307 results about "Monolithic microwave integrated circuit" patented technology

In general, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a low-loss interface for connecting an integrated circuit such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to an energy transmission device such as a waveguide is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a pin attached to a matching network that matches the impedance of the energy produced at the circuit to the impedance required by the waveguide without the use of a dielectric material.

A ferroelectric loaded waveguide resonator capable of operation at microwave, millimeter-wave and higher frequencies and suitable for integration into a three-dimensional monolithic microwave integrated circuit (3D MMIC) is disclosed. The resonator includes a resonator cavity, which, in one form of the invention, is formed by two parallel metal layers and a metallized wall structure extending between the metal layers. The cavity is filled with dielectric material and includes a layer of ferroelectric material, which is used to control the resonant frequency by varying a voltage bias applied to the ferroelectric layer. The cavity includes a slot in one of the metal layers and a coupling strip formed adjacent to the slot to provide electromagnetic coupling to other components, such as a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The invention can also be applied to other multi-metal semiconductor or wafer level packaging technologies.

in general, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a low-loss interface for connecting an integrated circuit such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to an energy transmission device such as a waveguide is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a pin seated within an assembly that forms a hermetic sealed, coaxial structure to prevent signal loss at increasing frequencies.

In general, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a low-loss interface for connecting an integrated circuit such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to an energy transmission device such as a waveguide is disclosed. The interface comprises an isolation wall placed between an input and output region of an integrated circuit to reduce ripple and isolate the waveguide cavity from the monolithic microwave integrated circuit circuitry. The interface further comprises a turning screw or other similar member that is configured to closely match the impedance of integrated circuit 11 with the impedance at interface 10 to further reduce loss.

In general, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a low-loss interface for connecting an integrated circuit such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit to an energy transmission device such as a waveguide is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a coaxial structure such as a coaxial cable that directly connects the monolithic microwave integrated circuit to the waveguide to transmit energy such as microwave energy with minimal loss.

An improved Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit DC-to-DC voltage converter fabricated in GaAs MESFET technology is introduced. The converter comprises a differential oscillator having crossed-coupled symmetrical inductors that ensure low-noise operation. The converter further comprises a highly-efficient synchronous rectifier and a start-up enable circuit.

The present invention provides a microwave and millimeter wave circuit apparatus having a reduced size and which can be produced easily, improving productivity. The microwave and millimeter wave circuit apparatus includes: a grounding conductive layer 4 grounded; a first dielectric layer 5 formed on this grounding conductive layer 4; a signal line selectively formed on this first dielectric layer 5; a second dielectric layer 7 covering at least a portion of the signal line 6; a cavity 2 formed in this second dielectric layer 7 and extending to the signal line 6; a monolithic microwave integrated circuit 1 arranged in the cavity 2 and connected to the signal line 6; and an antenna connected to the signal line 6.

This invention relates to a transmit / receive module for a high power Active Phased Array Antenna system operating in L-band based upon a combination of Hybrid Microwave Integrated Circuit (MIC) as well as Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) technology. The transmit / receive module includes a power monitoring means, transmitter protector means, and a receiver protector means. The module comprises a signal transmit chain incorporating power conditioner and a signal receive chain incorporating control electronics and bias- sequencer modulator. The transmit chain has switching means for switching the module to transmit mode which is connected to the transmit amplifier chain through a shared digital phase shifter. The amplified signals from the transmit amplifier chain are conveyed to a duplexer means. In receive mode, the receive chain receives signal through drop-in circulator and high power switch and comprises of high power limiter, low noise amplifier means, and a digital attenuator means connected to the shared digital phase shifter through T / R switch means. Electronic means are connected through integrated control electronic., bias sequencer modulator and power conditioner for controlling the operation of the device.

