Resonator and waveguide circuit including the same

Abstract

To provide a resonator and a waveguide circuit including the resonator, which realize miniaturization.SOLUTION: The resonator according to the present disclosure includes a dielectric body, a conductive wall provided to surround the dielectric body, and a plurality of plate-like conductive patches arranged on a bottom surface of the conductive wall inside the dielectric body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a resonator and a waveguide circuit including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As wireless communication devices become more compact, waveguide circuits such as filter circuits mounted on the devices need to be made smaller. This also requires the miniaturization of resonators used in the waveguide circuits. Technology related to wireless communication devices is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-007059 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 only describes reducing the change in antenna characteristics, but does not disclose how to reduce the size of the resonator structure. Therefore, Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is not possible to achieve the miniaturization of the resonator and the waveguide circuit including the resonator, such as a filter circuit.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a resonator that solves the above-mentioned problems and a waveguide circuit including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The resonator according to the present disclosure comprises a dielectric, a conductive wall arranged to encase the dielectric, and a plurality of flat conductive patches arranged inside the dielectric along the bottom surface of the conductive wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the embodiment, it is possible to provide a resonator that can be made compact, and a waveguide circuit including the resonator. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a resonator of a comparative example. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of the magnetic field distribution of the lowest-order eigenmode TE110 mode and the second-order higher-order TE210 / TE120 mode in the resonator of the comparative example. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating calculation examples of the resonance frequencies of the respective modes in the resonator of the comparative example. [Figure 5] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a more detailed configuration example of the first resonator according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation regarding the resonance frequency of each mode in the first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation regarding the resonance frequency of each mode in the first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of a first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a third modified example of the first resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 3A and 3B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a second resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a third resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a third resonator according to the present disclosure. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a first BPF equipped with a resonator according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a BPF equipped with a resonator of a comparative example. [Figure 16] 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of the first BPF according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a second BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a second BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an enlarged portion of a second BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P4 and P3 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at the input and output ports P2 and P1 of the BPF of the comparative example. [Figure 23] 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at the input and output ports P2 and P1 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at the input and output ports P4 and P3 of the BPF of the comparative example. [Figure 25] 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at the input and output ports P4 and P3 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 26] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a third BPF according to the present disclosure. [Figure 27]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P4 and P3 of the third BPF according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are simplified, and the technical scope of the embodiments should not be narrowly interpreted based on the description in the drawings. Furthermore, identical elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

[0010] In the following embodiments, when necessary for convenience, the description will be divided into multiple sections or embodiments. However, unless otherwise specified, they are not unrelated to each other, and one is a partial or complete modification, application example, detailed explanation, supplementary explanation, etc. of the other. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, when the number of elements (including the number, numerical value, amount, range, etc.) is mentioned, it is not limited to that specific number, and may be more or less than the specific number, unless otherwise specified or when it is clearly limited to a specific number in principle.

[0011] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the components (including operational steps, etc.) are not necessarily essential unless otherwise specified or considered to be clearly essential in principle. Similarly, in the following embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc. of components, etc., it is intended to include those that are substantially similar or approximate to the shape, etc., unless otherwise specified or considered to be clearly not essential in principle. The same applies to the above numbers, etc. (including numbers, numerical values, amounts, ranges, etc.).

[0012] <Preliminary consideration> With the rapid spread of wireless communication, the shortage of frequency bands used for wireless communication has become a problem. Beamforming is one of the technologies that can make effective use of frequency bands. Beamforming is a technology that enables wireless communication with specified communication targets by emitting directional radio waves, and is a technology that can reduce interference with other wireless systems while maintaining signal quality.

[0013] A typical method for achieving beamforming is the phased array. Phased array technology adjusts the phase of radio signals fed to multiple antenna elements in a transmitter and combines the radio waves emitted from each antenna element in space to enhance the signal in the desired direction. In recent years, integrated modules incorporating planar antennas such as patch antennas and the high-frequency components of a transmitter and receiver mounted on both sides of a circuit board have been attracting attention for their compactness. Because the multiple antenna elements in a phased array are preferably spaced approximately half the wavelength of the carrier wave, the spacing between antennas becomes shorter as the frequency increases, potentially resulting in a smaller integrated module. Taking the millimeter wave band as an example, the spacing is 5 mm for a 30 GHz (10 mm wavelength) and 2.5 mm for a 60 GHz (5 mm wavelength). To realize an integrated module, the transmitter and receiver must be mounted within a space approximately equal to these half-wavelengths, and it is desirable to integrate multiple transmitter and receiver components, including phase shifters. Furthermore, polarization diversity and polarization-multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) technologies using two orthogonal polarizations are sometimes used to improve communication quality. When two types of polarized waves are generated simultaneously from one antenna, two transmitter / receiver units are connected to power feed units located at different positions on the antenna.

