Abstract: A variable permittivity structure is proposed based on composition of two different dielectrics in a transmission line. The composition is adjusted through a thermally-actuated MEMS structure, and this compositional adjustment alters the relative permittivity at least at a macro level. Adjusting the permittivity leads to tune-able impedances in the associated transmission line. The proposed invention can also be used as a variable capacitor, and it can be used to create variable capacitor, and it can be used to create variable couplers and other structures. Since the approach does not alter any conducting surfaces in the transmission line, it is believed to lead to a superior technique for impedance matching to reduced physical discontinuity.

Abstract: A phase shifter includes a substrate, a tunable dielectric film having a dielectric constant between 70 to 600, a tuning range of 20 to 60%, and a loss tangent between 0.008 to 0.03 at K and Ka bands positioned on a surface of the substrate, a coplanar waveguide positioned on a surface of the tunable dielectric film opposite the substrate, an input for coupling a radio frequency signal to the coplanar waveguide, an output for receiving the radio frequency signal from the coplanar waveguide, and a connection for applying a control voltage to the tunable dielectric film. A reflective termination coplanar waveguide phase shifter including a substrate, a tunable dielectric film having a dielectric constant between 70 to 600, a tuning range of 20 to 60%, and a loss tangent between 0.008 to 0.

Abstract: A continuously variable true time delay line (100) and method for producing a time delay. The true delay line (100) includes an RF transmission line (110) and at least a first fluidic dielectric (130) contained in a cavity (109) coupled to the RF transmission line along at least a first length thereof. One or more variable displacement fluid processors (120) are provided for changing a distribution of the fluid dielectric (130) in the cavity (109) in response to a time delay control signal (137). The propagation delay of the line is selectively varied by changing the distribution of the fluid dielectric in the cavity.

Abstract: A phased array antenna is formed from an array of apertures having walls containing phase shifter devices for phase shifting and beam steering a radiated beam of the phased array antenna. The phase shifter devices are interconnected with an interconnect structure formed from substrate slats that form the walls of the apertures. The substrate slats may be thin film circuitized column slats having a metal substrate, dielectric layers, metal bias/control circuitry, a shielding layer, and circuit terminations to connect to a phase shifter device attached to the substrate slat.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a variable delay for an RF signal. The method can include the step of propagating the RF signal along an RF transmission line, coupling a fluidic dielectric to the RF transmission line, and dynamically changing a composition of the fluidic dielectric to selectively vary its permittivity in response to a time delay control signal. The method can also include the step of dynamically changing a composition of the fluidic dielectric to vary its permeability. The permittivity and the permeability can be varied concurrently in response to the time delay control signal. In a preferred embodiment the method can include selectively varying the permeability concurrently with the permittivity to maintain a characteristic impedance of the transmission line approximately constant.

Abstract: An attenuator with a simple circuit configuration is and accurate attenuation includes four transistors connected in parallel between a connecting point on a main line and a ground. Since the transistors are individually brought into an “ON” state and an “OFF” state to function as “resistors” or “capacitors”, a desired attenuation be obtained by combinations of the ON and OFF states of the respective transistors.

Abstract: This invention provides the three novel La,Fe, La,Cr and Sm,Fe substituted barium titanate solid solution ferroelectric compositions with the formula Ba1-xLnxTi1-xMxO3 wherein when Ln is La, M is Fe or Cr, when Ln is Sm, M is Fe and x is from about 0.02 to about 0.06 and mixtures thereof, the novel La,Fe substituted barium strontium titanate solid solution ferroelectric compositions with the formula (Ba1-ySry)1-xLaxTi1-xFex O3 wherein y is greater than zero and less than about 0.6 and x is from about 0.01 to about 0.06 and the novel La,Al substituted barium strontium titanate solid solution ferroelectric compositions with the formula (Ba1-ySry)1-xLax Ti1-x/4 3a/4Ala(x-a)/4O3 wherein denotes a vacancy, y is greater than zero and less than about 0.6, a is from about 0.01 to about 0.06 and x is from 0.02 to about 0.10 with the proviso that x is greater than or equal to a.

