Ultra-wideband bandpass filter using hybrid quasi-lumped elements and defected ground structure

A compact planar microstrip ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filter is presented. The proposed UWB filter is realised by cascading a highpass filter (HPF) and a lowpass filter (LPF). Additional U-slot defected ground structure is adopted to improve the attenuation performance in the stop band. The HPF consists of inter-digital capacitors and a short-circuited stub. The LPF achieved by a hybrid microstrip and four backside slots on the ground plane is equivalent to a typical 9-pole stepped-impedance LPF. Combining these two structures, a new UWB bandpass filter is fabricated and measured. Measured results show that the proposed bandpass filter has a wide bandwidth from 3.1 to 11 GHz, and insertion loss is less than 1.2 dB over the most central passband. It also achieves a wide stop band with 20 dB attenuation up to 20 GHz.