Design e simulação de um acoplador planar reconfigurável para aplicação em sistemas de telecomunicações em micro-ondas

Abstract

The growing demand for advanced electronic devices for communication has driven the development of microwave technologies capable of operating in multiple frequency bands. Initially, wireless communication was limited by fixed transmissions and low-frequency bands, but technological innovation has enabled expansion to microwave frequencies, ranging from 3 GHz to 300 GHz. Among the critical components in this range, filters, duplexers, and hybrid couplers stand out, being essential for the management and distribution of electromagnetic power in communication systems. However, as technological demands have evolved, the need for multifunctional devices capable of operating in more than one frequency band has become crucial. Directional couplers, which traditionally have four ports and are used to couple a specific amount of electromagnetic power, are classic examples of couplers designed to divide power equitably among the ports and are known as hybrid couplers. A specific type of known coupler is the branch-line, widely applied in circuits such as amplifiers and balanced mixers. Innovation in this type of device has focused on the integration of artificial transmission lines (ATLs) to enable multiband operation of these couplers. ATLs are designed to simulate the behavior of conventional transmission lines in various frequency bands and are crucial for the development of devices with multiband operating capabilities. This work proposes the investigation and development of new techniques for the design of branch-line hybrid couplers, focusing on creating reconfigurable versions, as well as improving the relationship between operating frequencies and reducing the size of the devices. The approach aims to optimize the performance of couplers, meeting the growing demands of modern communication systems, providing more versatile and efficient solutions for microwave applications. The project will be carried out with the aid of electromagnetic simulation software, and the behavior of the switching elements will be modeled through equivalent circuits, allowing a detailed and accurate analysis of the device characteristics.