An integrated design approach is described, in which the dc and rf asp
ects of circulator design are both addressed for a realistic physical
model of the microwave ferrite. The microwave ferrite disc is concepti
onally subdivided into a center puck and a sequence of rings, each of
which may have a different magnetization. The dipole interaction betwe
en the rings is taken into account by means of a dipolar interaction m
atrix, which is a generalization of the conventional demagnetizing fac
tor. The rf behavior of the ferrite (including off-resonance loss and
''low-field loss'') is characterized by appropriate theoretical expres
sions derived on the same physical basis as the equations that charact
erize the de behavior. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.