Millimeter waveguide and a circuit apparatus using the same

• US 5,990,768 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kazuaki, Makimoto, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benny T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Summons, Barbara
• Application Number:
  US08/978,617
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 333/26, 333/33, 333/239, 333/243, 333/246-248, 333/250, 257/664
• US Class Current: 333/247
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/084 Suspended microstriplines

Abstract

A millimeter waveguide is disclosed which includes: a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein; a conductor film on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connected to said surface of said groove; a second single crystal substrate covering said conductor film; and a microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate, exposed to a cavity in said groove. A protruding portion may be formed on a bottom surface of the groove. The microstrip line including foundation (nickel chromium) and conductive (gold) layers may be formed on a surface of the groove. A protruding portion may be formed on the second single crystal substrate, wherein the height of this protruding portion is less than the depth of the groove. A millimeter waveguide for a resonator is also disclosed wherein a cavity is formed in substrates with grounding conductive layers on surfaces of the cavity, a probe extending from a microstrip line on a top surface of the substrates. Similar millimeter waveguide is also disclosed wherein the probe is replaced by magnetic field coupling structure. A circuit apparatus is also disclosed which comprises the millimeter waveguide apparatus mentioned above mentioned and an active circuit fixed on the millimeter waveguide apparatus.

Claims

1. A millimeter waveguide comprising:

a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein;

a conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connecting to said surface of groove;

a second single crystal substrate covering said conductor film; and

a microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate, exposed to a cavity defined by said conductor film and said second crystal substrate;

wherein said conductor film comprises;

a first conductor layer on said first crystal substrate, covering said groove;

a conductive connecting layer on said first conductor layer;

a second conductor film on said conductive connecting layer extending from one edge of said groove; and

a third conductor film on said conductive connecting layer extending from another edge of said groove.

2. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

3. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

4. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first conductor layer and said second conductor film comprise nickel chromium and said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

5. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first conductor layer and said second conductor film comprise nickel chromium.

6. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

7. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first single crystal substrate further comprises a protruding portion on a bottom surface of said groove at a middle of said bottom surface, extending along said groove to confront said microstrip line, said first conductor layer covering a surface of said protruding portion.

8. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second single crystal substrate has a via hole, said millimeter waveguide further comprising a second microstrip line on an opposite surface of said second single crystal substrate, connecting to said first mentioned microstrip line via said via hole for coupling said first mentioned microstrip line to an external circuit.

9. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said second signal crystal substrate and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

10. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 9, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

11. A circuit apparatus comprising:

a millimeter waveguide comprising;

a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein;

a conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connecting to said surface of groove;

a second single crystal substrate covering said conductor film and having a via hole;

a first microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate, exposed to a cavity defined by said conductor film and said second crystal substrate;

a second microstrip line on an opposite surface of said second single crystal substrate, connecting to said first microstrip line via said via hole; and

a third microstrip line on said opposite surface apart from said second microstrip line;

an active circuit chip for performing a predetermined circuit operation; and

connecting means for mechanically and electrically connecting said active circuit to said third microstrip line and to said second microstrip line, wherein there is a responsive relation between said first and third microstrip lines through said active circuit, said second microstrip line, and said via hole.

12. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said connecting means comprises micro-bumps.

13. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said second signal crystal substrate and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

14. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

15. A millimeter waveguide comprising:

a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein;

a conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connected to said surface of said groove;

a second single crystal substrate covering said conductor film and having a protrusion toward said groove; and

a microstrip line on a surface of said protrusion, exposed to a cavity defined by said conductor film and said second crystal substrate, a height of said protrusion being less than a depth of said groove.

16. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 15, wherein said first single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

17. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

18. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 15, wherein said conductor film comprises:

a first conductor layer on said first crystal substrate, covering said groove;

a conductive connecting layer on said first conductor layer;

a second conductor layer on said conductive connecting layer extending from one edge of said groove; and

a third conductor layer on said conductive connecting layer extending from another edge of said groove.

19. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first and second conductor layers comprise nickel chromium.

20. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 18, wherein said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

21. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first and second conductor layers comprise nickel chromium and said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

22. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 15, wherein said microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said protrusion and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

23. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 22, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

24. A circuit apparatus comprising:

a millimeter waveguide comprising;

a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein;

a conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connecting to said surface of said groove;

a second single crystal substrate covering said second conductor film and having a protrusion toward said groove and a via hole therein; and

a first microstrip line on a surface of said protrusion, exposed to a cavity defined by said conductor film and said second crystal substrate, a height of said protrusion being less than a depth of said groove;

a second microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate opposite to said protrusion, connecting to said first microstrip line via said via hole; and

a third microstrip line on said surface of said second single crystal substrate apart from said second microstrip line; and

an active circuit chip for performing a predetermined circuit operation; and

connecting means for mechanically and electrically connecting said active circuit to said third microstrip line and to said second microstrip line, wherein there is a responsive relation between said first and third microstrip lines through said active circuit, said second microstrip line, and said via hole.

25. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said first microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said protrusion and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

26. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

27. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said connecting means comprises micro-bumps.

28. A millimeter waveguide comprising:

a first single crystal substrate;

a conductor film to be grounded on said first single crystal substrate;

a second single crystal substrate on said conductor film, having a groove on a side facing said first crystal substrate; and

a microstrip line on a bottom surface of said groove.

29. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

30. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 28, wherein said conductor film comprises:

a first conductor layer on said first crystal substrate;

a conductive connecting layer on said first conductor layer; and

a second conductor layer on said conductive connecting layer extending from one edge of said groove;

a third conductor layer on said conductive connecting layer extending from another edge of said groove.

31. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 30, wherein said first and second conductor layers comprise nickel chromium.

32. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 30, wherein said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

33. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 30, wherein said first and second conductor layers comprise nickel chromium and said conductive connecting layer comprises gold.

34. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 28, wherein said microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said bottom surface of said groove and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

35. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 34, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

36. A millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 28, wherein said second single crystal substrate comprises a silicon substrate.

37. A millimeter waveguide comprising:

a first single crystal substrate having a hollow portion therein;

a first conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said hollow portion and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connecting to said surface of said hollow portion;

a second conductor film covering said hollow portion and said surface of said first single crystal substrate, having a first through hole above said hollow portion;

a second single crystal substrate on said second conductor film, having a second through hole connecting to said first hole; and

a microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate opposite to said first crystal substrate; and

a probe extending from said microstrip line through said first and second through holes, exposed to a cavity defined by said first and second conductor films.

38. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 37, wherein said microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said second single crystal substrate and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

39. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 38, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

40. A millimeter waveguide comprising:

a first single crystal substrate having a hollow portion therein;

a first conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said hollow portion and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connecting to said surface of said hollow portion;

a second conductor film covering said hollow portion and said surface of said first single crystal substrate, having a slot above said hollow portion;

a second single crystal substrate on said second conductor film; and

a microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate opposite to said first crystal substrate, confronting a cavity defined by said first and second conductor films through said slot, and said second single crystal substrate to electromagnetically couple to said cavity.

41. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 40, wherein said microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said surface of said second signal crystal substrate and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

42. The millimeter waveguide as claimed in claim 41, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

43. A circuit apparatus comprising:

a millimeter waveguide comprising;

a first single crystal substrate;

a conductor film to be grounded on a surface of said first single crystal substrate;

a second single crystal substrate on said second conductor film, having a groove on side of said first crystal substrate and a via hole; and

a first microstrip line on a bottom surface of said groove;

a second microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate opposite to said groove, connecting to said first microstrip line via said via hole; and

a third microstrip line on said surface of said second signal crystal substrate apart from said second microstrip line;

an active circuit chip for performing a predetermined circuit operation; and

connecting means for mechanically and electrically connecting said active circuit to said third microstrip line and to said second microstrip line, wherein there is a responsive relation between said first and third microstrip lines through said active circuit, said second microstrip line, and said via hole.

44. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein said first microstrip line comprises a foundation layer on said bottom surface of said groove and a conductive layer on said foundation layer.

45. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 44, wherein said foundation layer comprises nickel chromium and said conductive layer comprises gold.

46. The circuit apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein said connecting means comprises micro-bumps.