EP3903376A1 - Agencement de guide d'ondes creux - Google Patents

Agencement de guide d'ondes creux

Info

Publication number
EP3903376A1
EP3903376A1 EP20824942.5A EP20824942A EP3903376A1 EP 3903376 A1 EP3903376 A1 EP 3903376A1 EP 20824942 A EP20824942 A EP 20824942A EP 3903376 A1 EP3903376 A1 EP 3903376A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
circuit board
waveguide
substrate
board material
cavity
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP20824942.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Timo JAESCHKE
Simon Kueppers
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
2Pi Labs GmbH
Original Assignee
2Pi Labs GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 2Pi Labs GmbH filed Critical 2Pi Labs GmbH
Publication of EP3903376A1 publication Critical patent/EP3903376A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P3/00—Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type
    • H01P3/12—Hollow waveguides
    • H01P3/121—Hollow waveguides integrated in a substrate
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P11/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
    • H01P11/001—Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type
    • H01P11/002—Manufacturing hollow waveguides
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P5/00—Coupling devices of the waveguide type
    • H01P5/08—Coupling devices of the waveguide type for linking dissimilar lines or devices
    • H01P5/082—Transitions between hollow waveguides of different shape, e.g. between a rectangular and a circular waveguide
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P5/00—Coupling devices of the waveguide type
    • H01P5/08—Coupling devices of the waveguide type for linking dissimilar lines or devices
    • H01P5/10—Coupling devices of the waveguide type for linking dissimilar lines or devices for coupling balanced lines or devices with unbalanced lines or devices
    • H01P5/107—Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P3/00—Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type
    • H01P3/12—Hollow waveguides
    • H01P3/123—Hollow waveguides with a complex or stepped cross-section, e.g. ridged or grooved waveguides
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/2283—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a waveguide arrangement for guiding electromagnetic waves in a cavity surrounded by conductive material and a method for producing a waveguide arrangement.
  • Waveguides are well known in the prior art as waveguides for electromagnetic waves, primarily for those in the GHz frequency range, ie in particular for use between 1 GHz and 1 THz. Waveguides are usually metal tubes or metal-surrounded cavities with mostly rectangular, circular or elliptical cross-sections. Most relevant in practice and therefore always used here as an example without restricting the generality are so-called rectangular waveguides, that is to say waveguides with a fundamentally rectangular or square cross-section.
  • the present invention further relates to a waveguide arrangement which has a printed circuit board material which has a back and an (electrically conductive) conductive layer.
  • the circuit board material is a so-called PCB material for the production of printed circuits (printed circuit board).
  • the part of the printed circuit board material that gives the printed circuit board material or the waveguide arrangement mechanical stability is particularly referred to as the back. Accordingly, the back is preferably designed in the form of a plate.
  • the back consists - at least predominantly - of an electrically conductive material, for example a metal such as copper or the like.
  • the printed circuit board material preferably has an electrically insulating substrate (dielectric) which is arranged at least in sections between the back and the conductive layer.
  • a metallic back offers the advantage that it can function directly as a ground reference surface for high-frequency structures such as strip lines.
  • the back it is also possible for the back to consist - at least predominantly - of an electrically insulating material or dielectric.
  • the back preferably forms the substrate or the back has the substrate.
  • the conductive layer is generally much thinner than the back, which in the case of applications in the high-frequency range, as is the case here, is preferably also electrically conductive and usually made of metal, in particular copper, and can give the printed circuit board material stability.
  • the back usually also serves to dissipate heat.
  • the substrate isolates the conductive back from the conductive layer, so that strip lines can be implemented with the conductive layer, for example, which use the back as a ground or reference electrode. Accordingly, it is preferably a so-called double-sided printed circuit board material.
  • EP 2 500 978 B1 relates to a so-called waveguide transition between a substrate-integrated waveguide implemented in a printed circuit board substrate and a waveguide.
  • the waveguide is manufactured using the so-called split-block technology.
  • the tubular cross-section of a waveguide is produced by surface structuring of two corresponding blocks, which when assembled then realize the desired waveguide structure, for example a rectangular hollow space surrounded by conductive material as a rectangular waveguide.
  • the waveguide manufactured using split-block technology, has a comb-shaped coupling structure for coupling the substrate-integrated waveguide to the waveguide, which covers the waveguiding substrate of the substrate-integrated waveguide and protrudes from the ceiling at a distance from the ceiling onto the substrate-integrated waveguide.
  • the comb-shaped coupling structure has steps, at the end of which a rectangular waveguide is connected with a completely rectangular cavity. The coupling of a signal from the substrate-integrated waveguide into the waveguide takes place through the comb-shaped coupling structure perpendicular to the main extension plane of the printed circuit board material inserted in a split-block lower part.
  • split-block constructions known from the prior art regularly require a large amount of material for reasons of stability and because of the often required inclusion of the printed circuit board material.
  • the production of mostly two separate split-block parts and a high-frequency substrate with enormous precision requirements for all three parts (split-block parts and high-frequency substrate) regularly leads to high production costs.
