Trw Limited

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Steven S Chan

Alfred Euinam Lee

James C Lau

Victor J Watson

John E Dowsing, Iii

D Ian Stones

Jason E Snodgress

Te Kao Wu

Arun K Bhattacharyya

Alvin M Kong

Chun-Hong Harry Chen

Richard P Malmgren

Paul S Lee

Yoshio Saito

Roger A Davidheiser

Jerry M Dickson

Juan Rivera

George M Hayashibara

Phillip L Metzen

Daniel C Yang

Chungcytz Liu

Cheng C Yang

Stuart Kam

Russel K Kam

Arun K Bhattacharvyya

Davie C Liu

A rectangular-to-circular mode combiner/divider is provided. In one aspect of the invention, a power combiner is provided that comprises a plurality of rectangular waveguide ports arranged in an integral arrangement. Each rectangular waveguide port is operative to operate in a rectangular mode. The power combiner is also includes a circular waveguide port operative to operate in a circular mode, and a transition body that couples the plurality of rectangular waveguide ports to the circular waveguide port. The transition body has an inner transition cavity and an outer body operative to convert radio frequency (RF) signals between the rectangular mode and the circular mode, and provide a combined output signal at the circular waveguide port from RF signals received at the plurality rectangular waveguide ports.

Rectangular-to-circular mode power combiner/divider

A phased array antenna structure capable of operation at millimeter-wave frequencies and having multiple ring slot radiator elements (). The RF feed structure for each radiator element includes a feed via () extending part-way through a multi-layer structure () on which the radiator elements () are formed and a strip line feed probe () extending from the via () toward the radiator element. A key feature facilitating high-frequency operation is the inclusion of multiple mode suppressors () surrounding the via () and providing a smooth transition from a coaxial mode of RF transmission to a strip line mode of RF transmission. The feed probe () is tailored to provide either a narrow-band or a wideband frequency characteristic.

Millimeter wave phased array systems with ring slot radiator element

A compact inline waveguide power divider is provided that comprises a primary waveguide in communication with two parallel waveguides. The two parallel waveguides are stacked on top of one another and each parallel waveguide further comprises an output port. Accordingly, an input signal is transmitted through the primary waveguide and split between the two parallel waveguides. A resistive slot is formed in each of the parallel waveguides, thereby increasing output port isolation through dissipation of reflected power from one output port to the other. Further, a stepped or tapered impedance transformation is applied in each parallel waveguide to provide wide band frequency matching. Alternately, the primary waveguide and the parallel waveguides may be configured as a waveguide power combiner rather than a divider, wherein the parallel waveguides comprise input ports and the primary waveguide comprises an output port.

Waveguide power divider and combiner utilizing a resistive slot

A high density electronic switching matrix (ESM) includes several splitting modules ( ) arranged along a first axis, each including a signal input ( ) and several splitter outputs ( ). The ESM ( ) further includes several switching modules ( ) arranged along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. Each switching module ( ) includes switching inputs ( ) coupled individually to an output of each of the splitting modules ( ). The ESM ( ) is further characterized by couplings between the splitter modules and the switching modules. The couplings are formed by mating male and female connectors ( ) integrated into the splitting modules and the switching modules. The couplings support extremely high frequency operation. The splitting modules ( ) and the switching modules ( ) may thus be coupled closely together to form a dense, high frequency, switching matrix, and may be stacked upon one another.

Electronic switching matrix

An H-plane waveguide probe includes a microstrip formed on a dielectric substrate with a loop conductor generally configured in the shape of waveguide on one side and adapted to capture an incoming H-plane signal. A transition conductor formed on an opposing side of the substrate with a first leg and a second leg, connected together by a bend portion. The first leg of the transition conductor is generally parallel to the H-plane for coupling microwave energy from the waveguide to the microstrip. The second leg of the transition conductor is parallel to the E-field and is used to change the direction of the captured microwave energy along the H-plane direction to the E-plane direction. In order to optimize power transfer, the impedance of the loop conductor is selected to be about the same as the waveguide. The transition conductor is used to convert the E-field energy to a 50&OHgr; impedance, for example, for connection to an external microwave circuit.

