摘要 |
A broadband high power amplifier for multifrequency signal applications comprises an N-way power combiner that is arranged to combine a plurality of multi-frequency input signals and provide a combined (complex) signal at its output. The output of the N-way combiner is amplified in a preamplifier stage and supplied therefrom to an M-way power divider. The M-way power divider has a plurality of M output ports from which M subdivided versions of the combined (complex) output signal from the preamplifier are derived. Each of these effectively identical subdivided signals is coupled to a respective one of a plurality of M signal amplifier stages that drive the radial power combiner. Each amplifier stage is a relatively low to moderate gain amplifier stage, so that its amplitude and phase characteristics may be matched with those of the others of the M amplifier stages. Since the phase and amplitude characteristics of the amplifier stages that drive the radial power combiner are matched with one another, the M stage driver is effectively self-isolating, making it unnecessary to use band-limiting isolator components to protect the outputs of the respective driver amplifier stages feeding the radial power combiner.
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