Abstract: A coaxial-to-microstrip vertical transition includes a dielectric substrate having formed on a first surface thereof a primary microstrip conductor trace, and on a second surface a secondary microstrip conductor trace. A first conductive via extends through the dielectric substrate and electrically connects the primary conductor trace to the secondary conductor trace. A second conductive via is spaced from the first conductive via and extends through the dielectric substrate to electrically connect the secondary conductor trace to the coaxial center conductor. A bottom microstrip ground plane layer is defined on the second substrate surface. A conductive base plate structure has a cavity formed therein, the substrate positioned such that the base plate structure is in contact with the bottom ground plane layer, and the secondary conductor trace is positioned over the cavity.

Abstract: An RF connector includes male and female connector components. The male component has a multi-diameter dielectric housing cylinder with a metal center conductor extending through an opening in the housing. The center pin extends from each end of the dielectric housing. The center pin and the dielectric housing are sized appropriately to provide a matched impedance at microwave frequencies for the use environment to which the male component is connected. The female connector component includes a dielectric body having a center cavity formed therein. A compressible wire bundle forming a compressible conductor member is recessed into the cavity. The compressible conductor protrudes from the far end of the female cavity allowing contact to a mating circuitry. The male connector component is assembled with the female component, the male center pin being brought into electrical contact with the compressible conductor member.

Abstract: A connector which provides an interconnect between a pin and a flat conductor. The connector employs two bundles fabricated of densely packed gold plated wire for the electrical connection to the devices. The bundles are both housed in a dielectric sleeve structure and are themselves connected by a solid conductor. A portion of one wire bundle protrudes from one end of the sleeve structure to make electrical contact with a flat conductor in a mating assembly. The second wire bundle is recessed within the sleeve structure adjacent a second end of the sleeve structure. The pin is inserted into the second end in an installation, making electrical contact with the second wire bundle. The outside body of the connector is threaded, allowing an operator to twist the connector into the mating assembly, not requiring tight tolerances to ensure proper contact.

Abstract: An interconnect structure defining an interconnect transmission line for RF signal interconnection between two substrates. The interconnect structure includes an outer shield member forming an electrically conductive outer shield structure. A solid conductor pin is sized to form an inner conductor, the pin having a first pin diameter, and a head region of a second pin diameter greater than the first pin diameter, said head region formed intermediate a first pin end and a second pin end. A first dielectric tube member has an outer diameter sized in relation to an opening dimension of the shield member to fit tightly therein, and an inner tube diameter sized to receive tightly therein a first region of the pin of the first pin diameter, the first tube member having a first tube first end and a first tube second end. A second dielectric tube member has an outer diameter sized to fit tightly in the outer shield, and an inner tube diameter sized to receive tightly therein a second region of the pin.

Abstract: A dielectric antipodal flared notch radiator with separate transmit and receive ports for phased array and active array antennas. A circulator is integrated directly to the broadside coupled-strip transmission line portions of the antipodal flared notch radiator without the use of baluns. The look-in impedance of the radiator element is improved as a result of the circulator and lack of a balun. By sandwiching the antipodal flared notch between two additional layers of dielectric, the device can be made a building block for broadband active array antennas.

Abstract: Coax to microstrip orthogonal launchers that use a compressible fuzz button center conductor as a solderless interconnect. The launcher comprises a coaxial connector having a center conductor that contacts a compressible fuzz button interconnect. In certain embodiments, the fuzz button interconnect directly contacts one end of a microstrip line. In another embodiment, the microstrip line is formed on a curved microstrip circuit board, and the fuzz button interconnect contacts a pin that has a thin metal tab that is adhesively secured to the one end of the microstrip line. In all embodiments, a second coaxial connector has a center conductor that contacts the opposite end of the microstrip conductor line. The present invention eliminates need for precise soldering by using the fuzz button interconnect to create a solderless compression contact between the coaxial connector and the microstrip line.

