Waveguide device

Abstract

The invention relates to a hollow waveguide arrangement for conducting electromagnetic waves in a hollow space surrounded by conductive material, wherein the hollow waveguide arrangement comprises a circuit board material, which has an electrically conductive, flat back, a substrate and a conductive layer arranged on the side of the substrate facing away from the back. According to the invention, the back has a surface structure, preferably formed by at least one recess, by which structure the wave-guiding hollow space is at least partially directly delimited; and / or the hollow space is formed in a split-block technique by connecting the circuit board material as a split-block base to a corresponding cover as a split-block top part.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a waveguide arrangement for guiding electromagnetic waves in a cavity surrounded by conductive material and to a method for producing a waveguide arrangement.

[0002] Waveguides are well-known in the art as waveguides for electromagnetic waves, primarily those in the GHz frequency range, i.e., especially for applications between 1 GHz and 1 THz. Waveguides are typically metal tubes or cavities surrounded by metal, usually with a rectangular, circular, or elliptical cross-section. The most relevant in practice and therefore always used here as an example without loss of generality are so-called rectangular waveguides, i.e., waveguides with a generally rectangular or square cross-section.

[0003] The present invention further relates to a waveguide arrangement comprising a printed circuit board material having a backing and an (electrically conductive) conductive layer. In particular, the printed circuit board material is a so-called PCB material for the production of printed circuit boards.

[0004] The "back" refers in particular to the part of the circuit board material that provides mechanical stability to the circuit board material or the waveguide arrangement. Accordingly, the back is preferably plate-shaped.

[0005] It is preferred, especially for high-frequency applications, that the backing consists—at least predominantly—of an electrically conductive material, for example, a metal such as copper or the like. In this case, the circuit board material preferably has an electrically insulating substrate (dielectric) arranged at least partially between the backing and the conductive layer. A metallic backing offers the advantage that it can directly function as a ground reference surface for high-frequency structures such as striplines.

[0006] In principle, however, it is also possible for the backing to consist – at least predominantly – of an electrically insulating material or dielectric. In this case, the backing preferably forms the substrate or has the substrate. An additional substrate between the backing and the conductive layer can be omitted.

[0007] The conductive layer is usually significantly thinner than the backing, which, for applications in the high-frequency range, as in this case, is preferably also electrically conductive and usually made of metal, especially copper, which can provide stability to the circuit board material. Furthermore, the backing typically serves to dissipate heat. The substrate insulates the conductive backing from the conductive layer, allowing the conductive layer to be used, for example, to create striplines that use the backing as a ground or reference electrode. Accordingly, the material is preferably a so-called double-sided circuit board material.

[0008] EP 2 500 978 B1 relates to a so-called waveguide transition between a substrate-integrated waveguide implemented in a printed circuit board substrate and a hollow guide. The hollow guide is manufactured using split-block technology. The tubular cross-section of a hollow guide is created by surface structuring of two corresponding blocks, which, when assembled, then create the desired hollow guide structure, for example, a rectangular hollow space surrounded by conductive material with a rectangular cross-section.

[0009] In the prior art, a printed circuit board material is inserted into the split-block construction. The waveguide manufactured using split-block technology has a comb-shaped coupling structure for coupling the substrate-integrated waveguide to the waveguide. This coupling structure covers the waveguiding substrate of the substrate-integrated waveguide and extends from the ceiling onto the substrate-integrated waveguide at a distance from the side walls. The comb-shaped coupling structure has steps, at the end of which a rectangular waveguide with a completely rectangular cavity is connected. The coupling of a signal from the substrate-integrated waveguide into the waveguide occurs through the comb-shaped coupling structure perpendicular to the main extension plane of the printed circuit board material inserted into a split-block base.

[0010] State-of-the-art split-block designs regularly require a high level of material input for stability reasons and due to the often required inclusion of the circuit board material. The production of usually two separate split-block parts and a radio-frequency substrate, with enormous precision requirements for all three parts (split-block parts and radio-frequency substrate), regularly leads to high manufacturing costs. Furthermore, while striplines and substrate-integrated waveguides are realized using circuit board material in the state of the art, in which the substrate (dielectric) is used to conduct the electromagnetic waves, causing the substrate-integrated waveguide to act like a dielectric-filled waveguide, waveguides with a cavity are then produced and coupled using other methods, which generally requires complex precision manufacturing processes and results in large, heavy assemblies.

[0011] US 10,468,736 B2 relates to an arrangement for coupling a substrate-integrated waveguide to a rectangular waveguide, wherein, in a printed circuit board material, several conductive layers are perforated in a window-like manner on a side facing away from a back to enable coupling between the substrate-integrated waveguide formed by the printed circuit board material and the rectangular waveguide. The coupling occurs between the printed circuit board material formed in a plane for the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the rectangular waveguide, whose cavity extends perpendicular to this plane. The window in the conductive layers leads to the opening of the substrate-integrated waveguide on its flat side facing away from the back of the printed circuit board material, leading to the cavity of the rectangular waveguide.Although this design does not require split-block technology, it requires a lot of space due to the waveguide running transversely to the substrate-integrated waveguide and leads to stability problems, positioning problems and complex assembly technology.

[0012] WO 2010 / 104486 A1 discloses a microwave orthomode transducer comprising a body and a cover, between which a waveguide is formed. A dielectric substrate is arranged between the body and the cover. The body and the cover have or form cavities and are metallic or at least metallized on the walls of the cavities, thereby forming the waveguide. The transducer is manufactured using split-block technology.

[0013] US 6,323,818 B1 relates to the integration of cavity waveguides, channels, and horns using lithographic and etching techniques. To create a waveguide arrangement, a substrate having a cavity and a cavity is coated with a photoresist, which is treated and cured using photolithographic techniques in the areas outside the cavity and the cavity. The photoresist is then removed in the area of ​​the cavity and the cavity, creating a structure in which a photoresist layer is arranged on the substrate and the cavity and the cavity continue upwards into the photoresist layer. The entire structure is then coated with conductive material. The disclosed device is manufactured using split-block technology.

[0014] US 2008 / 280583 A1 concerns a receiver with various components, including an orthomode transducer. The receiver consists of various blocks into which various structures have been etched and coated with a conductive material. The receiver is manufactured using split-block technology.

[0015] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a waveguide arrangement and a method for producing a waveguide arrangement which is particularly compact, resource-saving and reliable.

[0016] This object is achieved according to the proposal by a method according to claim 1 or a waveguide arrangement according to claim 10. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0017] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a waveguide arrangement comprising a cavity surrounded by conductive material for conducting electromagnetic waves. The method comprises at least partially creating the cavity by removing the conductive layer, the substrate (if provided), and parts of the back in sections (i.e., in a specific region of the circuit board material that is subsequently intended to delimit the cavity) from a circuit board material, which may initially be unprocessed circuit board (base) material, comprising a plate-shaped back, optionally an electrically insulating substrate, and at least one conductive layer—preferably arranged on a side of the substrate facing away from the back. This creates a surface structure.

[0018] The substrate—where provided—is exposed laterally to the structured areas due to processing—preferably milling or lasering. Subsequently, an electrically conductive wall is created by depositing conductive material. This wall covers the substrate and laterally delimits the cavity.

[0019] The boundary of the cavity by the conductive wall preferably extends at least substantially over the entire surface of the substrate interfaces exposed after formation of the surface structure or recess.

[0020] A further aspect of the present invention relates to a waveguide arrangement for conducting electromagnetic waves in a cavity surrounded by conductive material. The waveguide arrangement comprises a printed circuit board material for producing printed circuits, which has at least one electrically conductive backing and an electrically conductive conductive layer. The backing has a surface structure by which the wave-guiding cavity is at least partially defined. Furthermore, the waveguide arrangement has a substrate-integrated waveguide in the printed circuit board material, which is coupled to the cavity—particularly in the region of the surface structure.

[0021] It is therefore provided that the back of the circuit board material has a surface structure that at least partially directly defines the waveguide's wave-guiding cavity. The back can preferably be surface-coated or provided with a conductive material on its surface, thus directly bordering the cavity. Most preferably, the surface structure is a recess or has a recess.

[0022] High-frequency-compatible circuit board materials, which are preferred here, preferably have a continuously electrically conductive backing, in particular a copper backing. For stability reasons, this is often several hundred µm thick, in particular between 0.5 and 2 mm. In the initial state, before structuring the circuit board material, the backing is preferably plate-shaped with an at least essentially constant plate thickness. Typically, only the conductive layer is structured. For the present invention, a metallic backing offers the advantage that structures or the recess can be introduced into the backing with high precision, for example, by milling. This makes it easy to achieve a high-quality waveguide arrangement.

[0023] However, it is not mandatory for the backing to be electrically conductive. Generally, it is primarily important that the backing has an electrically conductive layer or surface and / or that the surface structure is electrically conductive.

[0024] Therefore, it is also fundamentally possible for the back to comprise or consist of an electrically insulating material or dielectric, at least substantially or predominantly. This can simplify the design of the waveguide arrangement.

