Integrated capacitance structures in microwave finline devices

Claim 2

In an apparatus for processing microwave energy in a waveguide (16), said apparatus including a dielectric substrate (14) disposed within said waveguide and extending between opposing first and second interior walls of said waveguide, said dielectric substrate having thereon metallization on a first substantially planar surface (21), said metallization including at least a first metallization layer (18) forming a first margin on a first side of a channel region (30, 130, 230) of exposed dielectric surface (21), a second metallization layer (19) forming a second margin on a second side of said channel region (30, 130, 230) opposing said first margin, the improvement comprising: at least a third margin (64) of said second metallization layer on said second side of said channel region (30, 130, 230); at least a third metallization layer (118) forming a fourth margin (62) adjacent and opposing said third margin (64), said third metallization layer (118) being d.c. isolated from said second metallization layer (19); and distributed capacitance means (44) disposed on said dielectric substrate (14) and bridging said third margin (64) and said fourth margin (62) adjacent said channel region (30, 130, 230), said capacitance means (14) having at least sufficient capacitance value for r.f. continuity between said second metallization layer (19) and said third metallization layer (119).

Claim 3

In the apparatus of claim 1, the improvement wherein said capacitance means (44) comprises a thin-film capacitor formed of distributed layers (86, 88, 89) of metallization over a dielectric layer (82) upon an underlying base metallization layer (80), said base metallization layer bridging said third margin (64) and said fourth margin (62).

Claim 4

In the apparatus of claim 1, the improvement wherein said third metallization layer (118) forms a fifth margin adjacent and opposing a sixth margin of a metallization layer on said second side of said channel region (30, 130, 230) and wherein said distributed capacitance means (44) further bridges said fifth margin and said sixth margin.

Claim 5

In the apparatus of claim 3, the improvement comprising means for biasing (V D said third metallization layer (118).

Claim 6

In the apparatus of claim 3, the improvement comprising diode means (24) coupled between adjacent metallization layers as a microwave signal detection means (124).

Claim 7

In the apparatus of claim 5, the improvement comprising: a fourth metallization layer (244) for carrying a microwave signal at a fundamental frequency; a first diode means (354) coupled between said fourth metallization layer (244) and said third metallization layer (250) across said channel region (30, 130, 310, 230); a sixth metallization layer (252) adjacent said third metallization layer (250); a second diode means (356) coupled between said fourth metallization layer (244) and said sixth metallization layer (252) and antiparallel with said first diode means (354) across said channel region (30, 130, 310, 230); and wherein said distributed capacitance means (44) bridges said second metallization layer (248), said third metallization layer (250) and said sixth metallization layer (252) for forming a microwave signal multiplying means for supplying a microwave signal along said channel region (30, 130, 310, 230) which is a harmonic of said fundamental microwave signal.

Claim 8

In the apparatus of claim 6, the improvement wherein said third metallization layer (250) is a stem for coupling to means for biasing (-V D ) said third metallization layer (250) and wherein said sixth metallization layer (252) is a stem for coupling to means for biasing (+V D ) said sixth metallization layer.

Claim 9

In the apparatus of claim 5, 6 or 7, the improvement comprising stub means (30, 130) formed by said channel region (30, 130, 310, 210, 230) for impedance matching.

Claim 10

In the apparatus of claim 1, the improvement: wherein said channel region (30, 130, 230) includes an input (504) and an output (505) in linear alignment with said input (504); and further comprising: at least one diode means (501, 502, 503) coupled across said channel region (30, 130, 230) between said first metallization layer (18) and a corresponding at least one third metallization layer (506, 508, 510); and wherein said at least one third metallization layer comprises a stem for coupling to means for applying a modulating signal (V₁, V₂, V₃) to said at least one diode means (501, 502, 503) through said at least one third metallization layer (506, 508, 510) for producing a modulated r.f. signal at said output (505) in response to application of an r.f. microwave signal at said input (504).

Claim 11

In the apparatus of claim 1, the improvement: wherein said channel region (30, 130, 230) includes an input (604) and an output (605) in linear alignment with said input; and further comprising: at least one fourth metallization layer (219, 319, 419) adjacent at least one said third metallization layer (606, 609, 610), wherein said capacitance means (144, 244, 334) is further disposed between said third metallization layer (606, 609, 610) and said fourth metallization layer (219, 319, 419); at least one dielectric slotline gap (330, 430, 530) formed between said third metallization layer (606, 609, 610) and said fourth metallization layer (219, 319, 419); at least one diode means (601, 602, 603) coupled along one side of said channel region (30, 130, 230) between said at least one fourth metallization layer (219, 319, 419) and said at least one third metallization layer (606, 609, 610) across an opening of said at least one slotline gap (330, 430, 530) along said channel region (30, 130, 230); energy absorption means (134, 234, 434) in said at least one slotline gap (330, 430, 530) for absorbing microwave energy upon application of microwave energy to said input (604) and upon reverse bias of said at least one diode means (601, 602, 603); and wherein said at least one third metallization layer (606, 609, 610) comprises a stem (607, 609, 611) for coupling to means for applying a bias voltage (V₁, V₂, V₃) to said at least one diode means (601, 602, 603) through said at least one third metallization layer (606, 609, 610) for attenuating an r.f. microwave signal at said output (605) in response to application of said r.f microwave signal at said input.

Claim 12

In the apparatus of claim 1, the improvement: wherein said channel region (30, 130, 230) includes an input (704) and an output (705) in linear alignment with said input (704) and wherein said third metallization layer (706) defines a first stem (707) for connection to a first external signal (731); and further comprising: at least one fourth metallization layer (219) adjacent at least one said third metallization layer (706) , wherein said capacitance means 444 is further disposed between said third metallization layer (706) and said fourth metallization layer (219); at least one fifth metallization layer (544); at least one sixth metallization layer (708) forming a fifth margin adjacent and opposing a sixth margin of said fourth metallization layer (219) and forming a seventh margin adjacent and opposed to an eighth margin of said fifth metallization layer (544), said sixth metallization layer (708) being d.c. isolated from said fourth metallization (219) layer and said fifth metallization layer (544) and wherein said sixth metallization layer (708) defines a second stem (709) for connection to a second external signal (732); wherein said capacitance means (544) is further disposed between said fourth metallization layer (219) and said sixth metallization layer (708) and between said sixth metallization layer (708) and said fifth metallization (544) layer; a slotline stub region (730) in said fourth metallization layer (219) between said third metallization layer (706) and said sixth metallization layer (708) for r.f. isolation between said input (704) and said output (705); and circuit means (738) coupled between said third metallization layer (706) and said first metallization layer (18) across said channel region (30, 130, 230) and coupled between said sixth metallization layer (708) and said first metallization layer (18) across said channel region (30, 130, 230) as an amplifying means for an r.f. microwave signal in said channel region (30, 130, 230).

Claim 15

The detecting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said taper (126) defines an angle of no greater than thirty degrees with said first and second interior walls.