Abstract: A coaxial IF interconnect structure that is compressible in the z-axis and provides its own environmental seal against moisture and coolant. The structure (50) includes three components, a center conductor (60), dielectric spacer structure (70), and outer conductor shield (80), all fabricated of compressible materials. The center conductor is a compressible metal interconnection element formed by die compressing 1 mil diameter fine wire to a desired shape and density. The coaxial dielectric structure supports the compressible center conductor, and is fabricated from a fluorinated elastomer (FM) known as fluorosilicone. The compressible coaxial outer conductor shield functions as an IF gasket in the form of an round flat washer surrounding the dielectric structure and center conductor.

Abstract: A four-port transmission line device that processes two incoming RF signals of arbitrary phase and amplitude to output two corresponding RF signals of equal phase and amplitude. Two sets each of two quarter-wave transmission line segments are connected in series between corresponding input and output ports. A short circuit interconnect shorts together the junctions of the two series connected line segments. A resistive element is connected across the two input ports, and another resistive element is connected across the two output ports. The short circuit interconnection forces the combination of the two input signals into one resultant signal at the short circuited junction. Out-of-phase components of the resultant signal are absorbed in the resistor across the input ports. The remaining in-phase components are divided into two outputs signals of equal phase and amplitude.

Abstract: An offset RF interconnect structure for interconnecting an active array radiating aperture to a transmit/receive (T/R) module sub-array, wherein the corresponding input/output (I/O) ports lie on different lattices. The interconnect structure employs dielectric-filled slabline transmission line, which includes a center conductor wire conductor bent to form the offset interconnection between two ports misaligned in two dimensions. The structure includes a dielectric housing that is formed by injection molding about the center slabline wire conductor. The offset interconnect structure can be integrated with an in-line coaxial interconnect structure.

Abstract: A microwave frequency three-wire transmission line provides the capability of solderless interconnections between stacked microwave hybrid and printed wiring board (PWB) assemblies. Three wire-like compressible conductors are embedded in a dielectric support member. Each compressible conductor is realized by densely packing thin wire into an opening in the supporting dielectric. The dielectric preferably has a metal shielding surrounding the outer periphery to suppress higher order modes. A vertical right angle bend transition uses the transmission line to interconnect between grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) transmission lines. This orthogonal transition uses button spring contacts, thus creating a reusable solderless vertical interconnection between the two transmission lines.

Abstract: A vertical, right angle transition to a GCPW transmission line using a modified coaxial transmission line. The solderless interconnect provides a transition from a GCPW in a horizontal plane to a vertical plane. The modified coaxial line has a portion of the outer shield removed from the front, and is placed vertically on the center conductor of a GCPW. The coaxial shield connects both ground planes of the GCPW. The transition can be employed to form an interconnect between a stacked assembly of microwave hybrids.

Abstract: A three port microwave circulator in a slot line transmission medium. Two slot lines are formed which extend from two ports of the circulator in a collinear alignment through a coupler region, and are joined at a power combining junction to provide a single transmission line to the third port of the circulator. A ferrite slab overlays the coupler region. The ferrite is saturated with a static magnetic field, applied by a magnet, along a direction of signal propagation. The circulator can be integrated into a flared notch radiator element to provide separate transmit and receive ports.

Abstract: An interconnection apparatus for providing solderless, three dimensional microwave interconnection from a planar suspended substrate stripline network to MIC modules using three wire transmission line input/output ports. The apparatus includes in sequence a coaxial line transition which is coupled to the stripline center conductor, a slabline transition coupled to the coaxial line transition. A center conductor having a constant diameter extends through the coaxial and slabline transition. A short three wire transition couples the slabline transition to the three wire transmission line input/output port, and uses compressible conductors as the wire elements to provide a robust solderless connection to the three wire transmission line port.

Abstract: An RF flexible printed wiring board transmission line for connecting strip transmission line microwave assemblies without the use of coaxial connectors and coaxial cables. The flexible transmission line includes a thin flexible dielectric ribbon, having on one side a ground plane layer and on the other side a microstrip conductor strip. Plated through holes at the ends of the flexible line provide access to both the ground plane and conductor strip on the same side of the flexible line, to facilitate interconnection of the microwave assemblies to the flexible line. The flexible line operates at microwave frequencies with little or no radiation leakage.