[0025] However, for manufacturing reasons, an electrically conductive back, especially one made of solid metallic material such as copper, is preferred.

[0026] Known in the prior art is the use of printed circuit board material, in particular high-frequency printed circuit board material with a conductive back, for forming striplines in which the conductive back is grounded and used as a ground reference plane, or for forming substrate-integrated waveguides, wherein the conductive back acts as a boundary of the substrate-integrated waveguide and delimits the substrate or dielectric of the printed circuit board material together with via rows or, according to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with further aspects of the present invention, with milling or laser slots provided with an electrically conductive layer and a conductive layer provided on the substrate on the side facing away from the back.

[0027] The present invention teaches a departure from the usual uses of the back of printed circuit board material solely for mechanical stabilization and / or for forming a flat ground reference surface with low surface resistance. Instead, the back, as proposed, has a surface structure that deviates from the flat, plate-like, usual structure of the back of the printed circuit board material and serves to conduct electromagnetic waves, in particular the coupling or generation of modes for waveguiding purposes, i.e., it is designed and preferably coupled for this purpose.

[0028] In particular, the surface structure is one or more recesses in the back as part of or for forming the wave-guiding cavity of the waveguide.

[0029] Preferably, the surface structure, insofar as it forms at least part of the waveguide or delimits the cavity, is free of perforations. It is thus formed in the surface, but preferably does not perforate the back transversely to its main extension plane. In the present case, a waveguide preferably has a diameter transverse to a transmission direction of less than 15 mm, preferably less than 10 mm, and / or more than / at least 0.2 mm, preferably more than / at least 0.5 mm. Alternatively or additionally, it is provided that the surface structure extends at least substantially laterally or parallel to the main extension plane of the circuit board material in order to form the waveguide in the direction of the main extension plane of the circuit board material or parallel thereto.

[0030] In an embodiment in which the back is made of a non-conductive material, the surface structure preferably comprises or is coated with an electrically conductive material.

[0031] In the present invention, it is provided that the waveguide is formed in split-block technology by connecting the circuit board material as a split-block lower part with a corresponding cover as a split-block upper part.

[0032] In other words, the electrically conductive, plate-shaped back of the printed circuit board material is preferably used in a structured manner to form part of a split-block waveguide. Using the back to form the waveguide instead of a traditional split-block base milled from solid metal has proven to be very resource-efficient and advantageous for constructing particularly compact waveguide arrangements and transitions to waveguides.

[0033] Dividing the waveguide into two substructures (i.e., a split-block upper part and a split-block lower part) is particularly advantageous because it allows for reduced milling tool lengths for fine milling structures, thus increasing manufacturing accuracy. Furthermore, combining a split-block part and the substrate material into a single component saves manufacturing costs, and the joint milling process of the circuit board and split-block part significantly eliminates tolerances between the circuit board and the waveguide structure.

[0034] A "waveguide arrangement" in the sense of the present invention is preferably an arrangement which has or forms at least one waveguide.

[0035] A "waveguide" in the sense of the present invention is, as already explained at the beginning, preferably an elongated cavity with electrically conductive boundary surfaces surrounding the cavity on the sides. Electromagnetic waves or modes can propagate along the cavity and the boundary surfaces, preferably in frequency bands between 5 GHz and 1 THz.

[0036] A "printed circuit board material" in the sense of the present invention has a preferably electrically conductive, plate-shaped back, a substrate (dielectric) and at least one conductive layer arranged on a side of the substrate facing away from the back.

[0037] Typically, the back is made of an electrically conductive material, especially metal, particularly preferably copper. The back can be mechanically stable and / or impart mechanical stability to the circuit board material. The back is preferably made of a dimensionally stable material, for example, with a material thickness between 0.1 and 5 mm, particularly preferably between 0.5 and 2 mm.

[0038] Particularly preferably, the back is formed from a one-piece, electrically conductive material. Alternatively or additionally, the back can also be formed from an electrically insulating material and / or have a multi-layer structure. In particular, it is possible for a preferably conductive layer adjacent to the substrate, which preferably has the surface structure completely or at least substantially, to be connected to another preferably conductive carrier layer, in particular glued, soldered, or otherwise connected in a preferably electrically conductive manner. This can serve for stabilization and / or assembly. The surface structure can optionally also extend into such a carrier layer, preferably without interrupting the back entirely.

[0039] A "substrate" in the sense of the present invention is preferably understood to mean an insulating material, an insulator, or dielectric. In particular, it is a dielectric suitable for the high-frequency range, especially for frequencies above 10 GHz. This can be PTFE, ceramic, or a PTFE-ceramic composite material. However, other materials can also be used.

[0040] A "conductive layer" is preferably understood to mean an electrically conductive layer, in particular a so-called copper cladding or conductor layer. The conductive layer is particularly preferably a mechanically or chemically structurable metal layer, preferably comprising or consisting of copper, with which, for example, strip lines, in particular microstrip lines, can be produced by structuring. A conductive layer is preferably thin compared to the substrate and / or backing. While the conductive layer typically has a material thickness of between 5 and 35 µm, the substrate can typically have a material thickness of between 100 µm and 400 µm.

[0041] "Split-block technology" within the meaning of the present invention preferably refers to a technology in which corresponding or complementary electrically conductive, surface-structured parts are joined together to form a waveguide. In this case, at least two parts are joined together in an electrically conductive manner, hereinafter referred to as "split-block lower part" and "split-block upper part." It should be noted that the terms "lower part" and "upper part" preferably serve only to differentiate the different parts and do not prescribe a specific installation position.

[0042] In split-block technology, the split-block lower part is preferably provided with a surface structure, in particular a groove or the like. The same applies to the split-block upper part, in particular, whereby the surface structures can be similar, corresponding, or complementary to one another. By joining the split-block lower part with the split-block upper part, the surface structures of these complement each other to form the waveguide. Preferably, the split-block lower part and the split-block upper part have corresponding alignment aids for specifying a position of the surface structures relative to one another, thereby facilitating or enabling precise formation of the waveguide by assembly. However, this is not mandatory.

[0043] A "cover" within the meaning of the present invention is a device designed to cover the circuit board material by applying the cover to the circuit board material in such a way that surface structures in the circuit board material are covered and thereby closed along a flat side of the circuit board material. A cover within the meaning of the present invention has an electrically conductive flat side that corresponds to or complements the surface structure of the circuit board material, with which recesses in the circuit board material are or can be bridged, so that at least one waveguide results when the cover rests against the circuit board material, in particular the conductive layer. The cover preferably has a surface structure, in particular with recesses, but can also be flat orCover the surface structures of the circuit board material with a flat surface in an appropriate manner to seal them off to form waveguides. It is understood that "covering" and "sealing" leave open the possibility that the waveguide or cavity formed by "covering" or "sealing" may be opened to the environment.

[0044] Further aspects, advantages and properties of the present invention emerge from the claims and the following description of advantageous embodiments with reference to the drawing.

[0045] In the drawing shows: Fig. 1 shows a perspective section of the proposed waveguide arrangement; Fig. 2 shows a partial perspective top view of the circuit board material of the proposed waveguide arrangement; Fig. 2A shows a perspective view of a section of the circuit board material (base material); Fig. 2B shows a perspective view of a section of the circuit board material Fig.2A with surface structure / recess; Fig. 2C a perspective view of a section of the printed circuit board material with surface structure / recess according to Fig. 2B and with the substrate covered by conductive walls; Fig. 2D perspective view of a section of the printed circuit board material with surface structure / recess, with the substrate covered by conductive walls according to Fig. 2C and open substrate interface as a window; Fig. 3 perspective views of a circuit board material and two corresponding, different covers; Fig. 4 a partial top view or side view of the proposed waveguide arrangement with a perspective view into the cavity; Fig. 5 a perspective, partial view of a cover made of Fig. 3 ; Fig. 6 an exploded view of a section of the circuit board material with a wall; Fig. 7 a cross-section of a dielectric antenna; and Fig. 8 a perspective view of the dielectric antenna from Fig. 7 .

[0046] In the figures, the same reference symbols are used for the same or similar parts, whereby the same or similar properties can result, even if a repeated description of these is omitted.

[0047] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the proposed waveguide arrangement 1 for guiding electromagnetic waves 2 in a cavity 4 surrounded by conductive material 3.

[0048] The cavity 4 is preferably dimensioned such that electromagnetic waves 2 in the high-frequency range, in particular in the so-called millimeter wave range with a wavelength between approximately 0.3 mm and 10 mm and / or frequencies between approximately 30 GHz and 1 THz, can propagate.

[0049] The waveguide arrangement 1 comprises a printed circuit board material 5, which preferably has a plate-shaped back 6 and a conductive layer 8. The conductive layer 8 is electrically conductive.

[0050] The back 6 is preferably made of a mechanically stable or dimensionally stable material. This can impart mechanical stability to the waveguide arrangement 1 or the part thereof formed by the circuit board material 5.

