Abstract: A transmission line impedance transformer including at least two different dielectric media having different dielectric properties, each of the dielectric media being configured to taper in thickness along the length of the impedance transformer in an inverse relationship with respect to each other so as to form a combined dielectric medium having an effective dielectric property that is graded along the transmission path. The two or more dielectric media may be disposed between two conductors to provide an impedance transformer in which a characteristic impedance of the transmission line varies along its length in response to the gradation of the effective dielectric property of the combined dielectric medium.

Abstract: Aspects of a guided surface waveguide probe site and the preparation thereof are described. In various embodiments, the guided surface waveguide probe site may include a propagation interface including a first region and a second region, and a guided surface waveguide probe configured to launch a guided surface wave along the propagation interface. In one aspect of the embodiments, at least a portion of the first region may be prepared to more efficiently launch or propagate the guided surface wave. Among embodiments, the portion of the first region, which may be composed of the Earth, may be treated or mixed with salt, gypsum, sand, or gravel, for example, among other compositions of matter. In other embodiments, the portion of the first region may be covered, insulated, irrigated, or temperature-controlled, for example. By preparing the site, a guided surface wave may be more efficiently launched and/or propagated.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a connector that includes a first port configured to receive electromagnetic waves guided by a first dielectric core of a first transmission medium. A waveguide is configured to guide the electromagnetic waves from the first port to a second port. The second port is configured to transmit the electromagnetic waves to a second dielectric core of a second transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated matching circuits for a high frequency amplifier transistor having an input terminal, an output terminal and a reference terminal. The reference terminal is coupled to a reference potential. The integrated matching circuit comprises an inductive element, and a capacitive element arranged in a series arrangement with the inductive element. The series arrangement has a first terminal end connected to the input terminal or to the output terminal and a second terminal end connected to the reference terminal. The first terminal end and the second terminal end are arranged at a same lateral side of the integrated matching circuit to obtain a geometry with the first terminal end adjacent to the input terminal or to the output terminal and the second terminal end adjacent to the reference terminal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a high-frequency semiconductor amplifier includes an input terminal, an input matching circuit, a high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element, an output matching circuit and an output terminal. The input terminal is inputted with a fundamental signal. The fundamental signal has a first frequency band and a first center frequency in the first frequency band. The input matching circuit includes an input end and an output end. The input end of the input matching circuit is connected to the input terminal. The high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element includes an input end and an output end. The input end of the high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element is connected to the output end of the input matching circuit. The high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element is configured to amplify the fundamental signal.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a high-frequency semiconductor amplifier includes an input terminal, an input matching circuit, a high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element, an output matching circuit and an output terminal. The input terminal is inputted with a fundamental signal. The fundamental signal has a first frequency band and a first center frequency in the first frequency band. The input matching circuit includes an input end and an output end. The input end of the input matching circuit is connected to the input terminal. The high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element includes an input end and an output end. The input end of the high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element is connected to the output end of the input matching circuit. The high-frequency semiconductor amplifying element is configured to amplify the fundamental signal.

Abstract: Reflectionless transmission line filters, as well as a method for designing such filters is disclosed. These filters preferably function by absorbing the stop-band portion of the spectrum rather than reflecting it back to the source, which has significant advantages in many different applications. The insertion of additional transmission line sections that change the phase response of the circuit without altering the amplitude response preferably allows follow-up transmission line identities to be applied in order to arrive at a more easily manufacturable filter topology. This facilitates their application over a higher frequency range the solely lumped-element circuits.

Abstract: Communications plugs are provided that include a housing that receives the conductors of the communication cable. A printed circuit board is mounted at least partially within the housing. A plurality of plug contacts are on the printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive paths that electrically connect respective ones of the conductors to respective ones of the plug contacts. First and second of the conductive paths are arranged as a first differential pair of conductive paths that comprise a portion of a first differential transmission line through the communications plug, where the first differential transmission line includes a first transition region where the impedance of the first differential transmission line changes by at least 20% and a second transition region impedance of the first differential transmission line changes by at least 20%.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for superposition of guided surface wave launched along the surface of a lossy medium such as, e.g., a terrestrial medium by exciting a guided surface waveguide probe. In one example, among others, a system includes an array of guided surface waveguide probes configured to launch guided surface waves along a surface of a lossy conducting medium and an array control system configured to control operation of waveguide probes in the array via one or more feed networks. The array control circuit can control operation of the guided surface waveguide probes to maintain a predefined radiation pattern produced by the guided surface waves. In another example, a method includes providing voltage excitation to first and second guided surface waveguide probes to launch guided surface waves with the voltage excitation provided to the second guided surface waveguide probe delayed by a defined phase delay.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that performs operations including receiving first electromagnetic waves on an outer surface of a transmission medium, detecting a degradation of a signal quality of the first electromagnetic waves due to first electric fields of the first electromagnetic waves inducing first currents in an obstruction disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating second electromagnetic waves having second electric fields that induce second currents in the obstruction that are lower in magnitude than the first currents, the electromagnetic waves having a cutoff frequency. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A matching unit includes a directional coupler for detecting a travelling wave and a reflected wave; a matching circuit including a first variable capacitance capacitor, a second variable capacitance capacitor and an inductance; and a control unit for controlling VC1 and VC2 of the first and the second variable capacitance capacitor by calculating a reflection coefficient based on the travelling wave and the reflected wave. When a distance between the calculated reflection coefficient and a circle described by a trace of the reflection coefficient which passes through a matching point on a Smith chart is greater than a predetermined value, the control unit changes VC2 of the second variable capacitance capacitor and the calculated reflection coefficient to make the distance within the predetermined value. When the distance becomes within the predetermined value, the control unit changes VC1 of the first variable capacitance capacitor and makes the calculated reflection coefficient smaller.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) control system including a RF generator having a power amplifier that outputs a RF signal and a controller. A matching network receives the RF signal and generates at least one RF output signal. In a first mode of operation, the controller enables adjustment of the frequency of the RF signal and a tune element of the matching network to achieve an impedance match and in a second mode of operation the controller enables adjustment of only the tune element of the matching network to achieve an impedance match while the frequency is adjusted to a target frequency. The RF controls system operates in a continuous and pulse mode of operation.

