with the predicted ones in both amplitude and phase. Simulated and measured return losses are higher than 10 dB over the frequency range of 1.9 -3.2 GHz, showing a fractional bandwidth of ϳ50%. Meanwhile, the measured phase imbalance varies in a range of 179°-215°over the above operating range as can be seen in Figure 3. It needs to be highlighted here with reference to Figure 4 that as the two patches are properly unequalized, the amplitude imbalance less than 1.0 dB now achieves a wide frequency range of 2.0 -3.8 GHz.
CONCLUSIONA planar vialess balun is proposed on a basis of three multisecion /4 uncoupled/coupled lines. By implementing a wide backside aperture and two unequal patches underneath the coupled microstrip line, the constituted balun with miaturized size achieves good amplitude/phase balances and input impedance matching over a wide frequency range of 1.9 -3.2 GHz. The predicted attractive performances are validated by experiment.