Lucent Technologies Inc.

Keith V Guinn

Ming-Ju Tsai

Louis Thomas Manzione

John Phillip Franey

Michael A Zimmerman

Yiu-Huen Wong

George J Shevchuk

Hui Wu

Maarten Van Egmond

Stelios Papatheodorou

Susan Clardy McNevin

Edward Bryan Roberts

An electrical connecting element is disclosed comprised of a dielectric substrate having two conductor paths disposed on opposite sides and being substantially aligned with one another. The electrical connecting element employs differential-mode signaling such that the first conductor path carries a signal of opposite polarity to the second conductor path. A virtual ground exists between the differential &plus; and &minus; lines that permits an otherwise &ldquo;groundless&rdquo; differential transmission line. The substantial alignment of the first and second conductor paths improves the space constraints, relative to conventional electrical connecting elements. The characteristic impedance of the disclosed differential transmission line depends on the width of the trace lines the thickness of the dielectric substrate.

Connector for differential-mode transmission line providing virtual ground

A non-conductive frame supports the resonators in a patch antenna assembly. The frame supports the resonators without making holes in the resonators and thereby avoids the problem of creating unwanted electric field polarizations. Additionally, the frame grasps the resonators in areas of low current density and thereby avoids creating additional disturbances in the radiation pattern. The frames may also include posts that are used to attach the frames to the feedboard without using additional components such as screws.

Patch antenna using non-conductive frame

A patch antenna's resonators are supported by a non-conductive frame. The frame supports the resonators without making holes in the resonators and thereby avoids the problem of creating unwanted electric field polarizations. Additionally, the frame grasps the resonators in areas of low current density and thereby avoids creating additional disturbances in the radiation pattern. In one embodiment of the invention, the frame includes a perimeter lip that snaps over the edges of the feedboard and thereby attaches the frame to the feedboard.

Patch antenna using non-conductive thermo form frame

An inexpensive, easy to assemble patch antenna is disclosed where unwanted polarizations in the transmitted RF energy are minimized. A feedboard, spacer and resonator are held in a compressed relationship by two halves of the antenna housing. The spacer is a thermo-formed sheet with semi-spherical spacers. The spacers have a height that provides the desired spacing between the feedboard and the resonator.

Patch antenna

The conductive layers corresponding to a patch antenna are formed on a single substrate, as by printing a conductive ink. The substrate is in the form of an elongated, non-conductive, flexible sheet with the consecutive antenna layers printed thereon side-by-side. The layers of the antenna can then be brought into superposed alignment by appropriate folding of the sheet. The non-conductive rectangles can be maintained in spaced alignment to the cut-outs by placing a porous non-conductive block of spacing material therebetween. In a preferred embodiment the assembled structure has the various layers bonded together.

Patch antenna construction

The present invention is directed to a process for device fabrication in which a pattern is transferred from a photoresist mask into an underlying layer of silicon dioxide. A plasma containing a fluorocarbon gas is used to etch the pattern into the underlying silicon dioxide layer. The plasma is monitored using optical emission spectroscopy to effect control of the etch process. The optical emission is monitored at select wavelengths. To control the process based on an observation of photoresist etch rate, two wavelengths are monitored. One is associated with a species that is produced by the interaction between the photoresist and the plasma, and one is associated with a species related to the plasma intensity. The ratio of the optical intensity at these two wavelengths is determined in real time during processing, and the ratio is associated with acceptable process conditions by referring to a predetermined calibration curve that associates a particular ratio with a particular photoresist etch rate for a given set of process conditions. If the ratio is observed to not be within a certain range of ratios determined to indicate acceptable process conditions, the plasma conditions are either changed to bring the ratio back within the desired range, or the process is stopped until the problem is corrected. To control the process based on an observation of contact hole etch rate, a wavelength associated with one species in the plasma is monitored at two different times during the etch. A ratio of the measured intensity at these two different times is obtained. Calibration information is then used to determine if the ratio indicates that the process is proceeding acceptably. If the ratio is not within the acceptable range, remedial action is taken.

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Basking Ridge, NJ, United States of America

Keith V Guinn