EP1064691B1 - Integrated waveguide component - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an integrated waveguide component with those in the preamble of the claim 1 mentioned features.

State of the art

Integrated waveguide components of the generic type Kind are known. These are, for example, in flat microwave antennas for transmission and / or for Receiving signals used. Such microwave antennas need to achieve a flawless Signal transmission, and in particular to achieve a good selectivity between different Signals, regarding two degrees of freedom to one can be aligned with the partner communicating with them his. Such a remote station can be, for example be geostationary satellite. The two degrees of freedom are usually called "Elevation" and as "Azimuth" denotes, the elevation being an angle ϑ corresponds to that between a so-called Main lobe direction of a main antenna plane lies, and the azimuth ϕ the rotation of the entire arrangement characterized around a vertical axis. Depending on the location one descriptive coordinate system can however also other angle designations can be selected. The known microwave antennas are not able other than perpendicular to its base To receive microwave signals, which is why an additional mechanical alignment is indispensable.

Advantages of the invention

The integrated waveguide component with the in the claim Features mentioned 1 has the advantage of a simple and inexpensive way to implement an adjustable phase shifter / delay element on. The fact that the at least one microwave conductor at least one break point each of the interruption points has a mechanical relocatable microwave section assigned is that bridging the point of interruption Active lengths according to a desired one Phase shift between the input signal and the output signal is adjustable is advantageous possible, in a simple way, namely by a targeted mechanical rearrangement and subsequent Fixation of the displaceable microwave conductor section, to set a desired phase shift. Corresponding to the constructively specifiable The maximum possible rearrangement can be phase shifts set in relatively large areas.

EP-A1-0743695 discloses (see FIGS. 1 and 2 and the description: column 2, line 1 to line 46):
an integrated waveguide component according to the preamble of claim 1.

A similar waveguide component is known from the publication JP 10 004 305, the microwave conductor (16: signal input) being galvanically connected to a microwave conductor section (4). Although there is an adjustable galvanic connection here, it is not used for phase adjustment. Rather, the two coupler sections (6 ₁ and 6 ₂ ) connected to the microwave guide section (4) are provided for the electromagnetic coupling with the stator guide (3), which can be adjusted in terms of amount and phase (see the dimensioning).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, that the microwave guide has at least two planar contact tracks arranged above a ground plane has a substantially U-shaped Is assigned to the conductor section in the longitudinal direction of the at least two contact tracks is movable. This makes it particularly easy through a pull-out detour line (trombone principle) a phase shift using planar Reach microwave guides.

Because not quickly adjustable for all applications electronic phase shifters or delay elements are needed, offers the invention Device a simple and inexpensive Possibility to implement an adjustable phase shifter (or term term) in planar microwave line technology.

In leaky wave antennas, especially Rampart line antennas, can the integrated waveguide component preferred for adjustment or change the main beam direction.

Further preferred applications of the invention are mechanically adjustable planar phase shifters for example planar microwave antennas for any Types or directions of polarization. So are adjustable by several adjustable phase shifters advantageously microwave antennas with adjustable Directional pattern realizable.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the microwave component Is resonator. This is a simple Created resonator with adjustable resonance length.

It is further preferred that the microwave component a filter, especially a superconducting filter is. By variable adjustment of the effective length of the microwave guide can be easily change the filter properties of the filter respectively to adjust.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the rest, in the subclaims mentioned features.

drawings

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung zweier auf ein Substrat aufgebrachte Leiter;

Figur 2a

eine schematische Darstellung einer verschiebbaren Struktur;

Figur 2b

eine schematische Darstellung einer verschiebbaren Struktur in einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform;

Figur 2c

eine schematische Darstellung einer verschiebbaren Struktur in einer weiteren Ausführungsform;

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer Ausführungsform in Mikrostreifenleitertechnik;

Figur 4

eine schematische Darstellung einer Ausführungsform in Triplate-Leitungstechnik und

Figur 5

eine schematische Darstellung einer Ausführungsform in Multilayertechnik.

The invention is explained in more detail below in exemplary embodiments with reference to the associated drawings. Show it:

Figure 1

a schematic representation of two conductors applied to a substrate;

Figure 2a

a schematic representation of a displaceable structure;

Figure 2b

a schematic representation of a displaceable structure in a modified embodiment;

Figure 2c

a schematic representation of a displaceable structure in a further embodiment;

Figure 3

a schematic representation of an embodiment in microstrip technology;

Figure 4

is a schematic representation of an embodiment in triplate line technology and

Figure 5

is a schematic representation of an embodiment in multilayer technology.