Low Q associated with passive components of monolithic integrated circuits (ICs) when operated at microwave frequencies can be avoided or mitigated using high resistivity (e.g., ≧100 Ohm-cm) semiconductor substrates (60) and lower resistance inductors (44′, 45′) for the IC (46). This eliminates significant in-substrate electromagnetic coupling losses from planar inductors (44, 45) and interconnections (50-1′, 52-1′, 94, 94′, 94″) overlying the substrate (60). The active transistor(s) (41′) are formed in the substrate (60) proximate the front face (63). Planar capacitors (42′, 43′) are also formed over the front face (63) of the substrate (60). Various terminals (42-1′, 42-2′, 43-1, 43-2′,50′, 51′, 52′, 42-1′, 42-2′, etc.) of the transistor(s) (41′), capacitor(s) (42′, 43′) and inductor(s) (44′, 45′) are coupled to a ground plane (69) on the rear face (62) of the substrate (60) using through-substrate-vias (98, 98′) to minimize parasitic resistance. Parasitic resistance associated with the planar inductors (44′, 45′) and heavy current carrying conductors (52-1′) is minimized by placing them on the outer surface of the IC where they can be made substantially thicker and of lower resistance. The result is a monolithic microwave IC (46, 58) previously unobtainable.

This invention relates to a transmit and receive module for active phased array antenna system based upon a combination of hybrid microwave integrated circuit (MIC) as well as monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. The module comprises a signal transmit chain having switching means (03) for switching the module to transmittance mode. Means are provided for applying pulsed RF signal to the said module from array manifold. A phase shifter (01) is connected to a digital attenuator (02) and the output of the attenuator (02) is connected to a power amplifier (04). The amplified signals from amplifier (04) are conveyed to a duplexer means (05) connected to said power amplifier (04) and for routing back the received signal through a receiver protector (06) and low noise amplifier means (07). Electronic means are connected to a power conditioner for controlling the operation of the device.

The invention provides a microwave multi-chip packaging structure using a silicon through hole and a manufacture method thereof. The method uses a temperature safety valve (TSV) to achieve two-sided integrated system-stage packaging structure, when a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip needs integrating, a user does not need embed a substrate before wiring, and performance, reliability and rate of finished products of the packaging structure are improved. Simultaneously, processes such as injection, corrosion, release and high temperature annealing in a manufacture process can be used before integration of the MMIC, and components needing special processes can be assembled and integrated in advance on the other side of the substrate. Therefore, the substrate comprising active and passive devices, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), photoelectric devices and the like can be conveniently manufactured in a large scale before integration of the MMIC, and the manufacture method is simple in process, reduces cost, and is advanced and reliable at present.

Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) components and micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) components are integrated onto a single substrate at a wafer scale, by first performing MMIC and MEMS fabrication on a front face of a thick substrate wafer, bonding the substrate wafer to a cover wafer, thinning the back face of the substrate wafer and, finally, completing MMIC and MEMS fabrication on the back face of the thinned substrate wafer. The fabrication process is facilitated by use of a guard ring between the wafers to provide additional mechanical support to the substrate wafer and to protect the devices while the MMIC / MEMS fabrication is completed, and by a low temperature bonding process to join the substrate wafer and the cover wafer at multiple device cavity seal rings.

The invention discloses an MEMS (Micro Electronic Mechanical System) cantilever beam type online microwave power sensor and a production method thereof. The microwave power sensor comprises a gallium arsenide substrate, a mainline CPW (Co-Planer Waveguide), a subline CPW, an MEMS cantilever beam type structure and a terminal microwave power monitoring system, wherein the MEMS cantilever beam type structure comprises a cantilever beam and an anchor area; the cantilever beam stretches across the mainline CPW signal line, and the fixed end of the cantilever beam is fixed on the anchor area; the anchor area is connected with the terminal microwave power monitoring system through the subline CPW signal line; and a drive electrode is arranged below the cantilever beam type structure. The MEMS cantilever beam type online microwave power sensor not only has the advantages of the terminal type microwave power sensor, such as low loss and high sensitivity, but also has the advantages of online microwave power measurement, realization of monitoring and not monitoring, integration of the online microwave power sensors with various kinds of coupling factors, and compatibility with the gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

The present invention relates to the field of integrating electronic systems that operate at mm-wave and THz frequencies. A monolithic multichip package, a carrier structure for such a package as well as manufacturing methods for manufacturing such a package and such a carrier structure are proposed to obtain a package that fully shields different functions of the mm-wave / THz system. The package is poured into place by polymerizing photo sensitive monomers. It gradually grows around and above the MMICs (Monolithically Microwave Integrated Circuit) making connection to the MMICs but recessing the high frequency areas of the chip. The proposed approach leads to functional blocks that are electromagnetically completely shielded. These units can be combined and cascaded according to system needs.

