Waveguide converter, package for mounting electronic component, and waveguide conversion device

Abstract

A waveguide converter according to the present invention comprises a first substrate, a signal conductor, a first grounding conductor, a first frame body, a second grounding conductor, and a first lid body. The first substrate has a first upper surface including a first region and a second region extending from the first region. The signal conductor comprises a conversion unit positioned in the first region, and a track part connected to the conversion unit and positioned extending from the first region to the second region. The first grounding conductor is positioned in the second region so as to sandwich the track section in a plan view. The first frame body has a second upper surface and an inner surface that connects with the second upper surface. The first frame body is positioned on the first upper surface so as to surround at least a portion of the second region and the first region in a plan view. The second grounding conductor is positioned on the second upper surface. The first lid body is positioned on the second upper surface so as to cover the first region in a plan view.

Description

Waveguide converter, electronic component mounting package, and waveguide conversion device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a waveguide converter, an electronic component mounting package, and a waveguide transition device.

[0002] With the demand for faster and larger capacity wireless communications, the frequency bands used for wireless communications are becoming higher and higher, which in turn means that the signals to be processed by wireless devices are also becoming higher and higher.

[0003] Waveguides are a transmission medium that can efficiently transmit such high-frequency signals. However, because waveguides cannot be directly connected to integrated circuits mounted on circuit boards, a configuration in which a microstrip line is interposed between the integrated circuit and the waveguide is widely used. When using such a configuration, a converter is required to convert signals between the waveguide and the microstrip line.

[0004] An example of such a converter is the invention described in Patent Document 1. The invention described in Patent Document 1 includes a waveguide-to-planar line conversion board having a dielectric substrate on which a ground layer and a signal line for propagating a high-frequency signal are formed, and a housing having a waveguide, and a shorting cover is disposed on the top surface of the waveguide-to-planar line conversion board (see, for example, FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1).

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-96206

[0006] A waveguide converter (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first substrate, a signal conductor, a first ground conductor, a first frame, a second ground conductor, and a first cover. The first substrate has a first top surface including a first region and a second region extending from the first region. The signal conductor has a conversion portion located in the first region and a line portion connected to the conversion portion and extending at least from the first region to the second region. The first ground conductor is located at least in the second region of the first top surface, sandwiching the line portion in a plan view. The first frame has an inner surface connected to the second top surface and the second top surface. The first frame is located on the first top surface, surrounding at least a portion of the first region and the second region in a plan view. The first frame is made of a non-metallic material. The second ground conductor is located on the second top surface. The first cover is located on the second top surface so as to cover the first region in a plan view. The first lid is made of a metal material. The first frame further has a first end and a second end that are positioned opposite each other across the second region in a plan view. The first ground conductor, the second ground conductor, and the first lid are electrically connected.

[0007] (2) The waveguide converter of (1) further includes a second frame made of a non-metallic material. The second frame is located on the second upper surface and surrounds at least a portion of the first region outward from the inner surface in a plan view. When a first direction is a direction in which the line portion extends in a plan view and a second direction is a direction intersecting the first direction in a plan view, the second frame has a third end and a fourth end that face each other in the second direction in a plan view.

[0008] (3) In the waveguide converter of (2) above, the distance in the second direction between the first end and the second end is equal to or less than the distance in the second direction between the third end and the fourth end.

[0009] (4) In the waveguide converters of (1) to (3), the first cover has a first surface facing the first region, and in a cross section intersecting with the first top surface, the distance from the converting portion to the first surface is 1 / 13.12 or more and 1 / 9.85 or less of the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor.

[0010] (5) In the waveguide converters of (1) to (4), the first cover has a second surface positioned to overlap the second top surface, and a first recess having a first opening in the second surface, wherein the area of ​​the first opening is equal to or less than the area of ​​the first region in a plan view.

[0011] (6) In the waveguide converters of (1) to (4) above, the first cover has a second surface positioned to overlap the second top surface, and a first recess having a first opening in the second surface. The first recess has the first surface.

[0012] (7) In the waveguide converters of (1) to (6) above, the first top surface has a third region connected to the second region and positioned apart from the first region. The first frame further has a fifth end and a sixth end positioned opposite each other across the third region in a plan view. The second region is positioned between the first and third regions in a plan view. In a plan view, when a direction in which the line portion extends is defined as a first direction and a direction intersecting the first direction is defined as a second direction, the distance between the first end and the second end in the second direction is equal to or less than the distance between the fifth end and the sixth end in the second direction.

[0013] (8) In the waveguide converters of (2) to (7), the line portion has a first portion. In a plan view, the first portion is located apart from the conversion portion. The dimension of the first portion in the second direction is the maximum dimension of the line portion in the second direction.

[0014] (9) In the waveguide converter of (8) above, the distance in the first direction from the conversion section to the first section in a plan view is 5 / 8 or more and 7 / 8 or less of the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor.

[0015] (10) In the waveguide converter of (8) above, the distance in the first direction from the conversion section to the first section in a plan view is not less than 1 / 8 and not more than 3 / 8 of the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor.

[0016] (11) In the waveguide converters of (8) to (10) above, the second surface has a first side that overlaps the second region in a plan view. At least a part of the first portion overlaps the first side in a plan view.

[0017] (12) In the waveguide converters of (1) to (11) above, when the direction in which the line portion extends in a plan view is defined as a first direction and the direction intersecting the first direction is defined as a second direction, the conversion portion has a second portion connected to the line portion. The line portion has a third portion connected to the second portion. The dimension of the conversion portion in the second direction is larger than the dimension of the third portion in the second direction. The dimension of the second portion in the second direction decreases outward along the first direction.

