Design of a Switchable Filter for Reflectionless-Bandpass-to-Reflectionless-Bandstop Responses

Abstract

In this paper, a switchable filter based on the microstrip line (ML) with reflectionless-bandpass-to-reflectionless-bandstop responses is designed, theoretically validated, and fabricated. This single-port reflectionless bandpass filter (R-BPF) consists of a BPF and a shunt-connected bandstop section with terminated absorption resistors. The single-port reflectionless bandstop filter (R-BSF) is made of a BSF and a parallel bandpass circuit with terminated absorption resistors. These two reflectionless operational modes, namely R-BPF and R-BSF, are allowed to reconfigure the multifunctional filtering device using PIN diodes. In addition, a theoretical analysis of terminal impedance is performed to illustrate the working mechanism of the reflectionless response. To demonstrate the application of the proposed designs, a prototype of the switchable filter for R-BPF to R-BSF responses is fabricated and measured. For the R-BPF mode, the 3-dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) is 36.75% (1.67–2.42 GHz) with a 10-dB reflectionless bandwidth (RBW) of 1.36–2.58 GHz (i.e., FBW of 61.9%). For the R-BSF mode, the 10-dB bandwidth is 13% (1.85–2.11 GHz) with a 10.7-dB RBW of 1–3 GHz (i.e., FBW of 100%). An acceptable agreement between the measured and simulated results has been achieved.