Method of making an integrated circuit microwave interconnect and components
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit microwave interconnect on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a trench in the surface of said substrate;
(b) disposing a first layer of metal over at least the inner surface of said trench;
(c) disposing a first layer of dielectric material in said trench over said first metal layer; and
(d) disposing a second layer of metal over said first layer of dielectric material, said second metal layer adjoining said first metal layer on both sides of said first layer of dielectric material to form a surrounding metal layer which surrounds said first layer of dielectric material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit microwave interconnect is formed upon a surface by disposing a dielectric layer over the surface and patterning the dielectric layer to form a dielectric region. The dielectric region is then surrounded by a surrounding metal layer. In one embodiment the surface may be a non-metal upon which a metal layer is disposed prior to disposing the dielectric layer. In this embodiment an additional metal layer is disposed adjoining the first metal surface on both sides of the dielectric region after patterning the layer to form the dielectric region. Thus, the two metal layers thereby form the surrounding metal layer around the dielectric region. The microwave interconnect may be formed upon the surface of the substrate, above the surface of the substrate in a floating configuration, or in a trench within the substrate. An opening may be provided through the surrounding metal layer and a second dielectric region, in communication with the first dielectric region by way of the opening, may be formed. The second dielectric region is also surrounded by metal to provide a three-dimensional microwave interconnect. The dielectric material within the surrounding metal layers may be removed by an etching process and a vacuum, partial vacuum, or inert gas may be provided within the surrounding metal layers.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit microwave interconnect on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a trench in the surface of said substrate; (b) disposing a first layer of metal over at least the inner surface of said trench; (c) disposing a first layer of dielectric material in said trench over said first metal layer; and (d) disposing a second layer of metal over said first layer of dielectric material, said second metal layer adjoining said first metal layer on both sides of said first layer of dielectric material to form a surrounding metal layer which surrounds said first layer of dielectric material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit microwave interconnect on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a first layer of metal on a surface of said substrate; (b) disposing a first layer of dielectric material over said first layer of metal; (c) patterning said first layer of dielectric material to form a first patterned region; (d) disposing a second layer of metal over said first patterned region, said second metal layer adjoining said first metal layer on both sides of first patterned region to form a surrounding metal layer which surrounds said first patterned region; (e) removing said first patterned region from within said first surrounding metal layer; (f) forming at least two microwave interconnect branches, at least one of said microwave interconnect branches having variable energy propagation characteristics for receiving energy and transmitting said energy in accordance with said variable energy propagation characteristics; (g) coupling said microwave interconnect branches to said microwave interconnect to permit energy applied to said microwave interconnect to be received and transmitted by said microwave interconnect branches; and (h) forming energy source means adapted to apply further energy to said interconnect branch having said variable energy propagation characteristics to provide differing energy propagation characteristics between said microwave interconnect branches in accordance with said further energy.
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Specification