  • the substrate dielectric
  • Waveguides with a cavity are then produced and coupled in some other way, which basically requires complex precision manufacturing processes and leads to large, heavy arrangements.
  • US 10,468,736 B2 relates to an arrangement for coupling a substrate-integrated waveguide with a rectangular waveguide, with several conductive layers in a printed circuit board material being perforated in a window-like manner on a side facing away from a back in order to enable a coupling between the substrate-integrated waveguide formed by the printed circuit board material and the rectangular waveguide.
  • the coupling takes place between the printed circuit board material formed in one plane for the production of printed circuits (PCB) and the rectangular waveguide, the cavity of which extends perpendicular to this plane.
  • the window in the conductive layers leads here to the opening of the substrate-integrated waveguide on its flat side facing away from the back of the printed circuit board material to the cavity of the rectangular waveguide.
  • a first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a waveguide arrangement having a cavity surrounded by conductive material for guiding electromagnetic waves.
  • the method includes the at least partial creation of the cavity in that in a circuit board material, which can initially be unprocessed circuit board (base) material, having a plate-shaped back, optionally an electrically insulating substrate and at least one - preferably on a side of the substrate facing away from the back arranged - conductive layer in sections (i.e. in a specific area of the circuit board material that is then intended to delimit the cavity), the conductive layer, the substrate (if provided) and parts of the back are removed. This creates a surface structure.
  • a circuit board material which can initially be unprocessed circuit board (base) material, having a plate-shaped back, optionally an electrically insulating substrate and at least one - preferably on a side of the substrate facing away from the back arranged - conductive layer in sections (i.e. in a specific area of the circuit board material
  • the substrate - if provided - is exposed to the side of the structured areas due to the processing - preferably milling or laser cutting. Subsequently, an electrically conductive wall is created by depositing conductive material, which covers the substrate and laterally delimits the cavity.
  • the delimitation of the cavity by the conductive wall preferably extends at least essentially over the entire area over the substrate interfaces that are exposed after the formation of the surface structure or recess.
  • Another aspect of the present invention relates to a waveguide arrangement for guiding electromagnetic waves in a cavity surrounded by conductive material, the waveguide arrangement having a printed circuit board material for producing a printed circuit, which has at least one electrically conductive back and an electrically conductive conductive layer.
  • the back has a surface structure by which the wave-guiding cavity is at least partially delimited.
  • the waveguide arrangement in the printed circuit board material has a substrate-integrated waveguide which is coupled to the cavity - in particular in the area of the surface structure.
  • the back of the circuit board material has a surface structure by which the wave-guiding cavity of the waveguide is at least partially directly limited, the back preferably being surface-coated or provided with conductive material on the surface and thus being able to directly adjoin the cavity.
  • the surface structure is very particularly preferably a recess or the surface structure has a recess.
  • Printed circuit board materials suitable for high frequency which are preferred here, preferably have a continuously electrically conductive back, in particular a copper back. For reasons of stability, this is often several 100 ⁇ m thick, in particular between 0.5 and 2 mm.
  • the back In the initial state before the printed circuit board material is structured, the back is preferably plate-shaped with at least one essentially constant plate thickness. Only the conductive layer is regularly structured.
  • a metallic back offers the advantage that structures or the recess can be made, for example milled, in the back with a high degree of accuracy. A high quality of the waveguide arrangement can thus be achieved in a simple manner.
  • the back is electrically conductive. Basically, it is primarily important that the back has an electrically conductive layer or surface and / or the surface structure is electrically conductive.
  • the back it is therefore fundamentally also possible for the back to have or to consist of an electrically insulating material or dielectric at least essentially or predominantly. In this way, the structure of the waveguide arrangement can be simplified.
  • an electrically conductive back in particular a back made of solid metallic material such as copper, is preferred.
  • the present invention teaches a departure from the usual forms of use of the backing of circuit board material merely as mechanical stabilization and / or for the formation of a flat ground reference surface with low sheet resistance.
  • the back has a surface structure that differs from the flat, plate-like, customary structure of the back of the circuit board material and the guiding of electromagnetic waves, serves in particular to couple or generate modes for the purpose of waveguiding, that is to say is designed and preferably coupled for this purpose.
  • the surface structure is one or more recesses in the back as part of or for forming the wave-guiding cavity of the waveguide.
  • the surface structure is preferably free of openings, provided it forms at least part of the waveguide or delimits the cavity. It is thus formed in the surface, but preferably does not break through the ridge at right angles to its main extension plane.
  • a waveguide preferably has a diameter transverse to a transmission direction of less than 15 mm, preferably less than 10 mm, and / or more than / at least 0.2 mm, preferably more than / at least 0.5 mm.
  • the surface structure extends at least substantially laterally or parallel to the main plane of extension of the circuit board material in order to form the waveguide in the direction of the main plane of extension of the circuit board material or parallel thereto.
  • the surface structure preferably has an electrically conductive material or is coated with it.
  • the waveguide is formed in split-block technology by connecting the circuit board material as a split-block lower part with a corresponding cover as a split-block upper part.
