Abstract: The production of low-loss, tunable composite ceramic materials with improved breakdown strengths is disclosed. The composite materials comprise ferroelectric perovskites such as barium strontium titanate or other ferroelectric perovskites combined with other phases such as low-loss silicate materials and/or other low-loss oxides. The composite materials are produced in sheet or tape form by methods such as tape casting. The composite tapes exhibit favorable tunability, low loss and tailorable dielectric properties, and can be used in various microwave devices.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a radio frequency switch capable of using tunable dielectric capacitors as the switching element. The apparatus may further comprise a cross connector connecting a plurality of ports and wherein at least one of the tunable dielectric capacitors may placed between the cross connector at and least one port, thereby enabling impedance variations between the cross connector and the ports. Further, an embodiment of the present invention may provide at least one T connector between the cross connector and at least one of the plurality of ports, wherein at least one tunable dielectric capacitor may be associated with the T connector to vary the impedance in at least one node of the T connector.

Abstract: Electronic filters include an input, an output and a plurality of resonators series coupled between the input and the output. Each of the resonators is coupled to a tunable capacitance. In addition, a coupling means is provided between non-adjacent ones of the resonators. The resonators can include microstrip resonators, stripline resonators, resonant cavities, or other types of resonators. The tunable capacitance can be provided by tunable dielectric varactors or microelectromechanical variable capacitors. Another tunable capacitor can be included in the coupling means to provide a tunable notch response.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an RFID tag reading system, comprising an antenna system associated with a portal through which said RFID tag may pass, said antenna system comprising: a plurality of non-uniformly spaced antenna elements arranged substantially linearly; a power divider for dividing transmit power thereby coupling signals to said plurality of antenna elements; and a beamforming network capable of phase shifting the signals between the power divider and the plurality of antenna elements such that radiated signals from each antenna element add coherently such that the radiated electromagnetic energy is focused at a focal point in the near field region or in the Fresnel region of said antenna system.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of tracking a target, comprising at least one near-field focused antenna comprising an array of elements and a phase shifter to form multiple fixed beams in the near-field, a sensor capable of sensing the location of the target, and a controller capable of accepting position information and capable of activating the proper fixed beam along a course so as to enable the near-field focused beams to track the target. The array of elements may be substantially linear and the sensor may be optical, mechanical, thermal, or sonic position detection subsystems.

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: An embodiment of the present invention provides an amplifier system, comprising at least one variable impedance matching network, the output of which provides the input to at least one amplifier stage or provides an output of the power amplifier itself, and a bias network associated with the at least one amplifier stage. The amplifier system may further comprise a controller enabling impedance control to the at least one variable impedance matching network and a supply voltage provided to the at least one variable impedance network and/or the at least one amplifier stage and wherein the at least one variable impedance network and the at least one amplifier stage may be a plurality of impedance networks connected to a plurality of amplifier stages. The at least one variable impedance network may include at least one variable capacitor and the at least one variable capacitor may be a voltage tunable dielectric capacitor which may include Parascan® voltage tunable dielectric material.

Abstract: This invention provides a voltage tunable filter comprising an input connection point, an output connection point, and at least one circuit branch electrically coupled to the input connection point and the output connection point and including a voltage tunable dielectric varactor electrically connected to an inductor. The voltage tunable filter can be one of a low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, or band-stop filter. The varactor can include built-in DC blocking capacitors.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter, comprising: a base dielectric layer; a tunable dielectric layer overlaying at least a portion of the base dielectric layer; and at least two conductors overlaying at least a portion of the tunable dielectric layer, the at least two conductors positioned so as to form a slot-line topology. In an embodiment of the present invention the slot-line may be between 2 ?m and 5 ?m wide and the tunable dielectric layer may be between 0.3 ?m to 1.5 ?m thick. Further, the slot-line topology may be a uniform slot-line topology throughout the length of the at least two conductors and the slot-line topology may have an edge ratio defined by r=Llow/(Llow+Lhigh). The edge ratio may be optimized for minimizing metal loss and minimizing dielectric loss for a given phase shifter length. In an embodiment of the present invention the value of r may be between 0.1 and 0.2.

Abstract: A stacked antenna, comprising a lower path which may include a coplanar microstrip capable of feeding and stacked antenna and an upper patch which may include at least one slot-like part thereon, wherein the at least one lower patch may be coupled to the upper patch. The lower patch may further include at least one strip-like part formed by at least one hole in the lower patch and the coupling may be accomplished between the lower patch and the upper patch by the at least one strip-like part of the lower patch at least partially crossing over or partially crossing.

Abstract: A smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end. More specifically, this is provided for by a smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end that comprises at least one tunable antenna; at least one antenna null steering facility associated with said at least on tunable antenna; at least one tunable duplexer receiving the output from and providing input to said at least one antenna null steering facility; a first tunable RF filter receiving the output from said at least one tunable duplexer and providing the input to an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter providing the input to a digital signal processor, the output of which is input for a digital to analog converter; a second tunable RF filter receiving the analog output of said digital to analog converter and providing an input to said at least one tunable duplexer.

