Modified coaxial to GCPW vertical solderless interconnects for stack MIC assemblies

A stacked assembly of substrates with Grounded Coplanar Waveguide (GCPW) transmission lines with RF interconnection provided between the substrates, the assembly comprising:

• a first dielectric substrate with a first GCPW line, wherein a first center conductor strip and opposed first and second finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface and a first conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface;
• a second dielectric substrate with a second GCPW line, wherein a second center conductor strip and opposed third and fourth finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface of said second substrate and a second conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface of said second substrate;
• said first and second substrates arranged in a stacked, spaced configuration;
• and
• a modified coaxial connector structure for providing a solderless right angle interconnect between said first and second GCPW lines, said connector structure disposed between said first and second substrates, and comprising a center conductor pin, a dielectric support element surrounding the pin, and outer conductive shielding surrounding a portion of a periphery of the dielectric support element, an area of said periphery being free of conductive shielding, said connector structure disposed transversely to the respective first and second GCPW center conductor strips such that a first end of said coaxial center pin is in contact with said first center conductor strip, a second end of said pin is in contact with said second center conductor strip, and said coaxial outer shielding is in contact with said first and second finite ground strips of said first GCPW line and in contact with said third and fourth finite ground strips of said second GCPW line, and wherein said shielding does not contact said center conductor strips due to said area of said periphery being free of shielding, and said outer shielding is defined by a conductive plate member having an opening formed therein to receive said dielectric element and said pin, said opening having a generally cylindrical configuration with an area in which the plate member is further open adjacent the cylindrical configuration to define said area of said periphery being free of shielding;
• wherein said shielding provides a ground return between the coaxial connector structure and said GCPW lines without shorting said GCPW center conductor strip.

An RF right angle transition for Grounded Coplanar Waveguide (GCPW) transmission line, comprising:

• a dielectric substrate with a GCPW line, wherein a center conductor strip and opposed finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface and a conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface;
• and
• a modified coaxial connector structure, comprising a center conductor pin, a dielectric support element surrounding the pin, and outer conductive shielding surrounding a portion of a periphery of the dielectric support element, an area of said periphery being free of conductive shielding, said connector structure disposed transversely to said GCPW center conductor strip such that an end of said coaxial center pin is in contact with said center conductor strip, and said coaxial outer shielding is in contact with said first and second finite ground strips,
• wherein said shielding does not contact said center conductor strip due to said area of said periphery being free of shielding, said shielding provides a ground return between the coaxial connector structure and said GCPW line without shorting said GCPW center conductor strip, and wherein said connector structure has first and second ends, said first end disposed adjacent said GCPW line, said area of said periphery being free of shielding is defined at said first end of the connector structure, the shielding surrounding the outer periphery of the dielectric support element at a region intermediate said first and second ends.

A stacked assembly of substrates with Grounded Coplanar Waveguide (GCPW) transmission lines with RF interconnection provided between the substrates, the assembly comprising;

• a first dielectric substrate with a first GCPW line, wherein a first center conductor strip and opposed first and second finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface and a first conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface;
• a second dielectric substrate with a second GCPW line, wherein a second center conductor strip and opposed third and fourth finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface of said second substrate and a second conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface of said second substrate;
• said first and second substrates arranged in a stacked, spaced configuration;
• and
• a modified coaxial connector structure for providing a solderless right angle interconnect between said first and second GCPW lines, said connector structure disposed between said first and second substrates, and comprising a center conductor pin, a dielectric support element surrounding the pin, and outer conductive shielding surrounding a portion of a periphery of the dielectric support element, an area of said periphery being free of conductive shielding, said connector structure disposed transversely to the respective first and second GCPW center conductor strips such that a first end of said coaxial center pin is in contact with said first center conductor strip, a second end of said pin is in contact with said second center conductor strip, and said coaxial outer shielding is in contact with said first and second finite ground strips of said first GCPW line and in contact with said third and fourth finite ground strips of said second GCPW line, and
• wherein said shielding does not contact said center conductor strips due to said area of said periphery being free of shielding, said shielding provides a ground return between the coaxial connector structure and said GCPW lines without shorting said GCPW center conductor strip, and wherein said area of said coaxial outer shielding extends through an angular extent of the periphery of the coaxial shielding, said angular extent in the range of about 60 degrees to about 120 degrees.

A stacked assembly of substrates with Grounded Coplanar Waveguide (GCPW) transmission lines with RF interconnection provided between the substrates, the assembly comprising:

• a first dielectric substrate with a first GCPW line, wherein a first center conductor strip and opposed first and second finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface and a first conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface;
• a second dielectric substrate with a second GCPW line, wherein a second center conductor strip and opposed third and fourth finite ground conductor strips are formed on a first substrate surface of said second substrate and a second conductive ground plane is formed on a second substrate surface of said second substrate;
• said first and second substrates arranged in a stacked, spaced configuration;
• and
• a modified coaxial connector structure for providing a solderless right angle interconnect between said first and second GCPW lines, said connector structure disposed between said first and second substrates, and comprising a center conductor pin, a dielectric support element surrounding the pin, and outer conductive shielding surrounding a portion of a periphery of the dielectric support element, an area of said periphery being free of conductive shielding, said connector structure disposed transversely to the respective first and second GCPW center conductor strips such that a first end of said coaxial center pin is in contact with said first center conductor strip, a second end of said pin is in contact with said second center conductor strip, and said coaxial outer shielding is in contact with said first and second finite ground strips of said first GCPW line and in contact with said third and fourth finite ground strips of said second GCPW line, and
• wherein said shielding does not contact said center conductor strips due to said area of said periphery being free of shielding, said shielding providing a ground return between the coaxial connector structure and said GCPW lines without shorting said GCPW center conductor strip, and wherein said connector structure has first and second ends, said first end disposed adjacent said GCPW line, said area of said periphery being free of shielding is defined at said first end of the connector structure, the shielding surrounding the outer periphery of the dielectric support element at a region intermediate said first and second ends.