JP2006081018A - Multilayer directional coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

A stacked directional coupler in which an area required for pattern arrangement can be easily reduced is provided.
A stacked directional coupler includes a first electromagnetic coupling element having first and second inductance elements that are electromagnetically coupled, and third and fourth inductance elements that are electromagnetically coupled to each other. A second electromagnetic coupling element, a connection part for electrically connecting the second and third inductance elements in parallel, and a plate electrode disposed between the first and second electromagnetic coupling elements. Since the first to fourth inductance elements are arranged in the stacking direction, the area required for the electrode pattern of the inductance element can be easily reduced.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a laminated directional coupler.

Laminated directional couplers are used in wireless information devices such as mobile phones and wireless LANs.
Here, since there are cases where a plurality of frequencies are used in the wireless information device, a dual-band stacked directional coupler capable of handling a plurality of frequencies is used.
A technique related to a laminated directional coupler that can optimize electrical characteristics independently for each frequency band and has excellent isolation between main lines is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).
JP2002-330008

However, in the laminated directional coupler described in Patent Document 1, since the couplers are arranged in parallel on a plane, the area required for arranging the electrode pattern of the coupler is likely to be large, and the laminated directional coupler is used. It was an obstacle to downsizing of the vessel.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a laminated directional coupler in which an area required for electrode pattern arrangement can be easily reduced.

  In order to achieve the above object, a multilayer directional coupler according to the present invention includes a first electromagnetic coupling element having first and second inductance elements which are arranged in a stacked manner and are electromagnetically coupled to each other. A second electromagnetic coupling element disposed in a stacked manner with the first electromagnetic coupling element, the second electromagnetic coupling element being disposed in a stacked manner and having a third and a fourth inductance element that are electromagnetically coupled to each other. An electromagnetic coupling element, a connection part for electrically connecting the second and third inductance elements in parallel, and a flat plate electrode disposed between the first and second electromagnetic coupling elements. Features.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the lamination type directional coupler with easy reduction of the area required for pattern arrangement | positioning can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a circuit configuration of a laminated directional coupler 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the laminated directional coupler 10 includes terminals T1 to T6 and inductance elements L1 to L4. The inductance elements L1 and L2 and the inductance elements L3 and L4 are electromagnetically coupled to constitute an electromagnetic coupling element.

A signal is input to each of the terminals T1 and T3. For example, a first signal having a first frequency (as an example, 0.9 GHz) is input to the terminal T1, and a second signal having a second frequency (as an example, 1.7 GHz) is input to the terminal T3. In general, only one of these two signals is input and not simultaneously.
The first and second signals respectively input to the terminals T1 and T3 are output from the terminals T2 and T4. Further, a magnetic field is generated in each of the inductance elements L1 and L4 due to a signal flow from the terminals T1 and T3 to the terminals T2 and T4, and a signal is induced in the inductance elements L2 and L3 by the magnetic field, so that Signals corresponding to the first and second signals are output.

In this way, a signal is output to the terminal T5 corresponding to the first and second signals input to the terminals T1 and T3. As a result, it is possible to monitor signals of the first and second frequencies input / output to / from the terminals T1 and T3 using the terminal T5.
Here, the terminal T6 is usually connected to the ground via a terminal resistor, and a signal output from the terminal T6 when a signal is input from the terminals T1 and T3 in order to reduce power consumption. It is preferable that the strength of is small.

  As described above, signals are output from the terminals T2 and T5 in response to the signal input to the terminal T1. At this time, almost no signal is output from the other terminals T3, T4, T6. Further, in response to the input of the signal to the terminal T3, the signal is output from the terminals T4 and T5. At this time, almost no signal is output from the other terminals T1, T2, and T6. In other words, the coupling relationship of the inductance elements L1 to L4 is adjusted so as to achieve such output characteristics.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the laminated directional coupler 10.
The stacked directional coupler 10 is configured by stacking substrates 11 to 21. For example, a 2012 (2.0 mm × 1.25 mm) type substrate made of glass ceramic (relative dielectric constant εr = 8, tan δ = 3 × 10 ⁻³ ) is used as the substrates 11 to 21, and silver paste is printed by thick film printing. The electrode pattern which printed etc. is formed.
The substrates 11 to 21 may be made of a ceramic material other than glass ceramic.

  Notches 31 to 38 serving as predetermined terminals are formed on the sides of the substrates 11 to 21. The notches 31 to 38 form grooves that coincide with each other in the stacking direction of the substrates 11 to 21 during stacking and extend in the stacking direction. By printing a silver paste in this groove part, it will function as terminals T1-T6 etc. The notches 31 to 36 correspond to the terminals T1 to T6, respectively. The notches 37 and 38 correspond to a ground terminal (also referred to as “ground terminal”) G for connection to the ground.

