Direct-Coupled Realizations for Microwave Bandstop Filters

Richard J. Cameron, Ying Wang and Ming Yu

COM DEV Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada N1R 7H6
Abstract This paper presents some new ideas for the design
and implementation of microwave bandstop filters realized with
waveguide, coaxial, dielectric resonators, or in a planar
technology. The new methods represent an advance over present
methods in that the resonators are direct-coupled, thus avoiding
the need for transmission line phase lengths between resonator
stubs which tend to degrade performance due to their dispersion,
and are difficult to adjust during tuning. Two bandstop
configurations are presented, both of which are very similar to
regular bandpass filters in their design and realization. The first
will accommodate even or odd characteristics and also
asymmetric responses, although some negative or diagonal crosscouplings will be needed. The second resembles the cul-de-sac
configuration for bandpass filters, and needs no diagonal or
negative couplings even for asymmetric characteristics. A
simulation of a 4th degree design in this novel configuration is
included, and a practical model in waveguide is in the course of
being tuned and measured.
Index Terms Bandstop filters, coupling matrix, direct
coupling, filter synthesis, microwave filter.

or some other coupling element, rather than by phase lengths,

making the techniques used for their design and construction
very similar to those used for bandpass filters. Two variants
of the direct coupled BS filter are described, the first similar in
style to a regular folded-geometry bandpass filter, and the
second resembling the cul-de-sac bandpass filter topology [1],
requiring no negative or diagonal couplings even for
asymmetric characteristics.
II. SYNTHESIS OF THE PROTOTYPE POLYNOMIALS
It was noted in reference [2] that to generate a bandstop
characteristic from the regular lowpass prototype polynomials,
it was only necessary to exchange the reflection and transfer
functions (including the constants):
S11 ( s) =

S21 ( s ) =

F (s) / R
.
E ( s)

(1)

Since S21(s) and S11(s) share a common denominator

polynomial E(s), the unitary conditions for a passive lossless
network are preserved. If the characteristics are Chebyshev,
then the original prescribed equiripple return loss
characteristic becomes the transfer response, with a minimum
reject level equal to the original prescribed return loss level.
Because the degree of the new numerator polynomial for S21(s)
( = F(s)/R ) is now the same as its denominator E(s), the
network that is synthesized will be fully canonical. The new
numerator of S11(s) is the original transfer function numerator
polynomial P(s)/ and may have any number nfz of prescribed
transmission zeros provided n fz N , the degree of the
characteristic. If nfz < N, then the constant R = 1 [1].
The synthesis of the coupling matrix for the bandstop
network follows very similar lines to the synthesis of fully
canonical lowpass prototypes for bandpass filters as described
in [1], and later amplified in [3]. Firstly, exchange the P(s)/
(degree nfz) and F(s)/R (degree N) polynomials, and then form
the polynomials for the rational short circuit admittance
parameters y21(s) and y22(s) for the network. For an evendegree double-terminated network with source and load
terminations of 1:

I. INTRODUCTION
With ever-increasing demand on the available radio
spectrum, suppression of spurious outputs from high power
transmitters becomes more important in the design of
microwave telecommunication and broadcast systems, to
prevent interference with other users. These interfering
signals may take the form of harmonics from a non-linear
power amplifier, or spurious passbands (breakthrough) in a
bandpass cover filter within the transmit subsystem. Normally
these interfering signals are suppressed with lowpass filters
with wide reject bands, but these do not discriminate between
frequency ranges which are inherently spurious-free and those
with spurious/harmonic content. This sometimes leads to a
complicated lowpass device where design for lowest insertion
loss/size and high power handling can become problematic.
Where the spurious signals are well-defined and restricted to
relatively narrow frequency bands, it becomes more efficient
in terms of insertion loss, compactness and power handling to
use a bandstop filter, providing rejection over the limited
bandwidth. In the past these BS filters have been realized as
an array of bandstop stub elements separated by lengths of
transmission line, usually about 3/4g in length. In practice
the performance of these BS filters may be degraded by
dispersive effects and thermal expansion in the inter-stub
phase lengths, and are difficult to adjust during development
and production.
This paper presents a new approach to the design of
bandstop filters where resonators are directly coupled by irises