[0014] Furthermore, to prevent interference with other communication systems or radio astronomy observations, integrated modules require filters to suppress unwanted radiation. However, as mentioned above, filters for the millimeter wave band must be mounted within the limited area of ​​the integrated module. This means that waveguide circuits such as filter circuits and the resonators used in waveguide circuits must be miniaturized.

[0015] Therefore, a resonator according to the present disclosure and a waveguide circuit including the same have been found, which are capable of realizing miniaturization.

[0016] <First Embodiment> 1 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a first resonator according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the resonator 1 is a rectangular resonator (a resonator having a rectangular parallelepiped shape). Specifically, the resonator 1 includes a conductor wall 101, a dielectric 102, a plurality of patches 103, and a plurality of vias 104.

[0017] The conductive wall 101 is a conductor such as a metal, and is provided so as to enclose the dielectric 102. The dielectric 102 may be a gas such as air. The conductive wall 101 defines the outer shape of the resonator 1. In the example of FIG. 1, the conductive wall 101 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited thereto and may have, for example, a cylindrical shape or a polygonal prism shape.

[0018] The multiple patches 103 are flat conductors such as metal, and are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface (xy plane) of the conductor wall 101 inside the dielectric 102. In the example of Fig. 1, each patch 103 has a square planar shape, but is not limited to this and may have a rectangular, polygonal, or circular planar shape other than a square.

[0019] The multiple vias 104 are conductors such as metal, and are provided inside the dielectric 102 so as to extend from the bottom surface of the conductor wall 101 to each of the multiple patches 103. One end of each of the multiple vias 104 is connected to the center of the main surface of each of the multiple flat patches 103. In other words, the set of patch 103 and via 104 has a mushroom-shaped outer shape.

[0020] That is, the conductor wall 101 contains not only the dielectric 102 but also a metamaterial structure consisting of a plurality of patches 103 and a plurality of vias 104. Here, each patch 103 is formed to have a size equal to or smaller than a fraction (e.g., half, one-third, or one-fifth, etc.) of the wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency of the resonator 1. More specifically, each patch 103 is formed to have a rectangular planar shape with a size equal to or smaller than a fraction (e.g., one-fifth, one-half, one-third, or one-fifth) of the wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency of the resonator 1. More preferably, each patch 103 is formed to have a size equal to or smaller than 1 / 10 of the wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency of the resonator 1 (e.g., the long side of the rectangular planar shape).

[0021] (Comparison between resonator 1 according to the present disclosure and resonator 50 of the comparative example) Next, the results of comparing the resonator 1 with the resonator 50 of the comparative example will be described.

[0022] 2 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a resonator 50 of a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 2, the resonator 50 does not have a plurality of patches 103 and a plurality of vias 104, as compared with the resonator 1. In other words, the resonator 50 does not include a metamaterial structure consisting of a plurality of patches 103 and a plurality of vias 104 in the conductor wall 101. The other structure of the resonator 50 is similar to that of the resonator 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of the magnetic field distribution of the lowest-order eigenmode TE110 mode and the second-order higher-order TE210 / TE120 modes in the resonator 50 of the comparative example.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of calculating the resonance frequencies of each mode of a resonator 50 of a comparative example. In the example of FIG. 4, the resonator 50 has a width (length in the x-axis direction) w of 4.5 mm, a length (length in the y-axis direction) l of 4.5 mm, and a thickness (length in the z-axis direction) d of 0.2 mm. In the example of FIG. 4, the dielectric constant εr of the dielectric 102 provided in the resonator 50 is 3.4. In this case, the resonant frequency of the TE110 mode of the resonator 50 is 25.548 GHz, and the resonant frequency of the TE210 / TE120 mode is 40.395 GHz. Therefore, the resonator 50 has little flexibility in designing, and in order to reduce its size, it is necessary to use a high-dielectric-constant substrate such as a ceramic material, which increases costs compared to using a general printed circuit board with a relatively low dielectric constant.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a more detailed configuration example of a resonator 1 according to the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 5, the resonator 1 has a horizontal width (length in the x-axis direction) w of 4.5 mm, a vertical width (length in the y-axis direction) l of 4.5 mm, and a thickness (length in the z-axis direction) d of 0.2 mm. Also, in the example of FIG. 5, the dielectric constant εr of the dielectric 102 provided in the resonator 1 is 3.4. Also, in the example of FIG. 5, the resonator 1 has 64 patches 103 arranged in an 8-row by 8-column matrix with 0.5 mm intervals. "MM" in the figure stands for metamaterial (patches and vias). Also, "w / o MM" in the figure represents a resonator 50 that does not incorporate a metamaterial, and "w / MM" in the figure represents a resonator 1 that incorporates a metamaterial. Also, "R" in the figure represents the radius of each via 104, and "a" in the figure represents the size (length of one side) of each patch 103. Each via 104 has a length of 0.1 mm.

