Millimeter Wave Filter for Wireless Communications Systems
A millimeter wave transmission line filter having a plurality of filter pole determining coupled cavities fabricated with a multiple lithographic layer micro-machining process. The filter cavities are oriented perpendicular to an underlying substrate element in order to achieve micromachining, fabrication and accuracy advantages. Multiple filters can be used in a frequency multiplex arrangement as in a duplexer. Radio frequencies in the 15 to 300 gigahertz range are contemplated.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/696,161, entitled “Millimeter Wave Filter For Wireless Communication Systems,” amended to “A Method of Making a Millimeter Wave Transmission Line Filter,” filed on Jan. 29, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENTThe invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMillimeter wave signal filters can be useful in the wireless communication art, in both the portable telephone and in location transmitting and receiving equipment. These filters can be used, in a single antenna system, to separate signals into incoming and outgoing directional components having slightly different frequencies, i.e., signals in dual filter frequency duplexer relationship. One type of filter is identified as a transitional evanescent mode/comb-line filter, a filter having a plurality of coupled resonators. The transitional evanescent mode/comb-line filter is used to achieve a sharply tuned response and signal separation desired, for example, in the recited communication service.
In some uses, these millimeter wave signal filters are formed by machining one or two pieces of aluminum and then silver plating the machined surfaces. End loading may be tuned through use of adjustable screws. It is believed that these types of filters have not been used as electronically tunable filters due to the lack of an acceptable high-Q tuning element. These machined filters are also generally limited to frequencies at the X-Band (8-12 GHz) and below due to fabrication tolerances achievable in a machining process.
Other filters have been implemented using micromachining processes. These filters are believed to have all been either enclosed stripline filters or loaded cavity resonators.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment of the present invention there is provided an improved millimeter wave radio frequency comb signal filter apparatus.
The present invention can include a multiple poled millimeter wave filter embodied as a frequency multiplexing device.
In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a multiple cavity millimeter wave electrical filter resulting from a lithographic micromachining realization method.
Pursuant to another aspect, there is provided a millimeter wave filter assembled from two major components of diverse but advantageously differing fabrication precision.
In still another aspect, there is provided a multiple cavity millimeter wave filter in which cavity signal propagation is orthogonal with respect to a filter substrate element.
Other aspects include providing a millimeter wave cavity filter having a multiple layered cavity structure, an improved tunable millimeter wave cavity filter arrangement, and a millimeter wave cavity filter amenable to a plurality of different tuning element arrangements.
Pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a millimeter wave multiple poled coaxial electrical wave filter. The method can include the steps of forming a plurality of adjacently disposed, open ended, radially intersecting, millimeter wave sized coaxial cavities in a body of electrically conductive material, fabricating an undivided array of coaxial cavity-tuning-capacitance cavity end closure elements compatible with the open-ended intersecting coaxial cavities, and merging the open-ended intersecting coaxial cavities and the undivided array of coaxial cavity tuning capacitance cavity end closure elements into a closed cavity ends multiple poled millimeter wave comb filter assembly.
Consequently the present invention can provide a filter having a resonator with a primary propagation mode that is normal to a resonator substrate. There is also provided a filter having micromachined resonators and a hybrid variable reactance element. This structure can provide a potentially low cost approach to trimming the filters and a reduced cost path to realizing electronically tunable filters.
The accompanying drawings of this specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In these drawings:
It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the sequence of operations as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes of various illustrated components, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity or illustration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe present fabrication approach includes combining an end loading plate with a coupled coaxial resonator to form a tightly integrated filter. This approach can offer significant advantages over other approaches. For instance, this fabrication approach can simplify device manufacturing by separating the fabrication of the end loading plate from the fabrication of the coaxial resonator. For a fixed frequency filter, this end loading plate can be made simply as a flat metal plate. However, this plate can also be made to provide low cost trimming capabilities in a complete filter. Since trimming is commonly required in narrowband filters, having a low cost mechanism to provide trimming can provide a manufacturing advantage.
Modifying the end loading plate to include microelectromechanical (MEM) variable capacitors is also described and can provide a very low loss approach to achieving high-speed tunable filters. Notably, the loading plate with a coupled coaxial resonator fabrication approach completely separates fabrication of the MEM device from the fabrication of the filter structure to achieve gains in both performance and economy. By using this MEM fabrication for the end loading plate, fabrication of the coupled resonator can be improved, because the final filter structure fabrication is largely an open process. This technique can simplify the final release etch used in the three-dimensional metal micromachining process.
