Method for fabricating a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes

• US 6,363,605 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: MMCOMM, Inc.
• Inventors: Shih, Yi-Chi, Bui, Long Q., Shishido, Tsuneo C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US09/433,318
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 296/00, 296/01, 296/031.8, 296/032.5, 29D/IG.16, 29/253.5, 295/272, 333/26, 333/33, 333/21.R, 333/248, 653/86, 385/132, 385/129
• US Class Current: 29/600
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 29/016 Method or apparatus with etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49052 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49064 by coating

Abstract

A method for fabricating precision non-symmetrical L-shape waveguide end-launching probe for launching microwave signals in both vertical and horizontal polarizations is disclosed. The L-shape waveguide probe is in a form of thin plate, has a first arm and a second arm, and is precisely fabricated and attached to one end of the central metal pin of a feedthrough. The feedthrough is installed to an aperture formed in a major wall of the universal conductive housing to achieve hermetic sealing. The L-shape waveguide probe is aligned by means of a specially designed alignment tool so that long axis of the second arm is always perpendicular to the broad walls of the output waveguide, which is mounted to the universal housing with the broad walls of the output waveguide either horizontally or vertically. Hence, in this invention, an end-launching arrangement using the L-shape probes that could yield a flexible waveguide interface either in horizontal polarization or vertical polarization is provided. The impedance matching and frequency bandwidth may be adjusted by controlling dimensions and positions of the L-shape probe. A plurality of the thin plate L-shape waveguide probes is fabricated by a micro lithography and etching method to ensure reproducibility and reliability. By incorporating with an impedance transformation section having a slot, broad band performance is achieved using the L-shape waveguide probe.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization, each of said non-symmetrical waveguide probes having a thickness, a first arm with a first width and a first length, a second arm with a second width and a second length, and a slot in one end portion of said first arm, said method comprising the steps of;

coating a first layer of photosensitive material on a front surface of a conductive substrate and coating a second layer of photosensitive material on a back surface of said conductive substrate;

forming patterns of said non-symmetrical waveguide probes and connecting wires between adjacent waveguide probes on the front surface of said conductive substrate by photolithography;

etching said conductive substrate having said patterns thereon;

removing said first layer of photosensitive material;

removing said second layer of photosensitive material, and;

removing said connecting wires.

2. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization in claim 1, wherein said conductive substrate is selected from a material group consisted of brass, tungsten and copper.

3. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization in claim 1, forming of said patterns further comprising a step for forming second patterns on the back surface of said conductive substrate for reducing undercutting.

4. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization in claim 1, further comprising a step of coating a layer of metal on surfaces of said etched substrate to increase surface conductivity and to facilitate subsequent bonding, after removing said second layer of photosensitive material, method of coating said layer of metal being selected from a process group consisting electrodeposition and vacuum deposition.

5. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization in claim 1 wherein thickness of said waveguide probes is formed to be in a range from 50 micrometers to 400 micrometers.

6. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization in claim 1 wherein said first width, second width, first length and second length are determined on the basis of the range of frequencies of operation of microwave applications.

7. The method for fabricating simultaneously a plurality of non-symmetrical waveguide probes for end launching of microwave signals with controlled electric field polarization for microwave applications in claim 4 wherein material of said layer of metal being selected from a group of Au and Ag.