[0026] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the resonance frequency of each mode in the resonator 1 of FIG. 5. More specifically, FIG. 6 shows the resonance frequency of each mode of the resonator 1 when the radius R of each via 104 is changed while the size a of each patch 103 is fixed at 0.4 mm. FIG. 7 shows the resonance frequency of each mode of the resonator 1 when the size a of each patch 103 is changed while the radius R of each via 104 is fixed at 0.75 mm. Note that FIGS. 6 and 7 also show the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the resonance frequency of each mode in the resonator 50 of the comparative example.

[0027] 6, the resonant frequency of each mode in the resonator 1 is lower than that in the resonator 50, regardless of the radius R of each via 104. However, the smaller the radius R of each via 104, the lower the resonant frequency of each mode.

[0028] 7, the resonator 1 has a lower resonant frequency in each mode compared to the resonator 50, regardless of the size a of each patch 103. However, the larger the size a of each patch 103, the lower the resonant frequency in each mode.

[0029] In this way, the resonator 1 can lower the resonance frequency of each mode compared to a case where the resonator 1 does not include a metamaterial structure by incorporating the metamaterial structure made up of the multiple patches 103 and the multiple vias 104. Therefore, the resonator 1 can achieve a resonance frequency equivalent to that of the resonator 50 with a smaller size than the resonator 50. In other words, it can be interpreted that the effective relative dielectric constant of the resonator 1 is increased by the metamaterial structure.

[0030] <First Modification of Resonator 1> 8 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the resonator 1 as a resonator 1a. In the resonator 1a, compared to the resonator 1, some of the patches 103 and some of the vias 104 contained in the conductive wall 101 are thinned out. In other words, in the resonator 1a, the patches 103 and some of the vias 104 are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductive wall 101 inside the dielectric 102, with some of them being thinned out. The other structure of the resonator 1a is the same as that of the resonator 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0031] As shown in Figure 8, in resonator 1, patches 103 and vias 104 are arranged in areas 113 where multiple patches 103 can be formed and areas 114 where multiple vias 104 can be formed, respectively, whereas in resonator 1a, patches 103 and vias 104 are not arranged in areas 113 where some of the multiple patches 103 can be formed and areas 114 where some of the multiple vias 104 can be formed.

[0032] For example, when multiple resonators 1a are coupled together to form a filter circuit (waveguide circuit), if there is a risk of deterioration in the circuit characteristics, it may be possible to prevent the deterioration of the circuit characteristics by thinning out some of the patches 103 and vias 104 of the resonators 1a and adjusting the resonator characteristics and electromagnetic coupling characteristics.

[0033] <Second Modification of Resonator 1> 9 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the resonator 1 as a resonator 1b. Unlike the resonator 1, the resonator 1b does not include a plurality of vias 104. That is, in the resonator 1b, only the plurality of patches 103 out of the plurality of patches 103 and the plurality of vias 104 are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall 101 inside the dielectric 102. The other structure of the resonator 1b is the same as that of the resonator 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The resonator 1b can achieve effects comparable to those of the resonator 1.

