Monolithic microwave transmitter/receiver

• US 5,511,238 A
• Filed: 06/26/1987
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Bayraktaroglu, Burhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/067,527
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/91, 455/106, 455/128, 455/73, 455/77, 455/90, 455/120, 455/81, 455/129, 342/175, 33/247, 33/250, 343/700 MS File, 343/767, 343/772, 343/775, 331/107 DP, 331/107 SL, 331/108 D, 331/108 C
• US Class Current: 455/81
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0605 integrated circuits made of compound material, e.g. AIIIBV
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2009/126 using impact ionization avalanche transit time [IMPATT] diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0074 Locking of an oscillator by injecting an input signal directly into the oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 7/08 being a tunnel diode
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 9/14 and elements comprising distributed inductance and capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 9/147 the frequency being determined by a stripline resonator H03B9/141 - H03B9/143, H03B9/148 take precedence

Abstract

Preferred embodiments include a microstrip patch antenna (38) which also acts as the resonator for an oscillator powered by IMPATT diodes (34, 36); this forms a monolithic transmitter (30) for microwave and millimeter wave frequencies.

Claims

1. A microwave transmitter comprising:

(a) an oscillator, said oscillator including;

(i) a power source, and

(ii) a resonator

(iii) said resonator simultaneously functioning as an antenna;

wherein;

(iv) said power source is a plurality of diodes;

(v) said resonator is a microstrip patch;

(vi) said diodes and patch are formed on a single semiconductor substrate; and

(vii) at least two of said plurality of diodes are connected to opposite edges of said patch.

2. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

said diodes are connected to said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to said ground plane through vias in said substrate.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(c) said diodes are connected to said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to ground through radial stubs and dc bias lines.

4. A microwave transmitter comprising:

(a) an oscillator, said oscillator including;

(b) a power source comprising a plurality of IMPATT diodes biased into breakdown,

(c) a resonator comprising a microstrip patch, said diodes and patch being disposed on a single semiconductor substrate,

(d) said resonator simultaneously functioning as an antenna,

(e) further comprising;

a second microstrip patch adjacent said resonator patch; and

(f) a varactor connected to said second patch and loading said resonator patch.

5. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said varactor is a diode;

(c) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(d) said IMPATT diodes are connected to said resonator patch by air bridges;

(e) said varactor diodes are connected to said second patch by air bridges; and

(f) said diodes are connected to said ground plane through vias in said substrate.

6. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said varactor is a diode;

(c) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(d) said IMPATT diodes are connected to said resonator patch by air bridges;

(e) said varactor diodes are connected to said second patch by air bridges; and

(f) said diodes are connected to ground by radial stubs and dc bias lines.

7. An array microwave transmitter, comprising:

(a) a plurality of individual transmitters on a semiconductor substrate;

(b) each of said individual transmitters including;

i. an oscillator, said oscillator including;

ii. a power source and

iii. a resonator,

iv. said resonator simultaneously functioning as an antenna;

wherein;

v. said power source is a plurality of diodes;

vi. said resonator is a microstrip patch;

vii. said diodes and patch are formed on a single semiconductor substrate; and

viii. at least two of said plurality of diodes are connected to opposite edges of said patch.

8. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein:

each of said plurality of individual transmitters is separated by a distance approximately equal to a half-wavelength of the desired operating frequency of said array.

9. The transmitter of claim 7 wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(c) said diodes are connected to the corresponding said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to said ground plane through vias in said substrate.

10. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(c) said diodes are connected to said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to ground through radial stubs and dc bias lines.

11. A transmitter/receiver, comprising:

(a) an oscillator, said oscillator including;

(b) a power source and

(c) a resonator,

(d) said resonator simultaneously functioning as an antenna;

(e) a low frequency line connected to said resonator to mix signals received by said antenna by said power source to a low frequency;

wherein;

(f) said power source is a plurality of;

(g) said resonator is a microstrip patch;

(h) said diodes and patch are formed on a single semiconductor substrate; and

(i) at least two of said plurality of diodes are connected to opposite edges of said patch.

12. The transmitter/receiver of claim 11, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(c) said diodes are connected to said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to said ground plane through vias in said substrate.

13. The transmitter/receiver of claim 11, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(c) said diodes are connected to said patch by air bridges; and

(d) said diodes are connected to ground through radial stubs and dc bias lines.

14. A transmitter/receiver, comprising:

(a) an oscillator, said oscillator including;

(b) a power source comprising a plurality of IMPATT diodes biased into breakdown, and

(c) a resonator comprising a microstrip patch, said diodes and patch being disposed on a single semiconductor substrate,

(d) said resonator simultaneously functioning as an antenna,

(e) a low frequency line connected to said resonator to mix signals received by said antenna by said power source to a low frequency,

(f) further comprising;

a second microstrip patch adjacent said resonator patch; and

(g) a varactor connected to said second patch and loading said resonator patch.

15. The transmitter/receiver of claim 14, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said varactor is a diode;

(c) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(d) said IMPATT diodes are connected to said resonator patch by air bridges;

(e) said varactor diodes are connected to said second patch by air bridges; and

(f) said diodes are connected to said ground plane through vias in said substrate.

16. The transmitter/receiver of claim 14, wherein:

(a) said substrate is gallium arsenide with a metallized ground plane on the backside;

(b) said varactor is a diode;

(c) said diodes are formed on mesas on said substrate;

(d) said IMPATT diodes are connected to said resonator patch by air bridges;

(e) said varactor diodes are connected to said second patch by air bridges; and

(f) said diodes are connected to ground by radial stubs and dc bias lines.