is disclosed a low loss and high frequency lumped capacitor that is ideally constructed from LTCC dielectric material and deposited conductive layers. The capacitive plates are shaped as identical and overlapping serpentine conductive paths positioned on either side of a thin dielectric layer, with opposite ends of the conductive paths used for signal contact points. The net effect of the shape of the capacitive plates and the resulting approximately equal and opposite current flows is to cancel the majority of parasitic inductance at high frequencies, thus reducing insertion loss. Filters built using this construction of capacitor exhibit improved high frequency performance. This type of capacitor also has a simplicity of construction that allows integration into LTCC fabricated circuitry without requiring extra layers or terminals.

Abstract: A database search system is disclosed that interpolates between actual data points to achieve a defined level of data resolution while populating a database with a mixture of actual and interpolated data. Users of the database system enter search requests that include a range of values to search through for at least one parameter. This range of values is tested against the interpolation resolution value and if the user-specified range of search would result in a higher resolution than the interpolation resolution value, the user-specified range of search is adjusted to match the defined level of data resolution. The database is then searched, and the presence of interpolated data generally offers significant improvement to the number of appropriate items found and provided as output to the user as at least one of tabular, graphical or other displayed form.

Abstract: An improved electromechanical RF switch provides enhanced reliability and lifespan by incorporating a middle plate between the case and base elements for locating the guide pins, reed holders and reeds to increase accuracy in critical component alignment. The middle plate reduces required precision during assembly of the switch, thus increasing assembly accuracy while reducing labor cost. The guide pins are made of a hard insulator such as glass to generate less wear particles, and the reed holder has a groove filled with lubricant to trap any wear particles that result from sliding friction during switch operation. Optionally, a low-friction bushing is used within the case bore to further reduce sliding friction during reed holder travel. The reeds are made of thin, flexible metal and have ends shaped so that when the ends contact switching terminals, a wiping action removes any surface contamination from both the reed ends and the terminals.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer is built using a phase locked loop incorporating a single side band mixer either in the feedback loop or in the input. The single side band mixer is preferably realized with digital logic and FETs, and the resulting frequency synthesizer simultaneously improves control over the frequency resolution, noise floor and operating frequency range.

Abstract: A transistor biasing circuit is shown that utilizes a negative feedback loop control circuit to set the gate bias voltage in the output transistors of a power amplifier. This control circuit has a current sensor in series with the drain of the transistor, the current sensor output in turn feeding a dc signal into a dc amplifier, and the output of the dc amplifier driving a gate bias integrator which forms a dc control loop for maintaining the bias point. The output transistor is protected from excessive temperature and/or excessive power dissipation.

Abstract: A directional coupler for low frequencies that is small and can handle high power levels. The directional coupler includes a pair of circuit lines having an input port, an output port, a forward coupled port and a reverse coupled port. The circuit lines are located proximate to each other such that they are electromagnetically coupled. A low pass filter is connected to the forward coupled port. The low pass filter shifts the operating frequency of the directional coupler.

Abstract: A coupler that has a small package size and is adjustable after manufacturing. A coupler has a substrate with several dielectric layers and a top and bottom surface. A ground plane is located on the top surface and another ground plane is located on the bottom surface. A pair of coupled circuit lines are located within the substrate. Conductive vias extend between the layers and provide an electrical connection between the ground planes and the circuit lines. The top ground plane has several segments joined by links. The top ground plane can be modified to adjust the coupling between the coupled circuit lines by deleting one or more of the links. The links can be used to adjust the coupling after the coupler has been manufactured.

Abstract: A double balanced mixer with improved isolation between the LO and RF frequency signals. The mixer has a local oscillator balun, an intermediate frequency balun and an RF balun. The baluns are located on inner layers of a substrate comprised of low temperature co-fired ceramic. The baluns are formed from spiral lines that form windings. The windings are coupled between adjacent layers. The local oscillator balun is connected to the intermediate frequency balun. A diode ring is connected between the RF balun and the intermediate frequency balun. The diode ring is mounted to a top layer. Several vias extend through the substrate. The vias provide an electrical connection between the baluns and the diode ring.

Abstract: A tunable amplitude unbalance stripline combiner for RF signals in which the amplitude unbalance can be adjusted in order to minimize the amplitude unbalance. The combiner has an upper printed circuit board mounted over a lower printed circuit board. The lower printed circuit board has a pair of printed circuit lines that are connected between an output port and a pair of input ports. The upper printed circuit board has a metallized area covering the top surface. Several non-metallized cavities are located in the metallized area above the circuit lines. The number of cavities can be adjusted to change the amplitude unbalance.

Abstract: A miniature wideband bias tee that has a small package size. The bias tee has a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface. A first inductor is located within the substrate. A second inductor is attached to the top surface and has a core with a wire wound on the core. Terminals are located on the top and bottom surfaces. Ends of the wire are connected to terminals on the top surface. A capacitor is mounted to terminals on the top surface. Several vias extend through the substrate and electrically connect the terminals to the inductor and capacitor.

Abstract: A double balanced mixer for mixing an RF input signal with a local oscillator signal to provide at an output an intermediate frequency signal with high isolation over a wide frequency range. The mixer includes a local oscillator balun that is operable to receive a local oscillator signal. A RF balun that is operable to receive a RF signal. A first mixer has a first input port that is coupled to the local oscillator balun and a second input port that is coupled to the RF balun. The first mixer has an output port to provide an intermediate frequency signal. A second mixer is coupled in parallel with the first mixer. The second mixer has a first input port that is coupled to the local oscillator balun and a second input port that is coupled to the RF balun. The second mixer has an output port that provides an intermediate frequency signal. An intermediate frequency balun is coupled to the output ports of the first and second mixers.

Abstract: A miniature wideband RF choke has a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface. A first inductor is located within the substrate. Terminals are located on the top and bottom surfaces. A second inductor is located on the top surface. The second inductor has a core wound with a wire. Vias extend through the substrate connecting the terminals to the inductors.