  • the electrically conductive, plate-shaped back of the printed circuit board material is preferably used in a structured manner to form part of a split-block waveguide.
  • the use of the back to form the waveguide instead of a classic split-block lower part milled from solid metal has proven to be very resource-saving and advantageous for the construction of particularly compact waveguide arrangements and transitions to waveguides.
  • the division of the waveguide into two substructures is particularly advantageous in that with fine Milling structures the lengths of the milling tools can be reduced and the manufacturing accuracy can be increased as a result.
  • manufacturing costs can be saved and tolerances between the printed circuit board and waveguide structure can be significantly eliminated through the joint milling process of the printed circuit board and the split-block part.
  • a “flea conductor arrangement” in the sense of the present invention is preferably an arrangement which has or forms at least one waveguide.
  • a “waveguide” in the sense of the present invention is, as already explained at the beginning, preferably an elongated flea space with electrically conductive boundary surfaces laterally surrounding the flea space. Electromagnetic waves or modes can propagate along the flea space and the boundary surfaces, preferably in frequency bands between 5 GFIz and 1 TFIz.
  • a “printed circuit board material” in the sense of the present invention has a preferably electrically conductive, plate-shaped back, a substrate (dielectric) and at least one conductive layer arranged on a side of the substrate facing away from the back.
  • the back is usually formed from an electrically conductive material, in particular metal, particularly preferably copper.
  • the back can be mechanically stable and / or give the circuit board material mechanical stability.
  • the back is preferably formed from its dimensionally stable material, for example with a material thickness between 0.1 and 5 mm, particularly preferably between 0.5 and 2 mm.
  • the back is particularly preferably formed from a one-piece, electrically conductive material.
  • the back can also be formed from an electrically insulating material and / or constructed in multiple layers.
  • a preferably conductive layer adjoining the substrate which preferably has the surface structure completely or at least essentially, is connected to a further preferably conductive carrier layer, in particular glued, soldered or otherwise preferably electrically conductive connected. This can be of stabilization and / or assembly serve.
  • the surface structure can optionally also extend into such a carrier layer, preferably without breaking through the back as a whole.
  • a “substrate” in the context of the present invention is preferably to be understood as an insulating material, an insulator or dielectric.
  • it is a dielectric suitable for the high-frequency range, in particular for more than 10 GHz.
  • It can be PTFE, ceramic or a PTFE-ceramic composite material. In principle, however, other materials can also be used.
  • a “conductive layer” is preferably to be understood as an electrically conductive layer, in particular a so-called copper lamination or conductor track layer.
  • the conductive layer is particularly preferably a mechanically or chemically structurable metal layer, preferably comprising or consisting of copper, with which, for example, strip lines, in particular microstrip lines, can be produced by structuring.
  • a conductive layer is preferably thin compared to the substrate and / or back. While the conductive layer has a material thickness of usually between 5 and 35 ⁇ m, the substrate can have a material thickness of usually 100 ⁇ m to 400 ⁇ m.
  • Split-block technology in the context of the present invention is preferably to be understood as a technology in which mutually corresponding or complementary electrically conductive, surface-structured parts are supplemented by joining them together to form a waveguide. At least two parts must be joined together in an electrically conductive manner, hereinafter referred to as “split-block lower part” and “split-block upper part”. It should be noted that the terms “lower part” and “upper part” are only used to differentiate between the different parts and do not prescribe a specific installation position.
  • the split-block lower part is preferably provided with a surface structure, in particular a groove or the like.
  • the surface structures of these complement one another to form the waveguide.
  • the split-block lower part and the split-block upper part preferably have alignment aids that correspond to one another for specifying a position of the surface structures with respect to one another, whereby an exact Formation of the waveguide is facilitated or made possible by assembling it.
  • this is not mandatory.
  • a “cover” within the meaning of the present invention is a device which is designed to cover the circuit board material by placing the cover on the circuit board material in such a way that surface structures in the circuit board material are covered and thereby sealed along a flat side of the circuit board material.
  • a cover in the sense of the present invention has an electrically conductive flat side corresponding or complementary to the surface structure of the circuit board material, with which recesses in the circuit board material are or can be bridged, so that at least one waveguide results when the cover is on the circuit board material, in particular the conductive layer , is present.
  • the cover preferably has a surface structure, in particular with recesses, but can also be flat or cover the surface structures of the printed circuit board material in a corresponding manner with a flat surface in order to close them off to form waveguides. It goes without saying that “covering” and “closing” leave open that an opening of the waveguide or cavity formed by “covering” or “closing” to the surroundings can be provided.
