Trw Limited

Roger A Davidheiser

Alfred Euinam Lee

D Ian Stones

James C Lau

Steven S Chan

Gerald R Fischer

William D Bjorndahl

Kenneth C Selk

Neal J Schneier

George E Avera

A high frequency coaxial interconnection solder ball grid array produces a low loss, reproducible electrical interconnection at the circuit board level for mounting one or more high frequency components, such as high frequency IMA modules. Since the coaxial interconnection ball grid array can be and is generally implemented as part of a larger ball grid array, high frequency signal generation, signal reception and digital processing can be combined in a single electronic component, such as a circuit board. A coaxial-like interconnection is formed from a plurality of solder balls configured in a three-by-three square array. The coaxial interconnection solder ball grid array includes a single centrally disposed solder ball for interconnecting with a centrally disposed conductor of a coaxial line and a plurality of solder balls surrounding the single centrally disposed solder ball, some balls of which interconnect with a coaxial ground shield of the coaxial line. When soldered together, the centrally disposed solder ball and the central conductor of the coaxial line have the appearance of a rod with a diameter having a standard 50 ohm impedance. The outer conductive shield or ground signal path of the coaxial line is connected with multiple solder balls, to achieve a lower inductance ground-to-ground connection.

Solder ball grid array for connecting multiple millimeter wave assemblies

A waveguide structure (10) that provides a transition from a polymeric waveguide (26) to a coaxial connection (48). The coaxial connection (48) includes an outer conductor (50) electrically connected to a top ground plate (36) of the waveguide (26) and an inner conductor (52) that extends into the polymeric material within the waveguide (26). The inner conductor (52) is electrically connected to a capacitive plate (56), and the capacitive plate (56) is electrically connected to an elongated conductive probe (58). The conductive probe (58) is electrically connected to a conductive post (60), which is electrically connected to a bottom ground plate (38) opposite to the top ground plate (36). The conductive probe (58) extends in a direction transverse to the propagation direction of electromagnetic waves, and acts to pick up the energy in the electromagnetic radiation. The capacitive plate (56) provides a shunt capacitance that resonates out the inductance caused by the conductive probe (58) and the inner conductor (52). The conductive probe (58) is positioned relative to a backshort surface (44) of the waveguide (26) a distance that is less than a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of interest.

Millimeter wave polymeric waveguide-to-coax transition

The invention relates to a method for producing low cost integrated microwave assemblies, where a photoresist layer is deposited onto a substrate, a portion of the photoresist is selectively removed, a first conductive layer is applied, and, a second portion of the photoresist is removed leaving isolation walls and cavities. Electrical components are placed in the cavities and a first dielectric layer fills the cavities. Vias are created in the first dielectric material exposing the electrical contacts, a second conductive layer is applied into the vias and over the first dielectric material. The second conductive layer is patterned by removing a portion of the second conductive layer creating a signal line pattern in the second conductive layer.

Method of making compact integrated microwave assembly system

A family of logic circuits using nonhysteretic superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) connected together to perform various functions using a common operating principle. Each circuit has an output line, first and second power supply lines having first and second voltage states, and input lines that can have one of the two voltage states. A pull-up circuit, having at least one SQUID, is connected between the output line and the first power supply line, and the input lines are coupled to the pull-up circuit in such a manner as to pull the output line to the first voltage state only if the input lines conform with a selected combination of voltage states. A pull-down circuit, also having at least one SQUID, is connected between the output line and the second power supply line, to pull the output line to the second voltage state only when input lines do not conform with the selected combination of voltage states. A single configuration of SQUIDs can be connected to perform any of six different basic Boolean logic functions on signals applied to the input lines. Additional SQUIDs allow the performance of more complex logic functions. A slightly different arrangement of SQUIDs operates as a two-port random access memory cell.

Superconducting nonhysteretic logic design

A quadriphase modulator, designed in a planar metal geometry for operation in the microwave frequency range, uses Schottky barrier diodes as the switching elements, and is capable of operating at bit data rates up to 15% of the carrier frequency. The microwave circuit employs a microstrip power splitter that couples the carrier signal to two biphase modulators while providing DC isolation. Each biphase modulator includes coplanar-to-slot transmission line transition, with a pair of diodes controlling the phase shift across the transition. The diodes are connected in reverse polarity and the bias for switching the diodes is controlled by the modulating signal. The slot lines from the two biphase modulators are coupled through a microstrip transition and through a Lange 90 degree hybrid to the output load.

Growing community of inventors

Manhattan Beach, CA, United States of America

Roger A Davidheiser