  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the substrates 11 to 21 constituting the laminated directional coupler 10 are separated. The substrate 21 is for protecting the laminated directional coupler 10 (particularly, an electrode 561 described later) from the outside, and is not shown because no electrode is formed.

The substrate 11 has land patterns (mounting electrode patterns) 111a to 111h (not shown) connected to the notches 31 to 38 on the lower surface, respectively. The land patterns 111a to 111f correspond to the terminals T1 to T6, and the land patterns 111g and 111h correspond to the ground terminal G, respectively.
The substrate 11 has a ground plane (ground) plate electrode 112 and an electrode pattern of the connection portion 113 on the upper surface. The flat plate electrode 112 is connected to the ground terminal G by the connection portion 113, protects a later-described line 121 and the like from the external electrical influence, and stabilizes the characteristics of the multilayer directional coupler 10.

The substrate 12 has an electrode pattern of a line 121 and connecting portions 122 and 123 on the upper surface. The line 121 functions as an inductance element L4 and is electromagnetically coupled to lines 131 and 141 described later.
Connection portions 122 and 123 are electrically connected to terminals T3 and T4, respectively.

The substrate 13 has an electrode pattern of lines 131 and connecting portions 132 and 133 on the upper surface. The line 131 is electrically connected to a line 141 described later. The lines 131 and 141 are wound in the same direction and function as one inductance element L3 as a whole. As described above, the lines 131 and 141 are electromagnetically coupled to the line 121. The reason why the inductance element L3 is configured by the combination of the lines 131 and 141 is to ensure the line length (the number of turns of the coil) without increasing the area of the substrate.
Each of the connection portions 132 and 133 is connected to a terminal T6 and a via 144 described later.

The substrate 14 has an electrode pattern of a line 141 and connecting portions 142 and 143 on the upper surface. A via 144 that penetrates the substrate 14 is disposed in the connection portion 143.
The connection part 142 is connected to the terminal T5. The connection unit 143 is electrically connected to the connection unit 133 via the via 144.

  The substrate 15 has a grounding (ground) plate electrode 151 and an electrode pattern of the connecting portion 152 on the upper surface. The plate electrode 151 is connected to the ground terminal G by the connection portion 152 to prevent electromagnetic interference between the line 141 and a later-described line 161. In other words, the plate electrode 151 prevents signals from being mixed between the inductance elements L1 and L2 (first electromagnetic coupling element) and the inductance elements L3 and L4 (second electromagnetic coupling element).

The substrate 16 has an electrode pattern of a line 161 and connecting portions 162 and 163 on the upper surface. The line 161 is electrically connected to a line 171 described later. The lines 161 and 171 are wound in the same direction and function as one inductance element L2 as a whole. The lines 161 and 171 are electromagnetically coupled to a line 191 described later. The reason why the inductance element L2 is configured by the combination of the lines 161 and 171 is to ensure the line length without increasing the area of the substrate.
Each of the connection parts 162 and 163 is connected to a terminal T6 and a via 174 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the lines constituting each of the inductance elements L2 and L3 are spirally wound. Here, it is preferable that the spiral winding directions of the lines 161 and 171 and the lines 131 and 141 constituting the second inductance element L2 and the third inductance element L3 are the same. The same screen mask can be used for printing a pattern on the substrates 16 and 13 (also the substrates 17 and 14) by making the winding direction of each spiral the same when viewed as a laminate. There is an advantage that the number of screen masks, and hence the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The substrate 17 has an electrode pattern of a line 171 and connection portions 172 and 173 on the upper surface. A via 174 that penetrates the substrate 17 is disposed in the connection portion 173.
The connection part 172 is connected to the terminal T5. The connection unit 173 is electrically connected to the connection unit 163 via the via 174.

The substrate 18 has an electrode pattern of a line 181 and connecting portions 182 and 183 on the upper surface. The line 181 is for connecting the terminal T1 and a line 181 described later. Each of the connecting portions 182 and 183 is electrically connected to the terminal T1 and a via 194 described later.
If necessary, the line 181 can be wound in the same direction as a line 191 described later, and the lines 181 and 191 can function as one inductance element as a whole.

The substrate 19 has an electrode pattern of a line 191 and connection portions 192 and 193 on the upper surface. A via 194 that penetrates the substrate 19 is disposed in the connection portion 193. The line 191 functions as the inductance element L1 and is electromagnetically coupled to the lines 161 and 171.
The connection part 192 is electrically connected to the terminal T2. The connecting portion 193 is electrically connected to the terminal T1 through the via 194 and the line 181.