[0034] <Third Modification of Resonator 1> FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a third modified example of the resonator 1 as a resonator 1c. Like the resonator 1b, the resonator 1c does not include a plurality of vias 104. That is, in the resonator 1c, only a plurality of patches 103 out of a plurality of patches 103 and a plurality of vias 104 are arranged inside the dielectric 102 along the bottom surface of the conductive wall 101. Furthermore, like the resonator 1a, in the resonator 1c, some of the patches 103 contained in the conductive wall 101 are thinned out. In other words, in the resonator 1c, the plurality of patches 103 are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductive wall 101 inside the dielectric 102 with some of the patches 103 being thinned out. The other structure of the resonator 1c is the same as that of the resonator 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0035] The resonator 1c can achieve effects comparable to those of the resonator 1. Furthermore, when a filter circuit (waveguide circuit) is formed by coupling a plurality of resonators 1c together, if there is a risk of deterioration of the circuit characteristics, the resonator 1c may be able to prevent deterioration of the circuit characteristics by thinning out some of the patches 103 and adjusting the resonator characteristics and electromagnetic coupling characteristics.

[0036] <Embodiment 2> 11 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a second resonator according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11, compared to resonator 1b, resonator 2 according to the present disclosure further includes a plurality of patches 203 in addition to the plurality of patches 103. In resonator 2, the plurality of patches 203 are stacked on the plurality of patches 103 inside dielectric 102. The other structure of resonator 2 is the same as that of resonator 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0037] By incorporating a multi-layer metamaterial structure, the resonator 2 can further lower the resonance frequency of each mode. Therefore, the resonator 2 can achieve a resonance frequency equivalent to that of the resonator 50 with an even smaller size than the resonator 1. Note that in the resonator 2, some of the multiple patches 103 may be thinned out, or some of the multiple patches 203 may be thinned out. In the present embodiment, the resonator 2 has been described as incorporating a two-layer metamaterial structure, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the resonator 2 may incorporate a three- or more-layer metamaterial structure.

[0038] <Third Embodiment> 12 and 13 are a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a third resonator according to the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13, compared to resonator 1, resonator 3 according to the present disclosure further includes a plurality of switches SW1 provided between a plurality of patches 103. The other structure of resonator 3 is the same as that of resonator 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0039] In the example of Fig. 12, all of the switches SW1 are controlled to be off, so that the patches 103 are electrically independent of one another. That is, in the example of Fig. 12, the resonator 3 is substantially equivalent to the resonator 1. In contrast, in the example of Fig. 13, some of the switches SW1 are controlled to be on, so that the patches 103 are electrically connected in groups of four patches 103 arranged in two rows and two columns.

[0040] The resonator 3 can control the resonance frequency by controlling the on / off of the multiple switches SW1 to change the characteristics of the metamaterial structure, so that, for example, a filter circuit incorporating the resonator 3 can adjust frequency characteristics such as the pass band.

[0041] 13, some of the switches SW1 are controlled to be on, so that the patches 103 are electrically connected in groups of four patches 103 arranged in two rows and two columns, but this is not limiting. In the resonator 3, some or all of the switches SW1 may be controlled to be on, so that the patches 103 may be electrically connected in groups of any number of patches 103.

[0042] <Fourth Embodiment> Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a first bandpass filter (BPF) equipped with resonators according to the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 14, the BPF 10 according to the present disclosure is a bandpass filter of SIW (Substrate Integrated Waveguide) type, which is a type of waveguide circuit, and includes a plurality of resonators 1 arranged adjacent to each other inside a substrate B1. In the example of Fig. 14, the BPF 10 includes four resonators 1 (hereinafter also referred to as resonators 1_1 to 1_4) arranged adjacent to each other inside the substrate B1.

[0043] The conductive walls 101 of each of the resonators 1_1 to 1_4 are composed of conductors formed on the lower and upper surfaces of the substrate B1 and a plurality of metal-plated vias V1 connecting the conductors formed on the lower and upper surfaces of the substrate B1. The lower surface of the substrate B1 is a surface that supports the metamaterial structure and is the back surface of the substrate B1. The upper surface of the substrate B1 is a surface that covers the upper side of the metamaterial structure and is the front surface of the substrate B1. The plurality of metal-plated vias V1 are provided so as to surround the side surfaces of the metamaterial structure. Of the conductive walls 101 of each of the resonators 1_1 to 1_4, conductive walls corresponding to connection portions with adjacent resonators are removed. Furthermore, the resonators 1_1 and 1_4 provided at both ends of the resonators 1_1 to 1_4 are provided with ports P1 and P2, respectively. The ports P1 and P2 are formed integrally with the upper surface of the substrate B1, for example.

