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Search results for: COMPACT COUPLERS
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Performance‐driven modeling of compact couplers in restricted domains
PublicationFast surrogate models can play an important role in reducing the cost of EM-driven design closure of miniaturized microwave components. Unfortunately, construction of such models is challenging due to curse of dimensionality and wide range of geometry parameters that need to be included in order to make it practically useful. In this letter, a novel approach to design-oriented modeling of compact couplers is presented. Our method...
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Rapid design optimization of compact couplers using response features and adjoint sensitivities
PublicationA technique for rapid EM-driven design optimization of compact microwave couplers is presented. Our approach exploits response features and adjoint sensitivities and allows for low-cost design closure both in terms of performance enhancement and structure miniaturization. It is demonstrated using a compact rat-race coupler working at 1 GHz and compared to adjoint-based gradient optimization.
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Accelerated simulation-driven design optimisation of compact couplers by means of two-level space mapping
PublicationIn this study, the authors discuss a robust and efficient technique for rapid design of compact couplers. The approach exploits two-level space mapping (SM) correction of an equivalent circuit model of the coupler structure under design. The first SM layer (local correction) is utilised to ensure good matching between the equivalent circuit and the electromagnetic model at the component level. Subsequent global correction allows...
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Low-Cost Automated Design of Compact Branch-Line Couplers
PublicationBranch-line couplers (BLCs) are important components of wireless communication systems. Conventional BLCs are often characterized by large footprints which make miniaturization an important prerequisite for their application in modern devices. State-of-the-art approaches to design of compact BLCs are largely based on the use of high-permittivity substrates and multi-layer topologies. Alternative methods involve replacement of transmission-line...
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Rapid surrogate-assisted statistical analysis of compact microstrip couplers
PublicationIn this paper, a technique for low-cost statistical analysis and yield estimation of compact microwave couplers has been presented. The analysis is executed at the level of a fast surrogate model representing selected characteristic points of the coupler response that are critical to determine satisfaction/violation of the prescribed design specifications. Because of less nonlinear dependence of the characteristic points on geometry...
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Cost-Efficient Design Methodology for Compact Rat-Race Couplers
PublicationIn this article, a reliable and low-cost design methodology for simulation-driven optimization of miniaturized rat-race couplers (RRCs) is presented. We exploit a two-stage design approach, where a composite structure (a basic building block of the RRC structure) is first optimized using a pattern search algorithm, and, subsequently, the entire coupler is tuned by means of surrogate-based optimization (SBO) procedure. SBO is executed...
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Design of Compact and Wideband Groove Gap Waveguide-Based Directional Couplers
PublicationThis paper proposes a compact cross-shaped groove gap waveguide structure for creating wideband and compact directional couplers with different coupling levels. Groove gap waveguide technology is applied to overcome fabrication challenges of printed and hollow waveguide structures in high frequency bands. The validity of the novel concept is demonstrated through the design and evaluation of several compact broadband directional...
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Rapid dimension scaling of compact microwave couplers with power split correction
PublicationIn this paper, a technique for rapid re-design ofcompact microwave couplers with respect to operating frequency is discussed. Our methodology involves an inverse surrogate model setup using several reference designs optimized (at the level of equivalent circuit representation of the coupler) for a set of operating frequencies within a range of interest. The surrogate establishes the relationship between the operating frequency...
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Fast surrogate-assisted simulation-driven design of compact microwave hybrid couplers
PublicationThis work presents a robust methodology for expedited simulation-driven design optimization of compact microwave hybrid couplers. The technique relies on problem decomposition, and a bot-tom–up design strategy, starting from the level of basic building blocks of the coupler, and finishing with a tuning procedure that exploits a fast surrogate model of the entire structure. The latter is constructed by cascading local response surface...