Abstract: A coaxial-to-coplanar-waveguide connector that incorporates a slabline section within the coaxial connector interface between a circular-coaxial-transmission-line-to-coplanar-waveguide transmission line. As RF energy enters a circular coaxial input, the slabline section shapes the electromagnetic field distribution to more closely resemble that of coplanar waveguide at the output. The slabline section provides better field matching from the circular coaxial transmission line to the coplanar waveguide transmission line. Angular bends and lateral offsets can readily be incorporated in the connector.

Abstract: Interconnection apparatus providing a right angle H-plane bend in grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) transmission line media. Respective first and second GCPW lines include a dielectric substrate, on which is formed on a bottom surface a bottom conductive ground plane, and on a top surface is formed a center conductor strip sandwiched between first and second top ground plane strips. The two GCPW lines are disposed orthogonally, forming a corner junction at which corresponding bottom and top ground planes, and the center conductor strips, of the lines are electrically connected. The gaps between corresponding top ground plane strips and the center conductor strips have regions of increased gap width at the corner junction to compensate for the capacitance resulting from the junction.

Abstract: A microwave frequency transmission line provides the capability of solderless interconnections between stacked microwave hybrid and printed wiring board (PWB) assemblies. A wire-like transmission line is embedded in a dielectric and placed in an open square trough. A compressible center conductor is realized by densely packing thin wire into an opening in the supporting dielectric to form the compressible center conductor. A vertical right angle bend transition uses the transmission line to interconnect between grounded coplanar waveguide (CPWG) transmission lines. This orthogonal transition uses button spring contacts, thus creating a reusable solderless vertical interconnection between the two transmission lines. This transition can operate from DC to greater than 15 GHz with good match and low loss, and allows a transition from a CPWG transmission line on a first substrate to another CPWG transmission line on a second substrate stacked above the first substrate.

Abstract: An array system with radiating elements and a wideband monopulse power divider network with dual channel input ports and multiple output ports. Each input channel of the network excites a uniquely different RF amplitude and phase distribution out of each of the corresponding "n" output ports. All ports are matched and isolated from each other across a wide instantaneous frequency. Also the RF power distribution will track in amplitude and phase across a wide frequency band. This is achieved through a special arrangement of air-stripline matched power dividers, attenuator, phase shifters, and Magic-Tee couplers. The output ports of the network can be connected directly to the radiating elements or to partitioned feed circuits which are in turn connected to sub-sets of the radiating elements.

Abstract: A microstrip probe that can be inserted into the mouth or radiating portion of a thick flared notch or open ridged waveguide radiator element within an array antenna aperture and coupled to the TEM feed circuit transition of that element. The probe can then be used to extract performance diagnostic data of the circuitry behind the array aperture without removing the aperture itself. The probe bypasses the radiating portion of the array element and the effects of mutual coupling associated with the array. The probe is a printed circuit board whose thickness matches the gap dimension of the flared notch feed circuit transition line at its feed launch point. A coaxial connector at one end provides a connection to a microstrip line formed on the circuit board. The ground plane of the microstrip narrows to transform the microstrip line into a broadside coupled strip transmission line, which runs to the insertion end of the probe. The strips are shorted together at the insertion end.

Abstract: Low frequency radiating elements are embedded in a flared notch array. The flared notch array forms a series of parallel troughs in which absorptive loads are placed to reduce the antenna radar cross section. The low frequency radiating elements are embedded in the array transverse to the troughs at or below the level of the absorptive loads, and excite several troughs. The absorptive load material is absorptive in the operating band of the flared notch array, but appears as a relatively low loss dielectric at the lower frequencies of operation of the low frequency radiating elements. The low frequency radiating elements can perform Identify Friend or Foe functions in the UHF and L-band regions of the spectrum, while the flared notch array operates at X-band.