Dielectric Waveguide with Conductive Coating

• US 20140368301A1
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Herbsommer, Juan Alejandro, Haroun, Baher
• Granted Patent: US 9,472,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/239
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/122 Dielectric loaded (not air)
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/16 Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor

Abstract

A dielectric waveguide (DWG) has a dielectric core member that has a length L and an oblong cross section. The core member has a first dielectric constant value. A dielectric cladding surrounds the dielectric core member; the cladding has a second dielectric constant value that is lower than the first dielectric constant. A conductive shield layer surrounds a portion of the dielectric cladding.

Claims

1. A dielectric waveguide (DWG) comprising:

a dielectric core member having a length L and an oblong cross section, wherein the core member has a first dielectric constant value; and

a dielectric cladding surrounding the dielectric core member, wherein the cladding has a second dielectric constant value that is lower than the first dielectric constant; and

a conductive layer surrounding a portion of the dielectric cladding.

2. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the oblong cross section of the dielectric core has a width W that is longer than a height H, wherein W and H each have a dimension in a range of 0.3 to 3×

a wavelength of a target signal traveling in the core member.

3. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the cladding has a cross section that is a different shape from the dielectric core member.

4. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a mesh having openings, such that the openings in the mesh are smaller than one wavelength of a target signal.

5. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is configured as a plurality of separate cylindrical shaped rings that are spaced apart by a distance that is less than approximately one wavelength of a target signal.

6. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a sputtered coating.

7. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is an evaporated layer of conductive material.

8. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a conductive paint.

9. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a metallic foil.

10. The DWG of claim 1, further comprising a protecting covering surrounding the conductive layer.

11. The DWG of claim 1, further comprising a connector attached to an end of the DWG, wherein the conductive layer is conductively isolated from the connector.

12. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has a diameter that is less than three times the diagonal cross section of the core member.

13. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the oblong cross section of the dielectric core member has an aspect ratio of approx 1:

2.

14. The DWG of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional conductive layers or wires separated by an insulating layer.

15. The DWG of claim 14, further comprising a connector on each end of the DWG, each connector having conductive members conductively coupled to the additional conductive layers or wires.

16. The DWG of claim 1, wherein the DWG is comprised within an electronic system, wherein the system further comprises:

a first component coupled to a first end of the DWG; and

a second component coupled to an opposite end of the DWG.

17. A method for transmitting a high frequency signal between components in a system, the method comprising:

coupling the high frequency signal from a first component to a core of a dielectric waveguide (DWG) having a dielectric core with a first dielectric constant value and a dielectric cladding surrounding the dielectric core, wherein the cladding has a second dielectric constant value that is lower than the first dielectric constant;

guiding the high frequency signal along a length L of the DWG;

coupling the high frequency signal from the core of the DWG to the second component; and

attenuating an evanescent wave traveling on a surface of the DWG with a conductive layer around an outer surface of the dielectric cladding.