Description of the embodiments

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a Top view of a conductor structure in planar microwave conductor technology, consisting of two on one Substrate plate 2 applied and parallel to each other horizontal contact tracks 12 and 14. The contact tracks 12 and 14 are not connected to each other, so that an interruption point 9 is formed between them is. Instead of a substrate plate 2, the Contact tracks 12 and 14 also on a superstrate plate or applied on a substrate film his. The contact tracks 12 and 14 are, for example by screen printing or the like so on the surface the substrate plate 2 applied that a galvanic contact is made possible. The contact tracks 12 and / or 14 are via a not shown Source can be supplied with an input signal, being on the other contact path Output signal can be tapped. A connection between the contact tracks 12 and 14 are shown below described in more detail. The contact track 12 has an input or output 11 and Contact path an entrance or exit 13.

Figures 2a to 2c show different top views Embodiments of a substrate plate 4 with a planar, essentially U-shaped conductor track, in the following also as a U-shaped Conductor section designated. Figure 2a shows a conductor track with pronounced edges of the legs of the U-shaped conductor section 16. The edges of the Conductor of the U-shaped conductor section 18 accordingly Figure 2b are through a 45 ° cut flattened. Figure 2c shows an alternative form a U-shaped conductor track or a U-shaped one Conductor section 20 with a semicircular Structure.

The two flat and preferably in their base substrate plates 2 and 4 of approximately the same size lie flat on top of one another in the intended state and form an integrated waveguide component 15 (Figure 3). By moving the substrate plates 2 and 4 in the longitudinal direction of the Contact paths 12 and 14 against each other is the setting an effective length of a microwave conductor possible. The substrate plate 2 forms one Ground plane and the substrate plate 4 an adjustment plane of the wave conductor component 15. The composite Contact tracks 12 and 14 and the U-shaped Conductor section 16, 18 or 20 form the total length of the microwave conductor. Similar to one, for example Trumpet becomes a variable length of a detour by pulling out or pushing together, the means by moving the conductor section 16, 18 or 20 in the longitudinal direction of the contact tracks 12 and 14, extended or shortened. This is a mechanical setting option a total length of one from the contact tracks 12 and 14 and one of the conductor sections 16, 18 or 20 existing microwave conductors possible. According to the total length set there is a Phase shift or a runtime setting one or more microwave signals between the inputs and outputs 11 and 13 of the waveguide component 15 possible.

The planar microwave guides can be used as Microstrip line, triplate line, strip line, Suspended substrate line, slot line, coplanar line or carried out in a coplanar stripline his.

The two, from the contact tracks 12 and 14 and one U-shaped conductor section 16, 18 or 20 formed Line structures can be galvanic, for example Have connection, the line structures both substrate plates 2 and 4 respectively Superstrate plates or foils an electrical one Have contact. Optionally, are also possible inductive and / or capacitive couplings, the Line structures of both substrate plates 2 and 4 respectively Superstrate sheets or foils only close to each other and through a dielectric and / or the substrate plate 4 separated from one another are.

The basic principle can be with the following Describe relationships:

In microwave technology, a phase shift (or a transit time) of a signal can be described in the general form x (t) = Re {X · e jωt }, by means of a line piece which has a length of zero to a few wavelengths. If there is _a time-harmonic signal described by the complex pointer X at the input of a (ideally lossless) microwave line of a length l, then the equation for the complex pointer of the output signal X _{out is} corresponding X out = X on · Exp (-j · 2π · l / λ G ) = X on · Exp (-j · Δϕ); With Δϕ = 2π · l / λ G ,

Here λ _{g is} the guided wavelength of the microwave line at a frequency f of f = ω / (2π).

By changing the length 1 of the line respectively the signal path can thus also Phase shift or the term of the transmitted signals vary.

Figure 3 shows schematic representations of a possible Realization of a waveguide component 15 in a top view (top) and a side view (below), each in the inserted (left) and extended (right) Position of the U-shaped conductor section 16, 18 or 20. The conductor section shown here has the shape according to FIG. 2b. The Contact tracks 12 and 14 and the conductor section 18 are made using microstrip technology. To However, other embodiments are also Use of one of the contact tracks 16 or 20 accordingly Figure 2a or Figure 2c possible.

The flat side view can be seen in the lower side view Structure of the substrate plate 2 with applied thereon planar contact tracks 12 and 14 and the parallel the substrate plate, which is made thinner here 4 with planar U-shaped applied to it Conductor section 18. Furthermore, a galvanic Separation of the contact tracks 12 and 14 from the U-shaped Conductor section 18 due to the between them lying substrate plate 4 of the U-shaped conductor section 18 given. The illustrated embodiment thus refers to an inductive respectively a capacitive coupling of the contact tracks 12 and 14 with the conductor section 18.

