Three-dimensional microstructures

• US 8,698,577 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nuvotronics LLC
• Inventors: Sherrer, David, Rollin, Jean-Marc, Vanhille, Kenneth, Oliver, Marcus, Huettner, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLENN, KIMBERLY E
• Application Number:
  US13/176,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 333124-127, 333/134, 333/136
• US Class Current: 333/127
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/183 at least one of the guides being a coaxial line

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a first power combiner/divider network and a second power combiner/divider network. The first power combiner/divider network splits a first electromagnetic signal into split signals that are connectable to signal processor(s). The second power combiner/divider network combines processed signals into a second electromagnetic signal. The apparatus includes a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network configured to split a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals, at least two of said split electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one input of a plurality of signal processors;

b) a second power combiner/divider network configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals into a second electromagnetic signal, at least two of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one output of said plurality of signal processors;

c) wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure;

d) at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network; and

e) wherein said apparatus includes at least one of the following;

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iii) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following;

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes each of:

i) said at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) said at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

iii) said at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module;

iv) said at least said second power combiner/divider network including said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following;

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures includes at least one of the following:

a) m ports; and

b) n legs connected to said port.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an electrical path containing at least one resistive element between at least two of said n legs.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures includes at least one of the following:

a) a 1;

4 way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure; and

b) a 1;

6 way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least two of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are on different vertical tiers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures is on a different vertical tier than at least one of said plurality of signal processors.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one electrical path is a fraction of an operation wavelength.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one the following:

a) a Wilkinson power combiner/divider;

b) a Gysel combiner/divider;

c) a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one of the following:

a) a H tree architecture;

b) a X tree architecture;

c) a multi-layer architecture;

d) a planar architecture; and

e) combinations thereof.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of said second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first power combiner/divider network and at least a portion of said second power combiner/divider network are inter-disposed horizontally and vertically.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a substrate of at least one of said plurality of signal processors is different than a substrate of at least one of the following:

a) said first power combiner/divider network; and

b) said second power combiner/divider network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase adjuster is part of a jumper.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase adjuster includes a wire bond jumper configured to change a path length.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase adjuster includes a variable sliding structure configured to change a path length.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one transition structure configured to connect to at least one of said plurality of signal processors through a coaxial to planar transmission line structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least one of said at least one transition structure is an independent structure.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mechanically releasable module includes at least one of the following:

a) a heat sink;

b) a MMIC; and

c) a three-dimensional microstructure backplane.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least two antennas disposed inside a common waveguide.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one of said at least two antennas is an electric field probe.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes an impedance matching portion.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said impedance matching portion includes at least one of the following:

a) a tapered portion of said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure;

b) an impedance transformer;

c) an open-circuited stub; and

d) a short-circuited stub.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a down taper is disposed to pass at least one of said plurality of split electromagnetic signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an up taper is disposed to pass at least one of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal processor is a semiconductor device.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal processor is an amplifier.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a) a first power combiner/divider network configured to split a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals, at least two of said split electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one input of a plurality of signal processors;

b) a second power combiner/divider network configured to combine at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals into a second electromagnetic signal, at least two of said plurality of processed electromagnetic signals each connectable to at least one output of said plurality of signal processors;

c) wherein at least a portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure; and

d) wherein said apparatus includes at least one of the following;

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

iii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iv) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following;

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe;

wherein at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network includes at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure that includes at least one of;

a) m ports and b) n legs connected to said port; and

wherein at least two of said at least one n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are cascading.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein at least two of said at least one cascading n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructures are on different vertical tiers.

31. A method comprising:

a) splitting a first electromagnetic signal into a plurality of split electromagnetic signals;

b) transitioning at least one of said plurality of split electromagnetic signals to at least one signal processor;

c) combining at least two of a plurality of processed electromagnetic signals from said signal processor into a second electromagnetic signal; and

d) wherein said method employs a three-dimensional coaxial microstructure comprising at least one phase adjuster disposed between said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network and at least one of the following;

i) at least one tiered portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network;

ii) at least one portion of at least one of said first power combiner/divider network and said second power combiner/divider network constructed as a mechanically releasable module; and

iii) at least said second power combiner/divider network includes said three-dimensional coaxial microstructure and at least one of the following;

(1) a waveguide power combiner/divider;

(2) a spatial power combiner/divider; and

(3) an electric field probe.

32. An n-way three-dimensional coaxial microstructure comprising:

a) m ports; and

b) n legs connected to said port; and

c) wherein an electrical path includes at least one resistive element between at least two of said n legs, said at least one resistive element formed in a same vertical tier of an apparatus as at least one of said legs.