US 6,216,020 B1 · Localized electrical fine tuning of passive microwave and radio frequency devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the localized electrical fine tuning of passive multiple element microwave or RF devices in which a nonlinear dielectric material is deposited onto predetermined areas of a substrate containing the device. An appropriate electrically conductive material is deposited over predetermined areas of the nonlinear dielectric and the signal line of the device for providing electrical contact with the nonlinear dielectric. Individual, adjustable bias voltages are applied to the electrically conductive material allowing localized electrical fine tuning of the devices. The method of the present invention can be applied to manufactured devices, or can be incorporated into the design of the devices so that it is applied at the time the devices are manufactured. The invention can be configured to provide localized fine tuning for devices including but not limited to coplanar waveguides, slotline devices, stripline devices, and microstrip devices.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method of providing localized electrical fine tuning to a previously manufactured multiple element passive microwave or RF device on a substrate comprising the steps of:

depositing a plurality of first contact pads and a plurality of first resistive and inductive lines onto first predetermined areas of said substrate, each of said plurality of first contact pads and each of said plurality of first resistive and inductive lines being in electrical contact, and each of said first resistive and inductive lines terminating in a respective capacitive plate located at a predetermined distance from a first end of corresponding ones of said multiple elements;
depositing a plurality of second contact pads and a plurality of second resistive and inductive lines onto second predetermined areas of said substrate, each of said plurality of second resistive and inductive lines terminating in electrical contact with a second end of each of said multiple elements;
depositing a plurality of respective nonlinear dielectric films onto predetermined areas of said first end of each of said multiple elements and each of said plurality of respective capacitive plates;
and
applying a plurality of individual, adjustable bias voltages between each of said pluralities of first and second contact pads.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Localized electrical fine tuning of passive microwave and radio frequency devices

Life of this patent

Localized electrical fine tuning of passive microwave and radio frequency devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26