In the plan views of Figure 3 are still around an angle of 90 ° upwards (contact track 12) or angled downwards (contact track 14) Sections of the contact tracks 12 and 14 can be seen, whereby the inputs and outputs 11 and 13 can be spaced further apart than in the embodiment according to Figure 1 with only contact tracks lying parallel to one another 12 and 14. In this way, the outer connections on two opposite long sides the substrate plate 2 and thus the waveguide component 15 arranged, which is a higher degree of Miniaturization with a correspondingly finer design Connections or connecting wires allowed.

Figure 4 shows schematic representations of another possible realization of a waveguide component 15 in a top view (top) and one Side view (below), in each case in the inserted (left) and extended (right) position of the U-shaped Conductor section 18. The waveguide component 15 is in a so-called triplate line technology executed. The top views correspond those in Figure 3. Can be seen in the lower Side view of the flat structure of the substrate plate 2 with planar contact tracks 12 applied thereon and 14 and the substrate plate lying parallel thereto 4 with planar U-shaped attached to it Head section 18. Above is another Substrate plate 6, which the top of the Sandwich arrangement in so-called triplate line technology forms. The substrate plate 6 preferably has the same footprint as the substrate plate 2 and is parallel to this. The contact tracks 12 and 14 are here the conductor section 18 directly facing so that - after setting the desired Overall length - a galvanic coupling between the Conductor tracks 12 and 14 and the conductor section 18 is possible.

Figure 5 shows further schematic representations of a possible realization of a waveguide component 15 in a side view, each in the inserted (left) and extended (right) position of the U-shaped conductor section 18. The waveguide component 15 is in a multilayer Line arrangement (so-called multilayer technology) executed. A first follows from below Substrate plate 2 with contact tracks applied thereon 12 and 14 the sliding U-shaped conductor section 18 (or 16 or 20) with associated Substrate plate 4 a further substrate plate 6, to which another substrate plate 2 borders. On this there are again contact tracks 12 and 14, followed by a substrate plate 4 with a U-shaped Conductor section 18. The two substrate plates 4 can either independently movable be or be coupled together so that they only simultaneously and in each case by the same feed path in the longitudinal direction of the contact tracks 12 and 14 can be moved.

The arrangement according to FIG. 5 corresponds to a stack of the waveguide components shown in Figures 3 and 4 15. According to a concrete structure a circuit arrangement that the waveguide components 15, they can be in a matrix be arranged in two or three dimensions.

Claims (13)

1. Integrated waveguide component, having at least one planar microwave conductor to whose input a temporally harmonic input signal can be applied and at whose output an output signal is present which depends on a length of the at least one microwave conductor and is phase-shifted relative to the input signal, the at least one microwave conductor (15) having at least one interrupt point (9), a mechanically displaceable microwave conductor section (16, 18, 20) being provided for each of the interrupt points (9), the microwave conductor being arranged above a substrate plate (2), and the microwave conductor section being arranged above a further substrate plate (4) such that the microwave conductor section can be displaced, by shifting the further substrate plate parallel to the substrate plate, in order to set an active length, bridging the interrupt point (9), of the microwave conductor section in accordance with a desired phase shift between the input signal and the output signal, characterized in that the microwave conductor section is arranged on the side, averted from the microwave conductor, of the further substrate plate such that, in addition to a supporting function for the microwave conductor section, the further substrate plate simultaneously fulfils the function of a dielectric for inductive and/or capacitive coupling of the microwave conductor with the microwave conductor section.
2. Waveguide component according to Claim 1, characterized in that the microwave conductor (15) has at least two planar contact tracks (12, 14) to which there is assigned an essentially U-shaped microwave conductor section (16, 18, 20) that can be shifted in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the at least two contact tracks (12, 14).
3. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate plate is a superstrate plate or a superstrate film.
4. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further substrate plate is a superstrate plate or a superstrate film.
5. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the waveguide component is a resonator.
6. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the waveguide component is a filter.
7. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact tracks (12, 14) and the shiftable U-shaped conductor section (16, 18, 20) are produced from superconductors.
8. Waveguide component according to Claim 7, characterized in that the waveguide component is a superconducting filter.
9. Waveguide component according to Claim 8, characterized in that the superconducting filter is a planar filter.
10. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conducting layers (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) are applied in microstructures to the substrate plates (2, 4).
11. Waveguide component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of ground planes and shiftable adjusting planes are arranged layered one above another.
12. Waveguide component according to Claim 11, characterized in that ground plane and shiftable adjusting plane are fashioned using triplate line technology.
13. Waveguide component according to Claim 11, characterized in that a plurality of ground planes and shiftable adjusting planes are arranged layered one above another using multilayer technology.

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