Additive Manufactured Reactive Beamformer for Millimeter-Wave Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing processes for radio frequency (RF) and electromagnetic circuits are costly, time-consuming, and limited in their ability to produce small feature sizes, restricting the range of frequencies they can support, especially for millimeter-wave applications.
Innovation Solution
A reactive beamformer is designed with a radiator and receptors within a substrate, using additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques to create small, high-frequency capable electromagnetic circuits, featuring electrically conducting wires and ink deposited into milled holes, with solder joints and conductive walls to manage electromagnetic signals, allowing for millimeter-wave frequencies like 26.5 to 110 GHz.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional PCB manufacturing processes are used, then manufacturing experience is gained and standard processes are applied, but manufacturing cost increases, turnaround time increases, and manufacturing precision for small features deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct stages: substrate preparation, conductor deposition, insulator application, and component mounting. Each stage can be independently optimized and executed, allowing for specialized equipment and methods at each step rather than requiring a single complex conventional PCB process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional 2D PCB trace routing to 3D spatial arrangement of conductors and insulators. Conductors are deposited in specific patterns on substrate surfaces, and insulator layers are applied in controlled thicknesses, creating a multi-dimensional structure that enables smaller feature sizes and better precision.
2Productivity
If conventional PCB manufacturing processes are used, then standard manufacturing methods are applied, but turnaround time increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Substrates are pre-prepared with conductive layers and insulator layers deposited before final assembly. This preliminary structuring allows rapid component mounting and device assembly, significantly reducing the overall manufacturing cycle time compared to conventional PCB processes that require multiple iterative steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical PCB manufacturing steps (lamination, etching, drilling) with deposition-based processes. Conductors are deposited using vapor deposition or sputtering, and insulators are applied using chemical vapor deposition or spin coating, eliminating the need for hazardous chemicals and multiple mechanical processing steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional PCB manufacturing processes are used, then standard materials and methods are applied, but the ability to produce small feature sizes deteriorates, limiting frequency range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of conductor and insulator materials to achieve smaller feature sizes. Conductors with controlled thickness and width are deposited, and insulator layers with precise dielectric constants are applied. These parameter changes enable support for millimeter-wave frequencies (26.5-110 GHz) that conventional PCB processes cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite structures combining conductive materials (such as copper or gold) with high-performance insulator materials (such as PTFE or ceramic composites). This composite approach enables precise control of electrical properties and small feature dimensions, expanding the frequency range support beyond conventional PCB capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of compact, low-profile RF circuits that support higher frequencies than conventional methods, reducing costs and cycle times while allowing for smaller dimensions and safer, less complex manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a radiator disposed within a substrate and configured to radiate a received electromagnetic signal
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of receptors disposed within the substrate, each of the plurality of receptors configured to receive a portion of the radiated electromagnetic signal
Implementation Method 3
an electrically and physically contiguous conductive wall disposed in the substrate around a perimeter of the plurality of receptors and configured to contain the radiated electromagnetic signal to a region within the conductive wall
Data Source
AI summary
A reactive beamformer includes a radiator disposed within a substrate and configured to radiate a received electromagnetic signal, a plurality of receptors disposed within the substrate, each of the plurality of receptors configured to receive a portion of the radiated electromagnetic signal, and a plurality of signal lines. Each signal line of the plurality of signal lines is coupled to a respective receptor of the plurality of receptors to convey the portion of the radiated electromagnetic signal from the respective receptor and to provide the portion of the radiated electromagnetic signal to an output.