Reconfiguration microstrip transmission line network
AssigneeE-Systems, Inc.
InventorRobert B. Liechty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a reconfigurable microstrip transmission line network having a microstrip circuit consisting of an RF ground plan separated from a transmission layer by a dielectric layer. The transmission layer comprises a silicon material responsive to a plurality of excitation sources. The excitation sources generate excitation beams which upon interacting with the surface of the transmission layer actuate a conductive pathway. By alternately actuating and deactuating the excitation sources and varying the excitation beams, the configuration of the microstrip transmission line network upon the transmission layer may be reconfigured as desired.
Claims21
A reconfigurable microstrip transmission line network comprising:
- a microstrip circuit having a transmission layer;
- and
- an electron beam excitation source for generating one or more excitation beams, the one or more excitation beams defining in the transmission layer a plurality of selectively actuable conductive pathways responsive to an excitation beam.
A reconfigurable microstrip network comprising:
- a dielectric layer;
- a ground plane layer bonded to a first side of the dielectric layer;
- a transmission layer bonded to a second side of the dielectric layer;
- and
- an excitation source comprising a plurality of electron beam sources for generating one or more excitation beams, the one or more excitation beams defining in the transmission layer at least one selectively actuable conductive pathway responsive to the one or more excitation beams.
A method for reconfiguring a microstrip network having a transmission layer, comprising the steps of:
- generating an electron excitation beam;
- actuating a conductive pathway in a transmission layer of said microstrip network by directing the excitation beam onto the transmission layer;
- and
- deactuating the conductive pathway by removing the excitation beam from the transmission layer.
A reconfigurable microstrip transmission line network comprising:
- a microstrip circuit having a transmission layer;
- and
- an electron beam excitation source for generating one or more excitation beams directed to the transmission layer, the one or more excitation beams defining in the transmission layer a selectively actuable conductive pathway having selected geometric dimensions varying with the selective actuation of the one or more beams to produce said conductive pathway.
A reconfigurable microstrip network comprising:
- a dielectric layer;
- a ground plane layer bonded to a first side of the dielectric layer;
- a transmission layer bonded to a second side of the dielectric layer;
- and
- an electron beam excitation source for generating one or more excitation beams, said one or more excitation beams generating a conductive pathway having selected geometric dimensions within the transmission layer.
A reconfigurable transmission line switch network comprising:
- a dielectric layer;
- a ground plane layer bonded to a first side of the dielectric layer;
- a transmission layer bonded to a second side of the dielectric layer;
- and
- a plurality of input ports connected to the transmission layer;
- an output port connected to the transmission layer;
- and
- an electron beam excitation source for generating one or more excitation beams, said one or more excitation beams generating a conductive pathway in the transmission layer between a selected one of the input ports and the output port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.