Method and apparatus for dampening resonant modes in packaged microwave circuits

A microwave assembly, comprising:

• a substrate of dielectric material;
• a conductive ground plane carried by said substrate;
• microwave circuitry carried by said ground plane;
• and
• a conductive enclosure for said microwave circuitry with a connection between said conductive enclosure and said conductive ground plane, a single non-conductive space formed in the ground plane to surround the microwave circuitry between said microwave circuitry and said conductor enclosure, said non-conductive space being provided with a plurality of resistors spanning said non-conductive space at locations spaced about the microwave circuitry.

A method of providing damping of resonant modes in a conductive enclosure for at least one microwave element carried on a conductive ground plane within the conductive enclosure,

• determining the locations of maximal current flow in said ground plane for at least one resonant mode excited by operation of the at least one microwave element;
• interrupting the electrical continuity of the ground plane at at least one of said locations of maximal current flow of said at least one resonant mode in said ground plane;
• and
• providing resistance for maximal damping at said at least one location of said interruption.

A microwave assembly, comprising:

• a substrate of dielectric material;
• a conductive ground plane carried by said substrate;
• microwave circuitry carried by said ground plane;
• and
• a conductive enclosure for said microwave circuitry with a connection between said conductive enclosure and said conductive ground plane, at least one interruptive space positioned in said ground plane between said microwave circuitry and said conductive enclosure, said interruptive space being provided with electrical resistance adapted to dampen at least one resonant mode.

A microwave assembly, comprising:

• a substrate of dielectric material;
• a conductive ground plane, having electrical continuity, carried by said substrate;
• microwave circuitry carried by said ground plane;
• and
• a conductive enclosure for said microwave circuitry, said ground plane's electrical continuity being interrupted at a plurality of locations, said ground plane being provided with electrical resistance at said plurality of locations.

A microwave assembly, comprising:

• a substrate of dielectric material;
• a conductive ground plane carried by said substrate;
• microwave circuitry carried by said ground plane;
• and
• a conductive enclosure for said microwave circuitry with a connection between said conductive enclosure and said conductive ground plane, at least one non-conductive space positioned in said ground plane between said microwave circuitry and said conductive enclosure, said at least one non-conductive space being provided with electrical resistance comprising at least one lumped resistor spanning said at least one non-conductive space.

A microwave circuit package, comprising:

• a carrier substrate of dielectric material;
• a metallic ground plane carried by said carrier substrate;
• at least one microwave circuit element carried by said ground plane;
• and
• a metallic cover for said at least one circuit element electrically and mechanically connected with said ground plane;
• said conductive ground plane being provided with at least one non-conductive opening between said microwave circuit element and said metallic cover, said at least one non-conductive opening being provided with electrical resistance in said ground plane, said opening and said electrical resistance being positioned within said metallic cover to damp at least one resonant mode within the metallic cover.