Interface for waveguide pin launch

• US 7,625,131 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: DeCamp, John, Harper, Dave, Buer, Kenneth V, Zienkewicz, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G
• Assistant Examiner(s): El Shammaa; Mary A
• Application Number:
  US11/743,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20080273843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 385/88
• US Class Current: 385/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/085 Coaxial-line/strip-line transitions

Abstract

in general, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a low-loss interface for connecting an integrated circuit such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to an energy transmission device such as a waveguide is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a pin seated within an assembly that forms a hermetic sealed, coaxial structure to prevent signal loss at increasing frequencies.

Claims

1. An interface comprising:

a pin configured to transport energy from a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to a waveguide;

an assembly surrounding the pin configured to reduce energy loss as compared to a pin without the assembly surrounding the pin;

wherein one end of the pin is disposed within the assembly and an opposing end of the pin is disposed within the waveguide;

a wire connector directly connected to the monolithic microwave integrated circuit on one end and directly connected to the opposing end of the pin disposed within the assembly;

a space defined between the pin and the assembly;

wherein size of the space and size of the pin are selected to facilitate impedance transformation along the interface in order that the energy will experience a similar impedance at an end of the interface near the monolithic microwave integrated circuit as the energy experiences on the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and also experience a similar impedance at an opposing end of the interface near the waveguide as the energy experiences in the waveguide.

2. The interface of claim 1, further comprising two beads that are connected to the assembly that further define the space wherein one bead is located on one end of the assembly near the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and the other bead is located on the opposing end of the assembly near the waveguide and the two beads help form a hermetic seal for the space.

3. The interface of claim 1, further comprising an insulator attached to the pin.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises two opposing ends, wherein one end is attached to the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and the other end is attached to a waveguide, and further comprising a hermetic seal between the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and the waveguide.

5. An interface comprising:

a pin comprising first and second ends, wherein the first end is connected to a waveguide assembly and the other end is directly connected to a circuit by a wirebond, wherein the pin is configured to transport energy between the circuit and the waveguide;

an assembly with two opposing ends surrounding the pin and connected to the waveguide wherein the assembly is configured to reduce energy loss;

two non-conductive support members contacting the pin and the assembly wherein one non-conductive support member contacts one end of the assembly adjacent to the waveguide and the other non-conductive support member contacts the opposing end of the assembly;

a space defined by the pin, the assembly, and the two non-conductive support members;

wherein size of the space, size of the pin, and size of the two non-conductive support members are selected to facilitate impedance transformation along the interface.

6. The interface of claim 5, wherein the circuit is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

7. The interface of claim 5, wherein the non-conductive support member contacting the opposing end of the assembly from the waveguide forms a hermetic seal between the assembly and the pin.

8. The interface of claim 5, wherein the interface has a coaxial structure.

9. The interface of claim 5, further comprising an insulator attached to the pin adjacent to the circuit.

10. The interface of claim 9, wherein the insulator is tape.

11. The interface of claim 5, wherein the pin is a commercially available feedthru pin.

12. The interface of claim 5, wherein the interface further comprises a hermetic seal between the circuit and the waveguide assembly.

13. An interface comprising:

a feedthru pin with one end connected to a waveguide and another end directly connected to a monolithic microwave integrated circuit with a wire connector wherein the feedthru pin is configured to transport energy between the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and the waveguide;

an assembly surrounding the pin and connected to the waveguide wherein the assembly is configured to reduce energy loss;

a space concentrically surrounding the feedthru pin defined by the feedthru pin and the assembly; and

a thin insulator attached to the pin adjacent to the monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

14. The interface of claim 13, wherein the wire connector is a wire bond.

15. The interface of claim 13, wherein the interface is a coaxial structure.

16. The interface of claim 13, wherein the space has a radius of 0.086 inches and the interface is configured for a fifty ohm feedthru pin.

17. The interface of claim 13, wherein the assembly comprises metal coated with a low-loss metal coating.

18. The interface of claim 13, wherein the assembly comprises plastic coated with a low-loss material.

19. The interface of claim 13, wherein the feedthru pin is comprised substantially of gold.

20. The interface of claim 13, wherein the interface further comprises a hermetic seal between the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and the waveguide assembly.

21. A low loss impedance interface configured to facilitate microwave signal transmission from a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to a waveguide, wherein the interface comprises:

a pin having a first end in communication with the waveguide to the pin, the pin further comprising a second end directly connected to the monolithic microwave integrated circuit via a wirebond;

an assembly comprising a low-loss material configured to surround the pin;

a space defined between the pin and the assembly;

wherein size of the space and size of the pin are selected to facilitate impedance transformation along the interface in order that the energy will experience a similar impedance at an end of the interface near the monolithic microwave integrated circuit as the energy experiences on the monolithic microwave integrated circuit and also experience a similar impedance at an opposing end of the interface near the waveguide as the energy experiences on the waveguide.