RF/microwave tunable delay line

• US 6,556,102 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Paratek Microwave Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Pao, Douglas, Sengupta, Louise C., Zhu, Yongfei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glenn; Kimberly E
• Application Number:
  US09/712,606
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 333/161,18,156,17.1
• US Class Current: 333/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/181 using ferroelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 9/00 Delay lines of the waveguide type

Abstract

A tunable delay line includes an input, an output, a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output, a ground conductor, and a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor. DC blocks and impedance matching sections are connected between the first conductor and the input and output. Additional layers of tunable dielectric material and additional conductors can be positioned in parallel with the voltage tunable layer.

Claims

1. A tunable delay line comprising;

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor; and

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor;

wherein the voltage tunable dielectric material has a loss tangent in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 at frequencies in a range of 800 MHz to 40 GHz.

2. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit for applying a control voltage between the first conductor and the ground conductor.

3. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, further comprising;

a first DC block connected between a first end of the first conductor and the input; and

a second DC block connected between a second end of the first conductor and the output.

4. A tunable delay line according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second DC blocks comprises one of:

a microstrip chip capacitor;

a coupled microstrip line; and

a microstrip filter.

5. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first impedance matching section connected between a first end of the first conductor and the input; and

a second impedance matching section connected between a second end of the first conductor and the output.

6. A tunable delay line according to claim 5, wherein each of the impedance matching sections comprises:

a quarter-wave length microstrip conductor on a non-tunable low dielectric constant substrate.

7. A tunable delay line according to claim 5, wherein each of the impedance matching sections matches 50 ohms at the input and the output.

8. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

barium strontium titanate, barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, PbNb₂O₆, PbTa₂O₆, KSr(NbO₃), NaBa2(NbO3)₅, KH₂PO₄, and composites thereof.

9. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a barium strontium titanate (BSTO) composite selected from the group of:

BSTO—

MgO, BSTO—

MgAl₂O₄, BSTO—

CaTiO₃, BSTO—

MgTiO₃, BSTO—

MgSrZrTiO₆, and combinations thereof.

10. A tunable delay line according to claim 1, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

Mg₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, BaSiO₃, SrSiO₃, Na₂SiO₃, NaSiO₃-5H₂O, LiAlSiO₄, Li₂SiO₃, Li₄SiO₄, Al₂Si₂O₇, ZrSiO₄, KAlSi₃O₈, NaAlSi₃O₈, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, CaMgSi₂O₆, BaTiSi₃O₉ and Zn₂SiO₄.

11. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor; and

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor, the voltage tunable dielectric comprising a material having a loss tangent in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 at frequencies in a range of 800 MHz to 40 GHz;

wherein the first conductor comprises a metalized layer microstrip line.

12. A tunable delay line according to claim 11, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

barium strontium titanate, barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, PbNb₂O₆, PbTa₂O₆, KSr(NbO₃), NaBa₂(NbO₃)₅, KH₂PO₄, and composites thereof.

13. A tunable delay line according to claim 11, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a barium strontium titanate (BSTO) composite selected from the group of:

BSTO—

MgO, BSTO—

MgAl₂O₄, BSTO—

CaTiO₃, BSTO—

MgTiO₃, BSTO—

MgSrZrTiO₆, and combinations thereof.

14. A tunable delay line according to claim 11, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

Mg₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, BaSiO₃, SrSiO₃, Na₂SiO₃, NaSiO₃-5H₂O, LiAlSiO₄, Li₂SiO₃, Li₄SiO₄, Al₂Si₂O₇, ZrSiO₄, KAlSi₃O₈, NaAlSi₃O₈, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, CaMgSiO₆, BaTiSi₃O₉ and Zn₂SiO₄.

15. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor;

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor, the voltage tunable dielectric comprising a material having a loss tangent in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 at frequencies in a range of 800 MHz to 40 GHz; and

a housing containing the first conductor, the ground conductor, and the voltage tunable dielectric layer.

16. A tunable delay line according to claim 15, wherein the housing comprises:

a machined aluminum waveguide.

17. A tunable delay line according to claim 15, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

barium strontium titanate, barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, PbNb₂O₆, PbTa₂O₆, KSr(NbO₃), NaBa₂(NbO₃)₅, KH₂PO₄, and composites thereof.

18. A tunable delay line according to claim 15, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a barium strontium titanate (BSTO) composite selected from the group of:

BSTO—

MgO, BSTO—

MgAl₂O₄, BSTO—

CaTiO₃, BSTO—

MgTiO₃, BSTO—

MgSrZrTiO₆, and combinations thereof.