[0018] (13) An electronic component mounting package according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a second substrate, the waveguide converter according to any one of (1) to (12) above, and a third frame. The second substrate has a third upper surface, a third lower surface opposite the third upper surface, and a through hole. The through hole penetrates from the third upper surface to the third lower surface. The waveguide converter according to any one of (1) to (12) above is positioned on the third upper surface so as to overlap the through hole in a plan view. The third frame is bonded to the third upper surface and is positioned to surround the waveguide converter.

[0019] (14) In the package for mounting an electronic component according to (13), the second substrate further has a second recess including a second opening on the third upper surface. The second recess has a through-hole. The waveguide converter according to any one of (1) to (12) above is located in the second recess. The first substrate has, in a plan view, a second side and a third side connected to the second side via a first corner. The second opening has, in a plan view, a fourth side and a fifth side connected to the fourth side via a second corner. The second side is in contact with at least a portion of the fourth side. The third side is in contact with at least a portion of the fifth side.

[0020] (15) A waveguide conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the electronic component mounting package according to (13) or (14), an electronic component, a second lid, and a waveguide. The electronic component is located on the third upper surface of the second substrate and is electrically connected to the waveguide converter of the electronic component mounting package. The second lid is located on the third frame and covers the interior of the electronic component mounting package. The waveguide is located on the third lower surface of the second substrate.

[0021] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a waveguide converter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a waveguide converter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a waveguide converter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from another angle. FIG. 4 is a Z1-Z1 cross-sectional view of the waveguide converter shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part A shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a waveguide converter with a first cover removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main part B shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a first frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a plan view of a second frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a first cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a waveguide conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a graph showing reflection characteristics of waveguide converters according to Examples 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 12 is a graph showing pass characteristics of waveguide converters according to Examples 1 and 4. FIG. 13 is a graph showing pass characteristics of waveguide converters according to Examples 1 and 4. FIG. 14 is a graph showing reflection characteristics of waveguide converters according to Examples 1, 5, and 6.

[0022] <Configuration of Waveguide Converter> Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in a waveguide converter, either direction may be considered to be up or down, but for convenience, a Cartesian coordinate system xyz is defined, with the positive side of the z direction being considered to be up. In this disclosure, the first direction refers to, for example, the x direction in the drawings. The second direction intersecting the first direction refers to, for example, the y direction in the drawings. In this disclosure, outward refers to, for example, the direction moving away from a first region 1a1 (described later) in the x direction or y direction. In addition, in this disclosure, a plan view is a concept that includes a planar perspective view.

[0023] A waveguide converter 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. The waveguide converter 101 includes a first substrate 1, a signal conductor S1, a first ground conductor G1, a first frame 2, a second ground conductor G2, and a first cover 4.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the first substrate 1 has a first upper surface 1a including a first region 1a1 and a second region 1a2 extending from the first region 1a1. The first substrate 1 is made of, for example, a non-metallic material. Examples of materials that can be used for the first substrate 1 include ceramic materials such as aluminum oxide sintered body, mullite sintered body, silicon carbide sintered body, aluminum nitride sintered body, and silicon nitride sintered body, as well as non-metallic materials such as glass ceramic materials. The first substrate 1 may also be a printed circuit board such as a copper-clad laminate.

[0025] The first substrate 1 may be a single layer of non-metallic material or a laminate of multiple layers of non-metallic material. For example, the first substrate 1 is rectangular in plan view, with dimensions of 4 mm x 4 mm to 50 mm x 50 mm and a thickness of 0.05 mm to 1 mm.

[0026] Although not shown, one or more vias may be provided in the first substrate 1. The vias can be created by providing holes in the first substrate 1 that will form the outer shape of the vias, and filling the holes with a conductive paste containing powder of a high-melting point metal such as tungsten or molybdenum.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 , the first substrate 1 has a first lower surface 1b. A third ground conductor G3 may be provided on the first lower surface 1b. The third ground conductor G3 may be an annular metal layer positioned to surround the first region 1a1 in a plan view. The third ground conductor G3 may be electrically connected to the first ground conductor G1 (described later) via the aforementioned via or the like. By positioning the third ground conductor G3 on the first lower surface 1b, the ground potential of the signal conductor S1 can be strengthened and the third ground conductor G3 can serve as a conductor wall electromagnetically connected to the waveguide 107 (described later).

[0028] The first frame 2 has a second top surface 2a and an inner surface 2c connected to the second top surface 2a. The first frame 2 is located on the first top surface 1a, surrounding at least a portion of the first region 1a1 and the second region 1a2 in a plan view. The first frame 2 further has a first end 21 and a second end 22 that face each other across the second region 1a2 in a plan view. The first frame 2 is also made of a non-metallic material. The material of the first frame 2 may be the same as or different from the material of the first substrate 1, and may be, for example, the same material as the material of the first substrate 1 described above. If the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 are made of a ceramic material or a glass ceramic material, the waveguide converter 101 can be easily manufactured by stacking green sheets formed to the outer shapes of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2. The first frame 2 is, for example, U-shaped in plan view, with dimensions of 4 mm×4 mm to 50 mm×50 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

[0029] By positioning the first frame body 2 on the first upper surface 1a of the first substrate 1, the thickness of the first substrate 1 can be made thinner while reducing the possibility of damage to the first substrate 1, and good high-frequency characteristics can be obtained.

[0030] Furthermore, the first frame 2 may be provided with vias similar to those in the first substrate 1. The presence of the vias makes it easier to electrically connect the first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and the first cover 4, which will be described later. Furthermore, the vias can be formed by the same method as the vias provided in the first substrate 1 described above.

