Distributed-element circuit: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:59, 24 October 2019

Revision as of 21:57, 24 October 2019

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{{Short description|Electrical circuits composed of lengths of transmission lines or other distributed components}}

[[File:LNB circuit.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Satellite-TV block-converter circuit board|A [[low-noise block converter]] with distributed elements. The circuitry on the right is [[lumped element]]s. The distributed-element circuitry is centre and left of centre, and is constructed in [[microstrip]].]]

'''Distributed-element circuits''' are [[electrical circuitscircuit]]s composed of lengths of [[transmission line]]s or other distributed components. These circuits perform the same functions as conventional circuits composed of [[Passivity (engineering)|passive]] components, such as [[capacitor]]s, [[inductor]]s, and [[transformer]]s. They are used mostly at [[microwave]] frequencies, where conventional components are difficult (or impossible) to implement.

Conventional circuits consist of individual components manufactured separately then connected together with a conducting medium. Distributed-element circuits are built by forming the medium itself into specific patterns. A major advantage of distributed-element circuits is that they can be produced cheaply as a [[printed circuit board]] for consumer products, such as [[satellite television]]. They are also made in [[coaxial cable|coaxial]] and [[waveguide (electromagnetism)|waveguide]] formats for applications such as [[radar]], [[satellite communication]], and [[microwave link]]s.