0-7803-8846-1/05/$20.00 (C) 2005 IEEE

P ( s) /
,
E(s)

y21 ( s ) = y21n ( s ) yd ( s )
y22 ( s ) = y22 n ( s ) yd ( s )

=
=

( F ( s ) R ) m1 ( s )
n1 ( s ) m1 ( s )

(2a)

=
=

( F ( s ) R ) n1 ( s )
m1 ( s ) n1 ( s )

(2b)

and for an odd-degree network:

y21 ( s ) = y21n ( s ) yd ( s )
y22 ( s ) = y22 n ( s ) yd ( s )

111

where:

A. Example of Synthesis

m1(s) = Re(e0 + p0) + jIm(e1 + p1)s + Re(e2 + p2)s2 + . . .

In general it is not desirable to include complex couplings in

direct-coupled bandstop filters in folded form, so it is best to
restrict applications to symmetric prototypes. An example is
given of a symmetric 4th degree characteristic with 22dB
return loss (which will become the stopband reject level), and
two TZs (actually reflection zeros now) at j2.0107 to give
an out-of-band (return loss) lobe level of 30dB. After
synthesizing the folded ladder network the following coupling
matrix is obtained:

n1(s) = jIm(e0 + p0) + Re(e1 + p1)s + jIm(e2 + p2)s + . . .

and ei and pi, i = 0, 1, 2, 3 . . . N, are the complex
coefficients of E(s) and P(s)/ respectively. If nfz is less
than N (which is the usual case) then the highest degree
coefficient of P(s) ( = pN) is zero.
Having built up the numerator polynomials y21n(s), y22n(s)
and the denominator polynomial yd(s), the coupling matrix
synthesis proceeds in exactly the same way as described in [1].
Because the numerator of S21(s) is now the same degree as its
denominator, the characteristic is now fully canonical and the
coupling matrix representing it will need to incorporate a
direct source-load coupling MSL. MSL is calculated as follows
[1]:
jF ( s ) / R
.
yd ( s ) s = j

y21 ( s )
=
yd ( s ) s = j

jM SL =

S
S 0.0

1 1.5109
2
M =

3
4

L 1.0000

(3)

0.0

0.9118

0.9118

0.0
0.7985

1.3363

4
1.3363

0.7985
0.0
0.9118

0.9118
0.0
1.5109

L
1.0000

1.5109

0.0

(4a)

If the original bandpass characteristic is non-canonical, ie.

the degree nfz of P(s) is less than N and therefore pN = 0, it
may be seen from (2) that the leading coefficient of yd (s) = 1.
For a Chebyshev characteristic, the leading coefficient of F(s)
always equals unity, as does R for non-canonical cases, and
so from (3) it may be seen that MSL = 1. In other words the
direct source-load coupling inverter is the same characteristic
impedance as the interfacing transmission lines from the
source and to the load, and may be constructed simply from a
90 section of that line. For fully canonical characteristics eg.
4-4, MSL will be slightly less than unity and will provide the
finite return loss at infinite frequency that the fully canonical
prototype requires.
The rest of the synthesis of the coupling matrix proceeds as
for the lowpass prototype for a bandpass filter. Fig. 1(a) gives
an example of a symmetric 4th degree bandstop device in
folded configuration, showing that the main signal path is
through the direct input-output coupling MSL .
Coaxial
Line

1
1.5109

Note that the direct input-output coupling MSL is unity for

this non-canonical case, meaning that this coupling inverter is
the same characteristic admittance as the input and output
lines and may actually be formed from a 90 (0/4) part of
that line carrying the main signal power, between the input
and output tap points to the main body of the filter. Fig. 1(b)
shows a possible realization with coaxial-cavities however
coupling M23 is negative in (4a) and will have to be realized
as a probe in this example.
It is interesting to note that with bandstop transfer and
reflection characteristics, when the number of reflection zeros
(formerly transmission zeros) is less than the degree of the
filter N (ie. nfz < N), that a second solution is possible by
working with the dual of the network. The dual network is
obtained simply by multiplying the coefficients of the transfer
and reflection numerator polynomials F(s) and P(s) by 1,
and is equivalent to placing unit inverters at the input and
output of the network. If this is done for the 4-2 symmetric
example and the bandstop matrix resynthesized, the coupling
matrix (4b) is obtained with all-positive couplings. However
in general this uniformity of coupling sign will not occur.