  • FIG. 2 shows a fragmentary perspective plan view of the printed circuit board material of the proposed waveguide arrangement
  • FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a portion of the circuit board material (base material);
  • FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a section of the circuit board material FIG. 2A with a surface structure / recess
  • FIG. 2C shows a perspective view of a section of the printed circuit board material with a surface structure / recess according to FIG. 2B and with a substrate covered by conductive walls;
  • FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a section of the circuit board material FIG. 2A with a surface structure / recess
  • FIG. 2C shows a perspective view of a section of the printed circuit board material with a surface structure / recess according to FIG. 2B and with a substrate covered by conductive walls
  • FIG. 2D shows a perspective view of a section of the circuit board material with surface structure / recess, with the substrate according to FIG. 2C covered by conductive walls and with the substrate interface open as a window;
  • FIG. 3 shows perspective views of a circuit board material and two different covers corresponding thereto;
  • FIG. 5 shows a perspective, partial view of a cover from
  • FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of a section of the circuit board material with a wall
  • Fig. 7 is a cross section of a dielectric antenna
  • FIG. 8 shows a perspective illustration of the dielectric antenna from FIG.
  • the cavity 4 is preferably dimensioned so that electromagnetic waves 2 in the high frequency range, in particular in the so-called millimeter wave range with a wavelength between approximately 0.3 mm and 10 mm and / or frequencies between approximately 30 GHz and 1 THz can propagate.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 has a printed circuit board material 5 which has a preferably plate-shaped back 6 and a conductive layer 8.
  • the conductive layer 8 is electrically conductive.
  • the back 6 is preferably made of a mechanically stable or dimensionally stable material. In this way, the waveguide arrangement 1 or the part thereof which is formed by the circuit board material 5 can be given mechanical stability.
  • a recess is preferably formed in the back 6, in particular by removing material from the back 6, and the circuit, an active component thereof or which the chip is arranged in the recess, in particular connected to the back 6 in a thermally conductive manner, for example glued.
  • the back 6 is particularly preferably formed from an electrically conductive material, in particular a metal, particularly preferably copper, gold or the like.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 has a substrate 7 (dielectric), the conductive layer 8 being arranged on a side of the substrate 7 facing away from the back 6.
  • the substrate 7 consists in particular of a non-conductive or electrically insulating material.
  • the back 6 may consist of a non-conductive material, for example FR-4.
  • the back 6 here forms the substrate 7 or it can be added to an additional one between the back 6 and the substrate 7 arranged on the conductive layer can be dispensed with.
  • This embodiment is not shown in the figures.
  • a heat-conducting area or insert can be provided in the back 6.
  • the substrate 7 very particularly preferably consists of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ceramic (in particular aluminum oxide and / or aluminum nitride), PTFE-ceramic composite or comprises PTFE, ceramic or PTFE-ceramic composite.
  • PTFE-ceramic composite is preferably an at least substantially homogeneous mixture of PTFE and ceramic particles.
  • the substrate 7 is preferably deformable.
  • the back 6 is preferably more dimensionally stable, more rigid and / or more rigid than the substrate 7 and / or the conductive layer 8.
  • the substrate 7 is therefore preferably softer and / or more easily deformable than the back 6.
  • the back 6 can be a material with a modulus of elasticity of more than 5000, preferably more than 10000, or at least essentially be formed therefrom.
  • the back 6 preferably has at least the dimensional stability or flexural rigidity / flexural strength of a copper sheet with a constant material thickness of 0.5 mm, 1 mm or more.
  • the substrate 7 can consist of a dimensionally stable, electrically insulating material, for example FR-4.
  • FR-4 denotes a class of flame-retardant and flame-retardant composite materials consisting of epoxy resin and fiberglass fabric.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 preferably has the conductive layer 8 carried by the substrate 7 and, as the back 6, a further conductive layer - preferably greater material thickness than that of the conductive layer 8 - on the side of the substrate 7 facing away from the conductive layer 8.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 in this case is a so-called double-sided printed circuit board material 5.
  • the double-sided printed circuit board (base) material 5 is structured by opening the recess 10 through the substrate 7, starting from the flat side with the thinner conductive layer 8 formed to or in the back 6, that is to say is or will be structured in accordance with the proposal. It is sufficient here that the recess 10 extends only slightly into the back 6.
  • the Back 6 is provided on the side of the substrate 7 facing away from the conductive layer 8.
  • the back 6 is electrically conductive in this context, in particular made of metal such as copper or a metal layer composite such as a composite of a (thinner) copper and a (thicker) brass layer or plate.
  • a heat-conducting area or insert can be provided in the substrate 7 to dissipate heat for the circuit.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 or the circuit board material 5 or a split block part comprising the circuit board material 5 or formed by the circuit board material 5 can also have more than two layers (non-conductive back 6 + conductive layer 8) or three layers (conductive back 6 + Have substrate 7 + conductive layer 8).
  • the printed circuit board material 5 and / or the back 6 can have a plurality of alternately conductive and non-conductive layers or to be formed thereby.
  • a (further) printed circuit board material is or is applied to the - conductive or non-conductive - back 6, which has or is formed by a non-conductive substrate arranged between two conductive layers.
  • Other solutions are also conceivable.
  • the back 6 is preferably formed in one piece with the circuit board material 5, but can also be formed separately from the circuit board material 5, for example by the back 6 being glued, soldered or otherwise materially and / or positively connected to the circuit board material 5.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 or the back 6 has a surface structure 9, which is designed as a recess 10 in the exemplary embodiment.
