Surface micromachined millimeter-scale RF system and method
First Claim
1. A micromachined antenna, comprising:
- a coplanar waveguide having a conductor path and coupled to a substrate material; and
a monopole conductor having a generally cylindrical backbone erected vertically from the substrate material and a metal layer deposited on the backbone at a predetermined thickness and in electrical communication with the conductor path and isolated from electrical communication from the substrate material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface micromachined electromagnetically radiating antenna includes a coplanar waveguide on a ground plane coated substrate having a conductor path. The conductor path is coupled to a monopole conductor, which has a generally-cylindrical backbone erected vertically from the substrate and a metal layer deposited on the backbone at a predetermined thickness. The antenna may be fabricated by depositing an epoxy on the ground plane coated substrate to a predetermined depth and according to a pattern. The epoxy is exposed to an ultraviolet source that develops one or more columns according to the pattern. A seed layer of metal may be formed on the developed column. A conductive metal is electrodeposited over the column surface to produce the monopole antenna. Other antenna may be created by adding monopoles and/or conductive metal patches and/or strips that are positioned atop the monopoles and elevated from the substrate.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A micromachined antenna, comprising:
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a coplanar waveguide having a conductor path and coupled to a substrate material; and a monopole conductor having a generally cylindrical backbone erected vertically from the substrate material and a metal layer deposited on the backbone at a predetermined thickness and in electrical communication with the conductor path and isolated from electrical communication from the substrate material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A magnetically-lifted micromachined monopole antenna, comprising:
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a substrate having a coplanar waveguide; a deformable metal monopole formed on a removable photoresist mold having a bend and electrically coupled to a signal path in the coplanar waveguide; and a ferromagnetic metal deposited on the metal monopole, wherein the metal monopole is deflected to a vertical position when the ferromagnetic metal is subjected to a magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for an electromagnetic energy radiating micromachined antenna having a monopole, comprising the steps of:
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depositing an epoxy material on a ground plane coated substrate to a predetermined thickness, wherein the ground plane is patterned; exposing the ground plane coated substrate and the epoxy material to an ultraviolet source so that a monopole column develops in accordance with the patterned ground plane; forming a seed layer of a metal on the ground plane and the developed column; and electrodepositing a conductive metal over the column surface to produce a monopole antenna. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A magnetically-lifted monopole antenna, comprising the steps of:
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forming a metal monopole having a bended section on an epoxy sensitive to near ultraviolet radiation; placing a ferromagnetic material on the metal monopole; erecting the metal monopole with a magnetic force; and removing the epoxy with near ultraviolet radiation.
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Specification