Multilayer Reflectionless RF Bandpass Filters With Wideband Quasi-Constant Group-Delay Responses

A class of reflectionless RF bandpass filters (BPFs) with wideband quasi-constant in-band group-delay response in transmission for high-data-rate digital-communication systems is presented. These BPFs are developed by exploiting multilayer wideband microstrip-to-microstrip vertical transitions and lossy multi-section microstrip lines in complementary-diplexer-based architectures. A two-port-reflectionless wideband BPF with low-in-band-variation equi-ripple-type group-delay characteristics is firstly realized by using two resistively-terminated one-section microstrip lines. To further flatten its passband group delay, its counterpart based on lossy two-section microstrip lines is then conceived to attain extremely-flat wideband group-delay pattern. Subsequently, by means of a modified wideband microstrip transition with a short-circuit-ended two-section microstrip line and a resistively-terminated two-section microstrip line, an input-reflectionless BPF with two close-to-passband transmission zeros (TZs) and wideband in-band flat group-delay profile is reported. In order to obtain a higher-order flat-group-delay wideband BPF response with more TZs, its structure shaped by two in-series-cascaded units of the previous input-absorptive BPF section with two TZs is engineered, in which different impedance values for their constituent short-circuit-ended microstrip lines are utilized. The operational foundations of all the proposed wideband flat-group-delay RF BPFs are described in detail. Furthermore, for practical-validation purposes, three 2-GHz microstrip prototypes of these reflectionless wideband RF BPFs with quasi-constant group-delay responses beyond their 3-dB absolute bandwidths (BWs) are designed, simulated, manufactured, and characterized.