Abstract: A stacked antenna comprising a first patch including at least one slot-like part thereon, a second patch including at least one strip-like part thereon; and wherein the at least one slot-like part of the first patch at least partially crosses over or partially crosses under the at least one strip-like part of the second patch thereby forming a coupling region. The at least one slot-like part may be formed by at least one notch in the first patch and the at least one strip-like part may be formed by at least one hole in the second patch.

Abstract: The production of low-loss, tunable composite ceramic materials with improved breakdown strengths is disclosed. The composite materials comprise ferroelectric perovskites such as barium strontium titanate or other ferroelectric perovskites combined with other phases such as low-loss silicate materials and/or other low-loss oxides. The composite materials are produced in sheet or tape form by methods such as tape casting. The composite tapes exhibit favorable tunability, low loss and tailorable dielectric properties, and can be used in various microwave devices.

Abstract: A tunable dielectric chip, and method of manufacture therefore, that comprises a dielectric substrate, the dielectric substrate patterned to a critical dimension, a metallized portion integral to the dielectric substrate, and an encapsulant covering an any portion of the dielectric substrate not covered by the metallized portion. A thin titanium layer can be deposited in between the metallized portion and the dielectric substrate to promote adhesion. The dielectric substrate can be a dielectric thick film. The thickness of the titanium can vary from 200A to 500A and the metallized portion integral to the dielectric substrate in a preferred embodiment is gold and varies in thickness from 3 um to several microns depending on the application. Further, in the present preferred embodiment, the encapsulant is a photo-definable encapsulant. The present invention also provides solder pads integral to the metallized portion enabling maximan protection from moisture and other contaminants.

Abstract: A tunable filter which may include at least one resonator. The at least one resonator may comprise a ring resonator made on a dielectric substrate placed in a waveguide, wherein the waveguide may contain a cut-off portion which houses and shields at least one resonator containing at least one tunable capacitor therein. A DC Bias circuit may be connected to the at least one resonator and may be capable of providing DC bias to the at least one tunable capacitor.

Abstract: A stacked antenna, comprising an upper patch including at least one strip-like part formed from a hole in the upper patch and at least one slot-like part formed from at least one notch in the upper patch; a lower patch including at least one strip-like part formed from a hole in the lower patch and at least one slot-like part formed from at least one notch in the lower patch; and wherein the at least one strip-like part of the upper patch is at least partially crossing over the at least one notch in the lower patch. In and embodiment of the present invention, the a portion of the at least one strip-like part of the lower patch is at least partially crossing under a hole in the upper patch and may further comprise at least one microstrip feed capable of connecting a ground plane with the lower patch.

Abstract: A multi-beam antenna system is described herein that can be used in microwave frequency applications between 1 GHz and 100 GHz. The multi-beam antenna system covers four 90° sectors for full 360° coverage. Each 90° sector is covered with at least 1 narrow steerable transmit (TX) and 1 narrow steerable receive (RX) beam. The beams are steered in the azimuth dimension.

Abstract: An electronically steerable passive array antenna and method for using the array antenna to steer the radiation beams and nulls of a radio signal are described herein. The array antenna includes a radiating antenna element capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals and one or more parasitic antenna elements that are incapable of transmitting or receiving radio signals. Each parasitic antenna element is located on a circumference of a predetermined circle around the radiating antenna element. A voltage-tunable capacitor is connected to each parasitic antenna element. A controller is used to apply a predetermined DC voltage to each one of the voltage-tunable capacitors in order to change the capacitance of each voltage-tunable capacitor and thus enable one to control the directions of the maximum radiation beams and the minimum radiation beams (nulls) of a radio signal emitted from the array antenna.

Abstract: A tunable phase shifter includes a waveguide, a finline substrate positioned within the waveguide, a tunable dielectric layer positioned on the finline substrate, a first conductor positioned on the tunable dielectric layer, and a second conductor positioned on the tunable dielectric layer, with the first and second conductors being separated to form a gap. By controlling a voltage applied to the tunable dielectric material, the phase of a signal passing through the waveguide can be controlled.

Abstract: A synthesizer incorporating voltage tunable capacitors, comprising at least one resonator coupled into a base circuit of a bipolar transistor, the at least one resonator including at least one voltage tunable capacitor; the bipolar transistor including a collector which terminates in a radial micro strip stub and an emitter which produces an output via an impedance matching circuit, a buffer amplifier and an RF filter; a frequency divider, programmable phase locked loop and loop filter receiving the output of the RF filter and providing the input to a controller; an integral switch mode power supply providing power to the base circuit via a first power supply filter, and the controller via a second power supply filter. The controller scales the user-selected control voltage range to the levels required by the voltage tunable capacitors associated with the at least one resonator.