Folded circulator device with coupling elements and flex connections for interconnects and methods of fabricating the circulator device

A device comprising:

• a top ferrite layer;
• a bottom ferrite layer;
• a first circuit stack between the top ferrite layer and the bottom ferrite layer, wherein the first circuit stack comprises a first dielectric layer and a circulator circuit comprising a first circuit portion on a first side of the first dielectric layer and a second circuit portion on a second side of the first dielectric layer opposite the first side, wherein the first circuit portion is different from the second circuit portion;
• and
• a second circuit stack comprising a second dielectric layer and a top ground layer disposed over the second dielectric layer, wherein the second circuit stack is disposed over the top ferrite layer,
• wherein the first dielectric layer and the bottom ferrite layer are side metallized to provide signal paths for the circulator circuit to a mounting surface.

A device comprising:

• a top ferrite layer;
• a bottom ferrite layer;
• a first circuit stack between the top ferrite layer and the bottom ferrite layer, wherein the first circuit stack comprises a first dielectric layer and a circulator circuit comprising a first circuit portion on a first side of the first dielectric layer and a second circuit portion on a second side of the first dielectric layer opposite the first side, wherein the first circuit portion is different from the second circuit portion;
• and
• a second circuit stack comprising a second dielectric layer and a top ground layer disposed over the second dielectric layer, wherein the second circuit stack is disposed over the top ferrite layer,
• wherein the first and second dielectric layers and the top and bottom ferrite layers are side metallized to provide electrical paths for the top ground layer to a bottom ground layer at a bottom of the device.

A method for fabricating a circulator device, the method comprising:

• forming a first circuit stack comprising a first circuit portion of a circulator circuit on a first side of a first dielectric layer and a second circuit portion of the circulator circuit on a second side of the first dielectric layer opposite to the first side, wherein the second circuit portion is different from the first circuit portion, the first circuit stack comprising a first plurality of connecting wings configured to be foldable;
• forming a second circuit stack comprising a second dielectric layer and a top ground layer disposed over the second dielectric layer, the second circuit stack comprising a second plurality of connecting wings configured to be foldable;
• forming a device stack comprising a bottom ferrite layer, the first circuit stack disposed over the bottom ferrite layer, a top ferrite layer disposed over the first circuit stack, and the second circuit stack disposed over the top ferrite layer;
• folding the first plurality of connecting wings of the first circuit stack to a bottom of the bottom ferrite layer;
• and
• folding the second plurality of connecting wings of the second circuit stack to the bottom of the bottom ferrite layer to form the circulator device having a bottom surface.

A method for fabricating a circulator device, the method comprising:

• forming a first circuit stack comprising a first circuit portion of a circulator circuit on a first side of a first dielectric layer and a second circuit portion of the circulator circuit on a second side of the first dielectric layer opposite to the first side, wherein the second circuit portion is different from the first circuit portion;
• forming a second circuit stack comprising a second dielectric layer and a top ground layer disposed over the second dielectric layer;
• plating a first edge portion of a bottom ferrite layer to provide signal paths from the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion to a mounting surface of the circulator device;
• and
• forming a device stack comprising the bottom ferrite layer, the first circuit stack disposed over the bottom ferrite layer, a top ferrite layer disposed over the first circuit stack, and the second circuit stack disposed over the top ferrite layer.