A TE011Ka-band tunable filter with a stable and continuous tuning performance is presented in this paper. Both bandwidth and center-frequency tunability are demonstrated by cascading six-pole pseudo-low-pass and pseudo-high-pass tunable filters. A novel mode-splitter resonator and coupling configuration enabling cross-coupled planar TE011 filter realization is introduced in this paper. The concept can be applied to back-to-back coupled TE011 resonators as well. The filter design is verified through fabrication of multiple tunable filters that demonstrates 500 MHz of tuning range with a stable RF tuning performance.

A $Ka$ -Band Fully Tunable Cavity Filter

An original and simple approach to the design of fully reconfigurable multi-band microwave bandpass filters (BPFs) with an arbitrary number of passbands is reported in this paper. It exploits the use of an innovative quasi-BPF configuration made up of different sets of controllable mono-frequency resonators to separately shape each tunable passband. Thus, high-selectivity multi-band bandpass filtering transfer functions exhibiting independent control in terms of center frequency, bandwidth, and transmission zeros can be synthesized. Furthermore, as an unprecedented frequency-agility feature of the proposed reconfigurable multi-band BPF structure when compared to the state-of-the-art, its passbands can be merged together to form broader, and for certain realizations, higher order transmission bands. This allows even more degrees of reconfiguration to be achieved in the devised circuit, which can also operate as ultra-wideband BPF with flexible in-band notches or self-equalized flat-group-delay quasi-elliptic-type BPF. The theoretical foundations of the described reconfigurable multi-band BPF scheme, along with guidelines for its design and a triple-passband filter synthesis example based on the coupled-node formalism, are expounded. In addition, as an experimental proof-of-concept, two microstrip prototypes with high- $Q$ tuning implemented through mechanically variable capacitors are manufactured and tested. They are a wideband dual-band BPF and a quadruple-band BPF with narrow-bandwidth passbands.

Reconfigurable Multi-Band Microwave Filters

In this brief, a dual-mode dual-band filter based on half-mode substrate integrated waveguide (HMSIW) is presented. The proposed filter has the capability to tune the two pass-bands independently. The proposed filter consists of two HMSIW resonators coupled through a pair of ${E}$ -shaped coupling slots. Two resonating modes ( TE 101 and TE 102) are excited in each resonator. A varactor diode is used in the proposed filter for tuning purpose. The varactor diode is placed in the structure in such a way that both bands can be tuned independently. The lower passband can be tuned from 3.26 to 3.47 GHz with insertion loss of 0.2–2.9 dB. The higher passband can be tuned from 5.47 to 6.13 GHz with low insertion loss of 0.1–2.1 dB. The presented results show the flexibility of the filter to achieve desired responses and its suitability for integration with any tunable planar structure. A good agreement between the simulated and measured results is observed.

Dual-Band Half Mode Substrate Integrated Waveguide Filter With Independently Tunable Bands

Microwave signal filtering is a fundamental and central functionality in radio-frequency (RF) systems. Underpinned by advanced integrated photonics technologies, emerging integrated microwave photonic (IMWP) filter platforms enable reconfigurable and widely tunable RF signal filtering functionalities that were unattainable using conventional electronics while also exhibiting superior features in terms of compactness, light weight, stability, low power consumption, and low latency. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the principles, architectures, and performance of IMWP filters. We highlight recent advances of IMWP filters enabled by on-chip nonlinear optics, RF-interference technology and emerging integration platforms, with an emphasis on the RF performance which is critical for their usability in real-world applications. We conclude with a perspective on future research challenges and new possibilities for IMWP filters.

Integrated microwave photonic filters

This paper presents a center frequency and bandwidth reconfiguration mechanism for waveguide microwave bandpass filters. The filters are designed to be used in the output section of a satellite communication system. While the center frequency of a bandpass filter can be tuned by changing the lengths of the filter resonators, the coupling irises as practical realizations of the impedance inverters cannot easily be adapted to a new value. The novel approach chosen in this paper is to replace the impedance inverters by a novel type of coupling structure. This coupling structure allows adjustment of the coupling by changing the length of a transmission line, which is equivalent to changing the resonant frequency of a coupling resonator. Design equations are presented to transform an impedance inverter into the proposed coupling structure. A synthesis procedure for bandwidth reconfigurable filters is proposed. The feasibility of coupling adaptation is proven based on a full-wave model of the coupling structure. The synthesis process is applied to a four-pole Chebyshev sidewall-coupled circular waveguide filter with 54- and 72-MHz bandwidth settings. The filter is built up and measured. The measured results prove that the filter can be tuned to both bandwidths over a center frequency range of 200 MHz with excellent return loss and insertion loss.

Reconfigurable Waveguide Filter with Variable Bandwidth and Center Frequency

Tunable filters have a wide range of applications from software-defined radio to reconfigurable satellite payloads. They are a key building block for any flexible transceivers. A variety of tunable filter technologies can be found in the literature. Examples include: planar tunable filters employing solid-state or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) varactors [1]-[6], and ferroelectric variable capacitor tuned coaxial filters [7]. The choice of technology is driven by the application. In this article, we focus on applications requiring high performance, including low loss, high-power handling capability, and high stability, mainly for communications satellites or wireless base stations. These requirements immediately rule out any low-quality factor (Q) technologies. For instance, besides low Q, planar-type tunable filters typically suffer from poor selectivity and transmission-response variation over the tuning range. Technologies based on substrate-integrated-waveguide (SIW) offer better Q than microstrip circuits and advantage in packaging [8]-[10]. However, in most cases, their Q is comparable to strip-line circuits with the same volume. Air-cavity resonators, on the other hand, offer high-Q in the range of thousands to tens of thousands and high-power handling and are therefore one of the obvious choices. The addition of each requirement, such as power, selectivity, vibration, and temperature stability, further limits available choices. We are not aware of an existing technology that satisfies all these requirements. The search for a viable solution for the targeted high-end applications is indeed a difficult journey, with years of experience accumulation from past good and bad designs.

The Sound the Air Makes: High-Performance Tunable Filters Based on Air-Cavity Resonators

A TE011 Ka band tunable filter with a stable and continuous tuning performance is presented in this paper. A novel mode-splitter resonator and coupling configuration enabling cross-coupled planar TE011 filter realization is introduced in this work. The concept can be applied to back-to-back coupled TE011 resonator as well. The idea presented in this paper is verified through fabrication of a three-pole Ka-band tunable filter that demonstrates 500 MHz of tuning range with a stable RF tuning performance.

Brian Keats

Papers

A $Ka$ -Band Fully Tunable Cavity Filter

The Sound the Air Makes: High-Performance Tunable Filters Based on Air-Cavity Resonators

A Ka-band planar TE011 mode cavity tunable filter using a mode-splitter ring

The Sound the Air Makes