[0031] The signal conductor S1 includes a conversion portion S11 located in the first region 1a1 and a line portion S12 connected to the conversion portion S11 and extending at least from the first region 1a1 to the second region 1a2. Examples of materials for the signal conductor S1 include metal materials such as gold, silver, copper, nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, and manganese. The signal conductor S1 may be formed by sintering a metal paste on the first upper surface 1a of the first substrate 1, or by using a thin-film formation technique such as vapor deposition or sputtering. An insulating film made of ceramic (e.g., an alumina coating) or resin may be located on a portion of the signal conductor S1. The insulating film may be formed on the signal conductor S1 by screen printing. The insulating film may be located only on a portion of the conversion portion S11 or the line portion S12. This configuration reduces the possibility of the signal conductor S1 shorting out with the first ground conductor G1 (described later).

[0032] Although not shown, the signal conductor S1 may be electrically connected to an electronic component 104 (described later) via a connecting member such as a wire whose main component is a conductive metal material such as platinum. The signal conductor S1 is a transmission line suitable for transmitting high-frequency signals such as millimeter waves. The signal transmitted through the line portion S12 is electromagnetically coupled to a waveguide 107 (described later) at the conversion portion S11.

[0033] The first ground conductor G1 is located at least in the second region 1a2 of the first upper surface 1a, sandwiching the line portion S12 in a plan view. The material of the first ground conductor G1 may be the same as or different from the material of the signal conductor S1, for example, the same material as the material of the signal conductor S1 described above. The first ground conductor G1 may also be formed by the same method as the signal conductor S1. In one embodiment, the signal conductor S1 and the first ground conductor G1 are also located in a third region 1a3 described below, and the first ground conductor G1 is also located in the third region 1a3, sandwiching the line portion S12 in a plan view. The signal conductor S1 being sandwiched between the first ground conductors G1 can strengthen the ground potential and enhance electric field coupling. This reduces the possibility of resonance occurring when the signal conductor S1 transmits a high-frequency signal, which is caused by the electric field distribution expanding beyond a desired range.

[0034] The first ground conductor G1 does not necessarily have to be located across the line portion S12 in the third region 1a3 in plan view. Alternatively, the first ground conductor G1 may be a pair of separate metal films provided on the first upper surface 1a so as to sandwich the signal conductor S1. Similarly to the signal conductor S1, the first ground conductor G1 may be electrically connected to the electronic component 104 (described later) via a connecting member such as a wire.

[0035] The second ground conductor G2 is located on the second upper surface 2a. The material of the second ground conductor G2 may be the same as or different from the material of the signal conductor S1, for example, the same material as the material of the signal conductor S1 described above. The second ground conductor G2 may be formed by the same method as the signal conductor S1. The provision of the second ground conductor G2 makes it easier to join the first cover 4 (described later) to the first frame 2.

[0036] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the second ground conductor G2 is positioned continuously from the second top surface 2 a to the inner surface 2 c of the first frame 2. Although not shown, the second ground conductor G2 may be positioned continuously on the surface opposite the second top surface 2 a of the first frame 2 (the surface facing the first top surface 1 a). This facilitates electrical connection between the first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and the first lid 4. Furthermore, since the ground potential can be strengthened, signal loss that occurs when the signal conductor S1 transmits a high-frequency signal can be reduced. Furthermore, when the second ground conductor G2 is positioned continuously from the second top surface 2 a to the inner surface 2 c, it can be electrically connected to the first lid 4 (described later) and can be regarded as a pseudo-back short block (in other words, a conductor block). In other words, the first frame 2 and the first lid 4 can be regarded as an integrated lid.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first lid 4 is positioned on the second upper surface 2a so as to cover the first region 1a1 in a planar view. The first lid 4 is made of a metal material. For example, the first lid 4 has a rectangular shape in a planar view, dimensions of 1 mm x 1 mm to 50 mm x 50 mm, and a thickness of 0.2 mm to 20 mm. Examples of materials for the first lid 4 include metal materials such as iron, copper, nickel, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten, as well as alloys combining multiple of these metal materials. The metal member constituting the first lid 4 can be fabricated by subjecting an ingot of such a metal material to metalworking methods such as rolling and punching. The first lid 4 can efficiently input a signal transmitted through the signal conductor S1 into the waveguide 107. Furthermore, the first lid 4 can efficiently input a signal propagated through the waveguide 107 into the signal conductor S1. The first cover 4 can be joined to the first frame 2 and the second ground conductor G2 by a joining material.

[0038] The first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and the first lid 4 are electrically connected. In one embodiment, the first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and the first lid 4 are electrically connected by a via provided in the first frame 2 and the first ground conductor G2 extending to the inner surface 2c. This strengthens the ground potential. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as long as the first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and the first lid 4 can be electrically connected.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6 , the waveguide converter 101 may further include a second frame 3 made of a non-metallic material. The second frame 3 is located on the second upper surface 2a and, in a plan view, surrounds at least a portion of the first region 1a1 outward from the inner surface 2c. The second frame 3 has a third end 33 and a fourth end 34 that face each other in the y direction in a plan view. With the above-described configuration, the first cover 4 can be joined to the first frame 3 while being placed against the second frame 3, thereby enabling the first cover 4 to be joined to the first frame 3 with high precision. In other words, the second frame 3 serves as a guide for positioning the first cover 4 when joining the first frame 3.

[0040] The material of the second frame 3 may be the same as or different from the material of the first frame 2, and may be, for example, the same material as the material of the first frame 2 described above. When the materials of the first substrate 1, the first frame 2, and the second frame 3 are ceramic or glass ceramic, the waveguide converter 101 can be manufactured by stacking green sheets formed to the outer shapes of the first substrate 1, the first frame 2, and the second frame 3, thereby facilitating production of the waveguide converter 101. The second frame 3 is, for example, U-shaped in plan view, with dimensions of 4 mm × 4 mm to 50 mm × 50 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 5 mm. When the second frame 3 is primarily composed of a ceramic or glass ceramic material, the U-shape of the second frame 3 can reduce the possibility of the second frame 3 warping during sintering.

