Magnetic R.F. power splitter and power combiner

Claim 1

A power splitter for dividing radio frequency power applied to an input terminal equally among n output terminals, where n≧2 and is an integer, comprising: (a) housing means being physically equal to λ/4 at the center frequency f of said power splitter for providing a λ/4 electromagnetically shielded volume having first and second openings; (b) n separate inner conductors, each said inner conductor having a physical length equal to λ/4 at the center frequency f and having first and second ends; (c) means for mounting each said inner conductor in said electromagnetically shielded volume whereby said inner conductors are electrically insulated from each other and from said housing means and said first end of each said inner conductor is at said first opening and said second end of each said inner conductor is at said second opening; (d) said input terminal defined by electrically connecting together each said first end at said first opening and by electrically insulating said first ends from said housing; and (e) (n-1) separate electromagnetically shielded λ electrical lines (tuned for the center frequency f), each said λ line having a center conductor and a shield conductor, said shield conductor of each said λ line being electrically connected to said housing means, the center conductor of each said λ line being disposed between and electrically connecting together a separate pair of said second ends of said inner conductors so as to form an electrical ring with one such λ line missing between one of said pairs, whereby each of said second ends is an output terminal.