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Fast multi-criterial statistical analysis and design optimization of compact microwave couplers
Publication—A rapid statistical analysis and yield estimation of compact microwave couplers involving multiple performance parameters has been presented. The analysis is realized using a fast surrogate model representing appropriate characteristic points of the coupler response. Because of less nonlinear dependence of the characteristic points on the structure geometry (compared to the original response, i.e., S-parameters vs. frequency),...
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Computationally efficient two-objective optimization of compact microwave couplers through corrected domain patching
PublicationFinding an acceptable compromise between various objectives is a necessity in the design of contemporary microwave components and circuits. A primary reason is that most objectives are at least partially conflicting. For compact microwave structures, the design trade-offs are normally related to the circuit size and its electrical performance. In order to obtain comprehensive information about the best possible trade-offs, multi-objective...
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Rapid multi-objective design optimisation of compact microwave couplers by means of physics-based surrogates
PublicationThe authors introduce a methodology for fast multi-objective design optimisation of miniaturised microwave couplers. The approach exploits the surrogate-based optimisation paradigm with an underlying low-fidelity model constructed from an equivalent circuit of the structure under consideration, corrected through implicit and frequency space mapping. A fast prediction tool obtained this way is subsequently optimised by a multi-objective...
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Inverse modeling for fast design optimization of small-size rat-race couplers incorporating compact cells
PublicationIn the paper, a framework for computationally-efficient design optimization of compact rat-race couplers (RRCs) is discussed. A class of hybrid RRCs with variable operating conditions is investigated, whose size reduction is obtained by replacing ordinary transmission lines with compact microstrip resonant cells (CMRCs). Our approach employs a bottom-up design strategy leading to the development of compact RRCs through rapid design...
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Bandwidth-size design trade-offs for compact spline-parameterised patch couplers by means of electromagnetic-driven multi-objective optimisation
PublicationBroad bandwidth and small size are the key performance figures for contemporary microwave couplers. These requirements are conflicting, i.e. improvement of one generally leads to degradation of the other assuming fixed topology of the circuit at hand. From a designer's perspective, the knowledge about available design trade-offs is indispensable as it permits for tailoring the circuit for particular applications as well as comparing...
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Low-cost and reliable geometry scaling of compact microstrip couplers with respect to operating frequency, power split ratio, and dielectric substrate parameters
PublicationA technique for rapid re-design of miniaturised microstrip couplers with respect to operating conditions as well as material parameters of the dielectric substrate is proposed. The dimension scaling process is based on a set of pre-optimised reference designs, obtained for an equivalent circuit model of the coupler at hand. The reference designs are utilised to construct an inverse surrogate model which – upon suitable correction...
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A novel microstrip dual-layer rat-race coupler with compact size and enhanced bandwidth
PublicationMicrowave hybrid couplers are crucial components of mixers, phase shifters, amplifiers and other high-frequency systems. Conventional couplers are characterized by large size which limits their usefulness in modern applications. In this work, a novel compact rat-race coupler with enhanced bandwidth has been proposed. The structure consists of six compact microstrip resonant cells. It is implemented on two separate layers which permits...
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Inverse surrogate models for fast geometry scaling of miniaturized dual-band couplers
PublicationRe-design of microwave structures for various sets of performance specifications is a challenging task, particularly for compact components where considerable electromagnetic (EM) cross-couplings make the relationships between geometry parameters and the structure responses complex. Here, we address geometry scaling of miniaturized dual-band couplers by means of inverse surrogate modeling. Our approach allows for fast estimation...
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Size Reduction of Microwave Couplers by EM-Driven Optimization
PublicationThis work addresses simulation-driven design optimization of compact microwave couplers that explicitly aims at circuit footprint area reduction. The penalty function approach allows us to minimize the area of the circuit while ensuring a proper power division between the output ports and providing a sufficient bandwidth with respect to return loss and isolation around the operating frequency. Computational cost of the optimization...