[0041] As mentioned above, the second frame body 3 does not have to be U-shaped as long as it can function as a guide for positioning when joining the first lid body 4, and may be, for example, L-shaped or a U-shape separated in the middle.

[0042] As described above, the second frame 3 is located on the second upper surface 2a and, in plan view, surrounds at least a portion of the first region 1a1 outward from the inner surface 2c. More specifically, in plan view, the inner edge of the second frame 3 is located outward from the inner edge of the first frame 2. In one embodiment, in plan view, the distances between three sides of the inner edge of the second frame 3 and the corresponding three sides of the inner edge of the first frame 2 are constant on the corresponding sides.

[0043] In addition, in one embodiment, the outer edge of the second frame 3 coincides with the outer edges of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 in a plan view, but the outer edge of the second frame 3 does not necessarily have to coincide with the outer edges of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2. In other words, the outer edge of the second frame 3 may be larger or smaller than the outer edges of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 7 , when the distance in the x-direction from the outer edge of the first frame 2 to the first end 21 and / or the second end 22 is Lx21 and the dimension in the x-direction of the first end 21 and / or the second end 22 is Lx22, Lx22 > Lx21 may be satisfied. This configuration allows a wider area for mounting the lid 4. Therefore, the lid 4 can be stably positioned on the first frame 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8 , when the dimension in the x-direction of a portion of the first frame 2 located on the opposite side of the first region 1a1 from the side surrounding the second region 1a2 is Lx23, (Lx21 + Lx22) > Lx23 may be satisfied. This configuration allows the second frame 3 to be stably positioned on the first frame 2.

[0045] 6 to 9 , the distance L12 ( FIG. 8 ) in the y direction between the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the first frame 2 may be equal to or less than the distance L34 ( FIG. 9 ) in the y direction between the third end 33 and the fourth end 34 of the second frame 3. With this configuration, when joining the first cover 4 to the first frame 2, the first cover 4 can be fitted from the opening side of the second frame 3 (the portion sandwiched between the third end 33 and the fourth end 34), which makes it easier to manufacture the waveguide converter 101.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 10 , the first cover 4 may have a first surface 411 positioned opposite the first region 1a1. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , in a cross-sectional view intersecting the first top surface 1a (cross-sectional views in the x-z plane in FIGS. 4 and 5 ), the distance H from the conversion unit S11 to the first surface 411 is equal to or greater than 1 / 13.12 and equal to or less than 1 / 9.85 of the signal wavelength λ transmitted through the signal conductor S1. In one embodiment, the waveguide converter 101 is used in a waveguide conversion device 10 that handles signals in a signal frequency band from 65 GHz to 87 GHz, and each component of the waveguide converter 101 is configured so that the operating frequency band of the waveguide converter 101 is 65 GHz to 87 GHz. This configuration reduces insertion loss and return loss in the 65 GHz to 87 GHz band.

[0047] FIG. 12 is a graph showing the reflection characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 when the distance H from the conversion unit S11 to the first surface 411 is changed. The horizontal axis represents the frequency (GHz) of the input signal, and the vertical axis represents the reflection characteristics (dB). In the graph showing the reflection characteristics, the smaller the value of the reflection characteristics (dB), the smaller the signal reflection (this also applies to FIGS. 14 and 16 described below). The graph in FIG. 12 shows the reflection characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 having the following three different values ​​of distance H. The distance H in Example 1 is 0.35 mm (corresponding to 1 / 13.12 of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 65 GHz or 1 / 9.85 of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 87 GHz), the distance H in Example 2 is 1.154 mm (corresponding to ¼ of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 65 GHz), and the distance H in Example 3 is 0.862 mm (corresponding to ¼ of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 87 GHz). In Examples 2 and 3, the distance H from the conversion portion S11 to the first surface 411 is set to a value known as the distance from the conversion portion S11 that forms a short stub (¼ of the wavelength λ of the signal frequency transmitted through the signal conductor S1). In Fig. 12, the reflection characteristics in each Example are shown by a solid line for Example 1, a dashed line for Example 2, and a dashed line for Example 3.

[0048] 12, it can be seen that in the frequency band (65 GHz to 87 GHz) used by the waveguide 101, Example 1 exhibits better characteristics than Examples 2 and 3.

[0049] FIG. 13 is a graph showing the pass characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 when the distance H from the conversion unit S11 to the first surface 411 is changed. The horizontal axis represents the frequency (GHz) of the input signal, and the vertical axis represents the pass characteristics (dB). In the graph showing the pass characteristics, a larger value of the pass characteristics (dB) indicates a smaller signal loss (the same applies to FIG. 15 , which will be described later). The graph in FIG. 13 shows the pass characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 having the following three different values ​​of distance H. The distance H in Example 1 is 0.35 mm (corresponding to 1 / 13.12 of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 65 GHz or 1 / 9.85 of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 87 GHz), the distance H in Example 2 is 1.154 mm (corresponding to ¼ of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 65 GHz), and the distance H in Example 3 is 0.862 mm (corresponding to ¼ of the wavelength λ at a frequency of 87 GHz). In Examples 2 and 3, the distance H from the conversion portion S11 to the first surface 411 is set to a value conventionally known as the distance from the conversion portion S11 that forms a short stub (¼ of the wavelength λ of the signal frequency transmitted through the signal conductor S1). In Fig. 12, the transmission characteristics in each Example are shown by a solid line for Example 1, a dashed line for Example 2, and a dashed line for Example 3.

[0050] 13, it can be seen that in the frequency band (65 GHz to 87 GHz) used by the waveguide 101, Example 1 exhibits better characteristics than Examples 2 and 3.

