wilkinsonSplitter

Create Wilkinson splitter in microstrip form on X-Y plane

Since R2021b

Description

Use the wilkinsonSplitter object to create a Wilkinson power splitter in microstrip form on the X-Y plane. The Wilkinson power splitter is the most common type of power divider. It is a lossless power divider and provides matching at all ports. The isolation between the output ports is achieved using a 2*Z0 resistor connected between the output ports. The Wilkinson splitter is used in transmitters, receivers, power combining applications, and in devices measuring the power of a test signal.

To analyze the behavioral model for the Wilkinson power splitter, set the Behavioral property in the sparameters to true or 1.

Creation

Syntax

splitter = wilkinsonSplitter

splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Name=Value)

Description

splitter = wilkinsonSplitter creates a Wilkinson splitter with default property values for an operating frequency of 1.8 GHz.

splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Name=Value) sets Properties using one or more name-value arguments. For example, wilkinsonSplitter(PortLineLength=0.0300) creates a Wilkinson splitter with an input and output line length of 0.0300 meters. Properties not specified retain their default values.

Properties

Shape — Shape of Wilkinson splitter

"Rectangular" (default) | "Circular"

Shape of the Wilkinson splitter, specified as "Rectangular" or "Circular".

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Shape="Circular")

Data Types: char | string

PortLineLength — Length of input and output line

0.0060 (default) | positive scalar

Length of the input and the output line in meters, specified as a positive scalar.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(PortLineLength=0.0070)

Data Types: double

PortLineWidth — Width of input and output line

0.0049 (default) | positive scalar

Width of the input and the output line in meters, specified as a positive scalar.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(PortLineWidth=0.0070)

Data Types: double

SplitLineLength — Length of 70-ohm line

0.0300 (default) | positive scalar

Length of the 70-ohm line in meters, specified as a positive scalar. The typical length of a Wilkinson splitter is λ/4.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(SplitLineLength=0.0570)

Data Types: double

SplitLineWidth — Width of 70-ohm line

0.0028 (default) | positive scalar

Width of the 70-ohm line in meters, specified as a positive scalar.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(SplitLineWidth=0.00780)

Data Types: double

ResistorLength — Length of resistor

0.0020 (default) | positive scalar

Length of the resistor in meters, specified as a positive scalar. The resistor length determines the distance between the output ports.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(ResistorLength=0.0050)

Data Types: double

Resistance — Resistance value

100 (default) | positive scalar

Resistance value in ohms, specified as a positive scalar. The default value is for an equal-split Wilkinson splitter.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Resistance=50)

Data Types: double

Height — Height of Wilkinson splitter from ground plane

0.0016 (default) | positive scalar

Height of the Wilkinson splitter from the ground plane in meters, specified as a positive scalar. In the case of a multilayer substrate, you can use the Height property to create a Wilkinson splitter where the two dielectrics interface.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Height=0.0076)

Data Types: double

GroundPlaneWidth — Width of ground plane in meters

0.0300 (default) | positive scalar

Width of the ground plane in meters, specified as a positive scalar.

Example: splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(GroundPlaneWidth=0.046)

Example: double

Substrate — Type of dielectric material

dielectric object

Type of dielectric material used as a substrate, specified as a dielectric object. The dielectric material in a wilkinsonSplitter object with default properties is Teflon. The thickness of the default dielectric material Teflon is 0.0016 m or the same value as the Height property.

Example: d = dielectric("FR4"); splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Substrate=d)

Data Types: string | char

Conductor — Type of metal used in conducting layers

metal object

Type of metal used in the conducting layers, specified as a metal object. The type of metal in a wilkinsonSplitter object with default properties is Copper.

Example: m = metal("PEC"); splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Conductor=m)

Data Types: string | char

Object Functions

charge	Calculate and plot charge distribution
current	Calculate and plot current distribution
design	Design Wilkinson splitter around specified frequency
feedCurrent	Calculate current at feed port
layout	Plot all metal layers and board shape
mesh	Change and view mesh properties of metal or dielectric in PCB component
shapes	Extract all metal layer shapes of PCB component
show	Display PCB component structure or PCB shape
sparameters	Calculate S-parameters for RF PCB objects
optimize	Optimize pcb catalog object
EHfields	Electric and magnetic fields of PCB components

Examples

Create Default Wilkinson Splitter

Create and view a default Wilkinson splitter on the X-Y plane.

splitter = wilkinsonSplitter

splitter = 
  wilkinsonSplitter with properties:

               Shape: 'Rectangular'
      PortLineLength: 0.0060
       PortLineWidth: 0.0049
     SplitLineLength: 0.0300
      SplitLineWidth: 0.0028
      ResistorLength: 0.0020
          Resistance: 100
              Height: 0.0016
    GroundPlaneWidth: 0.0300
           Substrate: [1×1 dielectric]
           Conductor: [1×1 metal]

show(splitter)

Calculate and plot the S-parameters of the splitter at 3 GHz.

spar=sparameters(splitter,3e9);
figure
rfplot(spar);

Create Multilayer Wilkinson Splitter

Create and view a multilayer Wilkinson splitter.

sub =  dielectric(Name=["Teflon","Teflon"],EpsilonR=[2.1 2.1], ...
    LossTangent=[0 0],Thickness=[0.8e-3 0.8e-3]);
splitter = wilkinsonSplitter(Height=0.8e-3,Substrate=sub);
show(splitter)

Plot the charge and current on this splitter at 3 GHz.

figure
charge(splitter,3e9)

figure
current(splitter,3e9)

References

[1] Pozar, David M. Microwave Engineering. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012.

Version History

Introduced in R2021b

R2022b: Behavioral Analysis for Wilkinson Power Splitter

Use the sparameters function and the pcbElement object to perform the behavioral analysis of a Wilkinson power splitter.