Ail Systems, Inc.

L-3 Communications Corporation

Joseph L Merenda

John A Pierro

Scott M Weiner

Paul Heller

Thomas H Graham

Michael Zaffarano

Eric Darvin

A broadband driver amplifier module is made using an arrangement of MMICS and microstrip to provide inline rf connectors for the input and output and a small package size. The input and output microstrips incorporate a microstrip portion which is at an angle to the axis of the input connector providing an offset from the axis of the input connector. There is provided at least one MMIC extending from the input microstrip at the offset across the input connector axis and having an output on the other side of the axis. This arrangement provides for an overall zigzag configuration which reduces the axial length of the package while maintaining inline input and output connectors. The invention further includes novel arrangements for MMIC mounting and d.c. blocks used in the amplifier.

Broadband amplifier having offset microstrip section in a housing module

A surface mount, even harmonic mixer is preferably used in point-to-multipoint millimeter wave transceivers. The mixer includes an anti-parallel series arrangement of diodes in one or more ring quads to increase the input 1 dB compression point and third-order input intercept point (IP3), while maintaining the benefits inherent with even harmonic mixing.

Even harmonic mixer with high-input, third-order intercept point

A low noise wide tuning bandwidth voltage controlled oscillator employs a resonator circuit formed from at least two microstrip lines which are electromagnetically coupled to one another. Each of the microstrip lines has one end electrically coupled to circuit ground to provide a substantially inductive resonator circuit which is substantially immune to parasitic end effects and radiation loses. The frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator circuit is controlled by a variable capacitance varactor circuit coupled to at least one of the microstrip transmission lines. The resonator circuit is well suited for use with a bipolar transistor configured as a negative resistance oscillator.

Varactor tuned strip line resonator and VCO using same

A coaxial-to-coplanar waveguide connector is used for interconnecting stripline compatible devices utilizing coaxial cable. The connector is formed at the end of a length of coaxial cable embedded within a circuit board. The connector generally has a substantially semi-circular connection section. The connection section includes a conductor partly surrounded by an electrically insulative dielectric which is partly surrounded by a shield. An electrically conductive sheet is used to couple the shield to a ground plane of the circuit board. Electrically conductive ribbon is connect the conductor to a stripline compatible device. The coaxial-to-coplanar waveguide connector may be fabricated by coating a dielectric board with an adhesive material and then routing a length of miniature coaxial cable in the adhesive. Conductive material and dielectric material are consecutively laid upon the dielectric cable board. A portion of the board including a section of miniature coaxial cable is milled so as to remove a top portion of the cable. An electrically conductive material is coupled to the coaxial shield in order to connect the shield to a ground plane of the circuit board and the stripline compatible device. Furthermore, an additional electrically conductive ribbon is operatively connected from the conductor to the stripline compatible device.

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Massapequa, NY, United States of America

Joseph L Merenda