[0051] 10 , the first cover 4 may have a second surface 412 positioned to overlap the second upper surface 2a, and a first recess 41 having a first opening 41O in the second surface 412. The first recess 41 has a first surface 411. By having the first recess 41 in the first cover 4, it is possible to precisely adjust the height of the back short that forms the short stub from the conversion portion S11 (the distance H from the conversion portion S11 to the first surface 411).

[0052] The area of ​​the first opening 41O may be equal to or smaller than the area of ​​the first region 1a1. In one embodiment, the area of ​​the first opening 41O may be equal to or smaller than the area of ​​the first region 1a1 in a plan view, and the first opening 41O may be located inside the first region 1a1 in a plan view. With the above-described configuration, the bonding area between the first lid body 4 and the first frame body 3 increases, thereby improving the bonding strength between the first lid body 4 and the first frame body 3.

[0053] 4 and 5, when the area of ​​the first opening 41O is smaller than that of the first region 1a1, a portion of the first cover 4 surrounding the first opening 41O may protrude in the x direction. Here, the protruding portion is, for example, a portion indicated by Lx42. This configuration makes it easy to overlap the first region 1a1 and the first opening 41O in a plan view.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 6 , the first top surface 1a may have a third region 1a3 connected to the second region 1a2 and spaced apart from the first region 1a1. As shown in FIG. 8 , the first frame 2 further has a fifth end 25 and a sixth end 26 that face each other across the third region 1a3 in a plan view. The second region 1a2 is located between the first region 1a1 and the third region 1a3 in a plan view. The distance L12 in the y direction between the first end 21 and the second end 22 is equal to or less than the distance L56 in the y direction between the fifth end 25 and the sixth end 26. In this case, in the third region 1a3, the first ground conductor G1 and the signal conductor S1 are connected to the electronic component 104 (described later) by a connecting member such as a wire. With the above-described configuration, in a plan view, the third region 1a3 is larger in the y direction than the second region 1a2, making it easier to connect the electronic component 104 to the first ground conductor G1 and the signal conductor S1 using connecting members such as wires.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7 , the line portion S12 may have a first portion S12a. The dimension Ls1 in the y direction of the first portion S12a is the maximum dimension of the line portion S12 in the y direction. In other words, the dimension Ls1 in the y direction of the first portion S12a is greater than the dimension Ls4 in the y direction of the portion of the line portion S12 other than the first portion S12a. This configuration allows a capacitive component to be added to the line portion S12, thereby adjusting the impedance. This improves the high-frequency characteristics of the signal conductor S1, thereby broadening the frequency band in which the waveguide converter 101 can be used.

[0056] Furthermore, by positioning the line portion S12 and the first ground conductor G1 located on either side of the line portion S12 closer to each other in the y direction, a capacitive component can be added to the line portion S12, thereby achieving the same effect as in the above case.

[0057] In one embodiment, the line portion S12 is located so as to extend into the third region 1a3 in a plan view. The first portion S12a is located from the second region 1a2 to the third region 1a3 in a plan view. The first portion S12a may be located only in the second region 1a2 or only in the third region 1a3. The line portion S12 may have a plurality of first portions S12a.

[0058] In one embodiment, the dimension Ls1 in the y direction of the first portion S12a is smaller than the dimension Ls11 in the y direction of the conversion portion S11, but can be changed depending on the frequency of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor S1. In other words, the dimension Ls1 in the y direction of the first portion S12a may be larger than or the same as the dimension Ls11 in the y direction of the conversion portion S11.

[0059] Fig. 14 is a graph showing the reflection characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 with and without the first portion S12a of the line portion S12. In Example 1, the first portion S12a is provided in the line portion S12, while in Example 4, the first portion S12a is not provided in the line portion S12. In Fig. 14, the reflection characteristics of each example are shown by a solid line for Example 1 and a dashed line for Example 4. Referring to Fig. 14, it can be seen that the frequency band in which the reflection characteristics can be reduced to -15 dB or less is wider than in Example 4.

[0060] Fig. 15 is a graph showing the pass characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 with and without the first portion S12a of the line portion S12. In Example 1, the first portion S12a is provided in the line portion S12, while in Example 4, the first portion S12a is not provided in the line portion S12. In Fig. 15, the pass characteristics of each example are shown by a solid line for Example 1 and a dashed line for Example 4. Referring to Fig. 15, it can be seen that Example 1 has a wider frequency band in which the pass characteristics can be made −0.6 dB or higher than Example 4.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 7 , in a plan view, the distance Ls13 in the x direction from the conversion portion S11 to the first portion S12a may be greater than or equal to 5 / 8 and less than or equal to 7 / 8 of the signal wavelength λ transmitted through the signal conductor S1. When transmitting a high-frequency signal, the inductive component increases when the distance in the x direction from the conversion portion S11 is approximately 3 / 4 of the transmitted signal wavelength λ. Therefore, the above-described configuration allows impedance adjustment. This improves the high-frequency characteristics of the signal conductor S1. Here, the distance Ls13 may refer to the distance from the center point of the conversion portion S11 in the x direction and the y direction to the center point of the first portion S12a in the x direction and the y direction.

[0062] 16 is a graph showing the reflection characteristics of the waveguide converter 101 when the distance Ls13 in the x direction from the line portion S12 to the first portion S12a is changed. The distance Ls13 in Example 1 is approximately ¾ of the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor S1, the distance Ls13 in Example 5 is approximately ½ of the signal wavelength λ, and the distance Ls13 in Example 6 is approximately ⅙ of the signal wavelength λ. In FIG. 16 , the reflection characteristics in each Example are shown by a solid line for Example 1, a dashed line for Example 5, and a dashed-dotted line for Example 6. Referring to FIG. 16 , it can be seen that Example 1 exhibits better characteristics than Examples 5 and 6.

