Power combiners using meta-material composite right/left hand transmission line at infinite wavelength frequency

• US 7,482,893 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Dupuy, Alexandre, Itoh, Tatsuo, Leong, Kevin M. K. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Don P
• Application Number:
  US11/744,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 333/100, 333/124, 333/117, 333/118, 333/219, 333/236, 333/246
• US Class Current: 333/110
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence

Abstract

Power combining methods and devices for tunnel diode oscillators using the infinite wavelength phenomenon observed in composite right/left-handed (CRLH) meta-material lines are described. One implementation utilizes a series combiner composed of zero degree lines, with each oscillator output port connected directly to the line and combined in-phase, to equally combine the power in phase. In a second implementation, a section of zero degree transmission line implements a stationary wave resonator with oscillators loosely coupled to the resonator, where the wave amplitude and phase are constant along the line. In one test of this second implementation a maximum power combining efficiency of 131% was obtained with the zero^th order resonator with two tunnel diodes oscillators at 2 GHz.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a zero degree composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL);

said transmission line having a plurality of ports for input and output; and

said ports for input are configured for receiving output signals from corresponding devices;

wherein said apparatus comprises a combiner formed with multiple ports for input and one port for output, or said apparatus comprises a divider formed with a single port for input and multiple ports for output;

wherein input signals received on said ports for input into said combiner are combined in-phase by said transmission line to generate an output signal on said port for output; and

wherein input signal received on said input port into said divider are divided equally and in-phase by said transmission line to generate output signals at each said port for output.

2. A power combiner, comprising:

a zero degree composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL);

said transmission line having an output port;

said transmission line having a plurality of input ports;

each said input port configured for receiving output signals from corresponding input devices;

wherein input signals received on said input ports are combined in-phase by said transmission line to generate an output signal at said output port.

3. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said signals are received from a device selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

oscillators, tunnel diode oscillators, antennas, signal amplifiers, FET devices, and integrated circuits.

4. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said transmission line has an electrical length equivalent to an infinitely long wavelength.

5. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said CRLH transmission line comprises lumped capacitance and inductance.

6. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with printed microstrip elements.

7. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with microstrip, stripline, CPW or LTCC technologies.

8. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said output port is impedance matched to fifty ohms.

9. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein each said input port is impedance matched to a corresponding oscillator.

10. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

an impedance matching transformer coupled to each said input port;

wherein each said transformer is configured having a length of one-quarter wavelength corresponding to the output frequency of an associated oscillator.

11. A power combiner as recited in claim 2, wherein said transmission line comprises a meta-material.

12. A power combiner, comprising:

a composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL) configured as a zeroeth order resonator;

said transmission line having an open circuited first end;

said transmission line having a loosely-coupled output port at a second end;

said transmission line having a plurality of loosely-coupled input ports; and

each said input port configured for receiving output signals from corresponding devices;

wherein input signals received on said input ports are combined in-phase by said transmission line to generate an output signal at said output port.

13. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said signals are received from a device selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

oscillators, tunnel diode oscillators, antennas, signal amplifiers, FET devices, and integrated circuits.

14. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said transmission line has an electrical length equivalent to an infinitely long wavelength.

15. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said CRLH transmission line is built using lumped capacitance and inductance.

16. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with printed microstrip elements.

17. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with microstrip, stripline, CPW or LTCC technologies.

18. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said output port is impedance matched to fifty ohms.

19. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein each said input port is impedance matched to a corresponding oscillator.

20. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

an impedance matching transformer coupled to each said input port;

wherein each said transformer is configured having a length of one-quarter wavelength corresponding to the output frequency of an associated oscillator.

21. A power combiner as recited in claim 12, wherein said transmission line comprises a meta-material.

22. A power divider, comprising:

a composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL);

said transmission line having an input port;

said transmission line having a plurality of output ports;

each said output port configured for outputting signals to corresponding devices;

wherein an input signal received on said input port is divided equally and in-phase by said transmission line to generate output signals at each said output port.

23. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said input signal is received from a device selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

an oscillator, tunnel diode oscillator, antenna, signal amplifier, FET device, and integrated circuit.

24. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said output signals are coupled to devices selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

antenna arrays, clock synchronization circuits, and radio receiver circuits.

25. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said transmission line has an electrical length equivalent to an infinitely long wavelength.

26. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said CRLH transmission line comprises lumped capacitance and inductance.

27. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with printed microstrip elements.

28. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with microstrip, stripline, CPW or LTCC technologies.

29. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said input port is impedance matched to fifty ohms.

30. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein each said output port is impedance matched to a corresponding output device.

31. A power divider as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

an impedance matching transformer coupled to each said output port;

wherein each said transformer is configured having a length of one-quarter wavelength corresponding to the output frequency of an associated device.

32. A power divider as recited in claim 22, wherein said transmission line comprises a meta-material.

33. A power divider, comprising:

a composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL) configured as a zeroeth order resonator;

said transmission line having an open circuited first end;

said transmission line having a loosely-coupled input port at a second end;

said transmission line having a plurality of loosely-coupled output ports; and

said input port configured for receiving an output signal from a device;

wherein an input signal received on said input port is divided equally and in-phase by said transmission line to generate output signals at said output ports.

34. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said signals are received from a device selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

oscillators, tunnel diode oscillators, antennas, signal amplifiers, FET devices, and integrated circuits.

35. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said output signals are coupled to devices selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

antenna arrays, clock synchronization circuits, and radio receiver circuits.

36. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said transmission line has an electrical length equivalent to an infinitely long wavelength.

37. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said CRLH transmission line is built using lumped capacitance and inductance.

38. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with printed microstrip elements.

39. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with microstrip, stripline, CPW or LTCC technologies.

40. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein said input port is impedance matched to fifty ohms.

41. A power divider as recited in claim 33, wherein each of said output ports is impedance matched to a corresponding device.

42. A power divider as recited in claim 33, further comprising:

an impedance matching transformer coupled to each said output port;

wherein each said transformer is configured having a length of one-quarter wavelength corresponding to the operating frequency of an associated device.

43. A power combiner as recited in claim 33, wherein said transmission line comprises a meta-material.

44. A power divider, comprising:

a zero degree composite right/left hand (CRLH) transmission line (TL) configured as a stationary wave resonator; and

a plurality of output ports for coupling to corresponding output signals;

said output port connection of said TL is controlled by a switch;

wherein said input signal is divided equally and in-phase among connected output ports.

45. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said signal is received from a device selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

oscillators, tunnel diode oscillators, antennas, signal amplifiers, FET devices, and integrated circuits.

46. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said output signals are coupled to devices selected from the group of RF devices consisting of:

antenna arrays, clock synchronization circuits, and radio receiver circuits.

47. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said transmission line has an electrical length equivalent to an infinitely long wavelength.

48. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said CRLH transmission line is built using lumped capacitance and inductance.

49. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured having printed microstrip elements.

50. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said CRLH transmission line is configured with microstrip, stripline, CPW or LTCC technologies.

51. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said input port is impedance matched to fifty ohms.

52. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein each said output port is impedance matched to an associated device.

53. A power divider as recited in claim 44, further comprising:

an impedance matching transformer coupled to each said output port;

wherein each said transformer is configured having a length of one-quarter wavelength corresponding to the output frequency of an associated output device.

54. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said transmission line comprises a meta-material.

55. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said switch is a diode.

56. A power divider as recited in claim 44, wherein said switch is a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMs) device.