The present invention thus provides a selection filter for radio frequency energy signals in the spectral region known as the millimeter wave band. Signals in this band are generally in the 30 to 300 gigahertz frequency range where the signals have a wavelength of from about 10 millimeters (30 GHz) to 1 millimeter (300 GHz).
While lower frequency filters are known to include resonant cavities, such circuit elements when tailored for use in the millimeter wave band can become impractical. The present invention is therefore believed to provide an answer to a need in the high frequency filtering art that has heretofore remained largely unaddressed.
A millimeter wave single resonator filter can be formed to include a coaxial transmission line fabricated with a three-dimensional metal micromachining process. The transmission line is fabricated with a solid metal core and a surrounding metal ground, as is shown in
The
Another detail of the
The use of a three-dimensional metal micromachining process used for the cavity body in the present invention enables the cavity closed end to be located at either the top or bottom of the transmission line, and if desired, both ends can be shorted in the described manner. From an electrical circuit viewpoint, a shorting metal connection creates a closed circuit between the signal line and the ground. However, if one end is not shorted, a line with one end open and one end shorted is achieved, i.e., an equivalent to a coaxial transmission line that has been shorted at one end to form a transmission line stub has then been accomplished.
Thus, in order to use the
Practical filters can be implemented using transmission line resonators with lines ranging in length from λ4/4 length down to lengths around λ0/20. The metal micromachining processes currently available can produce lines from 0.25 to 1.00 millimeter in length. Based on these values, filters covering frequencies from 15 GHz (λ0=20.0 millimeters) to 300 GHz (λ0=1.0 millimeter) can reasonably be produced using this approach. When the lines are arranged into a filter, varying the end loading capacitance can be used to either trim the filter for optimal performance, or tune the center frequency of the filter.
The present invention includes the implementation and fabrication approach for these filters. The fabrication approach described in this document is applicable to the implementation of fixed and tunable frequency resonators, fixed and tunable frequency filters, and fixed and tunable diplexers. The present invention filter fabrication process can also be used to fabricate passive microwave and millimeter wave components such as transmission lines, couplers, and routing networks. In addition, active devices can be easily integrated using techniques such as flip chip bonding. One advantage achieved with such filters is that an entire system can be fabricated in a single sequence of operations.
The present filter fabrication process can include three steps: (1) fabricate the coupled resonator cavity structure using a three-dimensional metal micromachining process; (2) fabricate the end cap structure which can be made by micro-electromechanical techniques; and (3) bond the coupled resonator structure and the ground structure together to form a filter or diplexer.
Cavity Fabrication
Present invention filters can be made by independently fabricating a coupled resonator component and an end cap component and then coupling, which can include bonding, each together to form the filter. Fabrication of the coupled resonator cavities includes a process that can precisely reproduce the desired two-dimensional configuration of the coupled resonator structure while providing sufficient height, i.e., transmission line length, to realize resonators of the desired frequency characteristic. Processes to achieve this fabrication include the use of a three-dimensional metal micromachining process such as the EFAB® process offered commercially by Microfabrica, Inc. of Van Nuys, Calif. and the Polystrata® process of Nuvotronics, LLC. of Blacksburg, Va.
The Cavity EFAB® Process
The EFAB® process is available from Microfabrica, Inc., and process details are available from the company's website. A set of design rules can be found in the EFAB® Technology Design Guide, version 3.2. The basic process flow for EFAB® processing is shown in
This layer cycle is performed once for each desired process layer. Typically between 12 and 25 layers may be used, with 25 layers of the indicated thickness being shown in the table included in
Cavity End Cap
The fabrication of the end cap may be accomplished in different ways. For a fixed frequency filter, the cap can be as simple as using a flat piece of metal. However, using a known microelectromechanical system (MEMS) process enables the fabrication of variable capacitors which when coupled to the resonator cavity structure enables the center frequency of the resonators and the filter to be tuned. One microelectromechanical process for fabricating the end cap can be found in the “PolyMUMPS Design Handbook, Rev. 11.0” available from MEMSCAP, Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Microelectromechanical systems variable capacitors can be realized using a variety of techniques, and several of the known approaches are suitable for present invention filters. Indeed, different types of capacitors have been considered for the filters in this work. One presently useful approach includes moving an electrically connected suspended plate back and forth adjacent to the end of each resonator to increase or decrease the physical separation therebetween and thus the realized plate-to-central conductor capacitance. This is illustrated in
Present invention filter end cap fabrication can begin on a flat substrate. The substrate materials can be silicon, glass, fused silica, sapphire, or a variety of other materials known in the art. In general, glass or fused silica materials are preferred due to their low cost, wide availability, low microwave losses, and low permittivity. One desired process includes four layers and requires five photolithographic masks. Fabrication commences with the deposition of a thin metal layer (0.3 micrometers) to form bias lines, drive electrodes, and landing electrodes. Next, a resistor layer is added, but is not required. For instance, the present invention capacitors do not use this layer. The resistor layer is followed by a sacrificial layer of polydimethylglutarimide (PMGI). Sacrificial layers of 2-5 micrometers thickness can be used for different devices. A dimple is then etched into the sacrificial layer to a depth of 1 micrometer. A 5-micrometer thick gold layer is deposited and patterned to provide low metal losses and form the mechanical structures. Finally, a wet sacrificial release is performed to free the mechanical devices.