[0044] FIG. 15 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a BPF equipped with resonators of a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 15, the BPF 500 of the comparative example is an SIW-type bandpass filter, and includes four resonators 50 (hereinafter also referred to as resonators 50_1 to 50_4) adjacently arranged on a substrate B1. The conductive walls 101 of each of the resonators 50_1 to 50_4 are formed by conductors formed on the lower and upper surfaces of the substrate B1 and a plurality of metal-plated vias V1 connecting the conductors formed on the lower and upper surfaces of the substrate B1. Of the conductive walls 101 of each of the resonators 50_1 to 50_4, the conductive walls corresponding to the connecting portions with adjacent resonators are removed. Furthermore, the resonators 50_1 and 50_4 provided at both ends of the resonators 50_1 to 50_4 are provided with ports P1 and P2, respectively. The ports P1 and P2 are formed integrally with the upper surface of the substrate B1, for example.

[0045] In other words, the BPF 10 according to the present disclosure is composed of a plurality of resonators 1 incorporating a metamaterial structure, whereas the BPF 500 of the comparative example is composed of a plurality of resonators 50 that do not incorporate a metamaterial structure.

[0046] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of the first BPF according to the present disclosure. Note that Fig. 16 also shows the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of BPF 500, a comparative example, in addition to BPF 10.

[0047] 16, the center frequency of the passband of the BPF 500 of the comparative example is 26 GHz, while the center frequency of the passband of the BPF 10 of the present disclosure is reduced to 20.5 GHz. Therefore, the BPF 10 of the present disclosure can achieve the same passband as the BPF 500 of the comparative example, but with a smaller size than the BPF 500, by approximately the same percentage of frequency change. Specifically, the BPF 10 can be ideally reduced in size by approximately 78.8% (= 20.5 / 26 × 100) compared to the BPF 500.

[0048] As described above, the BPF 10 according to the present disclosure is configured using the resonator 1 incorporating a metamaterial structure, and therefore is able to lower the resonant frequency of each mode compared to the BPF 500 that uses the resonator 50 that does not incorporate a metamaterial structure. Therefore, the BPF 10 according to the present disclosure can achieve a passband equivalent to that of the BPF 500, but with a smaller size than the BPF 500, at a rate roughly equivalent to the rate of change in frequency.

[0049] In this embodiment, the case where the BPF 10 is configured using a plurality of resonators 1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The BPF 10 may also be configured using a plurality of resonators 2 or a plurality of resonators 3.

[0050] <Fifth Embodiment> Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a second BPF according to the present disclosure, Fig. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a second BPF according to the present disclosure, and Fig. 19 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the second BPF according to the present disclosure.

[0051] 17 to 19, a BPF 20 according to the present disclosure includes two resonators 1 (hereinafter also referred to as resonators 1_1 and 1_2) stacked within a substrate. Specifically, one resonator 1_1 is provided within the substrate, and the other resonator 1_2 is stacked on top of the other resonator 1_1. Here, in the example of FIGS. 17 to 19, the two resonators 1_1 and 1_2 are arranged to face each other.

[0052] Furthermore, one pair of input / output ports P1 and P2 is provided on two opposing sides of the rectangular BPF 20, and another pair of input / output ports P3 and P4 is provided on the other two opposing sides. These two pairs of ports can transmit two orthogonal polarized high-frequency signals independently with high isolation. Specifically, these two pairs of ports can maintain the aforementioned high isolation by exciting two orthogonal electromagnetic field modes.

[0053] A BPF (hereinafter also referred to as BPF600) that uses a resonator that does not incorporate a metamaterial structure uses a higher-order mode such as the TE210 / TE120 mode, which results in a large size. In contrast, the BPF20 according to the present disclosure is configured using a resonator 1 that incorporates a metamaterial structure, which allows the resonant frequency to be lowered, thereby achieving a smaller size.

[0054] Fig. 20 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. Fig. 21 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P4 and P3 of the second BPF according to the present disclosure. Note that Figs. 20 and 21 also show the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics of not only the BPF 20 according to the present disclosure but also a comparative example BPF 600 that uses a resonator that does not incorporate a metamaterial structure.

