Low cost millimeter wave imager

• US 7,795,859 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Moyer, Harris P., Colburn, Joseph, Schaffner, James H., Choudhury, Debabani, Lynch, Jonathan James, Hunter, Andrew T., Schulman, Joel N., Sievenpiper, Daniel Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Valone; Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US12/503,690
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 324/120
• US Class Current: 324/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2658 Phased-array fed focussing structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0243 Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/112 directly combined with via connections

Abstract

Low cost millimeter wave imagers using two-dimensional focal plane arrays based on backward tunneling diode (BTD) detectors. Two-dimensional focal arrays of BTD detectors are used as focal plane arrays in imagers. High responsivity of BTD detectors near zero bias results in low noise detectors that alleviate the need for expensive and heat generating low noise amplifiers or Dicke switches in the imager. BTD detectors are installed on a printed circuit board using flip chip packaging technology and horn antennas direct the waves toward the flip chip including the BTD detectors. The assembly of the horn antennas, flip chips, printed circuit board substrate, and interconnects together work as an imaging sensor. Corrugated surfaces of the components prevent re-radiation of the incident waves.

Claims

1. An RF printed circuit board comprising:

a substrate having a thickness of one quarter wavelength of a millimeter wave;

a first metal pattern on a first side of the substrate, the first metal pattern comprising bonding pads;

a second metal pattern comprising electrical connections for readout electronics on a second side of the substrate, the second side facing oppositely away from the first side;

a plurality of vias through the substrate for routing a signal from the first side to the electrical connections for readout electronics located on the second side; and

a flip chip comprising backward tunneling diode detectors, the flip chip bonded to the bonding pads on the first side of the substrate.

2. The RF printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising:

a two-dimensional array of horn antennas electrically coupled to the substrate.

3. The RF printed circuit board of claim 2, wherein the two-dimensional array of horn antennas is a single block.

4. The RF printed circuit board of claim 2, wherein the electrical coupling between the two-dimensional array of horn antennas and the RF printed circuit board is either by direct bonding or through radiative coupling.

5. The RF printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of readout electronics located on the second side of the substrate.

6. An RF printed circuit board comprising:

a substrate having a thickness of one quarter wavelength of a millimeter wave;

a first metal pattern on a first side of the substrate, the metal pattern comprising bonding pads;

a second metal pattern comprising electrical connections for readout electronics on a second side of the substrate, the second side facing oppositely away from the first side;

a plurality of vias through the substrate for routing a signal from the first side to the electrical connections for readout electronics located on the second side;

a flip chip comprising backward tunneling diode detectors, the flip chip bonded to the bonding pads on the first side of the substrate;

a two-dimensional array of horn antennas electrically coupled to the substrate; and

a plurality of readout electronics located on the second side of the substrate,

wherein the two-dimensional array of horn antennas is a single block, and

wherein the electrical coupling between the two-dimensional array of horn antennas and the RF printed circuit board is either by direct bonding or through radiative coupling.

7. A printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy comprising:

means for detecting wave energy on a first side of the printed circuit board;

means for receiving and directing the wave energy radiatively toward the means for detecting wave energy without an intervening active component; and

means for providing the detected wave energy to readout circuitry on a second side of the printed circuit board, the second side facing oppositely away from the first side.

8. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 7, wherein the means for detecting wave energy comprises an array of backward tunneling diodes.

9. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 7, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:

a quartz substrate having a thickness of one quarter wavelength of a millimeter wave; and

a metal pattern on a side of the quartz substrate corresponding to the first side of the printed circuit board, the metal pattern comprising bonding pads for coupling the means for detecting the wave energy to the first side of the printed circuit board.

10. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 9, wherein the means for providing the detected wave energy to readout circuitry comprises a plurality of vias through the quartz substrate for routing a signal from the first side to electrical connections located on the second side of the printed circuit board.

11. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 7, wherein the means for receiving and directing wave energy comprises a horn antenna having an inlet and a throat, the inlet having a rectangular cross-section.

12. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 11, wherein the throat comprises a waveguide portion between the inlet and the printed circuit board.

13. The printed circuit board for detecting RF wave energy of claim 11, wherein the means for detecting wave energy is positioned on the printed circuit board to be substantially in a line of sight of a center of the inlet of the horn antenna.