Electrically tunable electromagnetic bandgap (“TEBG”) structures using a ferroelectric thin film on a semiconductor substrate, tunable devices that include such a TEBG structure, such as a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (“MMIC”), and a method producing such a TEBG structure are disclosed. The present invention provides a semiconductive substrate having an oxide layer, a first conductive layer positioned on the oxide layer, a ferroelectric layer covering the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer positioned on a surface of the tunable ferroelectric layer. The use of the ferroelectric layer, which have a DC electric field dependent permittivity, enables a small size, tunable EBG structure.

A high-frequency semiconductor device for power amplification has a comb-teeth electrode on each of active regions formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. One aspect of the present invention, there is provided a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) having a plurality of rectangular-shaped active regions arranged side by side on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, each of the active regions having interdigited gate, drain and source electrodes thereon which are connected to the respective pads by multilayer interconnection technique. Additionally, the source potential is fed from the back surface of the substrate through a metal plugged via-hole.

The invention discloses an MEMS (Micro Electronic Mechanical System) clamped beam type online microwave power sensor and a production method thereof. The microwave power sensor comprises a gallium arsenide substrate, a mainline CPW (Co-Planer Waveguide), a subline CPW, an MEMS clamped beam type structure and a terminal microwave power monitoring system, wherein the MEMS clamped beam type structure comprises a clamped beam and an anchor area; the clamped beam stretches across the mainline CPW signal line, and both ends of the clamped beam are fixed on the anchor area; the anchor are is connected with the terminal microwave power monitoring system through the subline CPW signal line rather than the CPW ground line; and a drive electrode is arranged below the clamped beam type structure. The MEMS clamped beam type online microwave power sensor not only has the advantages of a terminal type microwave power sensor, such as low loss and high sensitivity, but also has the advantages of online microwave power measurement, realization of monitoring and not monitoring, integration of the online microwave power sensors with various kinds of coupling factors, and compatibility with the gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

The invention discloses an impedance matching method for a gold bonding wire. The method comprises the following steps: establishing a gold bonding wire model; extracting model parameters in a circuit application frequency band; causing the gold bonding wire model to be equivalent to a TT-shaped low-pass filter network; fitting equivalent network parameters by using the extracted model parameters; and introducing the extracted model parameters into a to-be-matched schematic diagram and adding a Smith chart matching control. In the Smith chart, 2-4 sections of micro-strip wires are serially connected so as to establish a matching network; a load impedance is converted into an actual impedance by first to second sections; the actual impedance is converted into a source impedance by a third section which is a Lambda / 4 converting wire, thereby achieving impedance matching; and a fourth section is a gradual changing wire used for transition. The impedance matching method has the advantagesof simple design concept, easiness in application, capability of saving a circuit board space, small frequency limitation, wide frequency band width and excellent compensation effect. The impedance matching method is used for interconnecting monolithic microwave integrated circuits, coplanar waveguides, microwave transmission lines or RF (Radio Frequency) grounding sides.

The invention relates to a wafer level MMCM (microwave multichip module) packaging structure using photosensitive BCB (benzocyclobutene) as a dielectric layer and a method. The packaging structure is characterized by 1) manufacturing metal ground (GND) shielding layers on a silicon substrate with cavities for embedding; 2) using the photosensitive BCB as the dielectric layers and forming an interconnected through hole structure on the BCB by utilizing photoetching and developing processes; and 3) forming a multi-layer interconnection packaging structure through alternate occurrence of metal layers and the dielectric layers. The method is characterized by eroding or etching the cavities for embedding on the silicon substrate, sputtering a metal seed layer and carrying out electroplating to form the GND, embedding MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) chips, using conductive adhesives to bond the chips and the substrate, coating the photosensitive BCB and carrying out photoetching and developing to form the interconnected through hole patterns and carrying out curing to realize multi-layer MMCM package. The thickness of the dielectric layers is 20-35mu m. Capacitors, resistors, inductors, power dividers and antenna passive devices can be integrated in the multi-layer interconnection structure or discrete components are integrated through surface mount technology, thus realizing the functionalization of the module.

A millimeter wave system or package may include at least one printed wiring board (PWB), at least one integrated waveguide interface, and at least one monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The package may be assembled in panel form incorporating parallel manufacturing techniques.

