Circulators & Insulators

An RF circulator consists of 3 ports, usually with coax connectors for signal connection, in which the internal forms a Y-crossover link that is further connected to a magnetic ferrite-based material, which can only lead the signal (microwave energy) in one Direction: e.g. From Port 1 to Port 2, or Port 2 to port 3 or Port 3 to port 1.

If one of the ports is terminated, the other two ports will be isolated in the opposite direction.

This means that the circulator turns into an insulator. As a rule, this termination (matched) is built into the isolator on port 3.

The ferrite based circulator is the basic building block of all ferrite based components produced by our supplier UTE Microwave in the United States.

Applications for the circulator include: coupling element for reactance amplifiers (para-amplifiers and TDA), duplexing and Phase lock injection.

Due to physical limitations in the material, a single insulator typically provides 20 dB insulation.

By connecting several sections together in one package, you can achieve better performance than 20dB.

More basic information about the use and selection of the products