One of the UK’s leading design and manufacturers of standard and bespoke microwave technology has launched a series of passive components aimed at the satellite, commercial, radio and air traffic communications industries as well as test and measurement

Labtech Microwave’s new range includes power divider/combiners, directional couplers and hybrid couplers. Operating at frequencies between 200 and 10000 MHz, the resistor-less, two, three or four-way divider/combiners have the same power handling performance whether used as a divider or combiner up to a maximum of 500Watts. When used as a divider the power is split equally between all outputs so long as all ports are correctly matched with 50ohm impedance. In power combining applications, the insertion loss is extremely low when the input signals are coherent and in-phase.

Directional couplers are suitable for a number of signal-sampling applications including power measurement and line monitoring. With a wide range of frequency, power handling and coupling options, they present a better than 20dB return loss on all ports. Supplied with either two female or one male and one female connector, directional couplers are available with N-Type or SMA (SubMiniature version A) connectors up to 2.5GHz and SMA only above 2.5GHz. The 3dB 90° hybrid coupler family includes single and three section couplers fitted with SMA or N-Type connectors for use in applications such as power distribution and balanced amplifiers.

Alistair Frier, business development manager at Labtech Microwave said: “Our new range of passive components further extend Labtech’s offering to the market and utilises the synergy of our microwave PCB technology with that of our microwave component capability. The research, design and development, production of PCBs found in the couplers, the boxes in which the couplers are mounted and the assembly and test are all carried out by the company’s in-house teams. The final products, for which we anticipate a favourable response from customers, are a result of the experience, ever-increasing knowledge and the skills we hold at Labtech.”

Full specification details of Labtech Microwave’s new passive components are available to view and download at: www.labtechmicrowave.com/active-passive-microwave.html

Labtech Microwave will be exhibiting at MTT-S/IMS in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 17 - 19 June 2008, stand no: 634.