Distributed-element circuit

Distributed-element circuits are <a href="/facts/Electrical_circuit/zt94kTW0">electrical circuits</a> composed of lengths of <a href="/facts/Transmission_line/cYlqaPo3">transmission lines</a> or other distributed components. These circuits perform the same functions as conventional circuits composed of <a href="/facts/Passivity_(engineering)/7oDeoqd3">passive</a> components, such as <a href="/facts/Capacitor/hyowqv7n">capacitors</a>, <a href="/facts/Inductor/YnfAXB3x">inductors</a>, and <a href="/facts/Transformer/EYYfXWrF">transformers</a>. They are used mostly at <a href="/facts/Microwave/HmVSN31Y">microwave</a> frequencies, where conventional components are difficult (or impossible) to implement.
Conventional circuits consist of individual components manufactured separately then connected together with a conducting medium. Distributed-element circuits are built by forming the medium itself into specific patterns. A major advantage of distributed-element circuits is that they can be produced cheaply as a <a href="/facts/Printed_circuit_board/muSR2p43">printed circuit board</a> for consumer products, such as <a href="/facts/Satellite_television/UxytxnPW">satellite television</a>. They are also made in <a href="/facts/Coaxial_cable/aG9FfCpL">coaxial</a> and <a href="/facts/Waveguide_(electromagnetism)/M60l8qrm">waveguide</a> formats for applications such as <a href="/facts/Radar/jk9BTbFA">radar</a>, <a href="/facts/Satellite_communication/y5RXPMDT">satellite communication</a>, and <a href="/facts/Microwave_link/bz9H9Ete">microwave links</a>.
A phenomenon commonly used in distributed-element circuits is that a length of transmission line can be made to behave as a <a href="/facts/Resonator/NjC413Gn">resonator</a>. Distributed-element components which do this include <a href="/facts/Stub_(electronics)/urTnUgYY">stubs</a>, <a href="/facts/Coupling_(physics)/Pg2Yg0Tz">coupled lines</a>, and cascaded lines. Circuits built from these components include <a href="/facts/Distributed-element_filter/Pkt1DPAj">filters</a>, <a href="/facts/Power_dividers_and_directional_couplers/4LNPkdnN">power dividers, directional couplers</a>, and <a href="/facts/Circulator/TYC7gGL9">circulators</a>.
Distributed-element circuits were studied during the 1920s and 1930s but did not become important until <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, when they were used in <a href="/facts/Radar/jk9BTbFA">radar</a>. After the war their use was limited to military, space, and <a href="/facts/Broadcasting/AV1f3dGy">broadcasting</a> infrastructure, but improvements in <a href="/facts/Materials_science/N5HrXRYW">materials science</a> in the field soon led to broader applications. They can now be found in domestic products such as satellite dishes and mobile phones.

Distributed-element circuit open-in-new

Distributed-element circuit