Abstract: Digitally controlled attenuators with low phase shift are provided herein. In certain configurations, a digitally controlled attenuator includes an attenuation circuit electrically connected between an input terminal and an output terminal, a bypass circuit electrically connected in parallel with the attenuation circuit between the input terminal and the output terminal, and a plurality of phase compensation capacitors including a first phase compensation capacitor and a second phase compensation capacitor electrically connected in series between the input terminal and the output terminal. The bypass circuit is configured to receive a mode control signal for selecting the bypass circuit to control an amount of attenuation between the input terminal and the output terminal. Additionally, the phase compensation capacitors are operable to compensate for a phase difference between a first signal path through the attenuation circuit and a second signal path through the bypass circuit.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a connector that includes a first port configured to receive electromagnetic waves guided by a first dielectric core of a first transmission medium. A waveguide is configured to guide the electromagnetic waves from the first port to a second port. The second port is configured to transmit the electromagnetic waves to a second dielectric core of a second transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to coupled slow-wave transmission lines. In this regard, a transmission line structure is provided. The transmission line structure includes a first undulating signal path formed from first loop structures. The transmission line structure also includes a second undulating signal path formed from second loop structures. The second undulating signal path is disposed alongside of the first undulating signal path. Further, a first ground structure is disposed above or below either one or both of the first undulating signal path and the second undulating signal path.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tunable slow-wave transmission line. The tunable slow-wave transmission line is formed in a multi-layer substrate and includes an undulating signal path. The undulating signal path includes at least two loop structures, wherein each loop structure includes at least two via structures connected by at least one intra-loop trace. The undulating signal path further includes at least one inter-loop trace connecting the at least two loop structures. The tunable slow-wave transmission line includes a first ground structure disposed along the undulating signal path. Further, the tunable slow-wave transmission line includes one or more circuits that may alter a signal transmitted in the tunable slow-wave transmission line so as to tune a frequency of the signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a slow-wave transmission line for transmitting slow-wave signals with reduced loss. In this regard, the slow-wave transmission line is formed in a multi-layer substrate and includes an undulating signal path. The undulating signal path includes at least two loop structures, wherein each loop structure includes at least two via structures connected by at least one intra-loop trace. The undulating signal path further includes at least one inter-loop trace connecting the at least two loop structures. Additionally, the slow-wave transmission line includes a first ground structure disposed along the undulating signal path. In this manner, a loop inductance is formed by each of the at least two loop structures, while a first distributed capacitance is formed between the undulating signal path and the ground structure.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that performs operations including detecting a signal degradation of guided electromagnetic waves bound to a transmission medium without utilizing an electrical return path, the guided electromagnetic waves having a non-optical frequency range, and adjusting an alignment of at least a portion of fields of the guided electromagnetic waves to mitigate the signal degradation. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for providing feed forward equalization to a communication line by providing a resistance and a capacitance to the communication line. The method includes determining the resistance based on a desired value of feed forward equalization to provide to a communication line, determining the capacitance based on the desired value of feed forward equalization to provide to the communication line, providing a layer of resistive material between a first conductor and a second conductor of the communication line, wherein a dimension of the layer of resistive material is determined based on the determined resistance and providing a layer of dielectric material between the first conductor and the second conductor, wherein a dimension of the layer of dielectric material is determined based on the determined capacitance.

Abstract: A transmission line structure for transmitting radio signals includes a first transmission line, a first ground region, and a second transmission line. The first transmission line is arranged on a first layer of a circuit board. The first transmission line includes a first signal line and a second signal line. The first ground region is arranged between the first and second signal lines. The first and second signal lines do not contact the first ground region. The second transmission line is arranged on a second layer of the circuit board, and the second layer is different from the first layer. The second transmission line does not contact the first transmission line, and the second transmission line interleaves with the first signal line, the second signal line and the first ground area.