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US 8,542,079 B2Granted
Coaxial transmission line microstructure including an enlarged coaxial structure for transitioning to an electrical connector
AssigneeNuvotronics, LLC
InventorsDavid W. Sherrer, Jean-Marc Rollin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are coaxial transmission line microstructures formed by a sequential build process, and methods of forming such microstructures. The microstructures include a transition structure for transitioning between the coaxial transmission line and an electrical connector. The microstructures have particular applicability to devices for transmitting electromagnetic energy and other electronic signals.
Claims31
A transmission line micro structure, comprising:
- a transmission line including:
- i) a center conductor, at least a portion of which extends along a longitudinal axis;
- ii) an outer conductor disposed around the center conductor, the outer conductor having a shortened wall portion that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis a lesser extent than that of the center conductor to provide an opening in the outer conductor wall at a location around a selected portion of the center conductor thereby exposing a longitudinal portion of the center conductor;
- and
- iii) a non-solid volume between the center conductor and the outer conductor;
- and
- a transition structure for transitioning between the transmission line and an electrical connector, the transition structure comprising:
- a center conductor connector mount disposed proximate the opening in the outer conductor and having a cross-sectional dimension measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the center conductor, and
- a center conductor transition element electrically connected at a first end thereof to the center conductor and electrically connected at the second end thereof to the center conductor connector mount at respective first and second ends of the center conductor transition element, with the cross-sectional dimension measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the second end being greater than the cross-sectional dimension at the first end.
6 more elements
A method of forming a transmission line microstructure, comprising:
- disposing a plurality of layers over a substrate, wherein the plurality of layers comprise one or more of dielectric, conductive and sacrificial materials;
- forming from the plurality of layers a center conductor, at least a portion of which extends along a longitudinal axis, and an outer conductor disposed around the center conductor, the outer conductor having a shortened layer portion that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis a lesser extent than that of the center conductor to provide an opening in a wall of the outer conductor at a location around a selected portion of the center conductor thereby exposing a longitudinal portion of the center conductor;
- and,
- forming from the plurality of layers a transition structure comprising:
- a center conductor connector mount disposed proximate the opening in the outer conductor and having a cross-sectional dimension measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the center conductor, and
- a center conductor transition element electrically connected at a first end thereof to the center conductor and electrically connected at the second end thereof to the center conductor connector mount at respective first and second ends of the center conductor transition element, with the cross-sectional dimension measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the second end being greater than the cross-sectional dimension at the first end.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.