Matching circuit design using ant colony optimization method [transmission line impedance matching]

In this study, we applied a TACO (touring ant colony optimization) method to transmission line impedance matching problems. The TACO method is a quite new evolutionary optimization method. As seen from the design examples, the optimization method yields almost equivalently successful results compared with direct design methods. On the other hand, the definition of the problem and implementation of the algorithm are quite simple. The definition of the matching network topology can be altered easily in the optimization method. An additional benefit of using an optimization method arises when the impedance to be matched has frequency dependence. In such a case direct methods are not applicable.