Electromagnetic Simulation of Cavity Filters and Dielectric Resonators

Mark Bedford Child

mbedford@ieee.org
Part Time Lecturer in Engineering, School of Engineering, Design & Technology / Visiting Researcher, Mobile and Satellite Communications Research Centre / University of Bradford.

Presentation notes for the 4 th CST European User Group Meeting, Darmstadt, March 17 th 2009.

Overview.
Rsum of BTS Filter Technology.
Complementary rle for electromagnetic analysis in filter synthesis/optimisation Rationale for compact triple mode.

Development of basic filter response.

Broadband analysis/Model Order Reduction (MOR). Eigenmode searches. Performance analysis and tuning.

Realisation. Discussion and Conclusions.

Requirements for EM-analysis.

Require:
Fast and efficient calculations. Equally valid in time and frequency domain. Properly represent the topology and geometry of Maxwells equations.

CST:
Inbuild AR filtering in TD, MOR. Leap-frog algorithm, dual grid. Finite integration technique (FIT)and perfect boundary approximation (PBA).

BTS Filter Technology.

Standard filter technology is multi-conductor coaxial (combline), with some contribution from ceramics. Next generation BTS filtering for advanced 3G and early 4G systems demand volume and weight reductions. Need to produce filter technologies which are:
Smaller and lower cost. Similar or better Q than combline. Superior Qu/Vol.

Single vs. multimode technologies. Expect several new technologies to become available:
Single Mode. Dual Mode. Triple Mode.

Cavity Filter Technologies.

1. Multi-conductor coaxial / combline. 2. Dielectric combline. 3. Dual mode ceramic (metallised).

S-Plane Synthesis.
Generalised Chebyshev approximation Symmetrical network analysis
Form the transmission coefficient, S21, in terms of even- and odd-mode admittances
For a stable system, LHP poles of S 21 are extracted using the alternatingpole technique

Extract the circuit element from the ABCD matrix

Form even- and odd-mode admittances, Ye and Yo , from the polynomial comprising the LHP poles Form ABCD matrix from Ye and Yo Finite frequency transmission zero is extracted in the form of a phase shifter, a shunt inductor in series with frequency invariant reactance followed by another phase shifter

Transform the synthesized network into a cross-coupled network

Coupling Paths and Alignment.

TX path, 7 resonators, 2 cross couplings M78 M68 M67 M56 M45 M34 M13 M23 M12 RX path, 8 resonators, 3 cross couplings

Store reflected phase across passband and into stopband. Tune coupling and resonant frequency of each resonator to approximate error over stored band. Finite Transmission Zeros.

Dielectric Resonators.
Standard definition:
an unmetallized piece of dielectric which functions as a resonant cavity by means of reflections at the air-dielectric interface.

High permittivity, low loss microwave ceramic materials. Single mode technologies:
Compact TE01 Ceramic combline. Ceramic waveguide.

Dual and triple mode technologies:

Dual mode: HE11 Dual and triple mode: TE01 Triple mode: TE01 & HE11

Metallization.

The Spherical TE01 Resonator

First spur is TM10 Introduce central hole Open to 30% of sphere diameter Upwards frequency shift bounded below 1%, with maximum SPFF of 1.42. Implies 21% increase in spur free BW cf solid DR. Hollow spheres, not mechanically sound. Circulation of E with orthogonally varying H of TE01 v.similar to cubic structure.

Triple Mode DR Dielectric Sphere.

Sphere, ro=12.4mm, r=45, 60mm cube Mode Calc. AKS JDM

Hollow, di/do=0.3 JDM

Meshing 40 lines / No -refinement in initial conditions

Triplet

1.8485

1.8326 1.8327 1.8337

1.8326 1.8327 1.8339 2.4711 1.3481

1.8401 1.8401 1.8414 2.5965 1.4107

1st spur SPFF

2.5256 1.366

2.4711 1.3410

The TE01 Resonator

TE01 , HEM11 , HEM21 , TM01 depends on dimensions and . When <1, the TE01 dominates as the lowest order resonance. When >1, the HEM11 dominates as the lowest order resonance. The indicates less than half a sine wave variation along the direction of propagation. For 35 approx. 95% of the stored electrical energy of the TE01 mode is confined within the resonator. The corresponding figure for the magnetic energy is 60%. The remaining EM energy is distributed through the air in the neighbourhood of the dielectric surface, and rapidly decays with distance.