H-plane hermetic sealed waveguide probe

A circuit module construction and method for its fabrication, in which radio-frequency (RF) or millimeter-wave circuit components (10) are electromagnetically isolated in a circuit module (12), to allow for location of multiple circuit components in close proximity without concern for signal loss or interference between components. Multiple RF or millimeter-wave circuit components (10) are installed on a dielectric substrate (14) and are separated by at least one metal isolation wall (20), which extends in depth all the way through the dielectric substrate (14) to a metal layer (16) formed under the substrate. Each isolation wall (20) is formed by first cutting a channel through the dielectric substrate (14), preferably using a laser that selectively removes the dielectric material but not the metal layer (16). Then the channel is filled with metal by electroplating, to provide continuous electromagnetic isolation in a lateral direction, parallel to the plane of the substrate (14).

Circuit isolation technique for RF and millimeter-wave modules

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 hermetic Integrated Module Assembly (IMA) packaging, where an aluminum coating (24) is deposited on a poly-tetrafluoral-ethaline substrate (20), the aluminum coating (24) is selectively etched to form a waveguide window (26) and the substrate (20) is selectively treated over the waveguide window (26) to produce a non-conductive hermetic seal. The substrate (20) is then joined to a metal carrier (28) containing the waveguide (30). As a result of using selectively treated low cost substrates to produce hermetic seals, more expensive substrates are not required to form hermetic seals over substrate to waveguide interconnections.

Low cost hermetic sealed microwave module packaging

An improved millimeter wave device package design in which the package includes a dielectric substrate disposed upon a supporting base such that the substrate extends substantially along the peripheral edge of the base, defining a central aperture. A solid conductive layer substantially covers the first surface of the dielectric substrate and a series of conductive transmission lines are formed on an opposing second surface of the substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed upon and substantially covers the transmission lines and the second surface of the substrate upon which they are formed. A seal ring is disposed upon and the dielectric layer and a conductor electrically connects the device to the transmission lines. A lid is sealed atop the seal ring completes the hermetical seal for the device.

Millimeter wave ceramic package

The present invention provides a new and effective method for the sealing and electrical testing of electronic devices; and particularly for surface acoustic wave devices. In accordance with the present invention, the cost and size of making hermetically sealed packages for electronic devices and of electrically testing each device is significantly reduced over the prior art by making use of mass simultaneous sealing and electrical connection at the wafer level, and by using substrates with hermetically sealed and electrically conductive via holes. Further, cost reduction is effected by making use of final electrical testing with wafer probe test techniques before dicing.

Mass simultaneous sealing and electrical connection of electronic devices

A hermetically sealable millimeter waveguide launch transition feedthrough for channelling high frequency electrical signals in a circuit which includes at least one waveguide. An aperture is formed in one wall of the waveguide and a conductive pin passes through the aperture. The pin is sealed therein by a dielectric material which surrounds the pin so as to isolate it from the waveguide wall. A probe head is disposed at one end of the conductive pin and within the waveguide. The opposite end of the pin contains a second probe head or other circuit connector. The transition may be effectively implemented in waveguide-to-waveguide or waveguide-to-device applications as well as in colinear device housing applications.

Hermetically sealed millimeter waveguide launch transition feedthrough

An electrical testing device is provided for testing integrated circuits located on a wafer. The testing device employs a multi-layer test circuit having a plurality of contacts for contacting the integrated circuits on a wafer. The layers of the test circuit are embedded in a flexible, supportive dielectric material which allows vertical flexing of the contacts. Cross bar switches are further employed to switch among the plurality of contacts thereby enabling the testing of individual dies of the water to be tested. A microprocessor is further included for controlling the switching and the testing of each die. In an alternate embodiment, the plurality of contacts are mechanically moved relative to the wafer to allow testing of the dies without the need for the switches.

On-wafer integrated circuit electrical testing

A module package for unpackaged millimeter wave or microwave devices allows the device to be dropped into a cavity formed in a housing and then hermetically sealed therein. Employing dielectric probe members which pass through corresponding slots in the housing to electrically interconnect the device within an application circuit allow for effective hermetic sealing and minimize electrical discontinuities and transmission losses.

Growing community of inventors

Alhambra, CA, United States of America

Steven S Chan