What are Resistive Power Dividers?
Resistive Power Dividers are electronic circuits that divide an input signal into two or more output signals with equal or unequal power levels. They are designed using resistors and are the simplest form of power splitters. Resistive power dividers are an essential component in various RF systems, including telecommunications, radar, satellite communication, and test measurement systems.
A resistive power divider works on the principle of power dissipation across resistors when current flows through them. It consists of a network of resistors connected in a specific configuration. When an RF signal is applied across the input port, it propagates through the resistive network and the power is distributed among the output ports according to the resistors’ values and configuration.
3-way resistive power divider
Resistive power dividers are available in multiple forms, such as 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, 8-way, etc. By adding more resistors, an N-way power divider can be designed; for example, a 4-way equal power divider has four output ports with resistors that split the input signal power equally across its output ports. There are two main resistor configurations that are used – Star and Delta.
Following are schematics of star and delta configurations of a 3-way resistive power divider:
Star Configuration: In this configuration, the three resistors are arranged in a radial pattern, resembling the shape of a star. It consists of a resistor between the input port and each of the output ports. An input signal is applied at one terminal, and the output is observed on the other two. A single input signal is split into two output signals with equal power levels.