[0063] 7 , in a plan view, the distance Ls13 in the x direction from the conversion portion S11 to the first portion S12a may be greater than or equal to ⅛ and less than ⅜ of the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted through the signal conductor S1. When transmitting a high-frequency signal, the inductive component increases when the distance in the x direction from the conversion portion S11 is approximately ¼ of the wavelength λ of the transmitted signal. Therefore, the above-described configuration allows impedance adjustment. This improves the high-frequency characteristics of the signal conductor S1.

[0064] 10 , the second surface 412 of the first lid 4 may have a first side 412a that overlaps the second region 1a2 in a plan view. In this case, at least a portion of the first portion S12a of the line portion S12 overlaps the first side 412a in a plan view. The first side 412a is a side that constitutes a part of the outer periphery of the second surface 412.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 7 , the conversion portion S11 may have a second portion S11b connected to the line portion S12. The line portion S12 may have a third portion S12b connected to the second portion S11b. The dimension Ls11 of the conversion portion S11 in the y direction is greater than the dimension Ls3 of the third portion S12b in the y direction. The dimension Ls2 of the second portion S11b in the y direction decreases outward along the x direction (in one embodiment, in the negative direction of the x axis). This configuration reduces the possibility of sudden impedance fluctuations from the conversion portion S11 to the line portion S12, thereby easing mode conversion between the signal conductor S1 and the waveguide 107. This reduces the possibility of sudden deterioration in reflection characteristics due to misalignment or the like when positioning the waveguide 107 below the conversion portion S11.

[0066] <Method for Manufacturing Waveguide Converter> Here, a method for manufacturing the waveguide converter 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and the converter may be manufactured using, for example, a 3D printer. Also, as described above, the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 do not necessarily have to be made of the same material, as in the manufacturing method described below.

[0067] (1) First, a plurality of green sheets are formed. Specifically, a mixture is obtained by adding an organic binder, a plasticizer, a solvent, or the like to a ceramic powder such as boron nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or beryllium oxide. The resulting mixture is then formed into layers to produce a plurality of green sheets. Next, the plurality of green sheets are processed using a mold or the like to prepare a plurality of green sheets each formed to the outer shapes of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 in a planar view. If the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 have vias, holes corresponding to the outer shapes of the vias are formed in the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 using a mold, a laser, or the like. Note that, when forming a waveguide converter 101 having a second frame 3, a green sheet formed to the outer shape of the second frame 3 is also prepared.

[0068] (2) A high-melting-point metal powder such as tungsten or molybdenum is prepared, and an organic binder, plasticizer, or solvent is added to and mixed with this powder to prepare a metal paste. Next, the metal paste is printed in a predetermined pattern on multiple green sheets formed to the outer shapes of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2, respectively, to form the signal conductor S1, the first ground conductor G1, and the second ground conductor G2. Note that the metal paste may contain glass or ceramics to increase the bonding strength between the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2. Furthermore, the metal paste is filled into the holes formed in the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 in the aforementioned step (1) to form vias.

[0069] (3) A green sheet laminate is formed by stacking the green sheets formed on the outer contours of the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 so that their outer edges coincide with each other. After the green sheet laminate is formed, a metal paste may be printed in a predetermined pattern, and then the signal conductor S1, the first ground conductor G1, the second ground conductor G2, and other wiring (for example, the third ground conductor G3) may be formed.

[0070] (4) The green sheet laminate is fired to sinter the plurality of green sheets, thereby obtaining a sintered body in which the first substrate 1 and the first frame 2 are laminated.

[0071] (5) The first lid body 4 is formed by subjecting an ingot of the metal material that will form the first lid body 4 to a metal processing method such as rolling or punching.

[0072] (6) The first cover 4 is bonded to the sintered body prepared in the above-mentioned step (4) using a bonding material, thereby obtaining the waveguide converter 101.

[0073] <Configuration of Electronic Component Mounting Package> Next, an electronic component mounting package 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a waveguide conversion device 10 including an electronic component mounting package 100 equipped with a waveguide converter 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic component mounting package 100 includes a second substrate 102, a waveguide converter 101, and a third frame 103.

[0074] The second substrate 102 has a third upper surface 102a, a third lower surface 102b opposite the third upper surface 102a, and a through-hole 102H. The second substrate 102 is, for example, rectangular in plan view, measuring 10 mm x 10 mm to 100 mm x 100 mm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 20 mm. Examples of materials for the second substrate 102 include metal materials such as copper, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, and cobalt, as well as alloys containing these metal materials. In this case, the second substrate 102 may be a single metal plate or a laminate of multiple metal plates. Furthermore, if the second substrate 102 is made of any of the above metal materials, a plating layer of nickel, gold, or the like may be formed on the surface of the second substrate 102 using electroplating or electroless plating to reduce oxidation corrosion. The material of the second substrate 102 may be an insulating material, such as an aluminum oxide sintered body, a mullite sintered body, a silicon carbide sintered body, an aluminum nitride sintered body, a silicon nitride sintered body, or a ceramic material such as glass ceramics.

[0075] The through-hole 102H penetrates from the third upper surface 102a to the third lower surface 102b. The waveguide converter 101 is located on the third upper surface 102a so as to overlap the through-hole 102H in a plan view. The through-hole 102H is located so as to overlap the first region 1a1 and the conversion portion S11 in a plan view. The through-hole 102H is located so as to overlap the waveguide 107, which will be described later, in a plan view.

