The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 13, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 21, 1999
Tsutomu Takenaka, Tokorozawa, JP;
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A resonator having a variable resonance frequency. The resonator includes a cavity enclosed by a conducting wall. A resonating element and a conductive plate are located within the cavity. A photoconductive element is connected between two points on the conductive plate. The resonator also includes a light source for irradiating the photoconductive element with light of the predetermined wavelength. In the preferred embodiment, the conductive plate is circular and includes a gap, the photoconductive element connecting two points on the gap and the resonating element is a cylindrical dielectric resonator element having a TE,mode electromagnetic field distribution. The circular conductive plate is preferably placed parallel to the top surface of the cylindrical dielectric resonator substantially midway between the top surface and the inner surface of the conducting wall. The diameter of the circular plate is preferably greater than that of the cylindrical dielectric resonator. In one embodiment of the present invention, the photoconductive element includes first and second photoconductive regions, the first photoconductive region connecting first and second points on the conductive plate and the second photoconductive region connecting third and fourth points on the conductive plate. In this embodiment, the light source includes first and second light emitting elements, for respectively illuminating said first and second photoconductive regions. The magnitude of the change in resonance frequency induced by illuminating the photoconductive region can be altered by adjusting the relative position of the photoconductive element and the light source.