In
A plurality of upstanding annular pillars 520, 522, 524, 526 and 528 by which the cantilever arms 508, 510, 512, etc. connect to a grounded metallic layer 502 covering the substrate 202. An additional group of plate element guides 514, 516 and 518 are shown in
End Cap Coupling
Bonding the end cap to the resonator structure can be accomplished by a variety of techniques. Direct thermal compression bonding and gold-eutectic soldering can be used. Direct thermal compression of gold-gold can be accomplished with two clean surfaces at temperatures around 300-350° C. This approach can be performed with standard pick and place equipment and generates a very low loss electrical connection between the two gold layers. Gold-germanium eutectic solder can also be considered. This requires depositing gold-germanium onto either the filter die or the end cap. The gold-germanium eutectic melts at temperatures below 300° C., so that a low loss bond can be achieved. The solder approach generally results in more uniform adhesion than the direct compression approach, when the surfaces are not perfectly smooth. Minimal electrical resistance is desired in the gold to gold connection in order to avoid radio frequency energy loss and degraded filter characteristics.
All of the resonators of
The following Table 1 shows the filter design dimensions for the recited dimensions of
As illustrated in
In
While the two die appear substantially identical from the top side looking straight down, the reverse sides illustrate a difference between the two die. In
Each of the filters on the filter die 1208 of
To create a diplexer using two filters as a starting point, one of the two ports on a single filter must be modified to enable connection to a second filter. A modified port 1214 of
A present invention filter has a competitive advantage with respect to other configurations of millimeter wave filters because it achieves low insertion loss (<1.0 dB) while also using a fabrication approach easily integrated with monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) as well as with other planar technologies used in low-cost microwave systems. The ability to integrate the filter with MMICs offers advantages in terms of reduced interconnection loss and reduced manufacturing costs.
The present invention filter bodies can be made significantly smaller than known traditional waveguides on the order of approximately one-hundred times smaller. The filter body can be manufactured using a three-dimensional metal micro-machining process while at the same time offering higher quality factors (and thus lower insertion loss) than stripline or microstrip filters. For instance, it has been found that full-band filters provide an insertion loss of approximately 1 dB over the entire band, while the measured loss for narrow band filters can be less than 2.5 dB. This translates to unloaded quality factors in excess of 400. Fabricating the filters from two separate pieces not only provides tuning or trimming elements in the completed filter, but also improves fabrication consistency. Because the filter bodies are fabricated so that the cross section of the filter is normal to the substrate, precise control of resonator couplings can be achieved, which is particularly relevant to millimeter wave filters. Likewise, a wide variety of geometries including circular and elliptical resonator posts and folded filter layouts can be achieved. Consequently, a majority if not all passive devices for a millimeter-wave communications system can be monolithically fabricated according to the present invention.
While the apparatus and method herein described constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus or method and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A millimeter wave transmission line filter comprising:
- a plurality of adjacently located, open-ended, radially intersecting, millimeter wave sized cavities disposed in a body of electrically conductive material; and
- a thinly disposed unitary array of cavity-tuning-capacitive closure elements compatible with the open-ended intersecting cavities at the open end thereof, wherein the body of cavities and the unitary array of cavity-tuning capacitive closure elements include mutually engageable marriage elements.
2. The millimeter wave transmission line filter of claim 1, further comprising:
- a first plurality of the adjacently located, open-ended, radially intersecting, millimeter wave sized cavities and first cavity-tuning-capacitive closure elements disposed into a first electrical wave filter element of first wavelength selection characteristic; and
- a second plurality of the adjacently located, open-ended, radially intersecting, millimeter wave sized coaxial cavities and second coaxial cavity-tuning-capacitive closure elements disposed into a second electrical wave filter element of second differing wavelength selection characteristic; and wherein
- the first and second pluralities comprise a duplex electrical wave filter.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 25, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 11, 2012
Applicant: Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force (Wright-Patterson AFB, OH)
Inventor: J. Robert Reid, JR. (Billercia, MA)
Application Number: 13/531,611