Compact continuous tunable low-pass filter with high selectivity and wide stopband

摘要

This letter presented a novel compact continuously tunable low-pass filter (LPF) using varactor-loaded coupled rhombic stubs. The proposed LPF demonstrated excellent roll-off selectivity, wide stopband range as well as good cut-off frequency tunability. This LPF consisted of three varactor-tuned coupled rhombic stubs loaded on a section of high-impedance microstrip line symmetrically and two coupled line LPFs which could further improve the stopband performance. A detailed explanation of the tuning mechanism was illustrated by adopting lumped-element equivalent circuit model. The measured results showed not only a wide cut-off frequency tuning range of 56% from 350 to 800 MHz, but also an excellent steepness factor of less than 1.14. Additionally, a rejection level of greater than 20 dB up to 8 GHz (>10 fc) was observed in the stopband. The proposed ideas were verified by the measured results. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:1641-1644, 2016