Hughes Aircraft Company

Delco Electronics Corporation

Gregory S Mendolia

Cheng P Wen

William David Higdon

Mario Siracusa

Joseph J Maieron

John J Wooldridge

Jon J Gulick

A resonator (50) is connected in circuit with a negative resistance element (Q3,Q4) for producing oscillation at a resonant frequency of the resonator (50). A digital phase shifter (58) is incorporated into the resonant frequency in accordance with an applied digital signal. The resonator (50) can be connected in series with the negative resistance element (Q3), in which case the phase shifter (58) is connected as either a short-circuit or an open-circuit transmission line. Alternatively, the resonator (50) can be connected in parallel with the negative resistance element (Q4) in a feedback loop. An analog phase shifter (84) can also be provided in the resonator (50') for continuously variably setting the resonant frequency over the tuning increments of the digital phase shifter (58).

Variable frequency microwave oscillator including digital phase shifter

A microwave radar transceiver assembly (30) includes a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip (58) having a coplanar waveguide transmssion lines (100, 102, 104) formed on the same surface (58a) as the electronic elements thereof. Coplanar waveguide transmission lines (68, 70, 72) are also formed on a surface (62a) of a substrate (62). The transceiver chip (58), in addition to other chips (56, 60), are mounted on the substrate (62) in a flip-chip arrangement, with the respective surfaces (58a, 62a) on which the transmission lines (100, 102, 104; 68, 70, 72) are formed facing each other. Electrically conductive bumps (106, 108, 110) are formed on portions of the transmission lines (100, 102, 104) of the chips (56, 58, 60) which are to be interconneced with the transmission lines (68, 70, 72) of the substrate (62), and solder (114) is formed on the portions of the transmission line (68, 70, 72) of the substrate (62) which are to be interconnected with the transmission lines (100, 102, 104) of the chips (56, 68, 60). The bumps (106, 108, 110) provide spacing between the mating surfaces (58a, 62a) of the substrate (62) and chips (56, 68, 60), and isolation between electronic elements on the chips (56, 58, 60).

Single substrate microwave radar transceiver including flip-chip

A coplanar waveguide directional coupler (116,134) may be formed on a surface (102a,106a) of a substrate (102) and/or a microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) chip (106), with the MMIC chip (106) being flip-chip mounted on the substrate (102). The directional coupler (116,134) includes an input port (114,136), a coupled port (126,154), a direct port (122,152) and an isolation port (1118,150) formed on the surface (102a,106a). At least two parallel first striplines (24,26) are formed on the surface (102a,106a), having first ends connected to the input port (114,136) and second ends connected to the direct port (122,152). At least two parallel second striplines (36,38) are formed on the surface (102a,106a), having first ends connected to the coupled port (126,154) and second ends connected to the isolation port (118,150). The second striplines (36,38) are interdigitated with the first striplines (24,26) to provide tight signal coupling therebetween. First and second main ground planes (52,54) are formed on the surface (102a,106a) and extend parallel to and on opposite respective sides of the interdigitated first and second striplines (24,26,36,38). The input port (114,136), coupled port (126,154), direct port (122,152) and isolation port (118,150) each include a coplanar waveguide section having a center conductor (14a,16a,18a,20a) connected to the ends of the respective striplines (24,26,36,38), and first and second ground planes (14b,14c), (16c,16c), (18b,18c, (20b,20c) which extend parallel to the center conductor (14a,16a,18a,20a) on opposite sides thereof and are connected in circuit to the main ground planes (52,54).

Coplanar waveguide directional coupler and flip-clip microwave

A coplanar waveguide based microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) oscillator chip (14) having an active oscillator element (16) and a resonant capacitor (18) formed thereon is flip-chip mounted on a dielectric substrate (12). A resonant inductor (22) is formed on the substrate (12) and interconnected with the resonant capacitor (18) to form a high Q-factor resonant circuit for the oscillator (10). The resonant inductor (22) includes a shorted coplanar waveguide section (24) consisting of first and second ground strips (24b,24c), and a conductor strip (24a) extending between the first and second ground strips (24b,24c) in parallel relation thereto and being separated therefrom by first and second spaces (26a,26b) respectively. A shorting strip (24d) electrically interconnects adjacent ends of the conductor strip (24a) and first and second ground strips (24b,24c) respectively. A dielectric film (34) may be formed over at least adjacent portions of the conductor strip (24 a) and first and second ground strips (24b,24c). The resonant inductor (22) is adjusted to provide a predetermined resonant frequency for the oscillator (10) by using a laser (40) to remove part of the dielectric film (34) in the first and second spaces (26a,26b) for fine adjustment, and/or to remove part of the shorting strip (24d) at the ends of the first and second spaces (26a,26b) for coarse adjustment.

Growing community of inventors

Torrance, CA, United States of America

Gregory S Mendolia