Branch Line Couplers with Small Size and Harmonic Suppression Based on Non-Periodic Step Impedance Shunt Stub (SISS) Loaded Lines

This paper presents branch line couplers with compact size and harmonic suppression based on non-periodic reactively loaded artificial lines. The reactive loading elements of the lines are step impedance shunt stubs (SISSs). Such elements provide transmission zeros, which are useful to efficiently suppressing the harmonic content of the device. Moreover, by virtue of reactive loading, the reported artificial lines exhibit a slow wave effect of interest for device miniaturization. The combination of size, harmonic suppression efficiency, and design simplicity (with a clear design methodology) is of interest within the framework of artificial transmission lines and their application to the optimization of microwave passive components.