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:
Feb. 03, 2009
Filed:
Jan. 12, 2007
Richard W. Ridgway, Westerville, OH (US);
Steven Risser, Reynoldsburg, OH (US);
David W. Nippa, Dublin, OH (US);
Richard W. Ridgway, Westerville, OH (US);
Steven Risser, Reynoldsburg, OH (US);
David W. Nippa, Dublin, OH (US);
Optimer Photonics, Inc., Columbus, OH (US);
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an antenna assembly comprising an antenna portion and an electrooptic waveguide portion is provided. The antenna portion comprises at least one tapered slot antenna. The waveguide portion comprises at least one electrooptic waveguide. The electrooptic waveguide comprises a waveguide core extending substantially parallel to a slotline of the tapered slot antenna in an active region of the antenna assembly. The electrooptic waveguide at least partially comprises a velocity matching electrooptic polymer in the active region of the antenna assembly. The velocity νof a millimeter or sub-millimeter wave signal traveling along the tapered slot antenna in the active region is at least partially a function of the dielectric constant of the velocity matching electrooptic polymer. In addition, the velocity νof an optical signal propagating along the waveguide in the active region is at least partially a function of the index of refraction of the velocity matching electrooptic polymer. Accordingly, the active region and the velocity matching electrooptic polymer can be configured such that νand νare substantially the same, or at least within a predetermined range of each other, in the active region. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.