L
MSL

MS1

S
S 0.0

1 1.5109
2
M =

3
4

L 1.0000

M4L

M14

M12

4
M34

M23

1
1.5109

0.0

0.9118

0.9118

0.0
0.7985

0.9465

4
0.9465

0.7985
0.0
0.9118

0.9118
0.0
1.5109

L
1.0000

1.5109

0.0

(4b)
(a)

(b)

Fig. 1. Direct-coupled bandstop filter realizing a symmetric 4-2

characteristic: (a) coupling and routing diagram (b) possible
realization with coaxial resonant cavities.

112

Fig. 3 shows the corresponding coupling and routing

diagram and a possible realization with waveguide resonators.
The section of waveguide transmission line between the input
and output connections forms the direct input-output coupling
MSL , and may be an odd number of quarter wavelengths - the
less the better.

II. CUL-DE-SAC FORMS FOR THE DIRECT-COUPLED BANDSTOP

MATRIX
If the number of reflection zeros of the bandstop
characteristic is less than the degree of the network (nfz < N as
above), and the network is double-terminated between equal
source and load terminations, then a cul-de-sac form [1] for
the bandstop network, similar to that for bandpass filters, may
be obtained by introducing two unity-impedance 45 phase
lengths at either end of the network. This is equivalent to
multiplying the F(s) and P(s) polynomials by j, which has
no effect on the overall transfer and reflection responses of the
network apart from the 90 phase changes in S21(s) and
S11(s).
Synthesizing the network using the direct coupling matrix
approach as described above yields networks such as shown in
Fig. 2. These networks are characterized by the square-shaped
core quartet of couplings, with the source and load terminals
at adjacent corners at the input/output end, whilst the other
resonators are strung out in two chains from the other two
corners, in equal numbers if N is even and one more than the
other if N is odd. There are no diagonal couplings even for
asymmetric characteristics, and all couplings are of the same
sign. For these characteristics where nfz < N, the direct
source-load coupling MSL will always be unity in value.
S

1.2902

0.0503
0.0

1.2008

M34

Finally Fig. 4 shows the results of analyzing the prototype

bandstop coupling matrix where it may be seen that the
transfer and reflection characteristics have exchanged. The
original 22dB return loss level has now become the bandstop
reject level and the 30dB lobe levels, originally designed for
the rejection characteristic, now apply to the return loss
characteristic.

th

An example is taken of a 4-2 asymmetric characteristic with

22dB return loss and two transmission zeros on the upper side
at s0 = +j1.3127 and +j1.8082, there producing two rejection
lobes at 30dB each. Exchanging the P(s)/ and F(s)/R
polynomials, multiplying them by j and synthesizing the
folded coupling matrix as described above yields the coupling
matrix as shown in (5).

1.2902

M14 4

(b)

Fig. 2: Cul-de-sac forms for direct-coupled bandstop filters: (a) 6

degree (b) 7th degree.

M4L

1
1.5497
0.5155

Fig. 3: 4-2 Direct-coupled cul-de-sac bandstop filter: (a) coupling

and routing diagram (b) possible realization with waveguide cavities.

(b)

S
S 0.0
1 1.5497
2
M =

3
4

L 1.0000

M12 1

MS1

REJECTION/RETURN LOSS (dB)

MSL
g 4

(a)
S

(a)

4
1.2008

0.0
1.0187 0.4222
0.4222 0.2057
1.5497

4-2 Asymmetric
Bandstop Filter

10

S 21

20

S 11
30

40
-3

-2

-1
0
1
2
PROTOTYPE FREQUENCY (rad/sec)

Fig. 4: 4-2 direct-coupled cul-de-sac bandstop filter - rejection and

return loss performance.