An amplifier circuit for capacitive transducers, such as miniature electret or condenser microphones, wherein the amplifier circuit comprises bias control means adapted to improve settling of the amplifier circuit. Another aspect of the invention relates to a miniature condenser microphone and a monolithic integrated circuit comprising an amplifier circuit according to the present invention. The present invention provides amplifier circuits of improved performance by resolving traditionally conflicting requirements of maintaining a large input resistance of the amplifier circuit to optimize its noise performance and provide fast settling of the amplifier circuit.

A power amplifier comprises a distributed pre-driver, digital signal adjuster, a distributed high power amplifier; and an integrated coupler-detector unit. The distributed pre-driver, the digital signal adjuster, the distributed high power amplifier and the integrated coupler-detector unit are formed at an interface of a Gallium Nitride layer and an Aluminum Gallium Nitride layer of a monolithic microwave integrated circuit device.

The invention provides an electronic calibration part of a vector network analyzer. An electronic standard of the electronic calibration part of the vector network analyzer is integrated on a monolithic microwave integrated circuit, and the electronic calibration part of the vector network analyzer comprises six independent reflection standards, a transmission standard, a nonvolatile store and a USB interface controller, wherein a computer controls a multi-choice switch to carry out selection on the standards and to carry out combination to realize eighteen standards, the nonvolatile store is used for storing definite value data, and the USB interface controller is used for carrying out outward transmission on the data stored in the nonvolatile store. The electronic calibration part of the vector network analyzer and an electronic calibration method reduce influence of interpolation errors and partial bad standards, and effectively improve the electronic calibration accuracy of the vector network analyzer.

The invention discloses a chip-type Ka-frequency band wide-angle scanning satellite communication antenna which comprises a radiation layer, a correction network layer, a radio-frequency circuit layer, an environmental control layer, a power distribution layer, a radio-frequency signal power division layer and a wave controlled network layer, wherein the radiation layer is connected with the correction network layer and the radio-frequency circuit layer respectively, the correction network layer is connected with the radiation layer and the wave controlled network layer respectively, the radio-frequency circuit layer is connected with the radiation layer, the environmental control layer is arranged between the radio-frequency circuit layer and the power distribution layer, the power distribution layer is connected with the radio-frequency circuit layer, the radio-frequency signal power division layer is connected with the radio-frequency circuit layer, and the wave controlled network layer is connected with the radio-frequency circuit layer and the correction network layer. In the chip-type Ka-frequency band wide-angle scanning satellite communication antenna, a chip-type active phased array antenna structure, high-efficient distributed feed space energy synthesis and a high-density monolithic microwave integrated circuit technique are adopted, and resources provided by the system and scale production technology are fully utilized, thus, system integration degree and utilization rate are improved, the height, the volume and the weight of an antenna system are reduced to the greatest extent, cost is reduced, and the requirements of mass production and debugging are met.

The invention discloses a cantilever beam and direct-type power sensor based microwave detecting system and a detecting method thereof. The detecting system comprises an MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) reconfigurable antenna, an MEMS adjustable filter, a control circuit and a microwave detector, the microwave detector is manufactured on a GaAs substrate and comprises a CPW (coplanar waveguide) transmission line, four structurally identical MEMS cantilever beam structures, a power combiner and four structurally identical MEMS direct-type microwave power sensors. The cantilever beam and direct-type power sensor based microwave detecting system has the advantages of novel structure and small size, can achieve integration of microwave signal frequency and power detection, and can be compatible with a GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

A system is disclosed for IC fabrication, including seating an integrated circuit (“IC”) having at least one contact into a recess of a silicon interposer substrate, applying an insulator in liquid form to fill portions of the recess not otherwise occupied by the IC and to cover a top surface of the IC and the silicon interposer substrate, introducing the insulator to a ramped environmental temperature, holding the environmental temperature at a reflow temperature to reflow the insulator and ramping down the environmental temperature to cure the insulator.

A monolithic integrated circuit for performing power dividing and power monitoring functions is disclosed. The monolithic integrated circuit includes a power dividing portion for dividing radio frequency (RF) signal power and a power monitoring portion for monitoring the RF signal power. In one example, the monolithic integrated circuit is a microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) for use in high-frequency applications within microwave and millimeter-wave frequency range.

A monolithic microwave integrated circuit structure having a semiconductor substrate structure with a plurality of active devices and a microwave transmission line having an input section, an output section and a interconnecting section electrically interconnecting the active devices on one surface and a metal layer on an opposite surface overlaying the interconnection section and absent from overlaying at least one of the input section and the output section.