Radial-Symmetric N-Way TEM-Line IMPATT Diode Power Combining Arrays

Circuit design and stability criteria are developed for a new class of IMPATT diode power combiners. These combiners make use of radial-symmetric circuits and provide an optimal integration of device and circuit properties to perform the power adding function. Both lossless N-way combiners and resistively stabilized N-way combiners are considered. Theoretical examples of this combining technique are given at X-band frequencies which make use of realistic experimentally determined IMPATT diode properties. Predictions for a 30-W ten-diode lossless X-band combiner indicate a l-dB locking bandwidth of 300 MHz and 10-dB gain. A 100-W resistively stabilized 10-GHz ten-diode combiner predicts a 150-MHz locking bandwidth, also at 10-dB locking gain.