[0051] In addition, the back 6, particularly when made of a thermally conductive material such as a metal, is preferably designed to dissipate heat from an electrical circuit, preferably a high-frequency circuit for generating, receiving, and / or converting frequencies propagable in the cavity 4, particularly an integrated circuit or a chip of the waveguide arrangement 1. For this purpose, a recess is preferably formed in the back 6, particularly by removing material from the back 6, and the circuit, an active component thereof, or the chip arranged in the recess is connected, for example, by adhesive bonding, to the back 6 in a particularly thermally conductive manner.

[0052] Particularly preferably, the back 6 is formed from an electrically conductive material, in particular a metal, particularly preferably copper, gold, or the like. In this case, the circuit board material 5 comprises, in addition to the back 6 and the conductive layer 8, a substrate 7 (dielectric), wherein the conductive layer 8 is arranged on a side of the substrate 7 facing away from the back 6. The substrate 7 consists in particular of a non-conductive or electrically insulating material. The embodiment with an electrically conductive back 6, substrate 7, and conductive layer 8 is illustrated in the figures.

[0053] In principle, however, it is also possible for the back 6 to be made of a non-conductive material, for example, FR-4. Preferably, the back 6 forms the substrate 7, or an additional substrate 7 arranged between the back 6 and the conductive layer can be omitted. This embodiment is not shown in the figures. A heat-conducting region or insert can be provided in the back 6 to dissipate heat for the circuit.

[0054] The substrate 7 most preferably consists of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ceramic (in particular aluminum oxide and / or aluminum nitride), PTFE-ceramic composite, or comprises PTFE, ceramic, or PTFE-ceramic composite. The PTFE-ceramic composite is preferably an at least substantially homogeneous mixture of PTFE and ceramic particles. The substrate 7 is preferably deformable.

[0055] The back 6 is preferably more dimensionally stable, more rigid, and / or more bending-resistant than the substrate 7 and / or the conductive layer 8. The substrate 7 is therefore preferably softer and / or more easily deformable than the back 6. The back 6 can comprise a material with a modulus of elasticity of more than 5000, preferably more than 10000, or at least be substantially formed therefrom. The back 6 preferably has at least the dimensional stability or bending stiffness / bending strength of a copper sheet with a constant material thickness of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, or more.

[0056] Alternatively or additionally, the substrate 7 can be made of a dimensionally stable, electrically insulating material, for example FR-4. FR-4 refers to a class of flame-resistant and flame-retardant composite materials consisting of epoxy resin and fiberglass fabric. In this case, the circuit board material 5 preferably has the conductive layer 8 supported by the substrate 7 and, as a backing 6, another conductive layer—preferably of greater material thickness than that of the conductive layer 8—on the side of the substrate 7 facing away from the conductive layer 8.

[0057] In particular, the printed circuit board material 5 in this case is a so-called double-sided printed circuit board material 5. The double-sided printed circuit board (base) material 5 is structured by forming the recess 10, starting from the flat side with the thinner conductive layer 8, through the substrate 7 up to or into the back 6, i.e., by structuring it as proposed. It is sufficient for the recess 10 to extend only slightly into the back 6.

[0058] Irrespective of a property of the substrate 7 that primarily or at least co-determines the shape or stability of the circuit board material 5, in this case, the back 6 is provided on the side of the substrate 7 facing away from the conductive layer 8. In this context, the back 6 is electrically conductive, in particular made of metal such as copper or a metal layer composite such as a composite of a (thinner) copper and a (thicker) brass layer or plate. A heat-conducting region or insert can be provided in the substrate 7 to dissipate heat for the circuit.

[0059] In principle, the waveguide arrangement 1 or the circuit board material 5 or a split-block part comprising the circuit board material 5 or formed by the circuit board material 5 can also have more than two layers (non-conductive back 6 + conductive layer 8) or three layers (conductive back 6 + substrate 7 + conductive layer 8). For example, it is possible for the circuit board material 5 and / or the back 6 to have or be formed by several alternating conductive and non-conductive layers. Furthermore, it is also possible for a (further) circuit board material to be applied to the - conductive or non-conductive - back 6, which has or is formed by a non-conductive substrate arranged between two conductive layers. Other solutions are also conceivable.

[0060] Accordingly, the back 6 is preferably formed integrally with the circuit board material 5, but can also be formed separately from the circuit board material 5, for example by the back 6 being glued, soldered or otherwise materially and / or positively connected to the circuit board material 5.

[0061] In the illustrated example, the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 has a surface structure 9, which in the exemplary embodiment is formed as a recess 10. The surface structure 9 or recess 10 preferably forms the cavity 4 or at least a part of the cavity 4.

[0062] The cavity 4 is preferably formed using split-block technology by connecting the circuit board material 5 as a split-block lower part to a corresponding cover 11 as a split-block upper part. The cavity 4, which acts as a waveguide, is formed by electrically conductive joining of the split-block lower part and the split-block upper part. The cavity 4 is bounded by the conductive material 3, specifically in the present embodiment primarily by the electrically conductive surface of the cover 11 and the electrically conductive surface of the back 6. The material 3 can be or comprise a precious metal such as gold, at least on its surface.

[0063] Alternatively or additionally, lateral boundary surfaces 12 are preferably provided, which electrically connect the back 6 to the cover 11. This forms a waveguide using split-block technology, in which the cavity 4 is continuously surrounded by conductive material 3 radially to the transmission direction for electromagnetic waves 2, indicated in the illustrated example by the arrow 13. The boundary surfaces 12 can be formed by depositing conductive material 3, preferably metal, in particular copper and / or gold.

[0064] In particular, the waveguide arrangement 1 or the boundary surfaces 12—or at least the boundary surfaces comprising the interface formed between the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11—have or are formed by an (additional) conductive layer or plating 45. The conductive layer or plating 45 ensures, in particular, that the cavity 4 is continuously or completely surrounded or delimited by electrically conductive material 3, particularly when the back 6 and / or the cover 11 are made of a non-conductive material. However, the conductive layer or plating 45 has also proven particularly advantageous when the back 6 is made of conductive material.

[0065] Preferably, the conductive layer or plating 45 - with the exception of the interface 24 explained later - extends at least substantially over the entire surface of the circuit board material 5, at least on the sides delimiting the cavity 4 and / or the end faces thereof, and more preferably over the entire surface of the waveguide arrangement 1 or the two split-block parts.

[0066] In the Fig. 1 , 2 and 4 The conductive layer or plating 45 is represented by a dotted area. In the illustrations in Fig. 3 and 5 The conductive layer or plating 45 has been omitted for illustrative purposes. Nevertheless, the waveguide arrangement 1 preferably also has the conductive layer or plating 45.

[0067] A "plating" is understood in particular to mean an electrically conductive layer, preferably arranged on or applied to a surface. This conductive layer can be applied, in particular, galvanically or by electroplating, in particular copper plating, to the back 6, the substrate 7, the circuit board material 5, or the cover 11. In principle, however, any method, in particular chemical and / or mechanical, for applying the conductive layer is possible.

[0068] The conductive layer or plating 45 is preferably produced by a copper plating process or a process for depositing a metallically conductive layer. For this purpose, a surface can first be coated with graphite, after which the graphite is used to deposit a conductive metal layer, particularly by electroplating. Alternatively or additionally, chemical processes can also be used to deposit the conductive layer or for plating.

[0069] If the back 6, or at least the side or surface of the back 6 that has or forms the surface structure 9 or recess 10, is made of a non-conductive material, the back 6 or the surface structure 9 or recess 10 preferably has the conductive layer or plating 45 and / or the conductive layer or plating 45 covers the surface structure 9 or recess 10, in particular completely. In this way, it is achieved in particular that the cavity 4 is completely surrounded by electrically conductive material 3, even if the back 6 itself is non-conductive.

[0070] In particular, one in Fig. 1 The outer surface 1A of the back 6, the cover 11 and / or the waveguide arrangement 1, shown on the left, which surrounds or defines the opening 32 (explained below), has the conductive layer or plating 45.

[0071] Preferably, the circuit board material 5 or split-block lower part and / or the cover 11 and / or the waveguide arrangement 1 is or will be coated completely or at least on the cavity 4 forming and preferably on the end faces with the conductive layer or plating 45.

[0072] Particularly preferably, the conductive layer or plating 45 is applied after the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11, or the two split-block parts, have been joined together to form the waveguide arrangement 11, so that the cavity 4 is completely defined by electrically conductive material 3 and / or the outer surface 1A of the waveguide arrangement 1 is coated with the conductive layer or plating 45. However, the conductive layer or plating 45 can also be applied separately for the split-block halves, i.e., the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11.

[0073] The waveguide arrangement 1 preferably has a waveguide functional element 14 which is at least partially formed by the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.

[0074] Preferably, the waveguide functional element 14 is also covered by a conductive layer or plating 45 or the conductive layer or plating 45 also extends onto, preferably completely over, the waveguide functional element 14, in particular if the back 6 is made of non-conductive material.

