US Patent 7274268 Balun with structural enhancements

A balun including a pair of metal coil structures and an intervening dielectric layer having a thickness that is selected in response an operating frequency of the balun. The thickness of the dielectric layer may be used to tune the balun and enhance its self-inductance at its operating frequency. In addition, a balun with a pair of metal coil structures formed with an asymmetry that is selected to minimize an amplitude error in its output signal. A balun according the present teachings may also include an asymmetry in the positioning of its output terminals. The positioning of the output terminals of a balun may be adjusted to minimize phase errors at its output signal.