Inverse design of compact power divider with arbitrary outputs for 5G applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Microwave Engineering

Background:

• Advanced applications, particularly in fifth-generation (5G) systems, demand sophisticated circuits with configurable capabilities.
• Power dividers are essential components in 5G phased array systems, with adjustable output power ratios being increasingly significant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a design methodology for planar power splitters with arbitrary output power levels using hybrid vias.
• To demonstrate the capability of designing power splitters with different output port amplitudes through deep neural networks.

Main Methods:

• A design procedure involving optimized patterns of hybrid vias (PEC and dielectric) for planar power splitters.
• Utilizing deep neural networks to analyze and optimize the performance of these hybrid via structures.
• Fabrication and measurement of a 4-way power divider as a proof-of-concept.

Main Results:

• Successful design and validation of a power splitter with arbitrary output power levels.
• Demonstration of achieving different amplitudes at output ports using hybrid via perturbations.
• A fabricated 4-way power divider realized Chebyshev coefficients for sidelobe reduction at 28 GHz.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hybrid via perturbation methodology offers a pathway to implement complex functions in power dividers.
• This technique is applicable to various platforms beyond planar/microstrip, including SIWs and ridge waveguides.
• The method facilitates the design of tunable power dividers essential for next-generation wireless systems.