[0075] Particularly preferably, the waveguide functional element 14 is a matching structure 15. The matching structure 15 can be used to change the impedance of the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 to reduce or prevent reflections. This is particularly advantageous when transitioning to a waveguide or coupling electromagnetic waves 2 into the cavity 4.

[0076] Forming the waveguide functional element 14 at least partially by the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 is particularly advantageous, since this allows the circuit board material 5, which is usually already intended for other functions, to be used in a resource-saving and space-saving manner in addition to forming a waveguide and also to produce waveguide functional elements 14.

[0077] The adaptation structure 15 preferably has one or more steps 16. These are preferably formed at least partially by the back 6. The steps 16 can widen or narrow a diameter of the cavity 4 transversely to the transmission direction.

[0078] Furthermore, it is preferred that the cover 11 has a surface structure 17 that is formed correspondingly or complementarily, in particular identically, mirror-invertedly, and / or symmetrically, to the surface structure 9 of the back 6. In particular, the surface structure 9 of the back 6 corresponds to the surface structure 17 of the cover 11 such that joining the circuit board material 5 to the cover 11 results in a waveguide that is designed to implement a waveguide function, in particular for impedance matching.

[0079] For the application of the otherwise generally known split-block technology, the surface structure 17 of the cover 11 corresponds here to the surface structure 9 of the back 6 such that the combination of circuit board material 5 and cover 11 surrounds the cavity 4, in particular with the conductive material 3 and / or continuously electrically conductive radially to the transmission direction, whereby the waveguide is formed.

[0080] In the illustrated example, a rectangular waveguide 18, in particular with a partially at least substantially square cross-section, is formed by combining the circuit board material 5 with the cover 11. However, other shapes of waveguides or cavities 4 are also possible in principle.

[0081] The cover 11 can project over further components of the waveguide arrangement 1 such as a chip, an electrical circuit or the like or can serve as mechanical protection and / or electrical shielding for these components.

[0082] In order to form the cavity 4 using the circuit board material 5, the conductive layer 8 and / or the substrate 7 are preferably removed in the region in which the circuit board material 5 at least partially forms or surrounds the cavity 4. In other words, in the part or section of the circuit board material 5 that delimits the cavity 4, the back 6 is preferably exposed on the substrate side or the conductive layer 8 is interrupted or removed. The back 6 preferably delimits the cavity 4 directly. This includes delimiting the cavity 4 by a surface-treated, in particular gold-plated, and / or plated back 6, in which the surface treatment, in particular as a conductive layer or plating 45, directly borders the cavity 4.

[0083] The conductive layer 8 is electrically connected to the back 6 of the circuit board material 5, preferably at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension direction 19 of the circuit board material 5, by electrically conductive walls 20. The walls 20 laterally delimit the cavity 4. This can form a rectangular waveguide 18 or a part, and in particular a split-block lower part, thereof.

[0084] Preferably, the walls 20 and / or side walls 21 are formed by the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12 or the walls 20 and / or side walls 21 have the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12.

[0085] The electrically conductive connection is preferably made through the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12.

[0086] The walls 20, or the sections of the walls that cover or cover the substrate 7, are preferably aligned with the side walls 21 of the cover 11. In the position of use, the walls 20 between the back 6 and the conductive layer 8, as well as the side walls 21 of the cover 11, are electrically conductively connected to one another, so that they form an electrically conductive lateral boundary for the cavity 4. The result is preferably a rectangular waveguide 18.

[0087] The Fig. 2 shows a partial perspective top view of the circuit board material 5 of the proposed waveguide arrangement 1. The view according to Fig. 1 corresponds, as far as the printed circuit board material 5 is concerned, to a section along the section line II from Fig. 2 .

[0088] The waveguide arrangement 1 or the circuit board material 5 preferably has a substrate-integrated waveguide 22. The substrate-integrated waveguide 22 can be formed by the substrate 7 of the circuit board material 5. For this purpose, a region of the substrate 7, which forms the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, is bordered perpendicularly to the direction indicated by the arrow 13 (in Fig. 1 ) indicated transmission direction. In the illustrated example, these are the back 6 and the conductive layer 8. These are preferably laterally electrically conductively connected to one another. This can generally be achieved by one or more vias. In the illustrated example, the back 6 is connected to the conductive layer 8 by means of a groove 23 which extends through the conductive layer 8 and the substrate 7 to the back 6. The groove 23 preferably has a conductive coating which is / was produced in particular by depositing a conductive layer, in particular by copper plating. However, other solutions are also possible here.

[0089] The substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is preferably coupled to the cavity 4 or to the waveguide formed by the cavity surrounded by conductive material 3. The coupling is preferably effected in such a way that electromagnetic waves 2 can enter the cavity 4 from the substrate 7 and vice versa.

[0090] In Particularly advantageously, the waveguide functional element 14 in the form of the adaptation structure 15 is used to adapt the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 to the cavity 4 or the adaptation structure 15 is designed for this purpose.

[0091] The back 6 of the circuit board material 5 preferably forms a continuously electrically conductive and, in particular, one-piece boundary surface of both the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the cavity 4. This enables a particularly compact and, for the electromagnetic waves 2, low-loss and extremely reliable waveguide arrangement 1.

[0092] On the one hand, this eliminates at least substantially any play in establishing the connection between a conventionally constructed substrate-integrated waveguide and a coupling structure for coupling the substrate-integrated waveguide to a conventional hollow guide. Reflections and losses due to tolerances in this environment are thus advantageously reduced. On the other hand, the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 can merge directly into the hollow guide formed by the cavity 4 with the circuit board material 5, thus enabling a remarkably compact design.

[0093] The substrate-integrated waveguide 22 particularly preferably has an interface 24, preferably adjacent to an electrically conductive material on all (four) sides and / or at the front, with which the substrate 7 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 directly adjoins the cavity 4. The interface 24 is therefore, in particular, not covered with an electrically conductive material 3.

[0094] Because the interface 24 is surrounded by conductive material 3 in the form of the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and the walls 20 or the conductive layer or plating 45, a window for the electromagnetic waves 2 results between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the cavity 4. In this way, the cavity 4 of the waveguide arrangement 1 is completely and continuously surrounded by conductive material 3, with the exception of the window or interface 24 and any openings and coupling points of the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 - for example for connection to external components such as antennas or the like.

[0095] The interface 24 preferably extends transversely or perpendicularly to the transmission direction for electromagnetic waves 2 indicated by the arrow 13 and / or perpendicularly to the plane spanned by the main extension direction(s) 19 of the circuit board material 5. The coupling of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 into the cavity 4 thus enabled again enables a very compact design compared to solutions in which coupling out of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 occurs essentially perpendicularly to its main extension direction 19.

[0096] Advantageously, an electromagnetic wave 2 guided through the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is therefore not deflected or is deflected only insignificantly in order to couple into the cavity 4 or vice versa in order to couple from the cavity 4 into the substrate 7 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22.

[0097] The interface 24 is preferably produced in that, after structuring the circuit board material 5 and - if necessary after producing the conductive layer, coating with the plating 45 or deposition of conductive material 3 on the walls 20 or side walls 21 for connecting the back 6 to the conductive layer 8 - the material 3 forming the wall 20, the conductive layer or the plating 45 is or will be removed again in the region of the interface 24, in particular by a machining process, preferably milling, or by laser or the like. This has proven to be particularly efficient for producing the proposed waveguide arrangement 1.

[0098] The surface structure 9 of the back 9 is preferably structured starting from a, in particular commercially available, (HF) circuit board base material by structuring the side having the conductive layer 8 and / or the substrate 7. This is particularly preferably done by a machining process, in particular milling, by laser or the like. The cavity 4 is therefore preferably created at least partially by removing the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7, and parts of the back 6 in sections from an (HF) circuit board base material.

[0099] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the surface structure 9 of the back 6 is first manufactured in a (HF) printed circuit board base material by structuring the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7, and the back 6. Subsequently, the substrate 7 is exposed laterally to the structured areas and accordingly electrically separates the conductive layer 8 from the back 6.

[0100] Subsequently, an electrically conductive connection can be established between the conductive layer 8 and the back 6. This creates the previously described wall 20 or plating 45. This can be achieved by depositing conductive material 3, in particular by so-called "copper plating."

[0101] Preferably, but not necessarily, one or more electrically conductive layers are subsequently deposited on the surface. In particular, the conductive surface is coated, passivated, and / or gold-plated. This preferably forms the aforementioned conductive layer or plating 45. This offers the advantage of good long-term stability through corrosion protection while simultaneously maintaining low surface resistance, which is advantageous for the formation of low-loss waveguide structures.

[0102] The interface 24 is then preferably formed by removing the wall 20, the conductive layer or plating 45 in the region of an end face of the substrate 7 forming the substrate-integrated waveguide 22. This results in the previously explained interface 24, in which the substrate 7 forming the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 directly adjoins the cavity 4.

[0103] The formation of the window or the interface 24 can also be carried out by a machining process, particularly preferably by milling.

