Difference between hybrid and resistive RF power splitters, and Frequency Response?
Resistive splitters are essentially voltage dividers, and as a result dissipate power. A two way equal resistive splitter will have an insertion loss of 6 dB - 3 dB for the split, and 3 dB absorbed. The main advantage of a resistive splitter is that it is not frequency dependent, so they can work over very wide bands, from DC to GHz. Other types of power splitters do not use resistors in the same way and hence have lower insertion loss. Hybrid couplers are one of these. Hybrid couplers take one input and produce two outputs that are 90 degrees out of phase. Equal split hybrid couplers have an insertion loss of 3 dB, with little additional loss over the split. Hybrid couplers are narrow band devices and only operate well over a narrow frequency range.