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Novel doubly perforated broadband microstrip branch-line couplers
PublicationTwo broadband compact doubly perforated hybrid couplers have been designed, manufactured, and measured. To improve frequency characteristics and to reduce circuit dimensions, two kinds of perforations have been introduced: the defected ground structures in the ground plane metallization and photonic bandgap cells in the strip metallization. Measurement results show essential miniaturization (~39% and ~36%) and enhancement of the...
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Expedited two-objective dimension scaling of compact microwave passives using surrogate models
PublicationGeometry scaling of compact microwave structures is a challenging problem because of complex relationships between the physical dimensions and electrical characteristics, mostly caused by considerable cross-couplings in densely arranged layouts. Here, a procedure for expedited dimension scaling of compact microwave couplers with respect to two independent criteria has been presented. Our approach involves inverse surrogate models...
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Low-cost multiband compact branch-line coupler design using response features and automated EM model fidelity adjustment
PublicationDesign closure of compact microwave components is a challenging problem because of significant electromagnetic (EM) cross-couplings in densely arranged layouts. A separate issue is a large number of designable parameters resulting from replacement of conventional transmission line sections by compact microstrip resonant cells. This increases complexity of the design optimization problem and requires employment of expensive high-fidelity...
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Expedited EM-Driven Design of Miniaturized Microwave Hybrid Couplers Using Surrogate-Based Optimization
PublicationMiniaturization of microwave hybrid couplers is important for contemporary wireless communication engineering. Using standard computer-aided design methods for development of compact structures is extremely challenging due to a general lack of computationally efficient and accurate simulation models. Poor accuracy of available equivalent circuits results from neglecting parasitic cross-couplings that greatly affect the performance...
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Expedited Geometry Scaling of Compact Microwave Passives by Means of Inverse Surrogate Modeling
PublicationIn this paper, the problem of geometry scaling of compact microwave structures is investigated. As opposed to conventional structures (i.e., constructed using uniform transmission lines), re-design of miniaturized circuits (e.g., implemented with artificial transmission lines, ATSs) for different operating frequencies is far from being straightforward due to considerable cross-couplings between the circuit components. Here, we...
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Rapid Design Tuning of Miniaturized Rat-Race Couplers Using Regression-Based Equivalent Network Surrogates
PublicationA simple technique for fast design tuning of compact rat-race couplers is presented. Our approach involves equivalent circuit representation, corrected by nonlinear functions of frequency with coefficients extracted through nonlinear regression. At the same time, the tuning process connects two levels of coupler representation: EM simulation of the entire circuit and re-optimization of the coupler building blocks (slow-wave cells...
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Multi-objective optimization of microwave couplers using corrected domain patching
PublicationPractical design of microwave components and circuits is a compromise between various, often conflicting objectives. In case of compact structures, the trade-offs are typically concerned with the circuit size and its electrical performance. Comprehensive information about the best possible trade-offs can be obtained by means of multi-objective optimization. In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient technique for identifying...
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Surrogate-assisted EM-driven miniaturization of wideband microwave couplers by means of co-simulation low-fidelity models
PublicationThis article proposes a methodology for rapid design optimization of miniaturized wideband couplers. More specifically, a class of circuits is considered, in which conventional transmission lines are replaced by their abbreviated counterparts referred to as slow-wave compact cells. Our focus is on explicit reduction of the structure size as well as on reducing the CPU cost of the design process. For the sake of computational feasibility,...
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Variable-fidelity response feature surrogates for accelerated statistical analysis and yield estimation of compact microwave components
PublicationAccounting for manufacturing tolerances is an essential part of a reliable microwave design process. Yet, quantification of geometry and/or material parameter uncertainties is challenging at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models. This is due to inherently high cost of EM analysis and massive simulations necessary to conduct the statistical analysis. Here, a low-cost and accurate yield estimation procedure...
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Accurate simulation-driven modeling and design optimization of compact microwave structures
PublicationCost efficient design optimization of microwave structures requires availability of fast yet reliable replacement models so that multiple evaluations of the structure at hand can be executed in reasonable timeframe. Direct utilization of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations is often prohibitive. On the other hand, accurate data-driven modeling normally requires a very large number of training points and it is virtually infeasible...