[0104] The opening of the window or formation of the interface 24 can in principle also take place at a different phase of the manufacturing process, for example after formation of the walls 20 or plating 45 and before a gold plating process, so that no conductive or metallic material 3 is present in the region of the interface 24 at the time of gold plating and in a preferred galvanic gold plating, deposition of conductive material 3 or other passivation no conductive material 3 is deposited, so that the interface 24 retains or maintains the described function.

[0105] Fig. 2A shows a simplified schematic view of the printed circuit board material 5 in its unprocessed state (also called printed circuit board base material or PCB base material).

[0106] The printed circuit board material 5 has at least the back 6 and the conductive layer 8. These can be adjacent to one another or, as in the illustrated example and preferably, separated from one another by the substrate 7.

[0107] The conductive layer 8 is preferably connected to the back 6 and / or the substrate 7, which can be achieved with a material-to-material connection, preferably with an adhesive, in particular an adhesive layer, or another adhesion promoter. If the substrate 7 and the back 6 are realized as separate layers, i.e. the substrate 7 does not form the back 6 or vice versa, the substrate 7 is preferably connected on one side to the back 6 and another, preferably opposite, side to the conductive layer 8, in particular on opposite flat sides. This can also be achieved with an adhesive, but alternatively or partially also by another material-to-material connection such as welding or the like. Thus, the conductive layer 8 can be glued to the substrate 7 and the substrate 7 can be glued or welded to the back 6.

[0108] For the purposes of the present invention, the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7 are (directly) adjacent to one another even if an adhesive layer / bonding layer or the like is arranged between the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7 for the purpose of connection. Such adhesives or adhesion promoters are not shown for reasons of clarity and, in case of doubt, are to be assigned to the substrate 7 or form part of the substrate 7, in particular due to their generally electrically insulating properties. In this respect, the substrate 7 can be multi-layered and, in addition to a main layer with a central cross-section, have one or more adhesive layers / bonding layers facing the conductive layer 8 and / or the back 6.

[0109] Apart from that, the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7 preferably consist of a homogeneous material. The substrate 7 can carry a metal layer on the side facing away from the conductive layer 8, via which metal layer the substrate 7 is or will be connected to the back 6, in particular soldered. From another perspective, this is a multi-layer back 6. This metal layer in turn can be connected to the substrate 7, for example by means of an adhesive or adhesion promoter. In one example, the circuit board material 5 can therefore have the conductive layer 8, which is connected to the substrate 7 by means of an adhesive layer, which in turn is connected to a further metal layer by means of an adhesive layer, which in turn is glued to the back (by means of an adhesive layer), soldered (by means of a solder layer) or welded or thereby forms part of the back 6.

[0110] The back 6 is preferably plate-shaped and preferably extends entirely in one plane or is delimited by flat, flat sides that preferably extend along the main extension direction 19 of the back 6. The flat, flat sides are preferably arranged parallel to one another, so that the back 6 is an at least substantially flat plate with an at least substantially constant material thickness. This preferably changes only in the regions in which the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is or will be formed at a later time, as described further below.

[0111] The conductive layer 8 preferably runs at least substantially parallel to the back 6 and / or without interruption in the unprocessed circuit board material 5. The conductive layer 8 is preferably also an at least substantially planar layer with flat sides that run at least substantially parallel to its main extension plane, which more preferably run parallel to the flat side(s) of the back 6. The back 6 and the conductive layer 8 are therefore preferably arranged parallel or in parallel planes to one another.

[0112] In principle, the back 6 can be or comprise the substrate (dielectric) 7. The back 6 can therefore be electrically insulating and support the conductive layer 8 directly or indirectly.

[0113] Preferably, and in the illustrated example, the substrate 7 is arranged between the back 6 and the conductive layer 8, which substrate also runs in one plane in unprocessed areas, has flat sides or boundary surfaces to the back 6 on the one hand and to the conductive layer 8 on the other hand and / or is an at least substantially constant and, prior to processing, at least substantially uninterrupted layer of constant material thickness.

[0114] The circuit board material 5 is accordingly preferably a sandwich structure consisting of the back 6, the substrate 7 and the conductive layer 8.

[0115] Particularly preferably, the back 6, which primarily provides the circuit board material 5 with its mechanical stability, is formed from a conductive material. In particular, as already mentioned, it is a metal back, for example, made of copper and / or brass.

[0116] The printed circuit board material 5 prior to its processing, i.e. the printed circuit board base material, has the back 6 and the conductive layer 8 as well as optionally the substrate 7 directly adjacent to each other and connected to each other. This does not preclude the composite of the conductive layer 8 and the substrate 7 being first applied to a back 6 prior to further processing, i.e. being fully connected to the back 6, so that the result is the schematically shown in Fig. 2A shown structure results.

[0117] In Fig. 2B It is indicated how the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is created starting from the unprocessed circuit board material 5. In the illustration example according to Fig. 2 The surface of the back 6 is structured with a laser by removing material, so that the material thickness of the back 6 is or will be reduced at the processed location. This preferably does not affect the surface of the back 6 on the side facing away from the conductive layer 8. The flat side of the back 6 facing away from the conductive layer 8 is and therefore preferably remains at least substantially flat or continues to run in a single plane, in particular without interruption.

[0118] By processing the circuit board material 5, the material located above the structured area of ​​the back 6 is preferably also removed. In the case of the layered structure with the back 6, the substrate 7, and the conductive layer 8, the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7, and parts of the back 6 are preferably removed, forming the recess 10, which extends from the surface of the conductive layer 8 into the back 6. This also applies if no substrate 7 is present.

[0119] The recess 10 or surface structure 9 preferably has a base running at least substantially parallel to the main extension direction / plane 19 of the circuit board material 5 and flanks or walls 20 running transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the main extension direction / plane 19 of the circuit board material 5 or is produced accordingly.

[0120] The recess 10 is preferably formed in the form of a blind hole. The back 6 forms the bottom and immediately adjacent parts of the lateral boundary of the recess 10 or surface structure 9.

[0121] It is understood that the schematic diagram according to Fig. 2B represents only an example of a small section of the overall surface structure 9 or recess 10 typically formed. It should be noted in particular at this point that the ratios of the layer thickness of the back 6, the substrate 7, and the conductive layer 8 are not, and need not be, to scale.

[0122] Fig. 2C shows a further processing step of the circuit board material 5 for forming the cavity 4. The cavity 4 is preferably formed or delimited by providing the recess 10 with the electrically conductive walls 20, which preferably bridge the substrate 7 in an electrically conductive manner or form the electrically conductive boundary surfaces 12 or parts thereof.

[0123] Preferably, the circuit board material 5 is coated by depositing electrically conductive material. Particularly preferably, the circuit board material 5 is plated, as explained above by way of example. This allows the (respective) wall 20 to be formed. In the illustrated example, the coating is shown only in the area of ​​the recess 10. However, it can extend beyond the conductive layer 8.

[0124] The (respective) wall 20 preferably covers at least substantially the entire surface of the first, after processing, as shown by way of example in Fig. 2B shown, open (side or front) surface of the substrate 7. In the event that the back 6 is electrically conductive, as preferred, the wall 21 therefore preferably connects the conductive layer 8 conductively to the conductive back 6 and in doing so covers the initially exposed substrate layer 7, thus closing it in particular with electrically conductive material 3, preferably completely.

[0125] The electrically conductive material 3, which forms the wall 20, is also designed in the illustrated example to cover at least substantially the entire surface structure 9 or recess 10 in the region of the back 6 for manufacturing reasons.

[0126] In particular, the conductive material 3 forming the wall 20 lines the recess 10 at least substantially uninterruptedly or over its entire surface. Optionally, however, Fig. 2C Not shown, the conductive material can also extend beyond the conductive layer 8 as an additional layer, i.e. can be produced over the entire surface of the conductive layer 8 (on the side of the conductive layer 8 facing away from the back 6) during production. In this case, preferably in any case the layers shown in the example according to Fig. 2C shown walls 20. Optionally, the layer of conductive material 3 can be formed, in particular deposited, on the conductive layer 8 or in the bottom region of the recess 10 or the surface structure 9.

[0127] The conductive material 3 or the wall(s) 20 may be multi-layered, preferably comprising a metal layer, in particular a copper layer, deposited in particular by plating, which in turn is or is provided with a surface finish, in particular gold-plated. The finish may be applied according to the method described in connection with the Fig. 2D explained opening of the substrate window or before.

[0128] In Fig. 2D The substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is formed by the electrically insulating substrate 7 between the electrically conductive back 6 and the conductive layer 8. For this purpose, a section of the substrate 7 is conductively delimited on the one hand by the conductive layer 8 and the back 6 and on the other hand by slots or grooves 23, which are preferably also provided with conductive material 3 and form a conductive lateral boundary surface for the substrate 7, which preferably extends uninterruptedly between the conductive layer 8 and the back 6. Accordingly, in the region of the grooves 23, the substrate 7 is surrounded on four sides with conductive material, and an electromagnetic wave can then propagate in the surrounded substrate 7, so that the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is formed.

