Adjustable microwave attenuator having broad-band frequency compensation

Claim 1

A MICROWAVE ATTENUATOR FOR USE IN TEM MODE TRANSMISSION LINES COMPRISING AT LEAST A SINGLE GROUND PLANE, A UNITARY STRIP CONDUCTOR SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO SAID GROUND PLANE, ATTENUATING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID GROUND PLANE AND SAID STRIP CONDUCTOR INCLUDING A BIFRUCATED SEPTUM OF ATTENUATING MATERIAL, SAID BIFURCATION BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT TO AND LENGTHWISE OF SAID TRANSMISSION LINE, FREQUENCY INSENSITIVE CONDUCTIVE COMPENSATING MEANS INCLUDING CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS WITHIN SAID BIFURCATED SEPTUM, SUCCESSIVE CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS WITHIN A BIFURCATION BEING STAGGERED WITH RESPECT TO THE INNER EXTERMITY THEREOF TO PROVIDE A GOOD IMPEDANCE MATCH CO-ACTING WITH SAID ATTENUATING MEANS TO PROVIDE AN ATTENUATION VERSUS FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTIC WHICH IS FLAT OVER A WIDE FREQUENCY RANGE AND MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID ATTENUATING AND COMPENSATING MEANS TO PROVIDE VARIABLE VALUES OF ATTENUATION.