On the use of a new class of simplified multi-window iris notch in the design of ultra-compact high-rejection waveguide filters for satellite links

Abstract

This work introduces a simplified multi-aperture iris notch suitable for designing waveguide filters having an extremely improved compactness/rejection ratio, regarding available solutions, and adequate pass-band performances. The proposed iris architecture, analyzed for the first time, exhibits a unique transmission zero in the waveguide mono-mode bandwidth which can be easily located below or above the pass-band. The frequency of this transmission zero is evaluated in terms of the iris dimensions thus providing useful guidelines for designing filters with suitable responses. As a consequence of this simplified topology, any designed filter can be easily manufactured by cutting along its E-field symmetry plane. This strategy greatly improves the filter’s insertion loss regarding classical implementations based on more complicated arrangements with piled thin metallic sheets. Two exemplary filters have been designed and tested to be used in a high-performance X-band SATCOM terminal with an 80% size reduction with respect to the existing systems. Both filters covering the Rx (7.25–75 GHz) and Tx (7.9–8.4 GHz) sub-bands show a reflection of −25 dB with insertion losses below 1 dB in the pass-band, whereas they present a very sharp out-of-band rejection of at least 90 dB, that is, a 600 dB/GHz slope at X band.