Abstract: A varactor based phase shifter that increases phase shift range using a lower characteristic impedance between quadrature ports than is used at its input/output ports. The circuit makes use of a four port coupler arrangement that imbeds a quarter wave impedance transformation between the input port and the quadrature ports as well as between the quadrature ports and the output port. The characteristic impedance across the quadrature ports is therefore less than the characteristic impedance across the input and output ports. In one implementation, reducing a characteristic input/output impedance of 50 to a 20 ohm quadrature port impedance results in a phase shift range increase of more than 50%.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a controllable signal delay along a transmission line, which apparatus comprises a transmission line conductor on a dielectric medium comprised wholly or partially or a semiconductor material, and adjacent periodically separated electromagnetically-coupled elements, the coupling between the elements and the transmission line conductor being controllable through photonic and/or electrical injection of electrical carriers into the dielectric medium, whereby the apparatus is such as to enable control of the velocity of electromagnetic propagation along the transmission line and thereby through the apparatus.

Abstract: A variable phase delay line (110) includes an RF transmission line (111) and at least one fluidic delay unit (108). The fluidic delay unit includes a fluidic dielectric (130) contained in a cavity (109) and coupled to the RF transmission line along at least a portion of a length thereof. At least one pump (114) is provided for mixing and for adding and removing the fluid dielectric to the cavity in response to a phase delay control signal (137). A propagation delay of the RF transmission line is selectively varied by adding and removing the fluidic dielectric from the cavity and/or changing the composition of the fluidic dielectric using a composition processor (101).

Abstract: A microwave filter is disposed on a substrate. The microwave filter is configured to connect a first microwave transmission line to a second microwave transmission line, configured such that a signal propagates from the first microwave transmission line to the second microwave transmission line. The microwave filter encompasses a highpass component of filter disposed in a symmetrical configuration with respect to a median plane placed perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, including the central axis of the first and second microwave transmission lines; and a lowpass component of filter connected parallel with the highpass component of filter, the lowpass component of filter being disposed in a symmetrical configuration with respect to the median plane.

Abstract: An impedance matching circuit includes a conductor line having an input port and an output port, a ground conductor, a tunable dielectric material positioned between a first section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, a non-tunable dielectric material positioned between a second section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, and means for applying a DC voltage between the conductor line and the ground conductor. The impedance matching circuit may alternatively include a first planar ground conductor, a second planar ground conductor, a strip conductor having an input port and an output port, and positioned between the first and second planar ground conductors to define first and second gaps, the first gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the first planar ground conductor and the second gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the second planar ground conductor.

Abstract: A delay line comprising a dielectric substrate including a pair of main surfaces; a transmission line disposed on one of the main surfaces of the dielectric substrate; a ground conductor disposed on the other of the main surfaces of the dielectric substrate; and at least one of a variable capacitor and a diode being disposed on the dielectric substrate and connected in parallel to the transmission line for setting a desired delay time of the delay line. In the above delay line, the delay time can be adjusted even after the delay line is mounted on a printed circuit board, and further, the delay time can be continuously adjusted. The delay line can also be formed in a multilayer structure rather than on the above dielectric substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decreasing resonance in a printed circuit board (PCB) uses cuts in a ground plane to slow a signal passing through the ground plane. Cuts in the ground plane may be used alone or in conjunction with the lengthening of signal traces.

Abstract: A group delay adjusting circuit. The group delay adjusting circuit comprises an electronically adjustable variable capacitance, and an electronically variable virtual inductor coupled in parallel to the electronically variable capacitance at a node.

Abstract: An improved radio-frequency phase shift assembly includes at least one further stripline section arranged concentrically with respect to a first stripline section. Further connection lines are provided, via which an electrical connection is produced at least indirectly from the feed line to the respective tapping section associated with a stripline section. Two different pairs of antenna radiating elements can be driven with different phase angles (?) at mutually offset tapping points on the at least two stripline sections. The plurality of connection lines are mechanically connected to one another.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a miniaturized multi-layer coplanar wave guide low pass filter including: a substrate; a first dielectric layer formed on and enclosing said substrate; a first metallic pattern layer formed on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer formed on said first metallic pattern layer; wherein several via holes being formed on said second dielectric layer; a second metallic pattern layer formed on said second dielectric layer, wherein said via holes formed on said second dielectric layer are filled up with the metal thereof; a third dielectric layer formed on said second metallic pattern layer, wherein several via holes being formed on said third dielectric layer; and a third metallic pattern layer formed on said third dielectric layer, wherein said via holes formed on said third dielectric layer are filled with the metal thereof.

