The demands for increased performance in smaller packages have
motivated developers of RF/microwave power dividers/combiners to
create innovative solutions. Technology for RF/microwave power
dividers/ combiners has not changed much in recent years,
although customer requirements have forced the manufacturers of
these passive components to seek smaller package outlines while
still handling respectable power levels. That classic tradeoff
of size versus power- handling capabilities impacts most passive
components and has guided the design of many recent high-
frequency power combiners/dividers. Microwave power dividers and
combiners come in many forms, from simple 3-dB splitters that
produce two equal-amplitude output signals to more elaborate
dividing/combining networks that feed phased-array antennas and
other complex applications. While some are optimized for use as
dividers or combiners, many can be used as both. Power dividers
are characterized by many of the specifications that apply to
passive microwave co