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Fast geometry scaling of miniaturized microwave couplers with power split correction
PublicationRedesigning a microwave circuit for various operating conditions is a practically important yet challenging problem. The purpose of this article is development and presentation of a technique for fast geometry scaling of miniaturized microwave couplers with respect to operating frequency. Our approach exploits an inverse surrogate model constructed using several reference designs that are optimized for a set of operating frequencies...
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Rapid design of miniaturised branch-line couplers through concurrent cell optimisation and surrogate-assisted fine-tuning
PublicationIn this study, the authors introduce a methodology for low-cost simulation-driven design optimisation of highly miniaturised branch-line couplers (BLCs). The first stage of their design approach exploits fast concurrent optimisation of geometrically dependent, but electromagnetically isolated cells that constitute a BLC. The cross-coupling effects between the cells are taken into account in the second stage, where a surrogate-assisted...
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Fast Design Closure of Compact Microwave Components by Means of Feature-Based Metamodels
PublicationPrecise tuning of geometry parameters is an important consideration in the design of modern microwave passive components. It is mandatory due to limitations of theoretical design methods unable to quantify certain phenomena that are important for the operation and performance of the devices (e.g., strong cross-coupling effects in miniaturized layouts). Consequently, the initial designs obtained using analytical or equivalent network...
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Computationally Efficient Design Optimization of Compact Microwave and Antenna Structures
PublicationMiniaturization is one of the important concerns of contemporary wireless communication systems, especially regarding their passive microwave components, such as filters, couplers, power dividers, etc., as well as antennas. It is also very challenging, because adequate performance evaluation of such components requires full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation, which is computationally expensive. Although high-fidelity EM analysis...
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Rapid simulation-driven design of miniaturised dual-band microwave couplers by means of adaptive response scaling
PublicationOne of the major challenges in the design of compact microwave structures is the necessity of simultaneous handling of several objectives and the fact that expensive electromagnetic (EM) analysis is required for their reliable evaluation. Design of multi-band circuits where performance requirements are to be satisfied for several frequencies at the same time is even more difficult. In this work, a computationally efficient design...
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Fast tolerance-aware design optimization of miniaturized microstrip couplers using variable-fidelity EM simulations and re-sponse features
PublicationManufacturing tolerances and other types of uncertainties may considerably affect operation and performance of microwave components and systems. Quantification of these effects is therefore an important part of the design process. It is even more important to obtain designs whose sensitivity to parameter deviations is reduced as much as possible. All of these require statistical analysis carried out at the level of electromagnetic...
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Miniaturized dual‐band branch‐line coupler with enhanced bandwidth
PublicationIn this letter, a miniaturized hybrid dual-band branch-line coupler (BLC) with enhanced fractional bandwidths is proposed. Compact size and bandwidth enhancement are obtained using meandered transmission line sections with broken symmetry between cross-coupling branches. The circuit is designed at a low numerical cost using surrogate-assisted techniques. The optimized design features small size of only 0.25λg×0.19λg(28% miniaturization...
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Optimization-Based Robustness Enhancement of Compact Microwave Component Designs with Response Feature Regression Surrogates
PublicationThe ability to evaluate the effects of fabrication tolerances and other types of uncertainties is a critical part of microwave design process. Improving the immunity of the device to parameter deviations is equally important, especially when the performance specifications are stringent and can barely be met even assuming a perfect manufacturing process. In the case of modern miniaturized microwave components of complex topologies,...
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Fast Machine-Learning-Enabled Size Reduction of Microwave Components Using Response Features
PublicationAchieving compact size has emerged as a key consideration in modern microwave design. While structural miniaturization can be accomplished through judicious circuit architecture selection, precise parameter tuning is equally vital to minimize physical dimensions while meeting stringent performance requirements for electrical characteristics. Due to the intricate nature of compact structures, global optimization is recommended,...