Abstract: A microstrip trombone delay line is used to provide a low cost true time delay device. An array of printed trombone lines arranged in a network is used to implement a linear beamformer. The beamformer forms an array that scans signals in one or more dimensions. Each microstrip trombone delay line includes printed traces on a fixed substrate and a printed trombone line on a movable superstrate. The microstrip trombone delay line may have different dimensions to vary the characteristic impendence at either end for impedance matching purposes. Beamformers using microstrip trombone delay lines and scanning in multiple principal planes require few movable parts and only linear actuators.

Abstract: A multi-spiral element includes a group of spiral conductive lines arranged so as not to cross each other so that the spiral conductive lines are substantially rotationally symmetric with respect to a predetermined point on a dielectric substrate. A plurality of conductive lines in the group of spiral conductive lines have external peripheral ends aligned at a substantially straight line substantially orthogonal to the group of spiral conductive lines. The external peripheral ends of each of the plurality of conductive lines in the multi-spiral element are connected to respective ends of a straight-line-group element having a group of parallel straight conductive lines. A resonator includes the multi-spiral elements functioning as capacitors for accumulating a charge, and the straight-line-group element functioning as an inductor.

Abstract: Thin film devices having conductors of non-uniform line width and line spacing between adjacent conductors at uncoupled regions of symmetrical conductive pathways. Several coil-shaped delay line circuits are disclosed wherein the innermost and outermost conductors exhibit different line width and spacing between adjoining conductors. The devices are constructed on rigid and flexible, folding substrates and necessary terminations are connected with solder filled vias and/or edge connections.

Abstract: A microwave frequency device includes: a first substrate having a dielectric layer and a conductive film disposed on opposing first and second sides of the dielectric layer, the conductive film on the first side of the dielectric layer of the first substrate including at least one signal line; and a second substrate having a dielectric layer, conductive film disposed on at least one of first and second opposing sides of the dielectric layer, and at least one cut-out where the dielectric layer and conductive film have been removed, wherein the first and second substrates are bonded together to form a bonded assembly such that (i) a portion of the signal line of the first substrate is sandwiched between the dielectric layers of the first and second substrates, and (ii) the at least one cut-out exposes a portion of the signal line, thereby forming a microstrip portion. A method of forming same is also disclosed.

Abstract: A variable phase delay line (110) includes an RF transmission line (111) and at least one fluidic delay unit (108). The fluidic delay unit includes a fluidic dielectric (130) contained in a cavity (109) and coupled to the RF transmission line along at least a portion of a length thereof. At least one pump (114) is provided for mixing and for adding and removing the fluid dielectric to the cavity in response to a phase delay control signal (137). A propagation delay of the RF transmission line is selectively varied by adding and removing the fluidic dielectric from the cavity and/or changing the composition of the fluidic dielectric using a composition processor (101).

Abstract: A transmission line includes a signal conductor and at least one varactor diode capacitively coupled to the signal conductor. The transmission line's signal path delay is a function of its shunt capacitance, and the varactor's capacitance forms a part of the transmission line's shunt capacitance. The transmission line's signal path delay is adjusted by adjusting a control voltage across the varactor diode thereby to adjust the varactor diode's capacitance.

Abstract: A phase shifter element for selectively varying the phase of signals of desired frequencies or frequency range passing through an adjacent transmission line associated with, for example, an antenna array to electrically down-tilt the array's electromagnetic wave pattern. The phase shifter element comprises a planar dielectric member having at least three discrete coplanar interactive segments extending from an edge thereof and arranged to movably overlap the adjacent transmission line to vary its dielectric constant. Optimum dimensions of each interactive segments and optimum widths of gaps defined by opposite edges of adjacent segments being determined by a computer optimisation program, such that the phase shifter element achieves a wide operating frequency and minimum aggregate reflection.

