Abstract: A bandpass filter includes a plurality of resonators. An input pin is connected to a first resonator of the plurality of resonators. An output pin is connected to a second resonator of the plurality of resonators. The first and second resonators are magnetically coupled to each other. The first and second resonators are coupled to other resonators using mixed coupling. The other resonators are coupled to each other using electric coupling.

Abstract: A master-slave flip-flop comprises master and slave latches, with the data output of the master latch connected to the data input of the slave latch. The latches receive clock signals CKM and CKS at their respective clock inputs; each latch is transparent when its clock signal is in a first state and latches a signal applied to its input when its clock signal is in a second state. A clock buffer receives an input clock CKin and generates nominally complementary clock signals CKM and CKS such that one latch is latched while the other is transparent. The clock buffer is arranged to skew CKS with respect to CKM such that the slave latch is made transparent earlier than it would without the skew, making the minimum delay (tpd) between the toggling of CKin and a resulting change at the slave latch's output less than it would otherwise be.

Abstract: A bandpass filter includes a plurality of resonators on a printed circuit board. An input pin is connected to a first resonator of the plurality of resonators. An output pin is connected to a second resonator of the plurality of resonators. The first and second resonators are magnetically coupled to each other. The first and second resonators are coupled to other resonators using mixed coupling. The other resonators are coupled to each other using electric coupling.

Abstract: A method for fabricating high performance vertical and horizontal electrical connections in a three dimensional semiconductor structure. A dielectric film is imprinted with a stamp pattern at high vacuum and with precise temperature and stamping pressure control. The stamp pattern may be formed on a substrate using semiconductor fabrication techniques. After the dielectric film is stamped, residual dielectric film is removed to allow access to an underlying layer. Via and trench regions formed within the dielectric film by stamping are then metalized to provide the high performance interconnections. Multiple layers of interconnections in the three dimensional structure are provided by stacking layers of stamped and metalized dielectric films on top of each other.

Abstract: A method for assembling an electronic system with a plurality of layers. Recesses in formed in one or more dielectric layers and electronic components are positioned within the recesses. One or more layers containing the components are placed on a host substrate containing host circuits. Electrical interconnects are provided between and among the electronic components in the dielectric layers and the host circuits. The layers containing the components may also be provided by growing the electronic devices on a growth substrate. The growth substrate is then removed after the layer is attached to the host substrate.

Abstract: The invention is a balun transformer that converts a single-ended (or unbalanced) signal to a differential (or balanced) signal. The balun is a printed metal pattern on a circuit board in conjunction with several low cost chip capacitors and a low cost chip inductor. The balun transformer is a modified Marchand balun that is implemented using printed transmission lines. The balun has a plurality of coupled transmission lines to improve tolerances to variations in PC board fabrication. To make the balun compact, it is electrically lengthened through the use of capacitive loading, which reduces the required physical size. Additionally, the capacitors increase the bandwidth due to the resonant interaction between the short inductive balun and the capacitors that are placed in series with the input and the output.

Abstract: A printed bandpass filter is mounted on a precision substrate to eliminate the need for post-fabrication tuning. The filter input is capacitively coupled to a series of quarter wavelength resonators and the filter output. The quarter wavelength resonators are printed as spirals to reduce filter size. The resonators define the bandpass characteristics of the filter. The filter also weakly couples the input signal to the filter output in a manner to cancel the signal image. Mechanical clips mitigate thermal stress on solder connections when the precision substrate is mounted on a second printed circuit board.

Abstract: A printed bandpass filter is mounted on a precision substrate to eliminate the need for post-fabrication tuning. The filter input is capacitively coupled to a series of quarter wavelength resonators and the filter output. The quarter wavelength resonators are printed as spirals to reduce filter size. The resonators define the bandpass characteristics of the filter. The filter also weakly couples the input signal to the filter output in a manner to cancel the signal image. Mechanical clips mitigate thermal stress on solder connections when the precision substrate is mounted on a second printed circuit board.

Abstract: A fast, high-swing driver circuit for driving an electro-optical modulator includes an output stage comprising first and second transistors arranged as a differential pair. The collector of the first transistor is coupled to ground, and its base provides the stage's input. The collector of the second transistor is coupled via an impedance to a supply voltage, and provides the stage's output. A reference voltage is provided to the second transistor's base, which is also AC-coupled to ground. A bias generator provides the second transistor's base voltage, and a second differential pair converts a differential input signal to a single-ended output that drives the output stage's input—preferably via a pair of cascaded emitter-follower stages that serve to present a low impedance. A complete electro-optical modulator driver is formed with the addition of a bias-T network at the output stage's output.