19. A tunable delay line according to claim 15, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

Mg₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, BaSiO₃, SrSiO₃, Na₂SiO₃, NaSiO₃-5H₂O, LiAlSiO₄, Li₂SiO₃, Li₄SiO₄, Al₂Si₂O₇, ZrSiO₄, KAlSi₃O₈, NaAlSi₃O₈, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, CaMgSi₂O₆, BaTiSi₃O₉ and Zn₂SiO₄.

20. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor;

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor;

a plurality of additional layers of tunable dielectric material; and

a plurality of additional electrodes for applying control voltage to the plurality of additional layers of tunable dielectric material.

21. A tunable delay line according to claim 20, further comprising:

a first bulk ceramic impedance matching section connected between a first end of the plurality of additional layers of tunable dielectric materials and the input; and

a second bulk ceramic impedance matching section connected between a second end of the plurality of additional layers of tunable dielectric materials and the output.

22. A tunable delay line according to claim 21, wherein the first and second bulk ceramic impedance matching sections comprise:

a low dielectric constant, non-tunable, quarter-wave length long, bulk ceramic.

23. A tunable delay line according to claim 20, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

barium strontium titanate, barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, PbNb₂O₆, PbTa₂O₆, KSr(NbO₃), NaBa₂(NbO₃)₅, KH₂PO₄, and composites thereof.

24. A tunable delay line according to claim 20, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a barium strontium titanate (BSTO) composite selected from the group of:

BSTO—

MgO, BSTO—

MgAl₂O₄, BSTO—

CaTiO₃, BSTO—

MgTiO₃, BSTO—

MgSrZrTiO₆, and combinations thereof.

25. A tunable delay line according to claim 20, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

Mg₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, BaSiO₃, SrSiO₃, Na₂SiO₃, NaSiO₃-5H₂O, LiAlSiO₄, Li₂SiO₃, Li₄SiO₄, Al₂Si₂O₇, ZrSiO₄, KAlSi₃O₈, NaAlSi₃O₈, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, CaMgSi₂O₆, BaTiSi₃O₉ and Zn₂SiO₄.

26. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor; and

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor;

wherein the ground conductor comprises first and second electrodes lying parallel to the first conductor.

27. A tunable delay line according to claim 26, wherein the first and second electrodes and the first conductor are mounted on a surface of the voltage tunable dielectric layer.

28. A tunable delay line according to claim 26, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

barium strontium titanate, barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, PbNb₂O₆, PbTa₂O₆, KSr(NbO₃), NaBa₂(NbO₃)₅, KH₂PO₄, and composites thereof.

29. A tunable delay line according to claim 26, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a barium strontium titanate (BSTO) composite selected from the group of:

BSTO—

MgO, BSTO—

MgAl₂O₄, BSTO—

CaTiO₃, BSTO—

MgTiO₃, BSTO—

MgSrZrTiO₆, and combinations thereof.

30. A tunable delay line according to claim 26, wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of:

Mg₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, BaSiO₃, SrSiO₃, Na₂SiO₃, NaSiO₃-5H₂O, LiAlSiO₄, Li₂SiO₃, Li₄SiO₄, Al₂Si₂O₇, ZrSiO₄, KAlSi₃O₈, NaAlSi₃O₈, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, CaMgSi₂O₆, BaTiSi₃O₉ and Zn₂SiO₄.

31. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor; and

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor;

wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of;

barium calcium titanate, lead zirconium titanate, lead lanthanum zirconium titanate, lead titanate, barium calcium zirconium titanate, sodium nitrate, KNbO3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, PbNb2O6, PbTa2O6, KSr(NbO3), NaBa2(NbO3)5, KH2PO4, and composites thereof, and having a loss tangent in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 at frequencies in a range of 800 MHz to 40 GHz.

32. A tunable delay line comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the input and the output;

a ground conductor; and

a voltage tunable dielectric layer positioned between the first conductor and the ground conductor;

wherein the tunable dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group of;

Mg2SiO4, CaSiO3, BaSiO3, SrSiO3, Na2SiO3, NaSiO3-5H2O, LiAlSiO4, Li2SiO3, Li4SiO4, Al2Si2O7, ZrSiO4, KAlSi3O8, NaAlSi3O8, CaAl2Si2O8, CaMgSi2O6, BaTiSi3O9 and Zn2SiO4, and having a loss tangent in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 at frequencies in a range of 800 MHz to 40 GHz.