High frequency oscillator

• US 20030098746A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Company Limited, SAGA University
• Inventors: Asamura, Fumio, Oita, Takeo, Aikawa, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,703,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/56
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 21/01 by beating unmodulated signals of different frequencies

Abstract

A high frequency oscillator for combining outputs of two oscillator to generate an oscillation output. The oscillators has a substrate, a slot line formed on a first main plane of the substrate and having both longitudinal ends, the both longitudinal ends being electrically short-circuited, a first and a second amplifier for oscillation, each disposed on one and the other side of the slot line, and having outputs of the same oscillation frequency, and an unbalanced transmission line for connecting input terminals of the first and second amplifiers to each other and for connecting output terminals of the first and second amplifiers to each other. The unbalanced transmission line traverses the slot line and forms a closed loop including the first and second amplifiers.

Claims

1. A high frequency oscillator for combining outputs of two oscillators to generate an oscillation output, comprising:

a substrate;

a slot line formed on a first main plane of said substrate and having both longitudinal ends, said both longitudinal ends being electrically short-circuited;

a first and a second amplifier for oscillation each disposed on one and the other side of said slot line, respectively, said amplifiers having outputs of a same oscillation frequency; and

an unbalanced transmission line for connecting input terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other and for connecting output terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other, said unbalanced transmission line traversing said slot line and forming a closed loop including said first and second amplifiers.

2. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said unbalanced transmission line comprises a micro-strip line routed on a second main plane of said substrate.

3. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said unbalanced transmission line comprises a coplanar line routed on said first main plane.

4. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said unbalanced transmission line comprises:

a first and a second coplanar line routed on the first main plane and connected to the input terminals of said first and second amplifiers, respectively;

a micro-strip line routed on a second main plane of said substrate and connected to said first and second coplanar lines; and

a conductor for connecting the output terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other.

5. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 4, further comprising via-holes for connecting said first and second coplanar line to said micro-strip line therethrough.

6. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 4, wherein said first and second coplanar lines overlap said micro-strip line by a length equal to one quarter of a wavelength of a fundamental wave of oscillation, so that said first and second coplanar lines are electro-magnetically coupled to said micro-strip line.

7. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage variable capacitance element disposed within said slot line, wherein said high frequency oscillator varies the oscillation frequency in accordance with a control voltage applied to said voltage variable capacitance element.

8. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said unbalanced transmission line comprises:

a coplanar line routed on the first main plane to intersect said slot line, said coplanar line having a first portion connected to the input terminal of said first amplifier, a second portion for connecting the output terminals of said first and second amplifiers, and a third portion connected to the input terminal of said second amplifier;

a micro-strip line formed on a second main plane of said substrate in a loop shape to surround a region in which said slot line intersects said coplanar line and said first and second amplifiers are disposed; and

a first and a second line connected to said micro-strip line corresponding to said first and third portions on the second main plane.

9. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, wherein said coplanar line are formed with both ends short-circuited to a ground conductor.

10. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, wherein said coplanar line has both ends formed as open ends.

11. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, wherein each of said first and second lines each has a micro-strip line structure which has a length equal to one quarter of a wavelength of a fundamental wave of oscillation.

12. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, wherein said first and second lines are connected to said first portion and said third portion, respectively, through via-holes.

13. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, further comprising a voltage variable capacitance element disposed within said slot line, wherein said high frequency oscillator varies the oscillation frequency in accordance with a control voltage applied to said voltage variable capacitance element.

14. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, further comprising a voltage variable capacitance element connected to said coplanar line, wherein said high frequency oscillator varies the oscillation frequency in accordance with a control voltage applied to said voltage variable capacitance element.

15. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 8, further comprising a voltage variable capacitance element connected to said micro-strip line, wherein said high frequency oscillator varies the oscillation frequency in accordance with a control voltage applied to said voltage variable capacitance element.

16. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said unbalanced transmission line traversing at one longitudinal end side and the other longitudinal end side of said slot line is spaced apart from the one longitudinal end and the other longitudinal end of said slot line respectively by an interval equal to one quarter of a wavelength of a fundamental wave of oscillation.

17. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising an output line connected to a portion of said unbalanced transmission line which connects the output terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other, said output line extending within said slot line, wherein said high frequency oscillator generates an output at a frequency twice as high as a frequency of a fundamental wave of oscillation through said output line.

18. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 17, wherein:

said unbalanced transmission line includes a micro-strip line routed on a second main plane of said substrate; and

said output line is routed on the second main plane for connection to said micro-strip line, said output line having a micro-strip line structure.

19. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 17, wherein said output line comprises a band pass filter for passing a frequency twice as high as the frequency of the fundamental wave of oscillation.

20. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 19, wherein said band pass filter has a line length equal to one eighth of the wavelength of the fundamental wave.

21. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein:

said unbalanced transmission line includes a coplanar line or a conductor routed on the first main plane for connecting the output terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other,

said high frequency oscillator further comprises;

a first output line in a coplanar line structure, routed on the first main plane and connected to-said coplanar line or conductor to extend within said slot line; and

a second output line in a micro-strip line structure, routed on a second main plane of said substrate and electrically coupled to said first output line, and

said high frequency oscillator generates an output at a frequency twice as high as the frequency of a fundamental wave of oscillation through said first and second output lines.

22. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising an injection line for injection synchronization connected to a portion of said unbalanced transmission line which connects the input terminals of said first and second amplifiers, and extending within said slot line.

23. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 22, wherein:

said unbalanced transmission line includes a micro-strip line routed on a second main plane of said substrate, and

said injection line is routed on the second main plane for connection to said micro-strip line, said injection line having a micro-strip line structure.

24. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, wherein:

said unbalanced transmission line includes a coplanar line routed on the first main plane for connecting the input terminals of said first and second amplifiers to each other, and

said high frequency oscillator further comprises;

a first injection line in a coplanar line structure, routed on the first main plane for connection with said coplanar line or conductor to extend within said slot line; and

a second injection line in a micro-strip line structure, routed on a second main plane of said substrate, and electro-magnetically coupled to said first injection line,

wherein a synchronization signal is injected into said closed loop through said first and second injection lines.

25. The high frequency oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising an output line routed in parallel with a portion of said unbalanced transmission line which connects the output terminals of said first and second amplifiers, and traversing said slot line, wherein said high frequency oscillator delivers a fundamental wave component of the oscillation through said output line.