Superconductor technology: apparatus – material – process – High temperature devices – systems – apparatus – com- ponents,... – High frequency waveguides – resonators – electrical networks,...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-30
2001-04-10
Lee, Benny T. (Department: 2817)
Superconductor technology: apparatus, material, process
High temperature devices, systems, apparatus, com- ponents,...
High frequency waveguides, resonators, electrical networks,...
C505S700000, C505S701000, C505S866000, C333S09900R, C333S205000, C333S235000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216020
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the things of passive microwave and RF devices, and, more specifically to localized electrical fine tuning of these devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Often, in applications involving microwave/RF circuitry, it is necessary to tune the electrical characteristics of certain parts of the circuitry after it has been manufactured. Actually, with high-performance devices, such as high-Q microwave/RF resonators and several-pole microwave/RF filters, continual fine tuning often is required even after the initial tuning. Currently, both the initial tuning, and the subsequent fine tuning are achieved almost exclusively by mechanical means such as tuning screws, or by adding or removing wire-bonding from tuning pads placed on critical parts of the circuitry. This mechanical tuning is time consuming, and is found to be lacking in the area of controllability, accuracy and resolution.
Bulk ferrite materials also have been utilized for magnetically tunable microwave devices whose response can be tuned by applying a dc magnetic field. However, tunable and adaptive devices incorporating ferrites so far have had limited use due to their high unit cost, complexity, large size, high insertion loss, and low tuning speed.
The invention disclosed herein is related loosely to two previous issued to the inventor herein. These patents are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,941, issued Jul. 26, 1996, for SUPERCONDUCTOR/INSULATOR METAL OXIDE HETEROSTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICALLY TUNABLE MICROWAVE DEVICES; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,375, issued Feb. 18, 1997, for SUPERCONDUCTING ACTIVE LUMPED COMPONENT FOR MICROWAVE DEVICE APPLICATION.
If possible, a way of tuning circuitry electrically which could be implemented in conventional planar microwave and RF circuitry with minimal modification in design and with negligible pertubation of device performance would be far superior to the conventional tuning regimes of the prior art. Tuning circuitry electrically also could provide a convenient means for adding adaptive features to the operation of the tuned device.
Electrical tuning of microwave/RF circuitry does provide many advantages over both mechanical and magnetic tuning. Among these advantages are convenience, reproducibility, controllability, versatility, speed, accuracy, resolution and adaptability. The method according to the present invention uses electric field induced changes in the permittivity of certain nonlinear dielectric thin film under specific bias configurations to effect electrical fine tuning of microwave/RF circuitry. The broad class of materials known as nonlinear dielectrics possess many characteristics which make them suitable for this application. Among these characteristics are high peak power capacity, short switching times, broadband capability, and easy integration into monolithic microwave/RF devices.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for the localized electrical fine tuning of passive microwave and RF devices through local manipulation of the shunt and series capacitance of the devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and a general-purpose method for localized electrical fine tuning of conventional passive microwave and RF devices which provides improved speed, reproducibility and accuracy, without significant degradation of device performance.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for localized electrical fine tuning of conventional passive microwave and RF devices that can be incorporated into the devices either at the time of manufacture or after manufacture of the devices.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, a method of localized electrical fine tuning of a passive microwave or RF multiple element devices on a substrate, through the localized manipulation of either its shunt or series capacitance, comprising the steps of depositing nonlinear dielectric material onto a plurality of predetermined areas of the substrate in electrical contact with each of the multiple elements; depositing electrically conductive material onto a plurality of predetermined areas of the dielectric material and of the substrate, and forming electrodes; and applying individual, adjustable bias voltages to the electrodes.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrically fine tunable passive microwave or RF multiple element device comprising a multiple element passive microwave or RF device on a substrate with a nonlinear dielectric material on predetermined areas of the substrate and in electrical contact with each of the multiple elements. An electrically conductive material is on predetermined areas of the dielectric material and the substrate, and forms electrodes, with individual, adjustable bias voltages to applied to the electrodes.
In yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing localized electrical fine tuning to a previously manufactured multiple element passive microwave or RF device on a substrate comprising the steps of depositing nonlinear dielectric material onto a plurality of predetermined areas of the substrate and in electrical contact with the multiple elements; depositing electrically conductive material onto a plurality of predetermined areas of the dielectric material and of the substrate, and forming electrodes; and applying individual, adjustable bias voltages to the electrodes.
In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a multiple element passive microwave or RF device that provides localized electrical fine tuning comprising the steps of depositing an electrically conductive material onto a substrate at a plurality of predetermined positions to form multiple elements for the passive microwave or RF device desired; depositing nonlinear dielectric material onto the substrate at a plurality of predetermined areas and in electrical contact with each of the multiple elements; depositing electrically conductive material onto a plurality of redetermined areas of the dielectric material and of the substrate, and forming electrodes; and applying individual, adjustable bias voltages to the electrodes.
In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrically fine tunable microwave or RF device comprising a multiple element passive microwave or RF device on a substrate with first contact pads and first resistive and inductive lines in electrical contact located at predetermined areas of the substrate, each of the first resistive and inductive lines terminating in a capacitive plate located a predetermined distance from a first end of each of the multiple elements. Second contact pads and second resistive and inductive lines are in electrical contact and are located at predetermined areas of the substrate, the second resistive and inductive line terminating in electrical contact with a second end of each of the multiple elements. A nonlinear dielectric material is deposited onto predetermined areas of the first end of each of the multiple elements and each of the capacitive plates, and individual, adjustable bias voltages are connected to each of the first and second contact pads.
In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing localized electrical fine tuning to a previously manufactured multiple element passive microwave or RF device on a substrate comprising the steps of depositing a plurality of first contact pads and a plurality of first resistive and inductive lines onto predetermined
Lee Benny T.
The Regents of the University of California
Wyrick Milton D.
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