[0129] It is understood that, as an alternative to the slots or grooves 23, other conductive structures can also be used, which preferably electrically connect the conductive layer 8 to the electrically conductive back 6 and form lateral electrically conductive boundary surfaces for the portion of the substrate 7 defined thereby. Examples include the use of via rows or the like instead of the grooves 23.

[0130] During the formation of the electrically conductive walls 20, the slots or grooves 23 can be filled or at least partially filled with electrically conductive material 3, in particular the same electrically conductive material 3 that is preferably deposited to form the walls 20. The joint formation of the wall 20 or walls 20 and the electrically conductive lateral boundary surfaces for the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is an advantageous aspect of the present invention.

[0131] Particularly preferably, the electrically conductive lateral boundaries for forming the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 are formed in a joint process with the walls 20, in particular during the same deposition of conductive material 3. In particular, the section of the side of the circuit board material 5 in which the recess 10 and the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 (to be formed) or the structures delimiting it, such as the grooves 23, are provided, is plated together. The surface of the conductive layer 8 can optionally be plated as well, which is not shown for reasons of simplification.

[0132] It is preferred that, for the purpose of coupling and / or decoupling electromagnetic waves 2, the interface 24 of the substrate 7 is formed or opened, via which the substrate 7 directly adjoins the recess 10, the surface structures 9 or the cavity 4. The interface 24 forms a window for the entry and / or exit of electromagnetic waves 2 from the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 into the cavity 4 and / or from the cavity 4 into the substrate-integrated waveguide 22. A structure for impedance matching can be provided additionally, as already described in connection with Fig. 2 explained by example.

[0133] The cavity 4 preferably does not penetrate the back 6. The back 6 is and therefore preferably remains closed without interruption.

[0134] The cavity 4 and / or the recess 10 forming or delimiting the cavity 4 preferably extends in a slot-like or groove-like manner, primarily along the main extension direction or in the main extension plane 19 of the circuit board material 5. In particular, the recess 10 is or forms a groove or an elongated slot which extends through the conductive layer 8 into the back 6, preferably through the substrate 7, and preferably extends longer in the direction of the main extension plane or main extension direction 19 of the circuit board material 5 than perpendicular thereto. In particular, the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is therefore a groove which, covered by a cover 11, forms the cavity 4, in which modes can propagate in the direction of the longitudinal extension or main extension of the groove. Walls 20 and / or floor of the groove-shaped recess 10 orGrooves preferably run at least substantially parallel or perpendicular to the main extension plane or main extension direction 19 of the circuit board material 5.

[0135] Fig. 3 shows the circuit board material 5 and at least one, in the illustrated example two or more, different covers 11, which (each) correspond to the circuit board material 5 in such a way that an assembly of these to one another (each) forms or can form the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed with the cavity 4.

[0136] The waveguide arrangement 1 can have a conductor track, in particular a stripline 25, formed with the circuit board material 5 and produced in particular by structuring the conductive layer 8. The conductor track or stripline 25 can serve or be used to establish an electrical connection, signal connection, and / or the connection or assembly of electronic components.

[0137] The stripline 25 can have a transition 27 at a stripline end 26 for coupling to the substrate-integrated waveguide 22. Alternatively or additionally, the stripline 25 can have or form a transition 27 at the stripline end 26 for coupling to the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed thereby (not shown).

[0138] The one or more conductor tracks or striplines 25 is / are / are preferably produced by structuring the conductive layer 8. In particular, it is one or more microstrip lines, for which the back 6 acts as a reference electrode or ground plane, which is separated from the stripline(s) 25 formed in the conductive layer 8 or by structuring the conductive layer 8 by the substrate 7 (dielectric).

[0139] The conductor tracks or stripline(s) 25 can be used, for example, to connect to a semiconductor component, in particular to its outputs for transmitting and / or inputs for receiving signals, via one or more bond wires, flip-chip connections, or the like. The signals can form the electromagnetic wave 2 by coupling into the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 or the cavity 4, or, conversely, the signals can be generated from the electromagnetic wave 2 from the cavity 4 or the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 in the stripline 25.

[0140] While striplines 25, which can also be designed as differential striplines, are at least essentially realized only with the printed circuit board material 5, the cavity 4 for forming the waveguide of the waveguide arrangement 1 is preferably formed by combining a part of the cavity 4 formed in the printed circuit board material 5 with a part of the cavity 4 formed in the cover 11. The corresponding surface structure 9 of the printed circuit board material 5 or back 6 and the preferably corresponding and / or complementary surface structure 17 of the (respective) cover 11 is shown in Fig. 3 shown.

[0141] The cover 11 can advantageously also be formed with or from circuit board material 5, or, as in the illustrated example, from a structured, electrically conductive (solid) material.

[0142] The waveguide arrangement 1 can have an orthomode transducer 28. The orthomode transducer 28 is particularly suitable for Fig. 4 bis 6 shown.

[0143] An orthomode transducer 28 is a component preferably formed using waveguide technology, often abbreviated to OMT and also called an orthomode coupler, which splits circularly polarized waves or combines orthogonally polarized waves. In this case, the orthomode transducer 28 preferably forms a waveguide functional element 14 formed with the circuit board material 5 or backing 6.

[0144] The orthomode transducer 28 of the present embodiment is preferably formed at least partially by the cavity 4 defined by the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 and / or the cavity 4 thereby delimited. Furthermore, it can be formed or supplemented by a corresponding or complementary surface structure 17 of the cover 11.

[0145] The waveguide arrangement 1 can comprise a plurality of waveguide functional elements 14, in particular connected in series. In particular, the waveguide functional elements 14 are each formed, or continuously formed, at least partially by the circuit board material 5, in particular the surface structure 9 of the back 6.

[0146] Particularly preferred is the realization of an adaptation structure 15 followed by a further waveguide functional element 14, in the illustrated example the orthomode transducer 28.

[0147] In particular, a combination is preferred in which the same circuit board material 5 comprises or forms the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, a transition therefrom to the cavity 4 and, formed by the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed therewith, one or more waveguide functional elements 14, which, starting from the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, are implemented successively as waveguide functional elements 14.

[0148] In the illustrated example, the transition between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the cavity 4 is followed first by the adaptation structure 15 and then, optionally or as an example for a waveguide functional element 14, the orthomode transducer 28 or an input 29 of the orthomode transducer 28.

[0149] The orthomode transducer 28 is particularly preferably coupled via the matching structure 15, which is formed at least partially by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5, to the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, which is preferably also formed at least partially by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5. The matching structure 15 is therefore preferably arranged between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the orthomode transducer 28.

[0150] The waveguide arrangement 1 particularly preferably has at least two, preferably at least or exactly three, adaptation structures 15 formed with the back 6, each of which couples an input 29 of the orthomode transducer 28 to a substrate-integrated waveguide 22.

[0151] Fig. 3 shows two differently designed covers 11, each corresponding to the same surface structure 9 of the circuit board material 5 of the back 6 of the circuit board material 5. In this context, it is preferred that the properties of the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 depend on, and can be varied by, the same back 6 having the same surface structure 9 combined with different covers 11 to form different cavities 4 or waveguides formed thereby.

[0152] In a particularly advantageous method, a waveguide arrangement 1 is preferably produced as described above, wherein the circuit board material 5 with the back 6, which has the surface structure 9, is combined with one of several available, different covers 11 to form a cavity 4 of a waveguide.

[0153] In other words, the waveguide arrangement 1 is combined from the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 and one of several different covers 11, each of which can be directly or indirectly connected to the back 6 to form a waveguide.

[0154] In this case, the covers 11 are each designed to form waveguides having different waveguiding properties or with different waveguide functional elements 14 by connecting them to the back 6 of the cavity 4.

[0155] By selecting, using, or replacing a cover 11 and connecting it to the circuit board material 5 or backing 6, a waveguide with the waveguiding properties selectable by the choice of cover 11 is created. In particular, the adaptation or the properties of waveguide functional elements can be configured by selecting one of several different covers 11. In particular, it is possible to form different waveguide functional elements 14 or to influence their properties by selecting one of several covers 11.

[0156] More generally, one aspect of the present invention relates to a system based on a surface structure 9 of a circuit board material 5 designed to form a waveguide and a plurality of alternative covers 11 designed to form different cavities 4 or waveguide functional elements 14 with the surface structure 9.

[0157] In the example shown in Fig. 3 is one of the different covers 11, in Fig. 3 in particular the lower cover 11, is provided with a surface structure 17 through which only a cavity 4 or

[0158] A waveguide with only one opening 32 is formed when this cover 11 is connected to the circuit board material 5. In this case, it is preferred that in the exemplary embodiment, the orthomode transducer 28, which is formed with corresponding surface structures 9, 17 of the back 6 and the cover 11, is designed to separately transmit electromagnetic waves 2 introduced into the cavity 4 from the outside, in particular into horizontal and vertical components. The transmission preferably takes place via adaptation structures 15 and / or substrate-integrated waveguides 22, as already fundamentally explained above.