[0055] First, as shown in Fig. 20, for the pair of ports P1 and P2, the center frequency of the pass band of the BPF 600 of the comparative example is 41.5 GHz, while the center frequency of the pass band of the BPF 20 of the present disclosure is reduced to 39 GHz. Also, as shown in Fig. 21, for the pair of ports P3 and P4, the center frequency of the pass band of the BPF 600 of the comparative example is 40.5 GHz, while the center frequency of the pass band of the BPF 20 of the present disclosure is reduced to 36.5 GHz. Therefore, the BPF 20 of the present disclosure can achieve the same pass band as the BPF 600 of the comparative example, but with a smaller size than the BPF of the comparative example, at a rate that is roughly the same as the rate of change in frequency.

[0056] Furthermore, in the BPF 20 of the present disclosure, two signals share a single housing consisting of a pair of resonators 1, so that the BPF 20 can be mounted in a narrow space such as directly below a dual-polarized antenna array.

[0057] In the BPF 20 according to the present disclosure, the patches 103 and vias 104 around the electromagnetic coupling portions of the slot openings and near the input / output terminals may be thinned out, which may allow the BPF 20 according to the present disclosure to adjust the resonator characteristics and electromagnetic coupling characteristics and prevent degradation of the circuit characteristics.

[0058] In addition, although the present embodiment has been described with reference to a case where the BPF 20 is configured using a plurality of resonators 1, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the BPF 20 may be configured using a plurality of resonators 2 or a plurality of resonators 3. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the BPF 20 has been described with reference to a case where the BPF 20 includes one resonator 1 disposed within a substrate and one resonator 1 stacked thereon, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the BPF 20 may include two or more resonators 1 disposed adjacent to each other within a substrate and two or more resonators 1 stacked thereon.

[0059] Fig. 22 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at ports P2 and P1 during input and output of the comparative BPF 600. In contrast, Fig. 23 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at ports P2 and P1 during input and output of the second BPF according to the present disclosure.

[0060] Fig. 24 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at ports P4 and P3 during input and output of the comparative BPF 600. In contrast, Fig. 25 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the electric field strength at ports P4 and P3 during input and output of the second BPF according to the present disclosure.

[0061] As can be seen from a comparison between FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 and a comparison between FIG. 24 and FIG. 25, the BPF20 according to the present disclosure is able to excite a pseudo-TE210 / TE120 (Pseudo-TE210 / TE120) mode that effectively has the same effect as the TE210 / TE120 mode at low frequencies compared to the comparative example BPF600.

[0062] <Sixth Embodiment> Fig. 26 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of a third BPF according to the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 26, in the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure, the size a of each patch 103 is larger and the radius R of each via 104 is smaller than those of the BPF 20 shown in Fig. 17. Furthermore, in the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure, some pairs of patches 103 and vias 104 are thinned out. Specifically, of the 64 pairs of patches 103 and vias 104 arranged in 8 rows and 8 columns per resonator, four pairs of patches 103 and vias 104 are randomly thinned out.

[0063] Fig. 27 is a diagram showing the results of an electromagnetic field simulation of the transmission characteristics between ports P2 and P1 of the third BPF according to the present disclosure. Note that Fig. 27 also shows the simulation results of not only BPF 30 with thinning but also BPF 20 without thinning, and BPF 600 as a comparative example.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 27 , the thinned BPF 30 exhibits a slightly weaker frequency lowering effect than the unthinned BPF 20 due to the reduced filling factor of the metamaterial structure. However, it still achieves a sufficient frequency lowering effect compared to the comparative BPF 600. Specifically, the center frequency of the passband of the comparative BPF 600 is 40.5 GHz, while the center frequency of the passband of the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure is reduced to approximately 24.5 GHz. Therefore, the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure can achieve the same passband as the comparative BPF 600, but at a smaller size than the comparative BPF 600, by a factor of approximately the frequency change. Specifically, the BPF 30 can be ideally reduced in size by approximately 60% (= 24.5 / 40.5 × 100) compared to the BPF 600.

[0065] In the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure, any number of patches 103 and vias 104 may be thinned out. This may allow the BPF 30 according to the present disclosure to adjust the resonator characteristics and electromagnetic coupling characteristics and prevent degradation of the circuit characteristics.

