Dielectric resonator filters with wide stopbands

Dielectric resonators used in filter networks present a model spectrum with undesired, or spurious, resonances in close proximity to the desired one. Through the use of evanescent mode bandpass irises tuned to the filter center frequency, the resonator spurious modes are suppressed, resulting in N-section filters with stopbands clean to at least (N-1) times the individual iris stopband levels. The problem of achieving a wide stopband is reduced to the problems of realizing the resonating capacitance required in an evanescent bandpass filter and computing the junction susceptance occurring at the interface between a larger evanescent section (the resonator enclosure) and the smaller iris opening. The technique results in high-Q resonator filters with stopbands clean to at least -55 dBc, out to at least 1.7 times the filter center frequency