  • the surface structure 9 or recess 10 preferably forms the cavity 4 or at least a part of the cavity 4.
  • the cavity 4 is preferably formed in split-block technology by connecting the circuit board material 5 as a split-block lower part with a corresponding cover 11 as a split-block upper part.
  • the hollow space 4 acting as a waveguide is / is formed by electrically conductive joining of the lower part of the split block and the upper part of the split block.
  • the cavity 4 with the conductive material 3 is delimited, specifically in the present exemplary embodiment primarily by the electrically conductive surface of the cover 11 and the electrically conductive surface of the Back 6.
  • the material 3 can at least superficially be or have a noble metal such as gold.
  • lateral boundary surfaces 12 are preferably provided which connect the back 6 to the cover 11 in an electrically conductive manner.
  • the boundary surfaces 12 can be formed by depositing conductive material 3, preferably metal, in particular copper and / or gold.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 or the boundary surfaces 12 - or at least the boundary surfaces which have the boundary surface formed between the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11 - have an (additional) conductive layer or plating 45 or are formed thereby.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 ensures in particular that the cavity 4 is continuously or completely surrounded by electrically conductive material 3 or is delimited by it, in particular if the back 6 and / or the cover 11 are made of a non-conductive material.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 has also proven to be particularly advantageous in the case of a back 6 made of conductive material.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 preferably extends at least essentially over the entire surface of the circuit board material 5, at least on the cavity
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 is represented by a dotted area.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 has been hidden for purposes of illustration. Nevertheless, the waveguide arrangement 1 here preferably also has the conductive layer or plating 45.
  • a “plating” is understood to mean, in particular, an electrically conductive layer which is preferably arranged or applied to a surface.
  • This conductive layer can in particular galvanically or by electroplating, in particular copper plating, can be applied to the back 6, the substrate 7, the circuit board material 5 or the cover 11.
  • any, in particular chemical and / or mechanical, methods for applying the conductive layer are possible.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 is preferably produced by a copper plating process or process for depositing a metallically conductive layer.
  • a surface can first be coated with graphite, whereupon the graphite is used to deposit a conductive metal layer, in particular by electroplating.
  • chemical processes can also be used to deposit the conductive layer or for plating.
  • the back 6 or at least the side or surface of the back 6 that has or forms the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is made of a non-conductive material
  • the back 6 or surface structure 9 or recess 10 preferably has the conductive layer or plating 45 on and / or covers the conductive layer or plating 45 the surface structure 9 or recess 10, in particular completely. In this way it is achieved in particular that the cavity 4 is completely surrounded by electrically conductive material 3, even if the back 6 itself is non-conductive.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 or split-block lower part and / or the cover 11 and / or the waveguide arrangement 1 is or will form the cavity 4 completely or at least on the end faces with the conductive layer or plating 45 .
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 is particularly preferably applied after the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11 or the two split-block parts have been joined together to form the waveguide arrangement 11, so that the cavity 4 is completely delimited by electrically conductive material 3 and / or the outer surface 1 A of the waveguide arrangement 1 is coated with the conductive layer or plating 45.
  • the conductive layer or plating 45 can also be used for the Split-block halves, so the circuit board material 5 and the cover 11 are made separately.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 preferably has a waveguide functional element 14 which is at least partially formed by the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • the waveguide functional element 14 is also covered by a conductive layer or plating 45 or the conductive layer or plating 45 also extends onto, preferably completely over, the waveguide functional element 14, in particular when the back 6 is made of non-conductive material .
  • the waveguide functional element 14 is particularly preferably an adaptation structure 15.
  • an impedance of the cavity 4 or of the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 can be changed in order to reduce or avoid reflections. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a transition to a waveguide or the coupling of electromagnetic waves 2 into the cavity 4.
  • Forming the waveguide functional element 14 at least partially through the printed circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the printed circuit board material 5 is particularly advantageous, since this way the printed circuit board material 5, which is usually already provided for other functions, is used in a resource-saving and space-saving manner in addition to the formation of a waveguide and also for the generation of waveguide functional elements 14 can be used.
  • the adaptation structure 15 preferably has one or more steps 16. These are preferably at least partially formed by the back 6.
  • the steps 16 can widen or taper a diameter of the cavity 4 transversely to the direction of transmission.
  • the cover 11 has a surface structure 17 which is formed in a manner corresponding or complementary, in particular identical, mirror-inverted and / or symmetrical, to the surface structure 9 of the back 6.
  • the surface structure 9 of the back 6 corresponds to the surface structure 17 of the cover 11 in such a way that joining the circuit board material 5 with the cover 11 results in a waveguide which is used for Realization of a waveguide function, in particular for impedance matching, is formed.
  • the surface structure 17 of the cover 11 here corresponds to the surface structure 9 of the back 6 in such a way that the combination of circuit board material 5 and cover 11 surrounds the cavity 4, in particular with the conductive material 3 and / or continuously electrically conductive radially to the direction of transmission, whereby the waveguide is formed.
