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Balanced Amplifier

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Figure 1: Principle of balanced amplifier

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Figure 1: Principle of balanced amplifier

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Figure 1: Principle of balanced amplifier

Balanced Amplifier

During the early years of using solid-state amplifiers in radar technology, the balanced amplifier approach was most widely used. Each amplifier stage in a balanced design employs 90° hybrids at the input and output to feed two discrete transistor stages. These devices are special configuration of directional couplers (sometimes called to as –3 dB coupler or hybrid coupler or “quadrature coupler,” or a –3 dB hybrid coupler amongst other names. This coupler has the characteristics of dividing the input power into two paths the have equal powers when terminated properly. The phasing between the both output ports of the hybrid is 90 degrees. At the output hybrid, these two paths with a phase difference of 90° get an additional phase shift. They are added at one port (using constructive interference), and suppressed at the other port (destructive interference).

This type of design of amplifiers have following advantages:

The disadvantages of this type of design are:

Today’s use of this principle is mostly in amplifier modules of the transmitter, where the disadvantages of the construction do not have a negative effect. An example is given by the use in the transmitter amplifier modules of the experimental space radar GESTRA. Because the bandwidth is limited to only 100 MHz within the permitted frequency band, narrow-band hybrids can also be used. The bandwidth of the amplifier can be read on the ferrite insulator: 1200 … 1400 MHz.

Picture gallery of balanced amplifiers

Figure 2: Senderverstärker-Modul des Weltraumradars GESTRA