Miniature RF and Microwave Components and Methods for Fabricating Such Components
First Claim
1. A coaxial RF or microwave component that preferentially passes a radiation in a desired frequency band, comprising:
- a. at least one RF or microwave radiation entry port in a conductive structure;
b. at least one RF or microwave radiation exit port in the conductive structure;
c. at least one passage, substantially bounded on the sides by the conductive structure, through which RF or microwave radiation passes when traveling from the at least one entry port to the at least one exit port;
d. a central conductor extending along the at least one passage from the entry port to the exit port; and
e. at least one conductive spoke extending between the central conductor and the conductive structure at each of a plurality of locations where successive locations along the length of the passage are spaced by approximately one-half of a propagation wavelength, or an integral multiple thereof, within the passage for a frequency to be passed by the component,wherein one or more of the following conditions are met (1) the central conductor, the conductive structure, and the conductive spokes are monolithic, (2) a cross-sectional dimension of the passage perpendicular to a propagation direction of the radiation along the passage is less than about 1 mm, more preferably less than about 0.5 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.25 mm, (3) more than about 50% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, more preferably more than about 70% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, and most preferably more than about 90% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, (4) at least a portion of the conductive portions of the component are formed by an electrodeposition process, (5) at least a portion of the conductive portions of the component are formed from a plurality of successively deposited layers, (6) at least a portion of the passage has a generally rectangular shape, (7) at least a portion of the central conductor has a generally rectangular shape, (8) the passage extends along a two-dimensional non-linear path, (9) the passage extends along a three-dimensional path, (10) the passage comprises at least one curved region and a side wall of the passage in the curved region has a nominally smaller radius than an opposite side of the passage in the curved region and is provided with a plurality of surface oscillations having smaller radii, (11) the conductive structure is provided with channels at one or more locations where the electrical field at a surface of the conductive structure, if it were there, would have been less than about 20% of its maximum value within the passage, more preferably less than 10% of its maximum value within the passage, even more preferably less than 5% of its maximum value within the passage, and most preferably where the electrical field would have been approximately zero, (12) the conductive structure is provided with patches of a different conductive material at one or more locations where the electrical field at the surface of the conductive structure, if it were there, would have been less than about 20% of its maximum value within the passage more preferably less than about 10% of its maximum value within the passage, even more preferably less than about 5% of its maximum value within the passage, and most preferably where the electrical field would have been approximately zero, (13) mitered corners are used at least some junctions for segments of the passage that meet at angles between 60° and
120°
, and/or (14) the conductive spokes are spaced at an integral multiple of one-half the wavelength and bulges on the central conductor or bulges extending from the conductive structure extend into the passage at one or more locations spaced from the conductive spokes by an integral multiple of approximately one-half the wavelength.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations).
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A coaxial RF or microwave component that preferentially passes a radiation in a desired frequency band, comprising:
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a. at least one RF or microwave radiation entry port in a conductive structure; b. at least one RF or microwave radiation exit port in the conductive structure; c. at least one passage, substantially bounded on the sides by the conductive structure, through which RF or microwave radiation passes when traveling from the at least one entry port to the at least one exit port; d. a central conductor extending along the at least one passage from the entry port to the exit port; and e. at least one conductive spoke extending between the central conductor and the conductive structure at each of a plurality of locations where successive locations along the length of the passage are spaced by approximately one-half of a propagation wavelength, or an integral multiple thereof, within the passage for a frequency to be passed by the component, wherein one or more of the following conditions are met (1) the central conductor, the conductive structure, and the conductive spokes are monolithic, (2) a cross-sectional dimension of the passage perpendicular to a propagation direction of the radiation along the passage is less than about 1 mm, more preferably less than about 0.5 mm, and most preferably less than about 0.25 mm, (3) more than about 50% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, more preferably more than about 70% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, and most preferably more than about 90% of the passage is filled with a gaseous medium, (4) at least a portion of the conductive portions of the component are formed by an electrodeposition process, (5) at least a portion of the conductive portions of the component are formed from a plurality of successively deposited layers, (6) at least a portion of the passage has a generally rectangular shape, (7) at least a portion of the central conductor has a generally rectangular shape, (8) the passage extends along a two-dimensional non-linear path, (9) the passage extends along a three-dimensional path, (10) the passage comprises at least one curved region and a side wall of the passage in the curved region has a nominally smaller radius than an opposite side of the passage in the curved region and is provided with a plurality of surface oscillations having smaller radii, (11) the conductive structure is provided with channels at one or more locations where the electrical field at a surface of the conductive structure, if it were there, would have been less than about 20% of its maximum value within the passage, more preferably less than 10% of its maximum value within the passage, even more preferably less than 5% of its maximum value within the passage, and most preferably where the electrical field would have been approximately zero, (12) the conductive structure is provided with patches of a different conductive material at one or more locations where the electrical field at the surface of the conductive structure, if it were there, would have been less than about 20% of its maximum value within the passage more preferably less than about 10% of its maximum value within the passage, even more preferably less than about 5% of its maximum value within the passage, and most preferably where the electrical field would have been approximately zero, (13) mitered corners are used at least some junctions for segments of the passage that meet at angles between 60° and
120°
, and/or (14) the conductive spokes are spaced at an integral multiple of one-half the wavelength and bulges on the central conductor or bulges extending from the conductive structure extend into the passage at one or more locations spaced from the conductive spokes by an integral multiple of approximately one-half the wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An RF or microwave component that guides or controls radiation, comprising:
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a. at least one RF or microwave radiation entry port and at least one exit port within a conductive metal structure; and b. at least one passage substantially bounded on the sides by the conductive metal structure through which RF or microwave energy passes when traveling from the at least one entry port; and c. at least one branching channel along the at least one passage, wherein the conductive metal structure surrounding the passage and the channel in proximity to a branching region of the channel from the passage is monolithic.
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20. A method of manufacturing an RF device, comprising:
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a. depositing a plurality of adhered layers of material, wherein the deposition of each layer of material comprises, i. selective deposition of at least a first material; ii. deposition of at least a second material; and iii. planarization of at least a portion of the deposited material; b. removing at least a portion of the first or second material after deposition of a plurality of layers; wherein a structural pattern resulting from the deposition and the removal provides at least one structure that is usable as an RF device.
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Specification