  • a rectangular waveguide 18, in particular with a partially at least substantially square cross section, is formed by combining the printed circuit board material 5 with the cover 11.
  • the cover 11 is formed by combining the printed circuit board material 5 with the cover 11.
  • other shapes of waveguides or cavities 4 are also possible.
  • the cover 11 can project beyond other components of the waveguide arrangement 1 such as a chip, an electrical circuit or the like or serve as mechanical protection and / or electrical shielding for these components.
  • the conductive layer 8 and / or the substrate 7 is preferably removed in the area in which the circuit board material 5 at least partially forms or surrounds the cavity 4.
  • the back 6 is preferably exposed on the substrate side or the conductive layer 8 is interrupted or removed.
  • the back 6 delimits the cavity 4 preferably directly. This includes a delimitation of the cavity 4 by a surface-treated, in particular gold-plated, and / or plated back 6, in which the surface treatment, in particular as a conductive layer or plating 45, directly adjoins the cavity 4.
  • the conductive layer 8 is electrically connected to the back 6 of the printed circuit board material 5, preferably at least substantially perpendicular to a main extension direction 19 of the printed circuit board material 5 by electrically conductive walls 20.
  • the walls 20 delimit the cavity 4 laterally. In this way, a rectangular waveguide 18 or a part and in particular a split-block lower part thereof can be formed.
  • the walls 20 and / or side walls 21 are preferably formed by the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12, or the walls 20 and / or side walls 21 have the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12.
  • the electrically conductive connection is preferably made through the conductive layer or plating 45 or boundary surfaces 12.
  • the walls 20 or the sections of the walls that cover or cover the substrate 7 are preferably aligned with side walls 21 of the cover 11.
  • the walls 20 between the back 6 and conductive layer 8 and the side walls 21 of the cover 11 are electrically conductive with one another connected so that they form an electrically conductive lateral boundary for the cavity 4.
  • the result is preferably a rectangular waveguide 18.
  • FIG. 2 shows a fragmentary perspective top view of the circuit board material 5 of the proposed waveguide arrangement 1.
  • the view according to FIG. 1 corresponds, as far as the circuit board material 5 is concerned, to a section along the section line I-I from FIG. 2.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 or the circuit board material 5 preferably has a substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 can be formed by the substrate 7 of the printed circuit board material 5.
  • an area of the substrate 7, which forms the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, is adjoined by electrically conductive boundary surfaces perpendicular to the direction of transmission indicated by the arrow 13 (in FIG. 1).
  • these are the back 6 and the conductive layer 8.
  • These are preferably connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner at the sides. In principle, this can be done through one or more vias.
  • the back 6 is connected to the conductive layer 8 by means of a groove 23 which extends through the conductive layer 8 and the substrate 7 to the back 6.
  • the groove 23 preferably has a conductive coating which is / was produced in particular by depositing a conductive layer, in particular by copper plating.
  • other solutions are also possible here.
  • the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is preferably with the cavity 4 or with the waveguide formed by the conductive material 3 surrounded coupled.
  • the coupling is preferably carried out in such a way that electromagnetic waves 2 can enter the cavity 4 from the substrate 7 and vice versa.
  • the waveguide functional element 14 in the form of the adaptation structure 15 is used to adapt the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 to the cavity 4 or the adaptation structure 15 is designed for this purpose.
  • the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 preferably forms a continuously electrically conductive and, in particular, one-piece delimiting surface of both the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the cavity 4. This enables a particularly compact and extremely reliable waveguide arrangement 1 with low loss for the electromagnetic waves 2.
  • the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 can merge directly into the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 with the circuit board material 5, so that an extremely compact design can be achieved.
  • the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 particularly preferably has an interface 24, preferably adjoining an electrically conductive material on all (four) sides and / or at the end, with which the substrate 7 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 directly adjoins the cavity 4.
  • the interface 24 is therefore in particular not covered with an electrically conductive material 3.
  • the interface 24 is surrounded by conductive material 3 in the form of the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and the walls 20 or the conductive layer or plating 45, a window for the electromagnetic waves 2 results between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the Cavity 4.
  • the cavity 4 of the waveguide arrangement 1 is completely and uninterruptedly surrounded by conductive material 3, with the exception of the window or the interface 24 and any openings and coupling points formed by the cavity 4 Waveguide - for example to connect to external components such as antennas or the like.
  • the interface 24 preferably extends transversely or perpendicular to the direction of transmission for electromagnetic waves 2 indicated by the arrow 13 and / or perpendicular to the plane spanned by the main direction (s) 19 of the circuit board material 5.
  • an electromagnetic wave 2 conducted through the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is not or only slightly deflected in order to couple into the cavity 4 or vice versa, in order to couple from the cavity 4 into the substrate 7 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • the interface 24 is preferably produced in that, after structuring the circuit board material 5 and - if necessary after producing the conductive layer, coating with the plating 45 or deposition of conductive material 3 on the walls 20 or side walls 21 to connect the back 6 with the conductive layer 8 - the material 3 forming the wall 20, the conductive layer or the plating 45 is or is removed again in the area of the interface 24, in particular by a machining process, preferably milling, or by laser or the like proved to be particularly efficient for producing the waveguide arrangement 1 according to the proposal.