Abstract: A continuously variable true time delay line (100) and method for producing a time delay. The true delay line (100) includes an RF transmission line (110) and at least a first fluidic dielectric (130) contained in a cavity (109) coupled to the RF transmission line along at least a first length thereof. One or more variable displacement fluid processors (120) are provided for changing a distribution of the fluid dielectric (130) in the cavity (109) in response to a time delay control signal (137). The propagation delay of the line is selectively varied by changing the distribution of the fluid dielectric in the cavity.

Abstract: A variable true time delay line (100) includes an RF transmission line (110) and at least one fluidic delay unit (108). The fluidic delay unit includes a fluidic dielectric contained in a cavity (109) and coupled to the RF transmission line (110) along at least a portion of a length thereof. At least one pump is provided for adding and removing the fluid dielectric to the cavity (109) in response to a time delay control signal. A propagation delay of the RF transmission line is selectively varied by adding and removing the fluid dielectric from the cavity.

Abstract: A multi-bit phase shifter suitably used for a satellite broadcasting and a satellite communication band includes one or a plurality of phase shifters each having a short stub with an end short and an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) switch formed at the end of the short stub and controlling an impedance value. A processing cost and an insertion loss can be reduced, a driving voltage can be lowered, a wider bandwidth can be obtained, and uniform phase characteristics can be obtained.

Abstract: A transmission line of striptype includes a dielectric having a local dielectric constant alternating between at least two different values. It can be manufactured by applying a first layer (3) of a material having a first dielectric constant &egr;1 to a base (1), thereupon patterning the first layer to produce recesses, then applying a second layer (5) of a material having a second dielectric constant &egr;2 over the first layer to at least completely fill the recesses to obtain a flat surface, and finally applying a conductor on top of the produces structure. The transmission line can be used for example for various types of filters and delay lines, is simple and has a low cost for its manufacture and can give a space-saving design of different components.

Abstract: A slow-wave transmission line component having a slow-wave structure. The slow-wave structure includes a floating shield employing one of electric and magnetic induction to set a potential on floating strips of said floating shield to about 0, thereby reducing losses caused by electric coupling to a substrate. A spacing between the strips is small to inhibit electric field from passing the metal strips to the substrate material.

Abstract: Techniques enabling electronic control of propagation constant associated with meanderline loaded antennas and phased arrays are disclosed. An activation layer can be electronically stimulated to change its characteristics (e.g., capacitance or shape) so as to enable the control independent of antenna operating frequency.

Abstract: A compact, small-size delay line that has excellent flatness in group delay time characteristic and an excellent frequency characteristic, is constructed such that one coil is divided into four inductors, and four stages of LC-&pgr; type low pass filters including inductors and capacitors are contained within a laminated body. The inductors are defined by connecting together in series coil conductor patterns arranged in a matrix on insulating sheets provided in the laminated body. Mutually adjacent inductors are arranged so that their coiling directions are opposite to each other. The insulating sheets may be made of non-magnetic material having a dielectric constant of about 15 or lower.

Abstract: A band pass filter circuit for microwave frequencies, including a plurality of parallel-coupled resonators formed in a planar transmission line medium, including coupling between alternate resonators in the form of transmission line gaps.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a controllable signal delay along a transmission line, which apparatus comprises a transmission line conductor on a dielectric medium comprised wholly or partially or a semiconductor material, and adjacent periodically separated electromagnetically-coupled elements, the coupling between the elements and the transmission line conductor being controllable through photonic and/or electrical injection of electrical carriers into the dielectric medium, whereby the apparatus is such as to enable control of the velocity of electromagnetic propagation along the transmission line and thereby through the apparatus.

Abstract: An ultra wideband, frequency dependent attenuator apparatus for providing a loss which can be matched with a physically longer, given delay line, but yet which provides a much shorter time delay than the physically longer, given delay line with constant group delay. The apparatus is formed by an ordinary microstrip transmission line placed in series with an engineered lossy microstrip transmission line, with both transmission lines being placed on a substrate to effectively form a hybrid microstrip transmission line. The lossy transmission line includes resistive material placed along the opposing longitudinal edges thereof. In one embodiment, spaced apart metal tracks are formed along each strip of resistive material to provide the lossy microstrip transmission line with a desired loss characteristic.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a variable delay for an RF signal. The method can include the step of propagating the RF signal along an RF transmission line, coupling a fluidic dielectric to the RF transmission line, and dynamically changing a composition of the fluidic dielectric to selectively vary its permittivity in response to a time delay control signal. The method can also include the step of dynamically changing a composition of the fluidic dielectric to vary its permeability. The permittivity and the permeability can be varied concurrently in response to the time delay control signal. In a preferred embodiment the method can include selectively varying the permeability concurrently with the permittivity to maintain a characteristic impedance of the transmission line approximately constant.