L
1.0000

1.5497

0.0

III. SIMULATION RESULTS

In order to confirm the design procedure and to assess
sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances (random) and
dimensional changes due to variations in the thermal
environment (uni-directional), a waveguide model of a cul-desac bandstop filter was designed and simulated. The prototype
characteristic was a 4th degree symmetric Chebyshev with

(5)

113

25dB return loss (to become the stopband reject level), and
two transmission zeros at j1.9140 to give rejection lobe
levels of 25dB (which will become the out-of-band return loss
lobe levels on either side of the reject band). The design reject
bandwidth is 500MHz centred at 13.5GHz, with the main
signal power in the range 10.9 12.5GHz. The bandstop
resonators are to be realized with TE101-mode rectangular
waveguide WR75 cavities, E-plane coupled to the main
waveguide run. An outline sketch of the model is given in
Fig. 5.
The model was dimensioned and analyzed using fullwave
EM optimization software, and the results are shown in Fig. 6.
It may be seen that a rejection level of >20dB is being
achieved over the band 13.25 13.75GHz, whilst >20dB
return loss level is maintained over the 10.9 12.5GHz range.
The advantages of using a bandstop filter for this application
now become evident - it is estimated that a 7th degree bandpass
filter operating over this band would be needed to provide
>20dB rejection over the 13.25 13.75GHz band.

The somewhat skewed appearance of the return loss

characteristic is due to the relatively wide reject band that the
filter was designed for, which has meant that some of the
coupling apertures are quite large especially in the vicinity of
the junctions with the main waveguide. Coupling matrix deembedding analysis indicates that some stray coupling is
present in this region, which mainly accounts for the
asymmetry. These stray couplings actually provide enough
M14 coupling themselves, allowing the M14 aperture to be
omitted for this particular case. Also, for ideal performance
the electrical distance between the input and output apertures
should remain constant with frequency at an odd multiple of
/2 radians. Dispersive effects within the waveguide cause a
variation in this electrical length with frequency, which will
tend to contribute to the skewing effect.
CONCLUSION
In this paper, a method for the synthesis of the coupling
matrices for two different forms of direct-coupled bandstop
filter has been presented. For both forms the resonant cavities
are direct-coupled so wideband performance is potentially
better than the conventional phase-coupled stub bandstop
realization, and because the cavities are tuned to frequencies
within the stopband, the main signal power will route through
the direct input-output coupling, bypassing the resonators and
giving minimal insertion loss and relatively high power
handling.
Other advantages accrue in terms of simple and compact
construction, flexible layout possibilities, and ease of
manufacture and of tuning on the production line. The second
form resembles the cul-de-sac bandpass filter that has been
previously presented, and is able to realize asymmetric
bandstop characteristics without the need for negative or
diagonal couplings.
The simulated results of a 4th degree waveguide model have
been presented, and a prototype model is presently under
construction for which the measured results should be
available soon. Possible future applications might include
high power signal diplexing when ultra low loss is important
but where out-of-band rejection is not a serious problem (or is
provided by a low-loss wideband cover filter), and large levels
of isolation are not required. For a diplexer application, each
of the two bandstop filters will be tuned to reject the frequency
of the channel on the opposite arm of the combination point.

Fig. 5: 4-2 direct-coupled cul-de-sac bandstop filter model for EM

simulation.

REFERENCES
[1] R. J. Cameron, Advanced coupling matrix synthesis techniques
for microwave filters, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech.,
vol. MTT-51, pp. 1-10, January 2003.
[2] R. J. Cameron, General prototype network synthesis methods
for microwave filters, ESA J., vol. 6, pp. 193-206, 1982.
[3] S. Amari and U. Rosenberg, Direct synthesis of a new class of
bandstop filters, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol.
52, pp. 607-616, February 2004.

Fig. 6: 4-2 direct-coupled cul-de-sac bandstop filter simulated

rejection and return loss performance.

114