What does a higher insertion loss value in a directional coupler indicate?

A higher insertion loss value in a directional coupler indicates greater signal attenuation. Insertion loss refers to the signal power lost when it passes through the coupler. A high insertion loss means that a significant amount of the input signal is being attenuated, resulting in less signal reaching the output.

This concept is crucial in applications that require maintaining as much signal power as possible, such as in RF and microwave communications. Minimal insertion loss is desired to ensure that the maximum amount of signal power is available for the next stage of the system. When insertion loss is high, it reflects that the coupler is not efficiently passing through the input signal, which leads to heightened signal loss or attenuation. Therefore, the correct understanding revolves around the fact that higher insertion loss corresponds to greater signal attenuation.