[0159] When choosing an alternative cover 11, in Fig. 3 in particular the upper cover 11, a waveguide arrangement 1 with a different function can be realized. In this case, three openings 32 and at least one cavity 4 can be formed. Further surface structures 17 can optionally be delimited only by the conductive layer 8, wherein in any case one cavity 4 is formed with the circuit board material 5. Further cavities can be formed by surface structures 17 which, on the part of the circuit board material 5, are only delimited by the conductive layer 8. In this way, a plurality of cavities 4 or waveguides can be formed, in particular with one opening 32 each. In the illustrated example, it is provided that the surface structure 9 of the circuit board material 5 or back 6, which previously formed part of the orthomode transducer 28, no longer fulfills or realizes the function of an orthomode transducer 28. Instead, the surface structure 9 of the circuit board material 5 or back 6 is represented by the cover 11 orwhose surface structure 17 is supplemented in such a way that another function is fulfilled, for example an adaptation or merely transmission or filtering of electromagnetic waves 2.

[0160] Alternatively or additionally, the further openings 32 of cavities 4 can be used to couple separate electromagnetic waves 2 into separate cavities 4.

[0161] As a result, in the illustrated example, completely different functions can be achieved by selecting or replacing the cover 11 with the same circuit board material 5 with the same surface structure 9, for example the formation of a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave 2 by combining orthogonally linearly polarized electromagnetic waves 2 in one case or a multi-channel transmitting and / or receiving function in the other case.

[0162] The waveguide arrangement 1 preferably comprises, in particular depending on the choice of cover 11, a plurality of separate cavities 4, waveguide functional elements 14, substrate-integrated waveguides 22, and / or striplines 25. This advantageously enables the realization of different waveguide functions depending on the choice of a corresponding cover 11, but alternatively or additionally, preferably also depending on the choice of cover 11, these functions to be combined into (more complex) functions.

[0163] This idea is not limited to the specific embodiment, since both other waveguide functional elements 14 and another combination of the same or similar waveguide functional elements 14 can be produced advantageously using the circuit board material 5 or back 6 and in particular the surface structure 9 formed therewith.

[0164] To form the waveguide arrangement 1, the circuit board material 5, and in particular the back 6, preferably has one or more mounting and / or adjustment means 30. In the illustrated example, these are recesses or openings, in particular bores, threaded holes, grooves, tongues, pins, and / or the like.

[0165] The cover(s) 11 preferably has / have (the same) corresponding or complementary mounting and / or adjustment means 31. Corresponding techniques for precisely joining a split-block lower part, which in this case may be formed by the circuit board material 5, to a split-block upper part, which in this case is preferably formed by the cover 11 or one of the covers 11, in order to form the cavity 4 or, hence, the waveguide, are generally known in the prior art and can be applied accordingly in the present case.

[0166] A special feature in this context is the preferred use of the circuit board material 5, and in particular the back 6, to form a mounting and / or alignment means 30, or rather, the fact that the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 comprises this. Advantageously, the fact that the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 comprises the mounting and / or alignment means 30 makes it possible to achieve a particularly compact design.

[0167] Fig. 4 shows a partial, perspective view of the waveguide arrangement 1 with a view of the outer surface 1A or into the cavity 4, in particular through the opening 32. Components of the optional orthomode transducer 28 arranged in the cavity 4, parts of the adaptation structure 15 and the interface 24, which enables the transition for coupling the electromagnetic waves 2 from the cavity 4 into the substrate 7 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, can be seen.

[0168] In the illustrated example, the opening 32 is initially bordered by a waveguide section 33, which merely fulfils the function of conducting the electromagnetic wave 2.

[0169] The orthomode transducer 28 has a back element 34, which, preferably together with the other structures forming the cavity 4, effects the function of the orthomode transducer 28. The back element 34 is particularly in Fig. 5 shown.

[0170] The back element 34 is preferably web-like and / or protrudes into the cavity 4 in a web-like manner. The back element 34 preferably has one or more steps.

[0171] In the illustrated example, the orthomode transducer 28 with its back element 34 is implemented separately from the adaptation structure 15, which, although directly adjacent to the structure of the orthomode transducer 28 with its back element 34, does not overlap. Thus, an adaptation has already been at least substantially completed at the boundary between the adaptation structure 15 and the back element 34 of the orthomode transducer 28. Accordingly, the orthomode transducer 28 can be omitted if necessary.

[0172] The opening 32 of the waveguide arrangement 1 for coupling and / or decoupling the electromagnetic waves 2 can be used directly, for example, for coupling and / or decoupling the electromagnetic waves 2 into or out of a waveguide element 35 and / or into or out of an antenna 36. The waveguide element 35 and / or the antenna 36 can be attached to the waveguide arrangement 1 by means of one or more fastening means 37. For example, screwing is possible.

[0173] In the example shown in Fig. 4 The waveguide element 35 and the antenna 36 are merely shown in reduced form and schematically. In principle, numerous different add-on components compatible with waveguides can be combined with the proposed waveguide arrangement 1 as needed. The add-on components in the form of the waveguide element 35 and the antenna 36, ​​which are only shown schematically, are therefore merely examples.

[0174] The antenna 36 can, in particular, be a dielectric antenna as described in WO 2009 / 100891 A1. Such a dielectric antenna makes it particularly easy to realize a compact antenna with high aperture efficiency.

[0175] The antenna described in WO 2009 / 100891 A1 is hereinafter referred to as dielectric antenna 38. The dielectric antenna 38 is particularly Fig. 7 und 8 shown.

[0176] The dielectric antenna 38 has a coupling element 39 for coupling and / or decoupling electromagnetic waves 2 into or out of the dielectric antenna 38 and a lens 40 made of a dielectric material.

[0177] The dielectric antenna 38 is preferably designed for, in particular simultaneous, transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves 2.

[0178] The antenna 38 or lens 40 preferably has a transmission area 41 for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic waves 2. The transmission area 41 is preferably arranged on a side of the lens 40 facing away from the coupling element 39.

[0179] The functionality of the dielectric antenna 38 is based in particular on the fact that electromagnetic waves 2 are coupled into the lens 40 via the coupling element 39, which then propagate within the lens 40 and are radiated by the transmission area 41. Conversely, during reception, electromagnetic waves strike the transmission area 41, which in this case functions as a reception area, are forwarded by the lens 40 to the coupling element 39 or are bundled onto the coupling element 39, where they are coupled out of the lens 40 or antenna 38.

[0180] The lens 40 is - at least in the transmission area 41 - at least substantially ellipsoidal in shape.

[0181] The antenna 38 or lens 40 preferably has a main axis 42. The antenna 38 or lens 40 is preferably symmetrical, in particular rotationally symmetrical, to the main axis 42. The main axis 42 preferably forms a main or symmetry axis of the ellipsoid defined by the transmission area 41.

[0182] Preferably, the transmission area 41 is arranged to the coupling element 39 such that the electromagnetic waves 2 emitted by the lens 40 have an at least substantially planar phase front 44 in the main radiation direction 43 of the antenna 38.

[0183] The phase front 44 is in Fig. 7 shown schematically. In Fig. 7 It is further indicated how the electromagnetic waves 2, starting from the schematically illustrated coupling element 39, propagate within the lens 40 and are refracted at the ellipsoidally shaped edge of the lens 40 in the transmission area 41 according to the laws of wave optics and are emitted from the lens 40 essentially in the main emission direction 43.

[0184] In other embodiments of the dielectric antenna 38, not shown in detail here, the transmission area of ​​the lenses defines several ellipses whose main axes are aligned essentially coaxially. In particular, the ellipses essentially share a common focal point because this allows the desired properties of the emitted electromagnetic radiation to be achieved.

[0185] The coupling element 39 is preferably arranged at least substantially at a focal point of the ellipsoid defined by the at least ellipsoidally shaped transmission region 41 of the lens 40, because the focal point property of the ellipsoidally shaped transmission region 41 of the lens 40 can be particularly advantageously utilized in conjunction with the geometric-optical refraction properties of electromagnetic waves 2 at the edge of the lens 40 or at the dielectric jump edge of the dielectric material of the lens 40 to the surroundings of the lens 40.

[0186] In particular, the coupling element 39 is designed to couple electromagnetic waves 2 from the waveguide or cavity 4 of the waveguide arrangement 1 into the dielectric antenna 38 or lens 40 and / or from the dielectric antenna 38 or lens 40 into the waveguide or cavity 4. The cavity 4 is preferably arranged at least substantially coaxially with the main axis 42.

[0187] Various embodiments of the coupling element 39, which can also be used in the present invention, are described in WO 2009 / 100891 A1, in particular with reference to the Figuren 4 bis 7 described.

[0188] Advantageously, the waveguide arrangement 1 can be constructed as a flat or planar, compact module using the measures described above. In particular, the waveguide arrangement 1 is thinner than 3 cm, preferably thinner than 2 cm, and especially thinner than 1.5 cm. This allows the waveguide arrangement 1 to form a particularly compact system by plugging it onto or into another structure, such as an antenna 36.

