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Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting

Investigation into the limitations on the bandwidth of PIN diode switches in their different configurations is performed. The Single Pole Double Throw switch constructed with shunt mounted PIN diodes is shown to be bandlimited due to the line lengths involved in the operation. Series mounted diode s...

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Main Author: Hirson, Desmond
Other Authors: Downing, B J
Format: Thesis
Language:Eng
Published: Department of Electrical Engineering 2016
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_version_ 1867614291037782016
access_status_str Open Access
author Hirson, Desmond
author2 Downing, B J
author_browse Downing, B J
Hirson, Desmond
author_facet Downing, B J
Hirson, Desmond
author_sort Hirson, Desmond
collection Thesis
description Investigation into the limitations on the bandwidth of PIN diode switches in their different configurations is performed. The Single Pole Double Throw switch constructed with shunt mounted PIN diodes is shown to be bandlimited due to the line lengths involved in the operation. Series mounted diode switches have a wider bandwidth but the diodes cannot perform as power devices due to their physical construction. Radiation due to discontinuities were found to degrade the isolation but this was overcome by an evanescent waveguide structure. The software program TOUCHSTONE (TM)/RF by EEsof is used extensively as a basic development tool. The characterisation of the PIN diodes which was used by the software, was carried out. A bias network had to be developed to allow for the biasing of the diodes before any test boards could be fabricated. A literature survey was done on the different types of phase shifters available. A circuit which enables shifts in 45 degree increments was developed. The system consists of Reflection Phase Shifters which are made up of Quadrature Couplers that have different terminations switched in on two of their ports, a Wilkinson power splitter and a power combiner in the form of a 3 dB Quadrature Coupler. It was found that this configuration works well in theory but is too demanding on the practical components to allow for low phase shift errors to occur.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22117
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language Eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:49:42.316Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher Department of Electrical Engineering
publisherStr Department of Electrical Engineering
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22117 Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting Hirson, Desmond Downing, B J Electrical Engineering Investigation into the limitations on the bandwidth of PIN diode switches in their different configurations is performed. The Single Pole Double Throw switch constructed with shunt mounted PIN diodes is shown to be bandlimited due to the line lengths involved in the operation. Series mounted diode switches have a wider bandwidth but the diodes cannot perform as power devices due to their physical construction. Radiation due to discontinuities were found to degrade the isolation but this was overcome by an evanescent waveguide structure. The software program TOUCHSTONE (TM)/RF by EEsof is used extensively as a basic development tool. The characterisation of the PIN diodes which was used by the software, was carried out. A bias network had to be developed to allow for the biasing of the diodes before any test boards could be fabricated. A literature survey was done on the different types of phase shifters available. A circuit which enables shifts in 45 degree increments was developed. The system consists of Reflection Phase Shifters which are made up of Quadrature Couplers that have different terminations switched in on two of their ports, a Wilkinson power splitter and a power combiner in the form of a 3 dB Quadrature Coupler. It was found that this configuration works well in theory but is too demanding on the practical components to allow for low phase shift errors to occur. 2016-10-14T06:19:32Z 2016-10-14T06:19:32Z 1986 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Eng) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22117 Eng application/pdf Department of Electrical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Electrical Engineering
Hirson, Desmond
Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
title_full Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
title_fullStr Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
title_full_unstemmed Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
title_short Broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
title_sort broadband pin diode switching and phase shifting
topic Electrical Engineering
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22117
work_keys_str_mv AT hirsondesmond broadbandpindiodeswitchingandphaseshifting