Abstract: A cover assembly may be mounted on a substrate. The cover assembly may have an interior surface spaced from the substrate and may bound a hollow chamber over a circuit assembly. The hollow chamber may be filled with a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid. The cover assembly may also have an edge extending along the substrate around the circuit assembly and may include a dielectric cover, an electromagnetic shield, a conductive assembly, a resistive layer, and an aperture with a gas-permeable membrane. The electromagnetic shield. The dielectric cover may substantially enclose the hollow chamber bounded by the cover assembly. The electromagnetic shield may be attached to the dielectric cover and also substantially enclose the hollow chamber. The conductive assembly may extend along and may be electrically isolated from the electromagnetic shield. The conductive assembly may be conductively coupled to the circuit assembly.

Abstract: A multiplexer circuit may include a first-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line extending between a junction between a common terminal and a second-frequency terminal, and a first-frequency low-impedance circuit electrically directly connecting the first transmission line to a circuit ground. In some examples, a second-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line may extend between the first transmission line and a third-frequency terminal. A second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically directly connect the second transmission line to the circuit ground. The first and second transmission lines and the first and second low-impedance circuits may provide a third-frequency transmission line. A further second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the first transmission line. A third-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the circuit ground.

Abstract: A circuit structure may be formed in a substrate having a face and an open trench, where one or more chips are to be mounted. At least one bridge may extend across an intermediate portion of the trench, and optionally, may divide the trench into sections. A conductive adhesive layer may be applied to the substrate face and, if included, the bridge. One or more circuit chips may be mounted on the adhesive layer, with at least one edge of one circuit chip adjacent to the trench. Alternatively or additionally, an adhesive layer may be applied to a base of a chip and then mounted to the substrate face, in like fashion. The trench may accommodate excess adhesive flowing out from under the one or more chips, while the bridge retains the adhesive across the width of the trench. If the adhesive is conductive, this provides continuity of the conductive layer on the face of the substrate across the trench.

Abstract: A multiplexer circuit may include a first-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line extending between a junction between a common terminal and a second-frequency terminal, and a first-frequency low-impedance circuit electrically directly connecting the first transmission line to a circuit ground. In some examples, a second-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line may extend between the first transmission line and a third-frequency terminal. A second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically directly connect the second transmission line to the circuit ground. The first and second transmission lines and the first and second low-impedance circuits may provide a third-frequency transmission line. A further second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the first transmission line. A third-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the circuit ground.

Abstract: Coaxial-to-microstrip transitions may include a microstrip line and coaxial-line assembly. The microstrip line includes a first dielectric having an aperture, a conductive strip disposed on one primary face of the first dielectric, and a ground plane disposed on the opposite primary face of the first dielectric. The coaxial-line assembly includes an outer conductor and an inner conductor. In some examples, the ground plane extends between the outer conductor and the inner conductor on a first side of the coaxial-line assembly proximate the conductive strip and an aperture cross section extends beyond the outer conductor on a second side of the coaxial-line assembly distal the conductive strip. In some examples, the ground plane has a non-circular aperture. In some examples, the outer conductor encloses an area that is less than an area of the aperture. In some examples, the enclosed area has a width that is less than a corresponding width of the first aperture.

Abstract: A distributed amplifier may include an input transmission line for receiving on an input end an input signal, and an output transmission line for outputting on an output end an output signal. A plurality of amplifier stages may be coupled between intermediate positions on the input and output lines. Feedback impedance may negatively feed back a signal on the output end of the output line to a second end of the input line spaced from the first end of the input line.

Abstract: An attenuator circuit for attenuating a signal transmitted from an input circuit to an output circuit may include a ground conductor and a series impedance element providing a series resistance for coupling the input circuit to the output circuit. In some examples, a first shunt impedance element may provide a primarily capacitive reactance and couple the series impedance element to the ground conductor. In these or other examples, a second shunt impedance element may provide a primarily inductive reactance and couple the series impedance element to the ground conductor. The second shunt impedance element may be electrically separate from and may extend electrically in parallel with the first shunt impedance element.

Abstract: An example of a circuit structure may include a first dielectric layer having first and second surfaces, and a channel extending at least partially between the first and second surfaces and along a length of the first dielectric layer. First and second conductive layers may be disposed on respective portions of the first and second surfaces. A first conductor, having an end, may be disposed on a surface of the first dielectric layer, including at least a first portion extending around at least a portion of the conductor end. The second conductive layer may line the channel extending around a portion of the conductor end. Some examples may include a stripline having a second conductor connected to the first conductor. Some examples may include a cover having a wall positioned on the first dielectric over the second conductor.

Abstract: A circuit structure may be formed in a substrate having a face and an open trench, where one or more chips are to be mounted. At least one bridge may extend across an intermediate portion of the trench, and optionally, may divide the trench into sections. A conductive adhesive layer may be applied to the substrate face and, if included, the bridge. One or more circuit chips may be mounted on the adhesive layer, with at least one edge of one circuit chip adjacent to the trench. Alternatively or additionally, an adhesive layer may be applied to a base of a chip and then mounted to the substrate face, in like fashion. The trench may accommodate excess adhesive flowing out from under the one or more chips, while the bridge retains the adhesive across the width of the trench. If the adhesive is conductive, this provides continuity of the conductive layer on the face of the substrate across the trench.