[0076] The third frame 103 is bonded to the third upper surface 102a and is positioned to surround the waveguide converter 101. The third frame 103 has, for example, a rectangular shape in a plan view, with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm to 100 mm × 100 mm and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 20 mm. The material of the third frame 103 may be the same as or different from the material of the second substrate 102, and may be, for example, the same material as the material of the first frame 2 described above. The third frame 103 may have a wiring portion for electrically connecting to the electronic component 104 described below. The wiring portion may be formed on a green sheet that forms the outer shape of the third frame 103 using a metal material such as gold, silver, copper, nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, or manganese. The wiring portion may also be formed by sintering a metal paste or by using a thin-film formation technique such as vapor deposition or sputtering. An insulating film made of ceramic (for example, alumina coating) or resin may be located on a part of the wiring portion.

[0077] The third frame 103 can be joined to the second substrate 102 via a joining material such as a brazing material. The brazing material may be, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, or magnesium, and may contain additives such as nickel, cadmium, or phosphorus.

[0078] The second substrate 102 may further have a second recess 102K including a second opening 102O in the third upper surface 102a. The second recess 102K has the aforementioned through hole 102H. In this case, the waveguide converter 10 is located in the second recess 102K. The first substrate 1 has a second side 12 and a third side 13 connected to the second side 12 via a first corner 102K in a plan view. The second opening 102O has a fourth side 1024 and a fifth side 1025 connected to the fourth side 1024 via a second corner 1026 in a plan view. The second side 12 is in contact with at least a portion of the fourth side 1024. The third side 13 is in contact with at least a portion of the fifth side 1025. With this configuration, when mounting the waveguide converter 101 on the second substrate 102, the first substrate 1 of the waveguide converter 101 can be mounted while abutting the fourth edge 1024 and the fifth edge 1025. Therefore, the waveguide converter 101 can be mounted on the second substrate 102 with high positional accuracy. In one embodiment, the edge on which the signal conductor S1 is located is designated as the second edge 12. This reduces the possibility of misalignment occurring in the direction in which the wire is connected (x direction) when the electronic component 104 and the signal conductor S1 are electrically connected via a connecting member such as a wire, and reduces fluctuations in impedance.

[0079] When the first substrate 1 has a polygonal shape such as a rectangle, any corner may be the first corner 1K. By determining the first corner 1K, the second side 12 and the third side 13 can be uniquely determined. Furthermore, by determining the second side 12 and the third side 13, the fourth side 1024 and the fifth side 1025 can be uniquely determined.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in one embodiment, the corners of the first substrate 1 (including the first corners 1K) may be rectangular with the corners cut into an arc shape. This configuration reduces the possibility of the first substrate 1 being damaged during the manufacture of the waveguide converter 101 or during mounting on the second substrate 102. Similarly, the first frame 2 and the second frame 3 may also be rectangular in plan view with the corners cut into an arc shape. This configuration similarly achieves the above-described effects. Note that the corners of the first substrate 1 (including the first corners 1K) are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment and may be rectangular with rounded corners, for example.

[0081] <Configuration of Waveguide Conversion Device> Next, a waveguide conversion device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in Fig. 11 , the waveguide conversion device 10 includes at least an electronic component mounting package 100, an electronic component 104, a second lid 106, and a waveguide 107.

[0082] The electronic component 104 is located on the third upper surface 102a of the second substrate 102 and is electrically connected to the waveguide converter 101 of the electronic component mounting package 100. The electronic component 104 may be a component that performs signal processing, such as converting an optical signal to an electrical signal or an electrical signal to an optical signal. Although not shown, the electronic component 104 and the waveguide converter 101 are electrically connected by a connecting member such as a wire made of a conductive metal material. The electronic component 104 and the third frame 103 may also be electrically connected by a connecting member such as a wire. The electronic component 104 may be mounted directly on the second base 102 or may be mounted via a pedestal component such as a submount.

[0083] The second lid 106 is positioned on the third frame 103 and covers the interior of the electronic component mounting package 100. The second lid 106, together with the second frame 103, protects the electronic component 104. The second lid 106 is, for example, rectangular in plan view, measuring 10 mm x 10 mm to 50 mm x 50 mm and having a thickness of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. Examples of materials for the second lid 106 include metal materials such as iron, copper, nickel, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten, as well as alloys combining multiple of these metal materials. The metal member that constitutes the second lid 106 can be produced by subjecting an ingot of such a metal material to a metal processing method such as rolling or punching.

[0084] The second lid 106 may be joined to the third frame 103 via a seal ring or the like, or via a joining material such as solder, brazing filler metal, glass, or a resin adhesive. The waveguide 107 is located on the third lower surface 102b side of the second substrate 102. Examples of materials for the waveguide 107 include conductors such as metal. A printed circuit board (PCB) or the like may be located between the second substrate 102 and the waveguide 107, and the second substrate 102 (electronic component mounting package 100) may be joined to the waveguide 107 via the printed circuit board or the like.

[0085] The waveguide converter according to one embodiment has the above-described configuration, which improves the strength of the waveguide converter and reduces the possibility of damage to the first substrate, and also allows the thickness of the first substrate to be reduced, resulting in good high-frequency characteristics.

[0086] It should be noted that various combinations of the features in one embodiment are not limited to the examples of the above-described embodiment, and combinations of the respective embodiments are also possible.

[0087] The present disclosure can be used as a waveguide converter, an electronic component mounting package, and a waveguide transition device.