Abstract: A phase shifter includes upper and lower conductive plates, and a dielectric strip sandwiched between the conductive plates, and a plurality of slots formed in the upper conductive plate, thereby forming a dielectric line. A rotator is positioned at either side of the dielectric strip so that the distance from the rotator to the dielectric strip varies as the rotator rotates. As the rotator rotates, the phase constant of the dielectric line progressively changes in the direction of electromagnetic propagation. The rotation of the rotator causes a change in feed phase with respect to the slots as the rotator rotates, thereby performing beam scanning.

Abstract: An adjustable delay line phase shifter is configured as a microstrip transmission line having a M×N matrix of conductive elements mounted on a insulating substrate. The squares are connected together using conductive members, such as gold ribbon or wire bonds, in a pattern that produces a desired amount of phase shift.

Abstract: A device for conditioning a signal includes a hybrid phase shifter and power divider. The power divider circuit includes a transmission line with an input port and two asymmetrical output ports, a first ground plane, a second ground plane, and a first dielectric region. The variable phase shifter includes the transmission line and a dielectric slab disposed to be variably positioned in the first dielectric region. The position of the dielectric slab in relation to the power divider circuit determines the amount of phase shift in the signal. With the above configuration, the invention requires much less space and reduces the number of parts and cable interconnects.

Abstract: Suspended single crystal silicon (SCS) beams coated with metal form transmission lines that are used in MEMs type microactuated phase shifters and switches. The characteristic impedance of any section of the transmission lines is a function of the beam spacing in that section. Microactuators, such as comb-drive actuators, are connected to the beams to vary this spacing in a controllable manner. A continuos phase shifter is formed that consists of two tunable capacitance sections connected by a matching section that reduces reflections and improves compliance of the beams to reduce the energy required to move the beams.

Abstract: A phase shifter includes a first rat-race ring having four ports, an input coupled to a first one of the ports, an output coupled to a second one of the ports, a first resonant circuit coupled to a third one of the ports, and a second resonant circuit coupled to a fourth one of the ports, each of the first and second resonant circuits including a tunable dielectric varactor. The first rat race ring can be connected to another phase shifting stage including a second rat race ring or a digital switched line phase shifter.

Abstract: A directional coupler for microwave cavities is used to guide microwave signal power in both directions. The directional coupler contains a first carrier and a second carrier overlapped with each other, a metal line (such as a micro strip line) between the first and second carriers, a signal connector between both ends of the micro strip line, and a metal shell. The first and second carriers and the micro strip line are made using the print board technology. A copper foil is formed on the circuit board surface of the first carrier to form metal lines (such as micro strip lines). The circuit board surfaces of the first and second carriers are coated with a metal shell by electroplating means. A microwave cavity directional coupler with a simple structure and manufacturing process is thus achieved.

Abstract: A phase shifter according to this invention includes a circuit board having a semi-insulating layer. An active layer is formed in a transmission line forming portion on one surface side of the semi-insulating layer, a first ground conductive layer is formed on the other surface side, a transmission line is formed on the upper side of the active layer, and a second ground conductive layer is formed on the transmission line forming surface of the semi-insulating layer in close proximity to one side of the transmission line. If a bias voltage of negative polarity is applied to the transmission line, reverse bias is applied to the active layer to form a depletion layer and capacitance is equivalently connected to the transmission line having inductance. A phase shift amount can be freely controlled by changing the value of the capacitance according to the bias voltage.

Abstract: A tunable ferroelectric component and a narrowband resonant circuit for measuring the loss of the ferroelectric component. The ferroelectric component may be a capacitor integrated in the resonant circuit. The testing method eliminates other sources of loss to isolate the loss due to the ferroelectric material and to demonstrate that this loss is low.