Abstract: A circuit structure may be formed in a substrate having a face and an open trench, where one or more chips are to be mounted. At least one bridge may extend across an intermediate portion of the trench, and optionally, may divide the trench into sections. A conductive adhesive layer may be applied to the substrate face and, if included, the bridge. One or more circuit chips may be mounted on the adhesive layer, with at least one edge of one circuit chip adjacent to the trench. Alternatively or additionally, an adhesive layer may be applied to a base of a chip and then mounted to the substrate face, in like fashion. The trench may accommodate excess adhesive flowing out from under the one or more chips, while the bridge retains the adhesive across the width of the trench. If the adhesive is conductive, this provides continuity of the conductive layer on the face of the substrate across the trench.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coupling a conductor-based transmission line, such as a strip transmission line, to a waveguide. The transmission line may be separated from a corresponding conducting ground plane by a first dielectric substrate layer. The ground plane may be adhesively coupled to a portion of the waveguide, and may be offset from the interior of the waveguide, so that adhesive squeezed out between the ground plane and the waveguide may be at least partially shielded from the waveguide, and thus does not significantly perturb electromagnetic signals within the waveguide.

Abstract: An electromagnetic shield assembly mounted on a substrate. The electromagnetic shield assembly may have an interior surface spaced from the substrate and may bound a hollow chamber over a circuit assembly. The hollow chamber may be filled with a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid. The electromagnetic shield assembly may also have an edge extending along the substrate around the circuit assembly and may include an electromagnetic shield and a conductive assembly. The electromagnetic shield may substantially enclose the hollow chamber bounded by the electromagnetic shield assembly. The conductive assembly may extend along and may be electrically isolated from the electromagnetic shield. The conductive assembly may be conductively coupled to the circuit assembly.

Abstract: A circuit structure may include first and second transmission lines, each with a center conductor extending along or between one or more spaced-apart conducting surfaces. A conducting surface, such as a ground, reference, or signal-return plane, of the first transmission line may have an orientation that is transverse to the orientation of a conducting surface of the second transmission line. Each of the conducting surfaces of the first transmission line may contact one or more of the conducting surfaces of the second transmission line. In some examples, one or both of the transmission lines are slablines, and in some examples, the contacting edges or edges adjacent the contacting edges of the respective conductive surfaces are curved.

Abstract: A coupler may include four ports, and first and second sets of conductive strips. Each set of conductive strips may include a plurality of interconnected conductive strips connected between two ports. Each conductive strip of the first set may be electromagnetically coupled to a conductive strip of the second set. Conductive tabs capacitively coupled directly or indirectly to the ground conductor may extend from conductive strips of the first and second sets. An interconnection may be positioned between adjacent tabs, the interconnection connecting conductive strips of one of the sets of conductive strips. The adjacent tabs may be spaced different distances from the interconnection.

Abstract: An electronic circuit can be produced by placing an electrically conductive compressible circuit bump on a circuit electrode of a mounting surface of first and second circuit devices, such as an integrated circuit and a base substrate. One or more auxiliary bumps can also be placed on one or both of the mounting surfaces of the circuit devices. During mounting, the first circuit device can be positioned over the second circuit device with the circuit bumps connecting circuit contacts on the two mounting surfaces. Pressure can be applied so that the circuit bumps and the auxiliary bumps are compressed between the chip and the base device sufficiently for adhering at least the circuit bumps to the circuit contacts.

Abstract: A wireless communication system that provides energy efficient, high bandwidth and low cost wireless communication. In one embodiment, the communication system utilizes a fan out, pencil beam arrangement in which electro-magnetic energy is transmitted from a hub to customer premises equipment (CPE) with a fan or similar antenna and from the CPEs to the hub via pencil beam antennas. The pencil beam antennas provided higher link margin. The hub may include a shared aperture antenna device for receiving pencil beam transmissions from the CPEs. A shared aperture antenna device may also be used for transmission from the hub to the CPEs.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for the placement and bonding of a die on a substrate includes a movable die holder, a movable substrate holder, a pivoting transfer arm that picks a die from the movable die holder and transfers the die to a position adjacent the movable substrate holder, and a bondhead assembly for picking the die from the transfer arm and then bonding the die to the substrate.

Abstract: A via termination for a microstrip transmission line formed on a substrate includes a termination resistor that connects an end of the signal conductor to a backside ground plane through a via. Two open-circuit stubs are also formed on the first face of the substrate, one stub on each side of the termination resistor. A compensation resistor on the first face of the substrate connects the end of the signal conductor to each open-circuit stub. The load resistor is equal to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line and the compensation resistors are each equal to twice the characteristic impedance. The combined termination ideally exhibits a real impedance equal to the characteristic impedance over a wide frequency range.