Coaxial DC block

• US 7,180,392 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Verigy Limited (Advantest Corporation)
• Inventors: Grothen, Victor Matthew, Reiland, Mark Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glenn; Kimberly E
• Application Number:
  US10/859,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20050264381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 333/12, 333/24.C, 333/24.R, 333/206, 333/260, 333/245, 361/306.1, 361/328, 361/329
• US Class Current: 333/245
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/202 Coaxial filters cascaded coaxial cavities H01P1/205

Abstract

A novel coaxial DC block with circumferential capacitive shielding is presented. The coaxial DC block includes an inner DC block electrically couplable to a first inner conductor of a first length of coaxial cable and electrically couplable to a second inner conductor of a second length of coaxial cable. The inner DC block provides a capacitance which capacitively couples the first inner conductor to the second inner conductor and blocks a first frequency range of interest. The inner DC block is electrically sealed and shielded by a capacitive sleeve that is concentrically arranged to form a Faraday cage around the inner DC block. The capacitive sleeve is electrically couplable to a first outer conductor of the first length of coaxial cable and electrically couplable to a second outer conductor of the second length of coaxial cable. The capacitive sleeve forms a circumferential capacitance that electrically circumferentially couples the first outer conductor to the second outer conductor and blocks a second frequency range of interest.

Claims

1. A DC block couplable in series between a first coaxial cable and a second coaxial cable, said first coaxial cable comprising a first dielectric concentrically sandwiched between a first inner conductor and a first outer conductor concentric to said first inner conductor, and said second coaxial cable comprising a second dielectric concentrically sandwiched between a second inner conductor and a second outer conductor concentric to said second inner conductor, said DC block comprising:

an inner DC block electrically couplable between said first inner conductor of said first coaxial cable and said second inner conductor of said second coaxial cable to form a first capacitance which blocks a first frequency range of interest, and electrically couplable between said first outer conductor of said first coaxial cable and said second outer conductor of said second coaxial cable to form a second capacitance; and

a capacitive sleeve concentrically arranged around said inner DC block that electrically seals said inner DC block, said capacitive sleeve electrically circumferentially capacitively coupling said first outer conductor to said second outer conductor to form a third capacitance, said second capacitance and said third capacitance which together block a second frequency range of interest.

2. A DC block in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said first frequency range of interest is identical to said second frequency range of interest.

3. A DC block in accordance with claim 1, wherein said capacitive sleeve comprises:

a concentric tube electrically circumferentially cauplable to said first outer conductor of said first coaxial cable at a first concentric tube end;

a capacitive washer comprising a third dielectric sandwiched between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, said first conductive layer circumferentially electrically couplable to said concentric tube to electrically seal said inner DC block within said concentric tube, and said second conductive layer electrically circumferentially couplable to said second outer conductor of said second coaxial cable.

4. A DC block in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

a hole formed through said first conductive layer, said third dielectric, and said second conductive layer of said capacitive washer for allowing passage of at least said second inner conductor of said second coaxial cable through said capacitive washer.

5. A DC block in accordance with claim 3, wherein said second conductive layer comprises:

a first conductive area electrically isolated from said first conductive layer by said third dielectric;

a second conductive area concentrically arranged with said first conductive area and electrically coupled to said first conductive layer; and

at least one discrete capacitor coupled between said first conductive area and said second conductive area.

6. A DC block in accordance with claim 5, comprising:

a hole formed through said first conductive layer, said third dielectric, and said second conductive layer of said capacitive washer for allowing passage of at least said second inner conductor of said second coaxial cable through said capacitive washer.

7. A DC block in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said inner DC block comprises;

a first SMA connector having a center conductor couplable to said first inner conductor of said first coaxial cable and a first SMA outer conductor couplable to said first outer conductor of said first coaxial cable

a second SMA connector having a center conductor couplable to said second inner conductor of said second coaxial cable and a second SMA outer conductor couplable to said second outer conductor of said second coaxial cable; and

a printed circuit board comprising;

an inner conductor capacitance coupling said center conductor of said first SMA connector and said center conductor of said second SMA connector; and

an outer conductor capacitance coupling said outer conductor of said first SMA connector and said outer conductor of said second SMA connector.

8. A DC block in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said capacitive sleeve comprises;

a concentric tube electrically circumferentially couplable to said first SMA outer conductor of said first SMA connector at a first concentric tube end;

a capacitive washer comprsign a third dielectric sandwiched between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, said first conductive layer circumferentially electrically couplable to said concentric tube to electrically seal said inner DC block within said concentric tube, and said second conductive layer electrically circumferentially coupleable to said second SMA outer conductor of said second SMA connector.

9. A DC block in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

a hole formed through said first conductive layer, said third dielectric, and said second conductive layer of said capacitive washer for allowing passage of said second SMA connector through said capacitive washer.

10. A DC block in accordance with claim 8, wherein said second conductive layer comprises:

a first conductive area electrically isolated from said first conductive layer by said third dielectric;

a second conductive area concentrically arranged with said first conductive area and electrically coupled to said first conductive layer; and

at least one discrete capacitor coupled between said first conductive area and said second conductive area.

11. A DC block in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

a hole formed through said first conductive layer, said third dielectric, and said second conductive layer of said capacitive washer for allowing passage of said second SMA connector through said capacitive washer.

12. A circumferential capacitor, comprising;

a dielectric sandwiched between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, said second conductive layer comprising an inner conductive ring and an outer conductive ring, the inner ring conductively isolated from the outer ring, and the outer ring conductively connected to the first conductive layer.

13. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 12, wherein;

said first conductive layer, said dielectric, and said second conductive layer are formed on a printed circuit board.

14. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

at least one via conductively connecting the outer ring to the first conductive layer.

15. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

a hole formed in said inner ring through said first conductive layer, said dielectric, and said second conductive layer.

16. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

said hole accommodates a concentric shaft of an SMA connector.

17. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

at least one discrete capacitor coupled between said inner ring and said outer ring.

18. A circumferential capacitor in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

said first conductive layer, said dielectric, said second conductive layer, and said at least one discrete capacitor are formed on a printed circuit board.