Abstract: Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture are shown for modifying electromagnetic waves. Through using various wave characteristics such as amplitude to regulate a current source, a current is output that may be used in any number of ways, such as driving an antenna or other load.

Abstract: A laminate multilayer ball-grid-array package is suitable for millimeter-wave circuits. The frequency bandwidth of the package is DC to 40 GHz. The package is made using laminate circuit board materials to match the temperature expansion coefficients of the package to the host PCB. Electrical connection between the package and the host PCB on which the package is mounted is achieved using ball-grid-array technology. The package can be sealed, covered, or encapsulated, and is suitable for high-volume production.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for electromagnetic processing of an input wave involving receiving a modified signal derived from two or more signals that represent the input wave when combined; and alternately regulating the modified signal using a digital signal containing at least one characteristic of said two or more signals. The invention may utilize in-phase and quadrature phase signals, where the magnitude portion of the signals may be used for regulating the modified signal. The modified signal may be created by modulating a characteristic of the I, Q signals, such as their sign, with an RF or other frequency carrier wave.

Abstract: A spatial power divider/combiner that comprises: a housing containing a first channel forming three sides of a rectangular input waveguide and a second channel forming three sides of a rectangular output waveguide; a board coupled to the housing, wherein the underside of the board forms the fourth side of the input and output waveguides; a series of slots etched on the underside of the board located in the input waveguide to divide an input signal; a series of slots etched on the underside of the board located in the output waveguide to recombine the divided signal; and a series of microstrip lines printed on the top side of the board to couple the input waveguide and the output waveguide. Additionally, the divider/combiner can comprise a series of active devices, such as MMIC power amplifier, to provide a spatial power amplifier.

Abstract: At least one silicon wafer is loaded into a closed vessel that contains a first solution that includes ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide and DI water. This acidic solution is removed from the vessel and DI water is introduced into the vessel until wafers are completely immersed. The DI water is then removed from the vessel and a second solution that includes hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid solution and DI water is added to the vessel to fully immerse the wafer. The second solution is then removed from the vessel, and as the second solution is being drained from the vessel, an alcohol solution in a hot and low-pressure nitrogen carrier gas is introduced to the vessel, such that as the level of the liquid within the vessel falls below the height of the wafer within the vessel, the surface of the wafer is dried due to surface tension. The thin coating of alcohol solvent on the wafer ensures that the surface of the wafer is hydrogen terminated, thus hydrophobic.

Abstract: A sharp control voltage switch utilizing a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) and a bypass resistance topology to sharpen the control voltage. Utilizing a total of six FETs allows the switch to operate at a low control voltage without the need to increase device periphery or die size. Feed-forward capacitors connected between the gate and source of an uppermost FET and the gate and drain of a lowermost FET are used to reduce signal distortion and improve the linearity and harmonic noise rejection characteristics of the FETs within the switch and thus lower the harmonics of the switch.

Abstract: A heterojunction P-I-N diode switch comprises a first layer of doped semiconductor material of a first doping type, a second layer of doped semiconductor material of a second doping type and a substrate on which is disposed the first and second layers. An intrinsic layer of semiconductor material is disposed between the first layer and second layer. The semiconductor material composition of at least one of the first layer and second layer is sufficiently different from that of the intrinsic layer so as to form a heterojunction therebetween, creating an energy barrier in which injected carriers from the junction are confined by the barrier, effectively reducing the series resistance within the I region of the P-I-N diode and the insertion loss relative to that of homojunction P-I-N diodes.

Abstract: A power amplifier having a first stage amplifier and a second stage amplifier, each stage of the power amplifier being configured in one of at least two power states based on a desired power output. When the first and second stages are configured in a first state, the power amplifier delivers efficient amplification in a first output power range and, when the first and second stages are configured in a second state, the power amplifier delivers efficient amplification in a second output power range. By configuring each stage in one of at least two states, a high level of power efficiency can be achieved for a broad range of power levels.

Abstract: A method for RF grounding glass mounted antennas to metal automotive frames comprising the steps of (1) providing an RF grounding path on said glass from the antenna mounting location to an edge of said glass located proximate to said metal frame, wherein said path is provided prior to installation of said glass into said metal automotive frame; (2) providing a first RF grounding contact from said antenna to said RF path; and (3) providing a second RF grounding contact of said RF path to said metal frame upon installation of said glass in said metal frame.

Abstract: A low control voltage switch utilizing a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) having a total of six gates to allow the switch to operate at a low control voltage without the need to increase device periphery or die size. Feed-forward capacitors connected between the gate and source of an uppermost FET and the gate and drain of a lowermost FET are used to reduce signal distortion and improve the linearity and harmonic noise rejection characteristics of the FETs within the switch and thus lower the harmonics of the switch.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for determining the shape and location of objects by trilateration based on the output of a plurality of range sensors. The range measurements from a plurality of sensors are correlated with each other to identify one or more potential objects. With respect to each potential object, it is assumed that the object can be one of a finite number of possible predefined shapes. For each potential object, a metric is calculated for each of the predefined shapes using the set of range measurements upon which the potential object is based defining the likelihood that the set of readings correspond to an actual object of that predefined shape. Each potential object is then assumed to have the predefined shape that yielded the lowest metric (i.e., that yielded the metric that indicates the highest likelihood that the object has the corresponding shape). The list of potential objects is then ordered according by their calculated metrics from lowest to highest.

Abstract: A gate biasing circuit including a Schottky barrier diode in series with an ion implanted resistor for use with a baseband MMIC control components such as an MESFET. The diode gate biasing scheme improves the low frequency distortion characteristics of GaAs MESFET control components significantly, allowing microwave power handling and distortion characteristics to be maintained below 100 Hz.