As is known in the art, amplifier systems and circuits can be found in a wide variety of applications including electronic warfare, radar, jamming, instrumentation (test and measurement) and communication applications. These systems and circuits typically include an amplifier which is coupled to receive signals from a source which drives or provides signals to the amplifier for amplification. These systems and circuits also typically include an impedance matching device or network which is used to match the output impedance of the source (i.e., the output impedance “seen” by the amplifier being driven by an output of the source) with the input impedance of the amplifier (i.e., the impedance “seen” by the source driving an input of the amplifier) in order to efficiently transfer the signal from the source to the amplifier for amplification.
Known impedance matching networks (e.g., impedance matching networks utilizing shunt capacitors) are generally effective at matching the above-described impedances and providing for maximum gain or power transfer between the source and the amplifier. However, known impedance matching networks typically cause the amplifier to have a reduced or narrower bandwidth than was intended, which is undesirable for reasons apparent (e.g., resulting in the loss of some signal frequencies in the range of signal frequencies which the amplifier was intended to amplify), as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,898,340 and 7,982,544, for example, each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The foregoing drives a need for impedance matching networks which provide for increased bandwidth capabilities in comparison to known impedance matching networks. The foregoing also drives a need for systems (e.g., amplifier systems) which include these impedance matching networks.