Delay-Sum Group Delay Controller with Low-Loss and Low-Phase Variation

This article presents a group delay controller (GDC) circuit based on the delay-sum method. The proposed circuit can potentially be employed in a self-interference cancellation circuit in full-duplex radio systems. The proposed GDC splits the input signal into two signals with different magnitudes and then combines them in-phase at the output port. Variable group delay can be achieved by changing the power ratio of the two signals. The power dividing ratio (PDR) is changed by employing a variable power divider/combiner (VPD/VPC). The resonant reflective loads substitute for a single varactor diode such that the limited PDR of the VPD/VPC does not degrade the group delay variation range of the GDC. The resonant load can provide infinite PDR by covering open to short susceptance. In addition, asymmetrically connecting the VPD and VPC provides a flatter group delay response. As a result, the delay-sum method enables the proposed GDC to provide low and constant insertion loss while providing low insertion phase variation. The proposed delay sum GDC is demonstrated at 2.5 GHz. The measured insertion loss is only 2.18± 0.28 dB with a continuously controlled relative group delay of 430 ps. Furthermore, the insertion phase variation is only 7.3° at 2.5 GHz, and input/output matchings are maintained for all delay settings.