Microwave Engineering Multiple Choice Questions on “Quadrature Hybrid”.
1. Quadrature hybrids are those couplers which are:
A. 3 dB couplers
B. Directional couplers
C. They have a 900 phase difference between signals in through and coupled arms.
D. All of the mentioned
Answer: D
Clarification: Quadrature hybrids are directional couplers that have a phase difference of 900 between the signals obtained at through and coupled ports.
2. Branch-line couplers are also popular as Quadrature hybrids.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
Clarification: Quadrature hybrids are also called as branch-line couplers. The other 3 dB couplers are coupled line couplers or Lange couplers. These couplers also can be Quadrature hybrids.
3. The S matrix of a Quadrature hybrid is of size 4×4 and the diagonal elements of a matched coupler are all:
A. 1
B. 0
C. Cannot be determined
D. None of the mentioned
Answer: B
Clarification: In a matched coupler, since all ports are matched, no power goes back to the port from which the flow of energy in the coupler occurred. Since the backward power flow is zero for matched network, the diagonal elements are zero.
4. A branch-line coupler is an asymmetric coupler.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
Clarification: A branch-line coupler is a symmetric coupler that has all four ports placed symmetrically. Since the construction is symmetric, any port can be used as input and any port can be used as output.
5. Branch-line couplers are preferably made using waveguides so as to obtain high gain and simple construction.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
Clarification: Branch-line couplers are mostly done using microstrip lines. They also reduce the complexity of the circuit and can be easily integrated with other microwave devices in all large scale applications.
6. A 50 Ω branch-line Quadrature hybrid has to be designed to operate over a range of frequencies. The branch-line impedance of this coupler so designed is:
A. 70.7 Ω
B. 35.4 Ω
C. 50 Ω
D. 100 Ω
Answer: B
Clarification: Each arm of a Quadrature hybrid is λ/4 long; λ is the wavelength at which the coupler is designed to operate. The branch-line impedance for a λ/4 line is Z0/√2. Substituting for Z0 in the equation, the impedance is 35.4 Ω.
7. The plot S11 v/s frequency for a branch-line coupler has a straight line characteristic for a wide range of frequency around the designed frequency range.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
Clarification: S11 parameter signifies the power measured at port 1 when port 1 is used as an input port. When the ports of the coupler are matched, no power is reflected back to the port 1. Hence S11 curve has a dip at the frequency for which the coupler was operated to design. A fall and rise in the curve is seen at this point.
8. The curve of S14 for a branch-line coupler is similar to that of the S11 curve of the branch-line coupler.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
Clarification: S14 parameter gives the power measured at the port 4 or the isolated port of the branch-line coupler. Since the signals that reach port 4 from 2 different arms are 900 out of phase with each other, theoretically power at port 4 is zero. Practically, it is zero for the designed frequency but some power is received at other frequencies.
9. S12 and S13 curves for branch-line couplers are almost a straight line parallel to X –axis. Both the curves are similar and follow same path.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
Clarification: S13 and S12 parameters give the power measured at port 2 and port 3 of the branch-line coupler when port 1 is used as the input port. Since these are the through and coupled ports, power measured across these ports is almost constant and resemble a straight line parallel to X axis.
10. If the branch-line impedance of a coupler designed to operate at 1 GHz is 70.70 Ω, then the characteristic impedance of the material of the arms of the branch-line coupler is:
A. 70.7 Ω
B. 50 Ω
C. 100 Ω
D. None of the mentioned
Answer: C
Clarification: Given the branch impedance is 70.70 Ω; the characteristic impedance of the line is Z√2. This relation is used since all the arms of a branch-line coupler are λ/4 long. Substituting for Z, the characteristic impedance of the line is 100 Ω.
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