The TE01 Resonator

Optimisation of , 0.4. Introduction of central hole perturbs E, shifts resonance and spurs having similar Evariation to higher frequencies. In fact any mode having its Efield concentrated near the axial line will be affected. The central hole can be opened up to 35% without significantly affecting the frequency. Effect of supporting structure.
Typically alumina, 9.5 9.9. Polystyrene, 2.2.

Support has non trivial effect on TM can become first spur.

The downward frequency shift is due to its E field lying almost entirely on the outside flat surface of the dielectric. Sensitive to metal tuning discs. Possible strong coupling to inter-cavity irises.

Multi-criteria optimisation, but constrained by synthesis requirement.

Compact TE01 .
Application:
Full band filter. High Qu.

Advantages:
Better SPFF than HE11 dual. Small cavity and single mode flexible layout.

Disadvantage:
Low Qu/Vol=310cm-3. Minimum cavity size is Diam 35 mm x 25 mm deep height is a limiting factor for some applications.

Eigenvalue Search.

Modes Mode 1 TE01 2 HEM11 3 HEM11 4 1st spur SPFF ratio Freq 2.016996 2.023274 2.026902 2.628370 1.269743

Solver error 2-norm 1.50E-009 1.61E-008 5.8E-007 2.59E-008 div e 9.45E-014 5.34E-013 2.66E-13 3.50E-12

JDM solver, 25 lines per wavelength.

Chamfered Rectangular DR.

Mode 1: TE01 , e-field Mode 3: HE11 , e-field

Mode 2: HE11 , h-field.

Mode 1: TE01 Mode 2: HE11 Mode 3: HE11

dual

triple

Chamfer 6mm, cavity width 35.3mm

Field Distributions, Calculated Qu-factor.

Electric and magnetic field monitors at 2GHz (XY-plane):
e-field h-field

Losses and unloaded Q-factor.

Coupling Mechanism.
1

M23

h-field, 2GHz

M12

The excitation probes are aligned along the dual modes (HE11 ) the M12 and M23 couplings controlled as a function of the coupling hole diameters (to and from the circular TE01 mode). Dual mode coupling M13 is controlled in practice by having tuning screws above the DR.

1 umts S21 dB 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45 -50 -55 -60 1.9 2 2.05 2.1 2.15 2.2 0 S11 dB : Graph : S21 Mag dB / S11 Mag dB

-4.167 -8.333 -12.5 -16.67

Basic Filter Response, N = 3.

UMTS

-20.83 -25 -29.17 -33.33 -37.5 -41.67 -45.83 -50 2.3 GHz

1 pcs_at_2 S21 dB 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45 -50 -55 -60 1.9 1.96 2 2.04 2.09 2.14 2.19 2.24 0 S11 dB : Graph : S21 Mag dB / S11 Mag dB

PCS

-4.167 -8.333 -12.5 -16.67 -20.83 -25 -29.17 -33.33 -37.5 -41.67 -45.83 -50 2.3 GHz

CT-section

Tuned Output of EM-analysis.

Final Comparison, N = 3.

15 Jul 2002 14:44:53

CH1 CH2 S22 S21 LOG LOG 5 dB/ 5 dB/ REF 0 dB REF 0 dB 1 : -19 . 175 5 : - . 16020 dB dB 1 937 1 975 . 000 . 700 000 000 MHz MHz

PRm

CH1

Markers

1 Cor

2 : -18 . 359 dB 2 . 00900 GHz

PRm CH2 Cor Markers dB GHz dB GHz

1 : - . 16210 1 . 93700 2 : - . 24330 2 . 00900

3 : -48 . 886 dB 2 . 05710 GHz 4 : -8 . 3259 1 . 83700 dB GHz

CENTER

2 000

. 000

000

MHz 3

SPAN

500

. 000

000

MHz

10 Sep 2002 10:01:17

Next Step: N = 6.
Internal Couplings approximately correct. Input/output probes to be increased. EM-geometry of probes to be optimised. Current Unloaded Q value 7000 9000.