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Selection of circuit geometry for miniaturized microwave components based on concurrent optimization of performance and layout area
PublicationThe paper presents a framework for automated EM-driven circuit geometry selection of miniaturized microwave components. Selection of a particular layout is based directly on miniaturization rates achieved for a set of candidate circuit geometries. Size reduction of the considered structures is obtained by replacing their main building blocks (i.e., conventional transmission lines) with slow-wave composite cells and meander lines....
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Design specification management with automated decision-making for reliable optimization of miniaturized microwave components
PublicationThe employment of numerical optimization techniques for parameter tuning of microwave components has nowadays become a commonplace. In pursuit of reliability, it is most often carried out at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models, incurring considerable computational expenses. In the case of miniaturized microstrip circuits, densely arranged layouts with strong cross-coupling effects make EM-driven tuning...
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Reduced-cost optimization-based miniaturization of microwave passives by multi-resolution EM simulations for internet of things and space-limited applications
PublicationStringent performance specifications along with constraints imposed on physical dimensions, make the design of contemporary microwave components a truly onerous task. In recent years, the latter demand has been growing in importance, with the innovative application areas such as Internet of Things coming into play. The need to employ full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simu-lations for response evaluation, reliable yet CPU heavy, only...
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Rapid and Reliable Re-Design of Miniaturized Microwave Passives by Means of Concurrent Parameter Scaling and Intermittent Local Tuning
PublicationRe-design of microwave passive components for the assumed operating frequencies or substrate parameters is an important yet a tedious process. It requires simultaneous tuning of relevant circuit variables, often over broad ranges thereof, to ensure satisfactory performance of the system. If the operating conditions at the available design are distant from the intended ones, local optimization is typically insufficient, whereas...
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Globalized Simulation-Driven Miniaturization of Microwave Circuits by Means of Dimensionality-Reduced Constrained Surrogates
PublicationSmall size has become a crucial prerequisite in the design of modern microwave components. Miniaturized devices are essential for a number of application areas, including wireless communications, 5G/6G technology, wearable devices, or the internet of things. Notwithstanding, size reduction generally degrades the electrical performance of microwave systems. Therefore, trade-off solutions have to be sought that represent acceptable...
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Design centering of compact microwave components using response features and trust regions
PublicationFabrication tolerances, as well as uncertainties of other kinds, e.g., concerning material parameters or operating conditions, are detrimental to the performance of microwave circuits. Mitigating their impact requires accounting for possible parameter deviations already at the design stage. This involves optimization of appropriately defined statistical figures of merit such as yield. Alt-hough important, robust (or tolerance-aware)...
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Novel structure and size-reduction-oriented design of microstrip compact rat-race coupler
PublicationIn this paper, a novel structure of a miniaturized microstrip rat-race coupler has been proposed. Surrogate-based optimization procedures are applied to explicitly reduce the coupler size while maintaining equal power split at the operating frequency of 1 GHz and sufficient bandwidth for return loss and isolation characteristics. The optimization is performed using the objective function with four penalty components. The footprint...
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Novel structure and EM-driven design of miniaturized microstrip rat-race coupler
PublicationIn this paper, a novel structure and design procedure of a miniaturized microstrip rat-race coupler (RRC) is described. Small size of the RRC is achieved by folding the transmission lines of the conventional circuit into its interior, as well as by implementation of the structure on three layers. The final size of the coupler realized for the operating frequency of 1 GHz is only 220 mm2, which gives over 95% footprint reduction...
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Implicit Space Mapping for Variable-Fidelity EM-Driven Design of Compact Circuits
PublicationSpace mapping (SM) belongs to the most successful surrogate-based optimization (SBO) methods in microwave engineering. Among available SM variations, implicit SM (ISM) is particularly attractive due to its simplicity and separation of extractable surrogate model parameters and design variables of the circuit/system at hand. Unlike other SM approaches, ISM exploits a set of preassigned parameters to align the surrogate with the...