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EPSRC Reference: GR/K78744/01
Title: OPTIMISATION OF VARACTOR DIODE TUNING AND TEMPERATURE STABILITY OF DIELECTRIC RESONATOR CIRCUITS
Principal Investigator: Sloan, Professor R
Other Investigators:
Davis, Professor L
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Airbus Operations Limited
Department: Electrical Engineering & Electronics
Organisation: UMIST
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 04 November 1996 Ends: 03 May 1999 Value (£): 122,810
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Electronic Devices & Subsys.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
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Summary on Grant Application Form
Size reductions in radiocommunication electronics provide cost and weight advantages. One recent advance in the microwave industry has been the miniaturisation of microwave circuits by employing low loss, high dielectric constant materials. Dielectric resonators (DRs) find use in microwave components such as filters, oscillators and multiplexers. Such circuit designs are initially based upon approximate models combined with empirical approaches. The temperature drift and tuning range performance of such devices are therefore non-optimal and expensive design iteration is often required. The proposed work package will dramatically reduce the development time and costs associated with new designs. Two numerical models of the electromagnetic fields associated with the DR circuit will provide this. Firstly a radial mode matching technique will permit electromagnetic mode identification and quantification of the thermal drift of the DR resonant frequency. Secondly a model comprising finite element and finite difference analysis will allow accurate evaluation of the coupling between the DR and the microstrip line. Extending this coupling model to incorporate a varactor tuning diode mounted on an adjacent microstrip line will enable design optimisation for maximum tuning range and minimum Q degradation. Finally these models will provide equivalent circuits of the DR and secondary varactor tuning for inclusion in a microwave CAD package such as EESOFs ACADEMY.
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