Wave transmission lines and networks – Long line elements and components – Waveguide elements and components
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-23
2003-02-04
Lee, Benny (Department: 2817)
Wave transmission lines and networks
Long line elements and components
Waveguide elements and components
C333S254000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06515562
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection structure for connecting dielectric waveguide lines principally for use in transmitting high-frequency signals in the microwave or millimeter wave band.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, research in mobile communications, inter-vehicular radars or the like in which high-frequency signals within the microwave or millimeter wave band are used, been increasingly carried out. As a transmission line for transmitting such high-frequency signals, coaxial lines, waveguide lines, dielectric waveguide lines, microstrip lines and the like are known.
Moreover, there has recently been proposed a dielectric waveguide line that is formed in a wiring substrate composed of laminated multiple dielectric layers. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 6-53711(1994) proposes a waveguide line which is formed by sandwiching a dielectric substrate between a pair of main conductor layers and forming side walls of two rows of via-holes which connect the main conductor layers to each other. Namely, in this waveguide line, the dielectric material is surrounded by the pair of main conductor layers and the via-holes as pseudo conductor walls thereby to use the region inside these conductor walls as a dielectric line for signal transmission.
Further, the inventors of the present invention proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 10-75108 (1998) a dielectric waveguide line of a multilayer structure which is formed within a dielectric substrate. This is also referred to as a lamination type waveguide, in which a dielectric waveguide line as described above is composed of a dielectric layer, a pair of main conductor layers and through conductor groups such as via-hole groups, and in addition to the through conductor groups sub conductor layers are further provided to reinforce the side walls which serve as electrical walls. In the dielectric waveguide line as disclosed in JP-A 6-53711, if an electric field not parallel to the via-holes is generated within the waveguide, the electric field will leak through the side walls. According to the lamination type waveguide, however, the electric field will not leak owing to the sub conductor layers.
Such a dielectric waveguide line which can be disposed inside the wiring substrate or the like is originally intended for use as a transmission line in a multilayer wiring substrate mainly for microwaves and millimeter waves or in a package for housing a semiconductor device, and it can also be used as a feed line for an antenna which is integrated into the multilayer wiring substrate or the package for housing a semiconductor device to provide a sophisticated function.
In general, in the case of using transmission lines to constitute a high-frequency circuit, and in particular, in the case of forming a feed line for an array antenna or the like, it is necessary to connect the transmission lines to each other in a wiring circuit within the transmission lines or disposed on a branch circuit.
Such dielectric waveguide line may be stacked one over another, however, if downsizing and high integration is desired, it is necessary to connect the dielectric waveguide lines to each other. In the case of the conventional metallic waveguides, there is no need for a specific connection technique because three-dimensional connection can be done by simply bending the metallic waveguides.
With regard to the connection of the dielectric waveguide lines stacked one over another, the inventors of the present invention have already proposed a connection structure with feed pins formed by via-holes. This connection structure enables the connection between the dielectric waveguide lines which are stacked one over another within a dielectric substrate.
However, even in this connection structure, there still remain problems to be solved as follows.
For example, in the above connection structure, the feed pin functions as a mono-pole antenna of ¼ wavelength within the dielectric waveguide line. Accordingly, it is necessary to adjust the length of the feed pin to a quarter of the wavelength of a signal most desired to be transmitted. However, since the feed pin is formed by a through conductor such as a via-hole, the length thereof is restricted to the thickness of dielectric sheets which are laminated to form the dielectric substrate in which the dielectric waveguide line is formed. Of course the thickness of the dielectric sheets may be changed so that the feed pin is set to a desired length, which, however, causes a problem that adaptability to various designs is impaired, and consequently results in an increase in cost.
Further, electric current flows concentratedly in the feed pin, in particular, in the millimeter wave band, the electric current concentrates on the surface of the feed pin under the influence of skin effect, with the result that an energy loss due to the conductor resistance is large.
Furthermore, although the dielectric waveguide line may be used in a mode where the lamination plane of laminated dielectric sheets is parallel with the E plane of the waveguide, i.e., in a mode where the electric field is parallel to the lamination plane, in this case excitation of electric current will not occur in the feed pin making it impossible to connect the dielectric waveguide lines together when they are stacked one over another.
In addition, in the case of simply disposing a branch to a dielectric waveguide line for signal transmission surrounded by artificial conductor walls formed by the pair of conductor layers and the two rows of via holes, as proposed in JP-A 6-53711, the electromagnetic field is disturbed and large transmission loss occurs.
Therefore, in order to constitute a high-frequency circuit by producing a transmission line circuit provided with a branch for forming a feed line for an array antenna or the like within a dielectric substrate, such a branch structure for dielectric waveguide lines is desired that can be formed within a dielectric substrate, prevent radiation of electromagnetic waves and have minimal transmission loss.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a connection structure for dielectric waveguide lines which can be readily manufactured by the conventional multi-layering technique, the connection structure being capable of giving freedom of design and enabling easy connection of dielectric waveguide lines stacked one over another within a dielectric substrate.
It is another object of the invention to provide a connection structure for dielectric waveguide lines which can be readily manufactured by the conventional multi-layering technique, the connection structure being capable of easily connecting the dielectric waveguide lines which are stacked one over the other within a dielectric substrate so as to be orthogonal to each other.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a connection structure for dielectric waveguide lines in which dielectric waveguide lines can be formed within a dielectric substrate without radiation and leakage of electromagnetic waves of high-frequency signals, wherein the circuit can branch into a shape of T or a right-angled three-forked line, having little transmission loss and excellent transmission characteristics which is achieved by connecting one dielectric waveguide line to another one so as to intersect each other.
The inventors of the invention have made efforts for solving the above-mentioned problems and found that by stacking two dielectric waveguide lines formed within a dielectric substrate, one over the other so that a part of an upper main conductor layer of the dielectric waveguide line formed at the lower side and a part of a lower main conductor layer of the dielectric waveguide line formed at the upper side overlap each other, and providing a coupling window in the overlap part of the main conductors, the upper and lower dielectric waveguide lines
Takenoshita Takeshi
Uchimura Hiroshi
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Kyocera Corporation
Lee Benny
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