Stub tuned circulator

Claim 2

In a circulator of the strip transmission line type in which a plurality of strip line center conductor arms meet at a common junction, the junction and the contiguous portion of each arm are disposed between a pair of ferrite members situated between the ground plane plates of the strip transmission line, and means are provided for placing the ferrite members under the influence of a magnetic field, the improvement comprising, tuning stubs protruding from the junction, each adjacent pair of center conductor arms having a tuning stub disposed between them, the tuning stub extending into a region where a high intensity electric field is established by the electrical energization of the input one of the adjacent arms, and the characteristic impedance of the tuning stub being greater than the characteristic impedance of the ferrite-filled strip transmission line input arm.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1, further characterized by each tuning stub being a straight length of line bisecting the angle formed by the pair of arms between which the stub is situated.

Claim 4

In a transmission line circulator comprising a TEM junction in a multiport configuration of transmission lines having as a first conductor of each line common ground-member means and as a second conductor of each line an elongated conductor extending in spaced relation from said ground-member means one from each port of said configuration into said junction, for the propagation of electric wave energy from an input one of said ports to an output one of said ports, and gyromagnetic means located in said junction for circulating such energy when suitably magnetized; the improvement comprising an electrically conductive tuning stub coupled to said second conductors in said junction and extending therefrom between an input conductor and an output conductor into and terminating within a region adjacent said gyromagnetic means where a high intensity electric field is established by electrical energization of said input conductor, for adjusting the complex impedance appearing at said input port.

Claim 5

In a transmission line circulator comprising a TEM junction in a multiport configuration of transmission lines having as a first conductor of each line common ground-member means and as a second conductor of each line an elongated conductor extending in spaced relation from said ground-member means one from each port of said configuration into said junction, for the propagation of electric wave energy from an input one of said ports to an output one of said ports, and gyromagnetic means located in said junction for circulating such energy when suitably magnetized; the improvement comprising an electrically conductive tuning stub coupled to said second conductors in said junction and extending therefrom between an input conductor and an output conductor into and terminating within a region adjacent said gyromagnetic means where a high intensity electric field is established by electrical energization of said input conductor, for adjusting the complex impedance appearing at said input port.

Claim 6

A circulator according to claim 3 in which the characteristic impedance of said tuning stub is greater than the characteristic impedance of said input conductor.

Claim 7

A circulator according to claim 3 in which said ground-member means is comprised of two parallel-plate conductors electrically connected together, and said second conductors are located between said plates and joined together to form said junction.

Claim 8

A circulator according to claim 3 comprising three ports and three transmission lines in a Y-configuration, in which a tuning stub as claimed in claim 3 is provided between each adjacent pair of said second conductors.

Claim 9

A circulator according to claim 3 in which said tuning stub is a conductor bisecting the angle formed by said input and output conductors.

Claim 10

A circulator according to claim 7 comprised of strip-type transmission lines having flat second conductors, in which the input conductor has a first width, and the tuning stub has a second width which is substantially half said first width.

Claim 11

A circulator according to claim 3 in which saiD gyromagnetic means extends only part way from said junction to the ports of said configuration, and a dielectric medium having a dielectric constant different from that of said gyromagnetic means intervenes between the latter and said ports, the characteristic impedance of said input conductor in the vicinity of said dielectric medium is greater than the characteristic impedance thereof in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means, and the characteristic impedance of said tuning stub is greater than the characteristic impedance of said input conductor both in the vicinity of said dielectric medium and in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 12

A circulator according to claim 9 comprised of strip-type transmission lines having flat second conductors, in which said dielectric medium is a gas, and the width of said input conductor is greater in said gas than it is adjacent said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 13

A circulator according to claim 9 in which said first and second conductors are closer together in the vicinity of said dielectric medium than in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 14

A circulator according to claim 3 comprised of strip-type transmission lines in which said gyromagnetic means comprises at least one ferrite disc located between said first and second conductors and having a diameter that is approximately a half wavelength of the lowest frequency of said energy therein at the lowest frequency in the operating range of said circulator, and said tuning stub, measured from the center of said junction, extends along a surface of said disc toward the periphery of said disc.

Claim 15

A circulator according to claim 12 in which the characteristic impedance of said tuning stub is greater than the characteristic impedance of said input conductor.

Claim 16

In a transmission line circulator comprising a TEM junction in a multiport configuration of transmission lines having as a first conductor of each line a pair of parallel spaced-apart common ground-members and as a second conductor of each line an elongated conductor extending in spaced relation between said ground-members one from each port of said configuration into said junction, for the propagation of electric wave energy from an input one of said ports to an output one of said ports, and gyromagnetic means located in said junction between said second conductors and each of said ground members for circulating such energy when suitably magnetized; the improvement comprising an electrically conductive tuning stub coupled to said second conductors in said junction and extending therefrom between an input conductor and an output conductor into and terminating within a region adjacent said gyromagnetic means where a high intensity electric field is established by electrical energization of said input conductor, for adjusting the complex impedance appearing at said input port.

Claim 17

In a transmission line circulator comprising a TEM junction in a multiport configuration of transmission lines having as a first conductor of each line a pair of parallel spaced-apart common ground-members and as a second conductor of each line an elongated conductor extending in spaced relation between said ground-members one from each port of said configuration into said junction, for the propagation of electric wave energy from an input one of said ports to an output one of said ports, and gyromagnetic means located in said junction between said second conductors and each of said ground members for circulating such energy when suitably magnetized; the improvement comprising an electrically conductive tuning stub coupled to said second conductors in said junction and extending therefrom between an input conductor and an output conductor into and terminating within a region adjacent said gyromagnetic means where a high intensity electric field is established by electrical energization of said input conductor, for adjusting the complex impedance appearing at said input port.

Claim 18

A circulator according to claim 14 comprising three transmission lines in a Y-configuration, in which a tuning stub as claimed in claim 14 is provided between each adjacent pair of said second conductors.

Claim 19

A circulator according to claim 14 in which said gyromagnetic means extends only part way from said junction to the ports of said configuration, and a dielectric medium having a dielectric constant different from that of said gyromagnetic means intervenes between the latter and said ports, the characteristic impedance of said input conductor in the vicinity of said dielectric medium is greater than the characteristic impedance thereof in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means, and the characteristic impedance of said tuning stub is greater than the characteristic impedance of said input conductor both in the vicinity of said dielectric medium and in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 20

A circulator according to claim 16 comprised of strip-type transmission lines having flat second conductors, in which said dielectric medium is a gas, and the width of said input conductor is greater in said gas than it is adjacent Said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 21

A circulator according to claim 16 in which said ground-plane members are spaced closer together in the vicinity of said dielectric medium than in the vicinity of said gyromagnetic means.

Claim 22

A circulator according to claim 18 in which said gyromagnetic means comprises a pair of ferrite discs having a diameter that is approximately a half wavelength of the lowest frequency of said energy therein at the lowest frequency in the operating range of said circulator, and said tuning stub, measured from the center of said junction, extends between said discs toward the vicinity of the peripheries of said discs.