Abstract: The present invention relates to a measurement system for characterizing device performance comprising a set of generating and measuring instruments which are connected to a controller via a data bus. The instruments provide the necessary bias and RF signals to the device and concurrently measure its performance. Primarily three functions are provided: (a) establishment of a desired input signal by the user or the controller and the monitoring in real time of the device performance, (b) taking of a set of measurements and interpreting the measurements to characterize the device performance, and (c) displaying the measured and interpreted data for immediate study and the recording thereof for subsequent use. The automated capability permits a user to tune a device and simultaneously optimize its parameters.

Abstract: A stripline features high symmetry and promotes uniform current densities to lower losses. The channel (11) of the outer conductor of the stripline has a generally circular cross-section. Opposing lateral grooves (13,14) securely positions a substrate (16) which includes a center conductor. The center conductor features dual metalized strips (17,18) connected together by spaced through-plated holes (19). The stripline is readily formed in a single block of metal and hence eliminates the losses associated with the joint of conventional split-block striplines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for displacing spurious resonances which are excited in strip transmission line circuits outside the frequency band of interest. Such displacement is accomplished by adding apertures in the capacitive elements of the strip transmission line circuit which have dimensions to move the transverse resonances out of frequency band of interest while causing, for example, no significant change in the passband ripple or the stopband attenuation of a filter. The slots effectively cause the inductance across the capacitive element to increase and, therefore, lower the frequency of the transverse modes or resonances.