Abstract: A phase shifter, such as for use in phased antenna arrays, comprising thin film BST capacitors periodically loading a transmission line. The BST thin films can be deposited using RF sputtering on a variety of substrates, and the capacitors can be of a parallel plate configuration or of an interdigitated configuration. An aspect of the invention additionally provides for the use of periodically distributed lumped-element inductors comprising the transmission line. A further aspect provides for programmatic determination of circuit design and configuration parameters based on the input of desired characteristics and materials for the phase shifter.

Abstract: An electrical connecting element is disclosed comprised of a dielectric substrate having two conductor paths disposed on opposite sides and being substantially aligned with one another. The electrical connecting element employs differential-mode signaling such that the first conductor path carries a signal of opposite polarity to the second conductor path. A virtual ground exists between the differential + and − lines that permits an otherwise “groundless” differential transmission line. The substantial alignment of the first and second conductor paths improves the space constraints, relative to conventional electrical connecting elements. The characteristic impedance of the disclosed differential transmission line depends on the width of the trace lines the thickness of the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: A multi-layer substrate comprises a first dielectric layer, a coplanar waveguide line formed on a first surface of the first dielectric layer, the coplanar waveguide line including a signal conductor and a pair of ground conductor layers positioned at opposite sides of the signal conductor, separately from the signal conductor, and a second dielectric layer formed to cover the coplanar waveguide line and the first dielectric layer and having an opening positioned at least on the signal conductor of the coplanar waveguide line. A thickness of the first dielectric layer is smaller than the value of c/{4f·(∈1−1)½}, where c is velocity of light, f is a frequency of a signal propagating in the signal line, and ∈1 is a dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: An ultra wideband, frequency dependent attenuator apparatus for providing a loss which can be matched with a physically longer, given delay line, but yet which provides a much shorter time delay than the physically longer, given delay line with constant group delay. The apparatus is formed by an ordinary microstrip transmission line placed in series with an engineered lossy microstrip transmission line, with both transmission lines being placed on a substrate to effectively form a hybrid microstrip transmission line. The lossy transmission line includes resistive material placed along the opposing longitudinal edges thereof. In one embodiment, spaced apart metal tracks are formed along each strip of resistive material to provide the lossy microstrip transmission line with a desired loss characteristic.

Abstract: A delay circuit for the secondary path of a feed-forward high power amplifier is disclosed. A first 3 dB quadrature hybrid coupler is coupled to first and second resonator circuits that are resonant at a first resonant frequency. The output of the first hybrid coupler is coupled to the input of a second 3 dB quadrature hybrid coupler. The second hybrid coupler is coupled to third and fourth resonator circuits that are resonant at a second resonant frequency that is greater than the first resonant frequency. The overall combined delay response of the first hybrid coupler and the second hybrid coupler appearing at the fourth node of the second hybrid coupler is substantially constant between the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency.

Abstract: A variable phase shifter and a system for the variable phase shifter are provided. The phase shifter includes fixed phase shift elements, active devices for amplifying the outputs of the fixed phase shift elements, a combiner for combining the outputs of the active devices. For controlling the phase of the output signal, a bias controller is provided. The bias controller controls the bias of amplification in the fixed phase shift elements. The active devices may be FET or Bipolar Transistors, and are inductively connected to the ground. The phase shifter can be integrated into a system on chip with a smart antenna front-end system.

Abstract: A phase shifter includes a substrate, a tunable dielectric film having a dielectric constant between 70 to 600, a tuning range of 20 to 60%, and a loss tangent between 0.008 to 0.03 at K and Ka bands positioned on a surface of the substrate, a coplanar waveguide positioned on a surface of the tunable dielectric film opposite the substrate, an input for coupling a radio frequency signal to the coplanar waveguide, an output for receiving the radio frequency signal from the coplanar waveguide, and a connection for applying a control voltage to the tunable dielectric film. A reflective termination coplanar waveguide phase shifter including a substrate, a tunable dielectric film having a dielectric constant between 70 to 600, a tuning range of 20 to 60%, and a loss tangent between 0.008 to 0.