RF Directional Couplers

This Product Selection Guide contains information to help select products in the RF Directional Coupler category on DigiKey.com

RF Directional Couplers are designed to couple a specific amount of electromagnetic power in a transmission line to a secondary line enabling the signal to be used in another circuit. The coupler types are Coupler-with Filter, Dual Band-Dual Path, and Standard with frequencies ranging from DC to 40 GHz. The coupling factor ranges from -20 dB to 49 dB with applications being AGSM, AMPS, CDMA, Cellular, DCS, DECT, E-GSM, General Purpose, GSM, LTE, Military, PCN, PCS, PDC, PHP, S-Band Radar, Telecom, W-CDMA, Wireless LAN, WLAN, and X-Band Radar.


SelectionCharacteristics

Coupler Type: Indicates coupler topology/function.

Frequency: The frequency or frequencies this product is designed to be compatible.

Coupling Factor: Indicates the portion of the power applied at the input port that is transferred to the coupled port. Actual values are frequency-dependent.

Applications: Application is the type of equipment or environment the device will be used in, they are tested and typically rated by a third party to ensure certain minimum standards for the application they are intended for. You could use one with a higher rating, but you cannot use one with a lower rating as it will fail in that application. For example, you could use a medically rated device to replace a commercial device, but you cannot replace the medical device with the commercial device.

Insertion Loss: A measure of power losses incurred by signals passing through a device, under manufacturer-defined test conditions.

Power - Max: This rating indicates the maximum amount of power you would put through the device before expecting to see failure or damage to the product.

Isolation: A measure of the difference in power applied to a device’s input port and the portion thereof that appears at its isolated port, when properly terminated.

Return Loss: Characterizes signal loss due to reflection of a portion of an incident signal, expressed in dB as the ratio of incident signal power to reflected signal power.

Package / Case: The protective case on an electronic component which allows for easy handling, installation, and protects the device. This is what we determined is the closest industry standard to the supplier device package. Typically, it is best to use the actual dimensions from the datasheet rather than to go by this terminology when designing your circuit.

Supplier Device Package: This is what the manufacturer calls the package of this device. They are manufacturer specific. It is typically best to use the actual dimensions from the datasheets rather than to go by this terminology when designing your circuit.

ProductExamples

DigiKey Part Number 1465-1712-2-ND
Manufacturer MACOM Technology Solutions
Manufacturer Product Number MACP-010250-C808A0
Description RF DIR COUPLER 5MHZ-1.2GHZ MOD
Datasheet Click Here

DigiKey Part Number 1465-JHS-119-PIN-ND
Manufacturer MACOM Technology Solutions
Manufacturer Product Number JHS-119-PIN
Description HYBRID,QUADRATURE
Datasheet Click Here

DigiKey Part Number 1465-CH-140-PIN-ND
Manufacturer MACOM Technology Solutions
Manufacturer Product Number CH-140-PIN
Description COUPLER,BROAD-BAND S/D
Datasheet Click Here

DigiKey Part Number 3985-PE2CP1109-ND
Manufacturer Pasternack
Manufacturer Product Number PE2CP1109
Description CPLR 20DBSMA 2.6-5.2GHZ 50W
Datasheet Click Here

MediaLinks

Articles
The Fundamentals of RF Directional Couplers and How to Use Them Effectively
Tiny Directional Couplers Meet Demands of Compact RF Applications
RF Power Measurement Techniques
How to Implement SWaP-C Satcom Antenna Arrays Using SMD Power Dividers and Directional Couplers

If you have any general questions on the specifications for selecting RF Directional Coupler, please reply using the button below. If you have questions on a specific RF Directional Coupler please post those questions in the Wireless and IoT category.