[0088] 1 First substrate 1a First upper surface 1a1 First region 1a2 Second region 1a3 Third region 1b First lower surface 12 Second side 13 Third side 1K First corner G1 First ground conductor G2 Second ground conductor G3 Third ground conductor S1 Signal conductor S11 Converting section S11b Second section S12 Line section S12a First section S12b Third section 2 First frame 2a Second upper surface 2c Inner surface 21 First end 22 Second end 25 Fifth end 26 Sixth end 3 Second frame 33 Third end 34 Fourth end 4 First lid 41 First recess 41O First opening 411 First surface 412 Second surface 412a First side L12 Distance between first end and second end L34 Distance between the third end and the fourth end L56 Distance between the fifth end and the sixth end Ls1 Dimension of the first portion Ls2 Dimension of the second portion Ls3 Dimension of the third portion Ls4 Dimension of the line portion other than the first portion Ls11 Dimension of the conversion portion Ls13 Distance from the conversion portion to the first portion H Distance between the conversion portion and the first surface 10 Waveguide conversion device 100 Package for mounting electronic components 101 Waveguide converter 102 Second substrate 102a Third upper surface 102b Third lower surface 1024 Fourth side 1025 Fifth side 1026 Second corner 102K Second recess 102O Second opening 102H Through hole 103 Third frame 104 Electronic component 106 Second cover 107 Waveguide

Claims

1. a first substrate having a first top surface including a first region and a second region extending from the first region; a signal conductor including a conversion portion located in the first region and a line portion connected to the conversion portion and extending from at least the first region to the second region; a first ground conductor located across the line portion in a plan view at least in the second region of the first upper surface; a first frame body that is positioned on the first upper surface so as to surround at least a portion of the first region and the second region in a plan view, and that has a second upper surface and an inner side surface connected to the second upper surface, and is made of a non-metallic material; a second ground conductor located on the second top surface; a first lid body that is located on the second upper surface so as to cover the first region in a plan view and is made of a metal material; the first frame further has a first end and a second end positioned opposite each other across the second region in a plan view, The first ground conductor, the second ground conductor, and the first cover are electrically connected to each other.

2. In a plan view, when a direction in which the line portion extends is a first direction and a direction intersecting the first direction is a second direction, The second frame is located on the second upper surface and is located outside the inner surface in a plan view to surround at least a portion of the first region. The second frame is made of a non-metallic material. The waveguide converter according to claim 1 , wherein the second frame has a third end and a fourth end positioned opposite each other in the second direction in a plan view.

3. The waveguide converter according to claim 2 , wherein a distance between the first end and the second end in the second direction is equal to or less than a distance between the third end and the fourth end in the second direction.

4. The first cover has a first surface facing the first region, 4. The waveguide converter according to claim 1, wherein in a cross-sectional view intersecting with the first top surface, a distance from the conversion portion to the first surface is not less than 1 / 13.12 and not more than 1 / 9.85 of a signal wavelength λ transmitted through the signal conductor.

5. the first lid body has a second surface positioned to overlap the second top surface, and a first recess having a first opening in the second surface, 4. The waveguide converter according to claim 1, wherein an area of ​​the first opening is equal to or smaller than an area of ​​the first region in a plan view.

6. the first lid body has a second surface positioned to overlap the second top surface, and a first recess having a first opening in the second surface, The waveguide transition of claim 4 , wherein the first recess has the first surface.

7. the first upper surface has a third region connected to the second region and spaced apart from the first region; the first frame further includes a fifth end and a sixth end positioned opposite each other across the third region in a plan view, the second region is located between the first region and the third region in a plan view, In a plan view, when a direction in which the line portion extends is a first direction and a direction intersecting the first direction is a second direction, 4. The waveguide converter according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the first end and the second end in the second direction is equal to or less than a distance between the fifth end and the sixth end in the second direction.

8. the line portion has a first portion located away from the conversion portion in a plan view, The waveguide converter according to claim 2 , wherein a dimension of the first portion in the second direction is a maximum dimension of the line portion in the second direction.

9. 9. The waveguide converter according to claim 8, wherein in a plan view, a distance in the first direction from the conversion portion to the first portion is 5 / 8 or more and 7 / 8 or less of a signal wavelength λ transmitted through the signal conductor.

10. 9. The waveguide converter according to claim 8, wherein in a plan view, a distance in the first direction from the conversion portion to the first portion is equal to or greater than 1 / 8 and equal to or less than 3 / 8 of a signal wavelength λ transmitted through the signal conductor.

11. A second surface of the first lid body overlapping the second upper surface has a first edge overlapping the second region in a plan view, The waveguide converter according to claim 8 , wherein at least a part of the first portion is positioned so as to overlap the first side in a plan view.

12. In a plan view, when a direction in which the line portion extends is a first direction and a direction intersecting the first direction is a second direction, The conversion portion has a second portion connected to the line portion, the line portion has a third portion connected to the second portion, a dimension of the conversion portion in the second direction is larger than a dimension of the third portion in the second direction; 4. The waveguide converter according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the second portion in the second direction decreases outward along the first direction.

13. a second substrate having a third upper surface, a third lower surface opposite to the third upper surface, and a through hole extending from the third upper surface to the third lower surface; the waveguide converter according to claim 1 , the waveguide converter being positioned so as to overlap the through hole in a plan view on the third upper surface; a third frame body joined to the third upper surface and positioned to surround the waveguide converter.

14. the second substrate further has a second recess including a second opening in the third top surface; The second recess has the through hole, the waveguide converter is located in the second recess; the first substrate has, in a plan view, a second side and a third side connected to the second side via a first corner portion; the second opening has, in a plan view, a fourth side and a fifth side connected to the fourth side via a second corner portion; The second side is in contact with at least a portion of the fourth side, The electronic component mounting package according to claim 13 , wherein the third side is in contact with at least a portion of the fifth side.

15. The electronic component mounting package according to claim 13 or 14, an electronic component located on the third upper surface of the second substrate and electrically connected to a waveguide converter of the electronic component mounting package; a second lid body positioned on the third frame body and covering an inside of the electronic component mounting package; a waveguide located on the third lower surface side of the second substrate.