Abstract: A method is for making a structural printed wiring board panel that includes a multilayer printed wiring board having opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) is disclose such that the PCB has enhanced structural integrity. The PCB has opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: A structural printed wiring board panel includes a multilayer printed wiring board having opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: A structural printed wiring board panel includes a multilayer printed wiring board having opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: At least one flexible appliance (120) and related method (300) for orthogonal, non-planar interconnections of at least a first electronic interface (115) disposed on a substrate (110) to an associated second electronic interface (161) positioned beneath the substrate (110). The flexible appliance (120) is comprised of a planar body (121) having at least one electrical connector (122) extending from and orthogonally oriented relative to the planar body (121). In one aspect of the invention, the electrical connector (122) is four electrical connectors (122). There is at least one aperture (112) formed in the substrate (110) for allowing the first electronic interface (115) to be electrically interconnected to the associated second electronic interface (161). The flexible appliance (120) is positioned on the substrate (110) by automated means.

Abstract: A structural printed wiring board panel includes a multilayer printed wiring board having opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: A structural printed wiring board panel includes a multilayer printed wiring board having opposing, outer faces and interlayer interconnects that route RF, power and control signals. Connection areas are formed in or on at least on one face for connecting the interlayer interconnects and any electrical components. A metallic face sheet is secured onto at least one outer face, adding structural rigidity to the multilayer printed wiring board. A metallic face sheet can have apertures positioned to allow access to connection areas. RF components can be carried by a face sheet and operatively connected to connection areas. Antenna elements can be positioned on the same or an opposing face sheet and operatively connected to RF components to form a phased array printed wiring board (PWB) panel.

Abstract: A concentric ‘conductor within a via’ RF interconnect architecture, has an inner via through which at least one RF signal conductor passes. The inner conductive via is coaxially formed within and stably coaxially aligned within an outer conductive via, which serves as a coaxial ground plane that completely surrounds the inner conductive via. The outer conductive via passes through dielectric layers of microstrip or stripline structures on opposite sides of a multi printed circuit laminate.

Abstract: A microwave device includes a circuit board having a microstrip layer, a ground plane, and a dielectric layer therebetween. The circuit board has a shield receiving slot for longitudinally receiving the end of a shield conductor of a coaxial cable. The coaxial cable also has an inner conductor having an end that extends longitudinally outwardly from the end of the shield conductor. The microstrip layer has an inner conductor contact adjacent the shield receiving slot that connects to the end of the inner conductor. The device may include a conductive layer in the shield receiving slot to connect to the ground plane. The shield receiving slot may have a T shape and extend through the circuit board. The device may include a mounting fixture connecting an end of the shield conductor to the circuit board.

Abstract: A concentric ‘conductor within a via’ RF interconnect architecture, has an inner via through which at least one RF signal conductor passes. The inner conductive via is coaxially formed within and stably coaxially aligned within an outer conductive via, which serves as a coaxial ground plane that completely surrounds the inner conductive via. The outer conductive via passes through dielectric layers of microstrip or stripline structures on opposite sides of a multi printed circuit laminate.

Abstract: A microwave device includes a circuit board having a microstrip layer, a ground plane, and a dielectric layer therebetween. The circuit board has a shield receiving slot for longitudinally receiving the end of a shield conductor of a coaxial cable. The coaxial cable also has an inner conductor having an end that extends longitudinally outwardly from the end of the shield conductor. The microstrip layer has an inner conductor contact adjacent the shield receiving slot that connects to the end of the inner conductor. The device may include a conductive layer in the shield receiving slot to connect to the ground plane. The shield receiving slot may have a T shape and extend through the circuit board. The device may include a mounting fixture connecting an end of the shield conductor to the circuit board.

Abstract: An interconnect device for connecting components of high frequency communication systems, including RF and phased array applications. The device is capable of carrying RF and microwave signals between pairs of components and includes an outer conducting tube and an insulated conducting wire disposed within the tube. The outside diameter of the insulated wire is less than the inside diameter of the tube allowing movement of the wire relative to the tube. As a result of this movement, the longitudinal axis of the wire may vary from the longitudinal axis of the tube resulting in a “sloppy coax” interconnect. The ability of the wire to move within the tube facilitates installation and replacement of the wire when required.

Abstract: A multi-beam phased array antenna architecture includes a plurality of antenna modules, stacked together in a side-by-side relationship. Mutually adjacent edges of the modules have antenna elements that form a two-dimensional antenna array as a result of the stacking of the antenna modules. Opposite sides of an antenna module are tray-configured and contain amplifier modules coupled to the antenna elements, and to ‘vertical’ microstrip layers on undersides of double-sided printed wiring boards. Outersides of the double-sided printed wiring boards contain ‘horizontal’ microstrip layers, one for each beam, to which multiple beam-associated phase shift circuit elements for each antenna element on the module are ported. The phase shift circuit elements are also coupled by conductive vias to the first microstrip layers. The second microstrip layers are coupled to connectors along second edges of the modules for engagement with beam signal network modules.

