Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Cynthia W Berry

Alex E Bailey

Tapan K Gupta

Robert H Fisher

Deborah P Partlow

Ronald G Freitag

John W Gipprich

Mike L Salib

Rena Y Jacobson

Joseph A Faulkner

Vincent G Karasack

Brian T McMonagle

Michael J Lee

Benjamin R Myers

Wayne A Smythe

Gene A Digennaro

Michael A Hageman

Thomas M Walsh

Eric D Zirofsky

Eric V Miller

Harry V Guy, Iii

Marissa A O'Donnell

Glenn A Cooke

Dave M Krafcsik

Shane H Dennison

Robert B Middleton

Daniel Brosey

Steve M Smalley

William A Thomas

Kerron R Duncan

John P Vitamvas

An LTCC (low temperature cofired ceramic) structure which has conductors to which leads are to be bonded for connection to external circuitry. The conductors include additives to promote adhesion to the ceramic layer. The presence of these additives degrade bonding performance. For better bondability of the leads, a pure conductor metal layer, devoid of the additives is placed on the conductors in areas where leads are to be bonded. This pure conductor metal layer may be cofired with the stack of ceramic layers or may be post fired after stack firing.

Method for LTCC circuitry

A multi-channel, dual-band, radio frequency (RF) transmit/receive (T/R) module, for an active electronically scanned array, is provided. The module includes a compact, RF manifold connector and at least four T/R channels. Each of the T/R channels includes a notch radiator, a diplexer coupled to the notch radiator, a power amplifier, including at least one dual-band gain stage, coupled to the notch radiator, a low noise amplifier, including at least one lower-band gain stage and at least one upper-band gain stage, coupled to the diplexer, and a T/R cell, including a phase shifter, a signal attenuator and at least one dual-band gain stage, coupled to the power amplifier, the low noise amplifier and the manifold connector.

Dual band quadpack transmit/receive module

The print head and screen assembly of a Semi-Automatic Screen Printer is raised above its normal printing height and selective attachment of several different fixtures on the nest plate for holding the substrate in a desired position during a screen printing operation for printing gold on LTCC substrates.

Ceramic screen printing apparatus

A method of producing an LTCC substrate having improved cavity bondability is disclosed that involves providing a stack of green ceramic tape sheets having a cavity, placing a template having an opening corresponding to the cavity over the stack, placing a stretchable sheet of material coated with graphite or zinc stearate over the template, isostatically laminating the stack to produce an LTCC substrate having a cavity, and removing the template and sheet of stretchable material from the stack.

Method of producing an LTCC substrate with cavities having improved bondability

A method of forming an LTCC structure having at least one open cavity on each of first and second opposing sides is disclosed that includes the steps of forming a first LTCC structure including a first side having a plurality of cavities and a second side, subjecting the first LTCC structure to a first pressure, forming a second LTCC structure including a first side having a plurality of cavities and a second side, subjecting the second LTCC structure to a second pressure, arranging the first LTCC structure and the second LTCC structure such that the first LTCC structure second side faces the second LTCC structure second side, and subjecting the placed-together first and second LTCC structures to a third pressure to join the first LTCC structure to the second LTCC structure. A product formed by the subject method is also disclosed.

Method of laminating low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) Material

An LTCC module includes a base on one or more surfaces for receiving one or more external components to be attached to the module. A base is formed of a plurality of layers of metallization in a predetermined pattern. The layers include an adhesion layer on the LTCC module surface, with one or more intermediate layers, followed by a top layer. The module is fired with each application of the layers at a reduced temperature lower than the normal cofiring temperature of the LTCC module, but of sufficient value to partially sinter the layers. After the last applied top layer, the module is fired once at an elevated temperature to fully sinter the layers.

Method of forming one or more base structures on an LTCC cofired module

A method of tuning the frequency response of filters embedded in or formed on a ceramic substrate, such as but not limited to a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate (LTCC), by re-firing a previously fired LTCC substrate to a temperature which is greater by a predetermined, relatively small, amount than that of the temperature produced during the original firing profile of the substrate so as to change the dielectric constant of the substrate, and thus cause a desired shift in the filter's frequency response.

Method for tuning the center frequency of embedded microwave filters

A fabrication process for ferrite toroids which utilizes ferrite ceramic tape having an improved elongation characteristic. The process utilizes a set of rigid mandrels which are employed in the final lamination to support the rectangular cross section of the internal cavity of a respective ferrite tube, thereby reducing stress concentration and permitting the highest lamination pressure to be used in the final step. The mandrels are removed prior to panel densification. The tape and mandrels operate together to minimize cracks and pores in the toroids and provide an added advantage of maintaining high tolerances in the internal cavity dimensions as well as the cavity-to-cavity alignment.

Method of manufacturing ferromagnetic toroids used in ferrite phase shifters

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, MD, United States of America

Cynthia W Berry