Graceful Degradation Properties of Matched N-Port Power Amplifier Combiners

Abstract

The graceful degradation properties of matched isolated power combiners as a function of amplifier failures of the same type has been determined using general techniques applicable to all such circuits. The effects of complete amplifier failures, amplitude and phase imbalances and poor VSWRs on overall combiner system output power, combining efficiency and input-output impedances can be determined by the resulting equations and plots.