Abstract: A phased array antenna includes an antenna housing including a subarray assembly and a plurality of beam forming network modules positioned on the subarea assembly. An antenna support and interconnect member are mounted on the antenna housing and include a carrier member having a front antenna mounting surface substantially orthogonal to the module support for supporting at least one antenna element. A rear surface has a receiving slot. At least one conductive via is associated with the receiving slot and positioned to extend through the carrier member to a circuit element, such as an antenna element, supported by the mounting surface. A launcher member is fitted into the receiving slot and has a module connecting end that extends rearward to a beam forming network. The launcher member includes conductive signal traces that extend along the launcher member from the conductive via to the module connecting end.

Abstract: A phased array antenna includes an antenna housing having a subarray assembly that supports beam forming network modules and an array face defining a ground plane substantially orthogonal to the subarray assembly. A plurality of millimeter wavelength patch antenna elements are positioned on the array face and each positioned adjacent a respective subarray assembly. The millimeter wavelength patch antenna elements each include a driven antenna element having a front and rear side and a parasitic antenna element positioned forward of the front side of the driven antenna element. A microstrip quadrature-to-circular polarization circuit is positioned rearward of the rear side of the driven antenna element and operatively connected to the driven antenna element. A single millimeter wavelength feed operatively connects the microstrip quadrature-to-circular polarization circuit with a respective adjacent beam forming network module supported on the orthogonal positioned subarray assembly.

Abstract: A multi-tile configured, two-dimensional phased array antenna architecture is configured of an gridwork of sub-array `tiles`, each of which contains a mechanically integrated and RF-integrated antenna elements and RF interface components therefor. Each tile is formed of a multilayer printed wiring board and supports a sub-array of antenna elements and their associated RF circuits, so that the tile itself is effectively an operative phased-array antenna. The gridwork supports the sub-array tiles in sealed engagement with the framework, whereby associated RF networks components at rear sides of the tiles are protected against the free space environment to which the antenna elements on front faces of the tiles are exposed. Each RF interface network contains signal processing circuitry for controlling the operation of a respective one or a set of the antenna elements on the front side of the tile.

Abstract: A stripline cross-over architecture includes a first stripline layer extending on a first side of a dielectric layer between a first signal input port and a plurality of first signal output ports. A second stripline layer extends on a second side of the dielectric layer between a second signal input port and a plurality of second signal output ports, crossing over the first stripline layer at a plurality of cross-overs of mutual overlap therebetween. The electrical lengths of the stripline layers are defined and the cross-overs are located such that electrical distances between the cross-overs and signal combination locations cause cross-coupled signals to cancel one another, when non cross-coupled signals are combined in phase.

Abstract: A distributed ground pad-based isolation arrangement for a multilayer stripline architecture is configured to effectively inhibit the mutual coupling of signals between overlapping regions of adjacent stripline networks of dielectrically separated transmission networks, without substantially increasing either the mass of the laminate structure or the lossiness of the stripline. At regions of mutual overlap, the stripline layers are spatially oriented at right angles to one another, and a limited area ground pad is interleaved between the stripline layers. To maintain the desired characteristic line impedance of a stripline layer as it passes over a ground pad, the width of the stripline layer is reduced in the overlap region. Each ground pad is connected to an external ground reference by plated vias, that extend through the dielectric layers and intersect outer grounded shielding layers of the laminate.

Abstract: A stripline isolation cross-over is configured to cancel signals that may be mutually coupled at cross-over points between adjacent stripline networks within a compact multilayer signal distribution architecture, such as one feeding elements of phased array antennas, without a shielding layer between adjacent signal distribution networks. The signal distribution networks includes layers of stripline, patterned on opposite sides of a dielectric layer. Wherever the stripline layers mutually overlap, they are oriented at right angles to one another, and one of the striplines is configured as a pair of power dividers, connected back-to-back via stripline interconnect passing the other stripline layer, to form a signal splitting-recombining stripline pair.

Abstract: A modular antenna architecture includes a plurality of joined-together flat, laminate-configured antenna sub-panels, in which RF signal processing (RF amplifier) modules are embedded within a very lightweight, honeycomb-configured support member, upon which respective antenna sub-array and control, power and beam steering signal distribution networks are respectively mounted. The thickness of the honeycomb-configured support member-embedded is sized relative to the lengths of the RF signal processing modules such that input/output ports at opposite ends of the RF modules are substantially coplanar with conductor traces on the front and rear facesheets, so that the RF modules provide the functionality of RF feed-throughs to provide RF signal coupling connections between the rear and front facesheets of the antenna sub-panel.