Abstract: An output buffer for driving a capacitively-terminated transmission line produces a waveform which comprises a first portion during which the waveform transitions from a voltage V1 to a voltage V2; a second portion during which it remains fixed at V2; a third portion during which it transitions to a voltage V3; and a fourth portion during which it remains fixed at V3. The waveform is created within a unit interval whenever successive data bits transition between logic states. The first and second portions are generated with circuitry arranged such that V2 is maximized by reducing the buffer's output impedance. The fourth portion is generated with circuitry which has a non-zero output impedance preferably equal to the transmission line's characteristic impedance, to absorb transitions reflected back to the source circuitry by the capacitive termination.

Abstract: A focal plane array for millimeter wave imaging comprising a three dimensional stack of antenna elements and radiometer microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) embedded in polymer dielectric layers built on top of a silicon substrate. Each radiometer MMIC and antenna element comprise a radiometer pixel. The silicon substrate contains integrated circuits to collect and process the signals from each radiometer pixel and generate a full-frame video signal. The array can be fabricated on a single silicon wafer or can be constructed from structures fabricated on multiple silicon wafers.

Abstract: The invention is a balun transformer that converts a single-ended (or unbalanced) signal to a differential (or balanced) signal. The balun is a printed metal pattern on a circuit board in conjunction with several low cost chip capacitors and a low cost chip inductor. The balun transformer is a modified Marchand balun that is implemented using printed transmission lines. The balun has a plurality of coupled transmission lines to improve tolerances to variations in PC board fabrication. To make the balun compact, it is electrically lengthened through the use of capacitive loading, which reduces the required physical size. Additionally, the capacitors increase the bandwidth due to the resonant interaction between the short inductive balun and the capacitors that are placed in series with the input and the output.

Abstract: An effective means and apparatus for generating a negative resistance including a circuit element that exhibits an increase in current as the applied voltage is decreased. Other embodiments of the present invention provide electronic means for improving the quality Q factor of on-chip resonators, which enables the creation of high-performance bipolar RF circuits with a minimum of external components.

Abstract: A method for assembling an electronic system with a plurality of layers. Recesses in formed in one or more dielectric layers and electronic components are positioned within the recesses. One or more layers containing the components are placed on a host substrate containing host circuits. Electrical interconnects are provided between and among the electronic components in the dielectric layers and the host circuits. The layers containing the components may also be provided by growing the electronic devices on a growth substrate. The growth substrate is then removed after the layer is attached to the host substrate.

Abstract: A bandpass filter includes a plurality of resonators on a printed circuit board. An input pin is connected to a first resonator of the plurality of resonators. An output pin is connected to a second resonator of the plurality of resonators. The first and second resonators are magnetically coupled to each other. The first and second resonators are coupled to other resonators using mixed coupling. The other resonators are coupled to each other using electric coupling.

Abstract: A printed bandpass filter is mounted on a precision substrate to eliminate the need for post-fabrication tuning. The filter input is capacitively coupled to a series of quarter wavelength resonators and the filter output. The quarter wavelength resonators are printed as spirals to reduce filter size. The resonators define the bandpass characteristics of the filter. The filter also weakly couples the input signal to the filter output in a manner to cancel the signal image. Mechanical clips mitigate thermal stress on solder connections when the precision substrate mounted on a second printed circuit board.

Abstract: A focal plane array for millimeter wave imaging comprising a three dimensional stack of antenna elements and radiometer microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) embedded in polymer dielectric layers built on top of a silicon substrate. Each radiometer MMIC and antenna element comprise a radiometer pixel. The silicon substrate contains integrated circuits to collect and process the signals from each radiometer pixel and generate a full-frame video signal. The array can be fabricated on a single silicon wafer or can be constructed from structures fabricated on multiple silicon wafers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating high performance vertical and horizontal electrical connections in a three dimensional semiconductor structure. A dielectric film is imprinted with a stamp pattern at high vacuum and with precise temperature and stamping pressure control. The stamp pattern may be formed on a substrate using semiconductor fabrication techniques. After the dielectric film is stamped, residual dielectric film is removed to allow access to an underlying layer. Via and trench regions formed within the dielectric film by stamping are then metalized to provide the high performance interconnections. Multiple layers of interconnections in the three dimensional structure are provided by stacking layers of stamped and metalized dielectric films on top of each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for substantially canceling the effects of temperature on the electrical performance of Field Effect Transistor (FET) integrated circuits (IC's) by exploiting a subtle feature of an epitaxial resistor implemented in an FET process. Specifically, the invention takes advantage of two constituent epitaxial resistor components having resistances that vary monotonically in opposite directions as functions of temperature. The invention includes a method for selecting the geometry of such an epitaxial resistor to give it either temperature invariance or a specific, useful functional temperature dependence.

Abstract: An effective means and apparatus for generating a negative resistance including a circuit element that exhibits an increase in current as the applied voltage is decreased. Other embodiments of the present invention provide electronic means for improving the quality Q factor of on-chip resonators, which enables the creation of high-performance bipolar RF circuits with a minimum of external components.