  • the surface structure 9 of the back 9 is preferably structured starting from a, in particular commercially available, (HF) circuit board base material by structuring the side having the conductive layer 8 and / or the substrate 7. This is particularly preferably done by a machining process, in particular milling, by laser or the like.
  • the cavity 4 is therefore preferably at least partially created by the fact that the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7 and parts of the (HF) printed circuit board base material in sections Back 6 can be removed.
  • the surface structure 9 of the back 6 is first produced in a (HF) circuit board base material by structuring the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7 and the back 6. Subsequently, the substrate 7 is exposed to the side of the structured areas and accordingly electrically separates the conductive layer 8 from the back 6.
  • An electrically conductive connection can then be established between the conductive layer 8 and the back 6. This creates the previously described wall 20 or plating 45. This can be done by depositing conductive material 3, in particular by so-called “copper plating”.
  • one or more electrically conductive layers are then deposited on the surface, in particular.
  • the conductive surface is coated, passivated and / or gold-plated.
  • the aforementioned conductive layer or plating 45 is thereby formed. This offers the advantage of good long-term stability through corrosion protection with, at the same time, low surface resistances, which are advantageous for the formation of low-loss waveguide structures.
  • the interface 24 is then preferably formed by removing the wall 20, the conductive layer or plating 45 in the area of an end face of the substrate 7 forming the substrate-integrated waveguide 22. This results in the previously explained interface 24, in which the substrate 7 forming the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 directly adjoins the cavity 4.
  • the window or the interface 24 can also be formed by a machining process, particularly preferably by milling.
  • the opening of the window or the formation of the interface 24 can in principle also take place at another phase of the manufacturing process, for example after the formation of the walls 20 or plating 45 and before a gold plating process, so that no conductive or metallic material in the area of the interface 24 3 is present at the time of gold plating and in the case of a preferred galvanic gold plating, deposition of conductive material 3 or other passivation, no conductive material 3 is deposited, so that the interface 24 retains or receives the function described.
  • 2A shows a simplified schematic view of the circuit board material 5 in the unprocessed state (also called circuit board base material or PCB base material).
  • the circuit board material 5 has at least the back 6 and the conductive layer 8. These can adjoin one another or, as in the illustrated example and preferably, be separated from one another by the substrate 7.
  • the conductive layer 8 is preferably connected to the back 6 and / or the substrate 7, which can be done with a material connection, preferably with an adhesive, in particular an adhesive layer, or some other adhesion promoter. If the substrate 7 and the back 6 are implemented as separate layers, i.e. the substrate 7 does not form the back 6 or vice versa, the substrate 7 is preferably on one side with the back 6 and another, preferably opposite, side with the conductive layer 8 connected, especially on opposite flat sides. This can also be done with an adhesive, alternatively or partially, however, also by some other material connection such as welding or the like. respectively. Thus, the conductive layer 8 can be glued to the substrate 7 and the substrate 7 can be glued or welded to the back 6.
  • the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7 also (directly) adjoin one another if an adhesive layer / adhesive layer or the like for the purpose of connection. is arranged between the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7.
  • adhesives or adhesion promoters are not shown for reasons of clarity and, in case of doubt, can be assigned to the substrate 7 or form part of the substrate 7, in particular because of the generally electrically insulating properties.
  • the substrate 7 can be multilayered and, in addition to a main layer with a central cross-section, can have one or more adhesive layers / adhesive layers facing the conductive layer 8 and / or the back 6.
  • the conductive layer 8, the back 6 and / or the substrate 7 are preferably made of a homogeneous material.
  • the substrate 7 can carry a metal layer on the side facing away from the conductive layer 8, via which the substrate 7 is or is connected to the back 6, in particular soldered. From a different perspective, this is a multi-layered back 6. This The metal layer in turn can be connected to the substrate 7, for example by means of an adhesive or adhesion promoter.
  • the circuit board material 5 can have the conductive layer 8, which is connected to the substrate 7 by means of an adhesive layer, which in turn is connected to a further metal layer by means of an adhesive layer, which in turn is glued to the back (by means of an adhesive layer), (by means of a solder layer) is soldered or welded or thereby forms part of the back 6.
  • the back 6 is preferably plate-shaped and preferably runs completely in one plane or is delimited by flat flat sides, which preferably extend along the main direction 19 of the back 6.
  • the flat flat sides are preferably arranged parallel to one another, so that the back 6 is an at least essentially flat plate with an at least essentially constant material thickness. This preferably only changes in the areas in which the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is or will be formed at a later point in time, as further described below.
  • the conductive layer 8 preferably runs at least substantially parallel to the back 6 and / or without interruption in the unprocessed circuit board material 5.
  • the conductive layer 8 is preferably also an at least substantially flat layer with flat sides running at least substantially parallel to its main plane of extent, which further preferably run parallel to the or to the flat sides of the back 6.
