Method of manufacturing the dielectric waveguide

A method of manufacturing a dielectric waveguide comprising a plurality of conductors having substantially parallel planes, a dielectric strip arranged between the planes of the plurality of conductors, and a wing integrally formed with the dielectric strip to extend from the dielectric strip along each of the planes of the conductors, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a green compact containing an inorganic powder and an organic binder for forming the dielectric strip and the wing from a part of the green compact;
• wherein the step of preparing the green compact includes the step of providing a removal inhibiting layer comprising a difficult-to-remove material having a lower removal rate than that of the green compact in the part of the green compact corresponding to the wing;
• forming a resist material on an outer surface of the green compact, a position of the resist material defining an opening corresponding to the wing;
• removing a portion of the green compact, which is exposed through the opening, to a desired amount until the removal inhibiting layer is exposed, by using the resist material as a mask to form an unfired structure having a shape comprising the dielectric strip and the wing;
• removing the resist material;
• firing the unfired structure to obtain a sintered body having the dielectric strip and the wing;
• providing one of the plurality of conductors on a surface of the sintered body opposite the dielectric strip;
• and
• arranging two sintered bodies in a state in which respective dielectric strips of the two sintered bodies are opposed to each other.