Dielectric-waveguide attenuator, dielectric-waveguide terminator, and wireless apparatus incorporating same

A dielectric-waveguide attenuator comprising:

• two substantially parallel planar conductors;
• a dielectric strip disposed therebetween so that a dielectric waveguide is formed;
• a reflected-wave suppressing structure for changing line impedance of the dielectric waveguide at a plurality of discontinuous parts and suppressing the reflected waves occurring at the plurality of discontinuous parts;
• and
• resistance films forming at least a part of the reflected-wave suppressing structure, the resistance films being disposed on a surface defined within the dielectric strip and substantially in parallel to the planar conductors to attenuate signals propagating through the dielectric waveguide;
• wherein the resistance films are intermittently disposed in a direction in which the dielectric strip extends, and the intermittent resistance films define the plurality of discontinuous parts.

A dielectric-waveguide attenuator comprising:

• two substantially parallel planar conductors;
• a dielectric strip disposed therebetween so that a dielectric waveguide is formed;
• a reflected-wave suppressing structure for changing line impedance of the dielectric waveguide at a plurality of discontinuous parts and suppressing the reflected waves occurring at the plurality of discontinuous parts;
• and
• resistance films forming at least a part of the reflected-wave suppressing structure, the resistance films being disposed on a surface defined within the dielectric strip and substantially in parallel to the planar conductors to attenuate signals propagating through the dielectric waveguide;
• wherein the permittivity of a substrate having the resistance-film patterns formed thereon is higher than the permittivity of the dielectric strip.

A dielectric-waveguide attenuator comprising:

• two substantially parallel planar conductors;
• a dielectric strip disposed therebetween so that a dielectric waveguide is formed;
• a reflected-wave suppressing structure for changing line impedance of the dielectric waveguide at a plurality of discontinuous parts and suppressing the reflected waves occurring at the plurality of discontinuous parts;
• and
• resistance films forming at least a part of the reflected-wave suppressing structure, the resistance films being disposed on a surface defined within the dielectric strip and substantially in parallel to the planar conductors to attenuate signals propagating through the dielectric waveguide;
• wherein a distance defined between the plurality of discontinuous parts is an odd multiple of substantially one-fourth the wavelength of a reflected wave to be suppressed.