[0189] In such cases, mounting of add-on parts on the waveguide arrangement 1 for coupling and / or decoupling electromagnetic waves 2 into or out of the cavity 4 can particularly advantageously also be carried out at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane of the entire waveguide arrangement 1, which preferably corresponds to the main extension direction 19 of the circuit board material 5.

[0190] For example, the waveguide arrangement 1 can advantageously be inserted into a slot-like receptacle of an attachment such as an antenna 36, ​​and the attachment can then be fastened, adjusted and / or mounted by fastening means (not shown) running transversely or perpendicularly to the circuit board material 5 or to the waveguide arrangement 1.

[0191] The attachments in the form of the waveguide element 35 and / or the antenna 36, ​​as shown for example in Fig. 4 could also be modified accordingly in such a way that a mounting area is provided which encompasses the waveguide arrangement 1 on different sides opposite to the main extension direction or main extension plane 19 for the purpose of fastening.

[0192] Fig. 5 shows the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 without the substrate 7 and the conductive layer 8. It can be seen that the adaptation structure 15 is formed at least partially in the back 6, in particular by recesses. The same preferably applies to further or all waveguide functional elements 14 of the waveguide arrangement 1, which are each formed at least partially by the circuit board material 5 or the back 6.

[0193] Another example of the part of a waveguide functional element 14 that is formed with or in the back 6, in particular by a recess, is the orthomode transducer 28. Here, too, it can be seen that in the specific embodiment, the orthomode transducer 28 is implemented separately from the adaptation structure 15, and these are connected in series in the cavity 4. However, other solutions are also possible here.

[0194] Fig. 6 shows an exploded view of the proposed printed circuit board material 5 for forming the waveguide arrangement 1. With regard to the surface structure 9 of the back 6, reference is made to the explanations for Fig. 5 referred to.

[0195] In addition, the substrate 7 is preferably formed in such a way that it is flush with the remaining surface structure 9 of the back 6 or the part thereof which laterally delimits the cavity 4, or is covered by an at least substantially flat wall 20 as a conductive layer or plating 35, that the Fig. 6 The portion of the wall 20 shown in a distance, the conductive layer or plating 45 completely covers the substrate 7 in a conductive manner. As a result, the cavity 4 can be completely surrounded by the conductive material 3 and accordingly form a waveguide for conducting the electromagnetic waves 2 in the cavity 4.

[0196] The conductive layer 8 is perforated in the region of the waveguide functional elements 14, preferably in alignment with the walls 20, and forms an at least substantially flat surface for connecting or applying, and particularly preferably flatly applying, the cover 11 to form the waveguide arrangement 1. In this case, the conductive layer 8 is preferably formed in alignment with one another, in particular structured, like the substrate 7 and lateral boundary surfaces of the back 6.

[0197] Waveguide functional elements 14, such as the adaptation structure 15, can be formed in the circuit board material 5 or in the back 6 at least substantially mirror-inverted with respect to the main extension direction 19 or main extension plane. In particular, it is preferred that the plane in which the substrate 7 is arranged, and in particular a plane bisecting the substrate 7, forms a mirror plane for the surface structure 9 of the back 6 and the surface structure 17 of the cover 11, at least in sections or in part.

[0198] In one aspect of the present invention, an antenna coupling or antenna coupling structure with OMT functionality is proposed that is fully integrated or can be integrated into the combination of the PCB circuit board material 5 and the cover 11. This consists of, or function-determining components are advantageously preferably composed of, only two parts, namely the proposed, structured, one-piece PCB circuit board material 5 and the one-piece cover 11 – instead of the function being or being composed of many individual parts, as was previously customary.

[0199] Different aspects of the present invention may be combined separately or in different combinations. Bezugszeichenliste:

[0200] 1 Waveguide arrangement 2 Electromagnetic wave 3 Conductive material 4 Cavity 5 Circuit board material 6 Back 7 Substrate 8 Conductive layer 9 Surface structure (back) 10 Recess 11 Cover 12 Boundary surfaces 13 Arrow (transmission direction) 14 Waveguide functional element 15 Adaptation structure 16 Steps 17 Surface structure (cover) 18 Rectangular waveguide 19 Main extension direction or plane 20 Wall (PCB material) 21 Side wall (cover) 22 Substrate-integrated waveguide 23 Groove 24 Boundary surface 25 Stripline 26 Stripline end 27 Transition 28 Orthomode transducer 29 Input 30 Mounting and / or adjustment means 31 Mounting and / or adjustment means 32 Opening 33 Waveguide section 34 Back element 35 Waveguide element 36 Antenna 37 Fastening means 38 Dielectric antenna 39 Coupling element 40 Lens 41 Transmission area 42 Main axis 43 Main radiation direction 44 Phase front 45 Cladding

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a waveguide arrangement (1) comprising a cavity (4) surrounded by conductive material (3) for guiding electromagnetic waves (2), wherein at least part of the cavity (4) is produced by removing from a printed circuit board material (5) for manufacturing printed circuits, having at least one plate-shaped back (6) and a conductive layer (8), in sections the conductive layer (8) and parts of the back (6), whereby a surface structure (9) in the form of a recess (10) is formed, which preferably does not break through the back (6) transversely to its main direction of extension (19), wherein an electrically conductive wall (20) is subsequently formed by depositing conductive material (3), which wall delimits the cavity (4), and wherein the cavity (4) is formed in split-block technology by connecting the printed circuit board material (5) as split-block lower part to a corresponding cover (11) as split-block upper part, wherein the cover (11) comprises a surface structure (17) which is formed in a corresponding or complementary manner to the surface structure (9) of the back (6).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the printed circuit board material (5) has an electrically insulating substrate (7) between the back (6) and the conductive layer (8), wherein in addition to the conductive layer (8) and the parts of the back (6), the substrate (7) is also removed in sections, whereby the surface structure (9) is formed in the form of a recess (10), wherein the substrate (7) is exposed laterally of the structured regions and wherein subsequently by the deposition of the conductive material (3) the electrically conductive wall (20) covers the substrate (7).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the back (6) consists at least predominantly of an electrically conductive material and the conductive layer (8) is electrically connected to the back (6) of the printed circuit board material (5) - preferably at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension plane (19) of the printed circuit board material (5) - by means of the wall (20).

4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the circuit board material (5) comprises a substrate-integrated waveguide (22) formed by the substrate (7) of the circuit board material (5) and coupled to the cavity (4).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that an interface (24) of the substrate-integrated waveguide (22), with which the substrate (7) of the substrate-integrated waveguide (22) directly adjoins the cavity (4), is produced by removing the wall (20) again in the region of the interface (24).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that by surrounding the interface (24) by conductive material in the form of the conductive layer (8), the back (6) and the walls (20), a window for the electromagnetic waves (2) results between the substrate-integrated waveguide (22) and the cavity (4).

7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the interface (24) extends transversely or perpendicularly to a transmission direction for electromagnetic waves (2) and / or perpendicularly to the plane spanned by the main extension direction(s) (19) of the printed circuit board material (5).

8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the waveguide arrangement (1) comprises a waveguide functional element (14), wherein the waveguide functional element (14) is at least partially formed by or in the back (6) of the printed circuit board material (5).

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that of a plurality of covers (11) which can each be connected to the circuit board material (5) to form the cavity (4) and which are designed to form cavities (4) of different waveguide properties by the connection to the circuit board material (5), one cover (11) is selected and connected to the circuit board material (5), whereby the cavity (4) is produced with the waveguide properties corresponding to the selected cover (11).

10. Waveguide arrangement (1) for guiding electromagnetic waves (2) with a cavity (4) surrounded by conductive material (3), the waveguide arrangement (1) comprising a PCB printed circuit board material (5) for manufacturing printed circuits, the printed circuit board material (5) having at least a plate-shaped back (6) and a conductive layer (8), wherein the back (6) has a surface structure (9) by which the waveguiding cavity (4) is at least partially delimited, and wherein the waveguide arrangement (1) has a substrate-integrated waveguide (22) in the printed circuit board material (5) which is coupled to the cavity (4), wherein the cavity (4) is formed in split-block technology by connecting the printed circuit board material (5) as split-block lower part with a corresponding cover (11) as split-block upper part, wherein the cover (11) comprises a surface structure (17) which is formed in a corresponding or complementary manner to the surface structure (9) of the back (6), characterized in that the back (6) consists at least predominantly of an electrically conductive material and the printed circuit board material (5) has an electrically insulating substrate (7) at least in sections between the back (6) and the conductive layer (8).

11. Waveguide arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that a boundary surface (12) of the substrate-integrated waveguide (22) and the cavity (4) is formed integrally and / or without interruption by the back (6) of the printed circuit board material (5).

12. Waveguide arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the waveguide arrangement (1) comprises a waveguide functional element (14), the waveguide functional element (14) being at least partially formed by the back (6) of the printed circuit board material (5).

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