  The substrate 20 has a ground electrode (ground) plate electrode 201 and an electrode pattern of the connection portion 202 on the upper surface. The flat plate electrode 201 is connected to the ground terminal G by the connecting portion 202, protects the line 191 and the like from the external electric influence, and stabilizes the characteristics of the multilayer directional coupler 10.

  As described above, in the multilayer directional coupler 10, the inductance elements L1 to L4 are arranged in the vertical direction (lamination direction). For this reason, it is easy to reduce the area of the substrates 11 to 20 and reduce the size of the multilayer directional coupler 10. This becomes clearer when compared with the comparative example described below.

(Comparative example)
As a comparative example of the laminated directional coupler 10, a laminated directional coupler 50 in which a plurality of inductance elements are arranged on the same plane will be described.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a circuit configuration of the laminated directional coupler 50 according to the comparative example.
As shown in FIG. 4, the laminated directional coupler 50 includes terminals T1 to T6 and inductance elements L1 to L4. The inductance elements L1 and L2 and the inductance elements L3 and L4 are electromagnetically coupled.
It should be noted that the same symbols are used for the terminals T1 to T6 and the inductance elements L1 to L6 in the embodiment and the comparative example because of the intelligibility of the correspondence, but these are completely the same including the electrical characteristics. It is not necessarily required to be an element.

  Similarly to the stacked directional coupler 10, the stacked directional coupler 50 outputs signals from the terminals T <b> 2 and T <b> 5 in response to signal input to the terminal T <b> 1. Further, in response to the input of the signal to the terminal T3, the signal is output from the terminals T4 and T5.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the substrates constituting the laminated directional coupler 50 are separated.
The stacked directional coupler 50 is configured by stacking substrates 51 to 56.
On the upper surface of the substrate 51, there are electrode patterns of a ground plate electrode 511 and a connecting portion 512. The flat plate electrode 511 is connected to the ground terminal G by a connecting portion 512, and protects a line 521 and the like, which will be described later, from electrical influences of the outside world.

  The upper surface of the substrate 52 has electrode patterns of lines 521 and 522 and connection portions 523 and 524. The lines 521 and 522 are for connecting terminals T1 and T4 and lines 531 and 532 described later, respectively. Connection portions 523 and 524 are electrically connected to lines 531 and 532 through vias, respectively.

  Electrodes of lines 531 and 532 and connecting portions 533 and 534 are provided on the upper surface of the substrate 53. Vias are arranged in the connection portions 533 and 534, respectively. The lines 531 and 532 function as inductance elements L1 and L4, respectively, and terminals T2 and T3 and lines 521 and 522 are connected to both ends thereof.

  The upper surface of the substrate 54 has electrode patterns of lines 541 and 542 and connection portions 543 and 544. The lines 541 and 542 function as inductance elements L2 and L3, and terminals T5 and T6 are connected to one end thereof. The other ends of the lines 541 and 542 are electrically connected to each other via vias and a line 551 described later.

An electrode pattern of the line 551 and the connection portions 552 and 553 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 55. Connection portions 552 and 553 are electrically connected to lines 541 and 542 through vias.
An electrode pattern of a flat plate electrode 561 for grounding and a connection portion 562 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 56. The plate electrode 561 is connected to the ground terminal G by the connection portion 562.

  As described above, in the multilayer directional coupler 50, the inductance elements L1 and L4 and the inductance elements L2 and L3 are arranged on the same plane. For this reason, compared with the said embodiment, it is difficult to reduce the area of the board | substrates 51-56 and to attain size reduction of the lamination type directional coupler 50. FIG.

(Characteristics of the laminated directional coupler 10)
The electrical characteristics of the laminated directional coupler 10 will be described in comparison with a comparative example.
Here, in the multilayer directional coupler 10, the inductance elements L1 to L4 are arranged from the upper side to the lower side, but the arrangement order thereof is changed.

FIG. 6 is a table showing the results of simulating the electrical characteristics of the laminated directional coupler 10.
In the first to sixth embodiments, the order of stacking the substrates of the multilayer directional coupler 10 is changed. In the first embodiment, the inductance elements L1 to L4 are arranged from the upper side to the lower side in FIG. ing.

For bands 1 and 2, insertion loss (Insertion Loss), reflection loss (Return Loss), degree of coupling (Coupling), and degree of separation (Isolation) were determined. Bands 1 and 2 were set to 0.893 to 0.960 GHz and 1.429 to 1.453 GHz, respectively, and the coupling degree and the separation degree were the minimum values in these frequency ranges.
The separation I is between the terminals T1 and T4 (I14), between the terminals T1 and T3 (I13), between the terminals T1 and T6 (I16), between the terminals T3 and T6 (I36), and between the terminals T2 and T3 (I23). The value at was obtained. That is, the separations I14, I13, I16, I36, and I2 are respectively between the band 1 input and the band 2 output, between the band 1 input and the band 2 input, between the band 1 input and the termination, and the band 2 input. Between the output of band 1 and the input of band 2.