CH1 CH2

S11 S21

LOG LOG

5 dB/ 10 dB/

REF 0 dB REF 0 dB

4 : . 25370 4 : -53 . 609

dB dB

2 070

. 000

000

MHz

4 PRm CH1 Markers dB GHz dB GHz

1 Cor

1 : -9 . 2733 1 . 97500 2 : -16 . 391

2 . 01161

3 : -19 . 698 dB 2 . 05000 GHz 1

3 PRm 4 CH2 Cor Markers dB GHz dB GHz

1 : - . 83090 1 . 97500 2 : - . 14520 2 . 01161

3 : - . 55090 2 . 05000

dB GHz

START

1 894

. 836

004

MHz

STOP

2 144

. 836

004

MHz

10 Sep 2002 10:01:35

CH1 CH2 S11 S21 LOG LOG 5 dB/ 10 dB/ REF 0 dB REF 0 dB 5 : -1 . 7323 5 : -35 . 030 dB dB 2 667 . 468 070 MHz

PRm

Broadband
MARKER 5 2 1 3 4 2.66746807 GHz
1

CH1 5

Markers

1 : -12 . 762 dB 1 . 97500 GHz 2 : -17 . 136 dB GHz

2 . 01161

3 : -16 . 030 dB 2 . 05000 GHz

4 : -1 . 5829 2 . 07000

dB GHz

5 3 2

PRm CH2 Markers dB GHz dB GHz

1 : -2 . 2911 1 . 97500 2 : -1 . 7381 2 . 01161

3 : -3 . 0676 2 . 05000 4 : -56 . 046

dB GHz dB GHz

2 . 07000

START

1 894

. 836

004

MHz

STOP

3 000

. 000

000

MHz

Eventual Goal.
Diplexer unit. N = 6 RX and TX. Phased common junction, physically using a simple trough line construction. Integrated with LNA package.

Discussion.
Proof of principle is apparent for compact triple mode, but not yet sufficient for useful application. Practical implementation not clear, notably with respect to suspension of DR and also degree of external tuning. Full identification of coupling mechanism, redundancy, proper linkage to network model. Experiment with use of iris apertures. Space filling layout ? Dual mode operation may be more sensible interim goal. Eventual mixed dual and triple mode operation ? Selective use of partial metal deposition directly to ceramic.

References.
[1] Liang and Blair, High Q TE01 mode DR filters for PCS base stations, IEEE Trans. MTT-46, 12, 2493, 1998. [2] Fiedziuszko et al, Dielectric materials, devices and circuits, IEEE Trans. MTT-50, 3, 706, 2002. [3] I.C.Hunter et al, Dual mode filters with conductor loaded dielectric resonators, IEEE Trans. MTT-47, 12, 2304, 1999. [4] I.C.Hunter et al, Triple mode hybrid reflection filters, IEE Proc. MAP-145, 4, 337. 1998. [5] V.Walker and I.C.Hunter, Design of cross coupled dielectric loaded waveguide filters, IEE Proc. MAP -148, 2, 91, 2001. [6] P.J.B.Clarricoats, Propagation along unbounded and bounded dielectric rods part 2, Proc. IEE 108C, 177, 1961. [7] J.D.Rhodes, General constraints on propagation characteristics of electromagnetic waves in uniform inhomogeneous waveguides, Proc. IEE, 118, 7, 849, 1971. [8] T.Weiland, Eine methode zur losung der Maxwellschen Gleichungen fur sechs -komonentige Felder auf diskreter Basis, AEU, 31, 116, 1977. [9] G.Deschamps, Differential Forms, in E.C.Roubine (ed), Mathematics applied to physics, Springer Verlag/UNESCO. [10] T.Weiland, Finite integration and discrete electromagnetism, in C.Carstensen et al (eds), Lecture notes in comp. sci. and eng. Vol. 28, Springer Verlag. [11] I.Munteanu and F.Hirtenfelder, Convergence of the FIT on various mesh types, Proc. German Microwave Conference (GeMic05), Ulm, April 2005. [12] P.D.Sleigh, Asymmetric filter design for satellite communication applications, IEE colloquium on microwave filters, IEE colloquium digest 1982/4, 1982 (6 pages). [13] R.J.Cameron, Advanced coupling matrix synthesis for microwave filters, IEEE Trans. MTT-51, 1, 1, 2003. [14] A.G.Lamperez, et al, Effective electromagnetic optimization of microwave filters and multiplexers using rational models, IEEE Trans. MTT-52, 2, 508, 2004.