[0066] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the resonator according to the present disclosure is described as being applied to a bandpass filter, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the resonator according to the present disclosure can be applied to various types of waveguide circuits other than bandpass filters, such as a duplexer or a slot antenna.

[0068] Each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing may relate not only to one particular embodiment, but also to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessary to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0069] Furthermore, some or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0070] (Appendix 1) a dielectric; a conductor wall provided to surround the dielectric; a plurality of flat conductive patches arranged along a bottom surface of the conductive wall inside the dielectric; A resonator comprising:

[0071] (Appendix 2) Each of the plurality of patches is formed to have a size equal to or smaller than 1 / 10 of the wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency. 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0072] (Appendix 3) the plurality of patches are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall; 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0073] (Appendix 4) the plurality of patches are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall in a partially thinned state; 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0074] (Appendix 5) a plurality of conductor vias extending from a bottom surface of the conductor wall to the plurality of patches; 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0075] (Appendix 6) The plurality of patches include: a plurality of first patches arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall; a plurality of second patches laminated on the plurality of first patches; having 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0076] (Appendix 7) The plurality of patches include: a plurality of first patches arranged in a matrix along a bottom surface of the conductor wall in a partially thinned state; a plurality of second patches stacked on the plurality of first patches and arranged in a matrix in a partially thinned state; having 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0077] (Appendix 8) A plurality of resonators according to Supplementary Note 1 are provided. Waveguide circuits.

[0078] (Appendix 9) the plurality of resonators are arranged adjacent to each other in a substrate; 9. The waveguide circuit of claim 8.

[0079] (Appendix 10) The plurality of resonators include: one or more first resonators disposed within the substrate; and one or more second resonators stacked on the one or more first resonators. 9. The waveguide circuit of claim 8.

[0080] (Appendix 11) Each of the plurality of patches has a rectangular planar shape, The plurality of patches are formed so that the long side is 1 / 10 or less of the wavelength corresponding to the resonance frequency. 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0081] (Appendix 12) The conductor wall has any one of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a cylindrical shape, and a polygonal prism shape. 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0082] (Appendix 13) the resonator is provided in a substrate; the conductive wall is composed of the substrate and a plurality of vias formed in the substrate. 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0083] (Appendix 14) The method further includes a plurality of switches disposed between the plurality of patches. 10. The resonator of claim 1.

[0084] (Appendix 15) a first set of input and output ports; a second set of input and output ports that intersects with the first set of input and output ports; Equipped with 11. The waveguide circuit of claim 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 resonator 1_1~1_4 Resonator 1a~1c resonator 2 resonator 3 resonator 10 Bandpass Filter (BPF) 20 BPF 30 BPF 101 Conductor Wall 102 Dielectric 103 Patch 104 Beer 113 Patch formation possible area 114 Via formation area 203 Patch B1 board P1~P4 ports SW1 switch V1 via

Claims

1. a dielectric; a conductor wall provided to surround the dielectric; a plurality of flat conductive patches arranged along a bottom surface of the conductive wall inside the dielectric; A resonator comprising:

2. Each of the plurality of patches is formed to have a size equal to or smaller than 1 / 10 of the wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency. The resonator of claim 1 .

3. the plurality of patches are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall; The resonator of claim 1 .

4. the plurality of patches are arranged in a matrix along the bottom surface of the conductor wall in a partially thinned state; The resonator of claim 1 .

5. a plurality of conductor vias extending from a bottom surface of the conductor wall to the plurality of patches; The resonator of claim 1 .

6. The plurality of patches include: a plurality of first patches arranged in a matrix along a bottom surface of the conductor wall; a plurality of second patches laminated on the plurality of first patches; having The resonator of claim 1 .

7. The plurality of patches include: a plurality of first patches arranged in a matrix along a bottom surface of the conductor wall in a partially thinned state; a plurality of second patches stacked on the plurality of first patches and arranged in a matrix in a partially thinned state; having The resonator of claim 1 .

8. A resonator comprising a plurality of resonators according to claim 1. Waveguide circuits.

9. the plurality of resonators are arranged adjacent to each other in a substrate; 9. The waveguide circuit of claim 8.

10. The plurality of resonators include: one or more first resonators disposed within the substrate; and one or more second resonators stacked on the one or more first resonators.

9. The waveguide circuit of claim 8.

Images