Harris Corporation

Ralph D DiStefano

Marc H Popek

James A Sanborn

Steven E Wilson

William R Beaudet

Robert J Guinn, Jr

Janet D Sadlon

Kenneth D Springer

Nicholas Moldovan

Joseph W Priester

A method of making a thin, lightweight and flexible RF waffleline includes the production of a negative silicone casting from a relatively thick and rigid metal positive tooling plate having the identical matrix of the desired waffleline and product. The waffleline is formed by casting an epoxy resin on the silicone casting or nickel electroforming, following by metallization. The waffleline end products is either a very thin and flexible epoxy composite structure or a nickel electroform metallized with gold. Accordingly, a negative WMA image can now be cast, as opposed to expensive machining or forming, with relatively simple and inexpensive techniques in fabricating the process tooling.

Lightweight, flexible waffleline interconnect structure and methods of

A method for manufacturing a Waffleline structure includes making holes in predetermined array pattern through a substrate material sheet, depositing layers of materials on the sheet until the holes are filled, machining the layers off a first side of the sheet to expose the substrate material, and etching the substrate material away, leavign a Waffleline structure having an array of mesas of the layers of material disposed on a base of the layers of material. The method may additionally include applying a mask to the first side of the sheet after the step of machining, and depositing further layers of material on a second side of the sheet opposite the first side following the step of applying the mask. The method may additionally comprise the steps of vapor blasting, chemically cleaning, or brushing the Waffleline structure following the step of etching.

Electroformed method for fabricating round mesa millimeter wave

A process for forming a stripline interface conductor. A stripline interface conductor receives a circuit element and provides spaced-apart connections to each of the closely spaced leads of the circuit element. A first ground plane layer and an attached dielectric layer are perforated to create a first access opening and a plurality of second access openings. The plurality of second access openings are spaced at a distance from the first access opening so that closely spaced leads of the circuit element can be attached to signal traces at the first access opening and electrical connection can be made to the leads in a spaced-apart geometry at the plurality of smaller access openings. A second dielectric layer including top and bottom metallic layers is attached to the exposed side of the first dielectric layer. Before this attachment the top metallic surface of the second dielectric is etched to form the signal traces and a third access opening is formed through all three layers. The two pieces are bonded using a liquid adhesive and the first access opening is placed in registry with the third access opening. The circuit element is electrically connected to the signal traces using the portion of the signal traces exposed through the registered holes. Spaced apart connections to the leads of the circuit element are provided through the plurality of spaced-apart second access openings.

Process for fabricating a sculptured stripling interface conductor

A process for forming an interconnect structure atop an insulated circuit board comprises selectively forming a first metallic (copper) layer on a first surface of an insulator (Teflon) board, so as to define the intended geometry of a pattern of interconnect metal. Atop this structure a buffer layer of photoresist is non-selectively formed and then apertures are drilled through selected locations in the buffer layer and underlying metallic layer and insulator board. Next, the resulting structure is plated with a second metallic layer, so as to coat the buffer layer and sidewalls of the apertures with a metallic plating. Finally, a photoresist wash is applied to cause the buffer layer to be dissolved and its coating of metallic plating to be lifted off the insulator board and the first metallic layer. Since the original geometry of the interconnect line pattern has been protected during through-hole formation and electroplating its electrical characteristics remain unaltered. When the buffer layer of protective photoresist is dissolved the electroplate simply lifts off the board away from the plated through-holes and built-up interconnect, thereby leaving the pattern of interconnect metal and the coating of metallic plating in the apertures intact.

Process of forming breadboard interconnect structure having plated

A sculptured stripline interface conductor for providing spaced apart access to the closely spaced conductors of a circuit element. The low impedance and crosstalk of stripline suggests the use thereof in high-frequency applications. In the sculptured stripline interface conductor of the present invention the circuit traces of the buried signal layer are closely spaced in a first section of the stripline interface conductor and spaced further apart in a second section thereof. In the area where the circuit traces are closely spaced, different-shaped rectangular holes are made in the upper and lower ground plane conductors to expose the inner circuit traces. The upper ground plane conductor also has holes in the second section for exposing a pad in the circuit traces. External connection to each conductor of the circuit element is then made to the circuit trace pad through the holes in the upper ground plane conductor. The circuit element is disposed adjacent the rectangular holes and the leads thereof are connected to the inner circuit traces exposed by the rectangular holes.

Sculptured stripline interface conductor

A method of forming articles on an electrically conductive mandrel, and the article produced, is disclosed. Initially, a first layer of metal is electroformed on the mandrel; then alternating electrolessly deposited metal layers of, e.g., two different metals are deposited on the electroformed first layer to form a bi-metallic laminated structure; and then a final layer of metal is electroformed on the laminated structure. The mandrel is then removed to form the article. This method provides a more uniform wall thickness of the final article, even when the mandrel has inner wall portions (e.g., grooves, slots, holes, etc.), as compared with articles formed by conventional electroforming techniques. This method can be used, among other uses, to form corrugated waveguide horns for extremely high frequency applications.

Growing community of inventors

Palm Bay, FL, United States of America

Ralph D DiStefano