# US 7,613,009 B2 · Electrical transition for an RF component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,009 B2 - Document ID: US7613009B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/374,994 - Filed: 2006-03-15 - Published: 2007-09-20 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-15 - Assignees: TDK Corporation - Inventors: Thomas M Young; Brian Kearns - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613009B2 ## CPC - H01P 1/047: {Strip line joints} - H05K 1/0243: {Printed circuits associated with mounted high frequency components} - H10W 44/20: at high-frequency [HF] or radio frequency [RF] - H05K 2201/09618: Via fence, i.e. one-dimensional array of vias - H05K 2201/10727: Leadless chip carrier [LCC], e.g. chip-modules for cards - H05K 2201/10969: Metallic case or integral heatsink of component electrically connected to a pad on PCB - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An RF electronic component for mounting on a substrate includes a housing; and at least one electronic device having an input and/or output incorporated in the housing. At least one input/output terminal connects to a connection pad on the substrate; and an electrical transition provides an electrical connection between the input/output terminal and an input/output of an electronic device incorporated in the electronic component. The electrical transition comprises a side termination at least partially located on an outer surface of the housing; and an array of conductive through holes formed inside the housing at an offset from the side termination. The array is arranged so that the axes of the through holes are substantially mutually parallel and coplanar, and the array of through holes is connected to form a ground plane at the offset from the side termination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly comprising: an RF electronic component for mounting on a carrier substrate, said RF electronic component including: a housing; at least one electronic device having an input and/or output and incorporated in said housing; at least one input/output terminal for connecting to a connection pad on said substrate; and an electrical transition for providing an electrical connection between said input/output terminal and an input/output of said at least one electronic device incorporated in said electronic component, said electrical transition comprising: a side termination at least partially located on an outer surface of said housing; and an array of conductive through holes formed inside said housing, said array being arranged so that the axes of said through holes are substantially mutually parallel and coplanar, and so that a plane defined by said array of coplanar through holes is parallel to and offset from said side termination, and wherein said array of through holes are connected to form a ground plane at said offset from said side termination; and the carrier substrate having an upper surface on which said RF electronic component is mounted, and having at least one transmission line including a connection pad electrically connected to a respective input/output terminal of said RF electronic component; wherein said offset, the dimensions of said through holes, and the arrangement of said through holes of said side termination are selected so that the electrical properties of said transition between said connection pad and said device input/output are equivalent to the electrical properties of a transmission line of a given characteristic impedance connected to said connection pad. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said through holes are cylindrical and either metal plated or metal filled. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a multi-layer substrate formed of multiple layers of electrically insulating material having at least an upper and a lower layer, a lower outer surface of the multi-layer substrate being arranged to be mounted on said carrier substrate, said lower layer of said multi-layer substrate having formed on upper and lower major surfaces thereof respective ground planes, said array of through holes electrically connecting said ground planes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier substrate comprises a PCB. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing has a lower outer surface having a ground plane formed thereon and wherein said carrier substrate has a ground plane formed on said upper surface, said carrier substrate ground plane being at least coextensive with said lower outer surface ground plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The assembly according to claim 3 wherein said lower major surface of said lower layer comprises said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The assembly according to claim 3 wherein said lower major surface of said lower layer is spaced from said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate by an insulating layer, said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate including a further ground plane electrically connected to said lower major surface ground plane by one or more conductive through holes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said at least one electronic device is disposed on a surface of an upper layer of said multi-layer substrate, said side termination extending between said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate and said surface of said upper layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said multi-layer substrate comprises an LTCC substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein said RF electronic component has an operating frequency, and wherein said input/output terminal is located on said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate and has a length between first and second ends, said first end being connected to said side termination, and said second end being connected to said ground plane of said lower outer surface of said multi-layer substrate, and wherein said length is one quarter of the wavelength of said operating frequency. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said operating frequency is a microwave frequency. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said frequency is in the region of 24 GHz.