In Example 1, the degree of separation between the terminals T1 and T6 (I16) and between the terminals T3 and T6 (I36) was good. This means that power loss at the terminating resistor is small when signals input to the terminals T1 and T3 are monitored. Example 1 was also the best in the difference between the degree of binding and the degree of separation (“I16-C1” and “I36-C2”).
In other items (insertion loss, reflection loss, degree of coupling, and other degree of separation (I14, I13, I23), the same results as in the other cases were obtained.
As described above, Example 1 (when arranged in the order of the inductance elements L1 to L2, in other words, when the inductance elements L2 and L3 face each other) showed good characteristics.

Next, a description will be given of the result of measuring the electrical characteristics of each of the laminated directional couplers produced in Example 1 and Comparative Example.
7 and 8 are graphs showing the frequency characteristics of the insertion loss IL1 and the reflection loss RL1 in the band 1 of Example 1 and the comparative example, respectively. 9 and 10 are graphs showing the frequency characteristics of the degree of coupling C1 and the degree of separation I16 in band 1 of Example 1 and the comparative example, respectively. 7 to 10 correspond to the case where a signal is input from the terminal T1.

  11 and 12 are graphs showing the frequency characteristics of the insertion loss IL2 and the reflection loss RL2 in the band 2 of Example 1 and the comparative example, respectively. FIGS. 13 and 14 are graphs showing frequency characteristics of the degree of coupling C2 and the degree of separation I36 in band 2 of Example 1 and the comparative example, respectively. 11 to 14 correspond to the case where a signal is input from the terminal T3.

  15 and 16 are graphs showing the frequency characteristics of the separation degrees I14, I13, and I23 of Example 1 and the comparative example, respectively. In FIG. 15, since the graphs of the separation degrees I14 and I23 are close to each other, they are represented as one line in the drawing.

FIG. 17 is a table summarizing the results of FIGS. 7 to 16 and corresponds to FIG.
In actual measurement, no substantial difference was observed in the degree of separation I16 and I36 between Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, but the balance of reflection losses RL1 and RL2 was good.
As described above, in both the simulation and the actual measurement, the electrical characteristics in Example 1 were inferior to the comparative examples.

(Other embodiments)
Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be expanded and modified. The expanded and modified embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a circuit diagram showing the circuit structure of the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the lamination type directional coupler concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view showing the state which isolate | separated the board | substrate which comprises the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit diagram showing the circuit structure of the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view showing the state which isolate | separated the board | substrate which comprises the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention. It is a table | surface which shows the result of having simulated the electrical property of the lamination type directional coupler. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the insertion loss in the band 1 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the Example of this invention, and a reflective loss. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the insertion loss in the band 1 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention, and a reflection loss. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the coupling degree in the band 1 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the Example of this invention, and isolation | separation degree. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the coupling degree in the band 1 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention, and a separation degree. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the insertion loss in the band 2 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the Example of this invention, and a reflection loss. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the insertion loss in the band 2 of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention, and a reflection loss. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the coupling degree in the band 2 and isolation | separation degree of the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the coupling degree and the separation degree in the band 2 of the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the separation degree of the lamination type directional coupler which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a graph showing the frequency characteristic of the separation degree of the laminated type directional coupler which concerns on the comparative example of this invention. It is the table | surface which put together the result of FIGS.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Laminated type directional coupler L1-L4 ... Inductance element T1-T6 ... Terminal

Claims (3)

A first electromagnetic coupling element having a first inductance element, a second inductance element, and a first inductance element disposed in a stacked manner and electromagnetically coupled to each other;
A second electromagnetic coupling element disposed in a stack with the first electromagnetic coupling element, a third inductance element disposed in a stacked manner and electromagnetically coupled to each other; and a fourth inductance element; A second electromagnetic coupling element having
A connection part for electrically connecting the second inductance element and the third inductance element in parallel;
A plate electrode disposed between the first electromagnetic coupling element and the second electromagnetic coupling element;
A laminated directional coupler comprising: The multilayer directional coupler according to claim 1, wherein the second inductance element and the third inductance element are arranged to face each other with the plate electrode interposed therebetween.   The laminated directionality according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second inductance element and the third inductance element are formed of spiral lines, and the winding directions of the spiral lines are the same. Combiner.

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