  • the back 6 and the conductive layer 8 are therefore preferably arranged parallel or in parallel planes to one another.
  • the back 6 can be or have the substrate (dielectric) 7.
  • the back 6 can therefore be electrically insulating and directly or indirectly carry the conductive layer 8.
  • the substrate 7 is arranged between the back 6 and the conductive layer 8, which also runs in one plane in unprocessed areas, has flat flat sides or boundary surfaces to the back 6 on the one hand and to the conductive layer 8 on the other hand and / or at least substantially is a constant and at least substantially uninterrupted layer of constant material thickness prior to processing.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 is accordingly preferably a sandwich structure made up of the back 6, the substrate 7 and the conductive layer 8.
  • the back 6, which preferably primarily gives the circuit board material 5 its mechanical stability, is particularly preferably formed from a conductive material.
  • a metal back for example made of copper and / or brass.
  • the circuit board material 5 before it is processed has the back 6 and the conductive layer 8 and optionally the substrate 7 in direct contact with one another and connected to one another. This does not exclude that a composite of the conductive layer 8 and the substrate 7 is first drawn onto a back 6 before further processing, that is, is connected over the entire surface to the back 6, so that the result is the structure shown schematically in FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 2B it is indicated how the surface structure 9 or recess 10 is produced on the basis of the unprocessed circuit board material 5.
  • the surface of the back 6 is structured with a laser in that material is removed so that the material thickness of the back 6 is or is reduced at the machined point. This preferably does not affect the surface of the back 6 on the side facing away from the conductive layer 8.
  • the flat side of the back 6 facing away from the conductive layer 8 is and therefore preferably remains at least substantially flat or continues to run in one plane, in particular without interruption.
  • the material located above the structured area of the back 6 is preferably also removed.
  • the substrate 7 and the conductive layer 8, the conductive layer 8, the substrate 7 and parts of the back 6 are preferably removed so that the recess 10 is formed, which extends from the surface of the conductive layer 8 to in the back 6 extends. This also applies in the event that no substrate 7 should be present.
  • the recess 10 or surface structure 9 preferably has a base that runs at least substantially parallel to the direction / plane 19 of the flake extension of the printed circuit board material 5 and transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the base Main extension direction / plane 19 of the printed circuit board material 5 running flanks or walls 20 on or is produced accordingly.
  • the recess 10 is or is preferably formed in the form of a blind hole.
  • the back 6 forms the floor and parts of the lateral boundary of the recess 10 or surface structure 9 directly adjoining it.
  • FIG. 2B is only an example of a small section of the surface structure 9 or recess 10 that is usually formed overall.
  • the proportions of the layer thickness of the back 6, the substrate 7 and the conductive layer 8 are or need not be true to scale.
  • the flea space 4 is preferably formed or delimited in that the recess 10 is provided with the electrically conductive walls 20, which bridge or bridge the substrate 7 in an electrically conductive manner. form the electrically conductive boundary surfaces 12 or parts thereof.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 is preferably coated by depositing electrically conductive material.
  • the circuit board material 5 is particularly preferably plated, as previously explained by way of example.
  • the (respective) wall 20 can thereby be formed. In the example shown, the coating is only shown in the area of the recess 10. However, it can extend over the conductive layer 8.
  • the (respective) wall 20 preferably covers at least substantially the entire surface of the substrate 7 in a conductive manner, which is initially open after processing, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2B.
  • the wall 21 thus preferably connects the conductive layer 8 conductively to the conductive back 6 and hereby covers the initially exposed substrate layer 7, so it closes it in particular with electrically conductive material 3, preferably completely.
  • the electrically conductive material 3, which forms the wall 20, is also designed to cover the surface structure 9 or recess 10 in the area of the back 6 at least essentially over the entire area in the illustrated example for reasons of manufacturing technology.
  • the conductive material 3 that forms the wall 20 lines the recess 10 at least essentially without interruption or over the entire surface.
  • the conductive material can also extend over the conductive layer 8 as an additional layer, i.e. can be produced over the entire surface of the conductive layer 8 (on the side of the conductive layer 8 facing away from the back 6) in the course of production become.
  • the walls 20 shown in the illustrated example according to FIG. 2C are then preferably formed.
  • the layer of conductive material 3 can thus be formed, in particular deposited, on the conductive layer 8 or in the bottom region of the recess 10 or the surface structure 9.
  • the conductive material 3 or the wall / walls 20 can be multilayered, preferably having a metal layer, in particular a copper layer, which is or is provided with a surface finish, in particular gold-plated, in particular deposited by plating.
  • the refinement can take place after the opening of the substrate window explained in connection with FIG. 2D or beforehand.
  • the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is formed by the electrically insulating substrate 7 between the electrically conductive back 6 and the conductive layer 8.
  • a section of the substrate 7 is conductively delimited on the one hand by the conductive layer 8 and the back 6 and on the other hand by slots or grooves 23, which are preferably also provided with conductive material 3, form a conductive lateral interface for the substrate 7, which are preferably uninterrupted between the conductive layer 8 and the back 6 extends.
  • the substrate 7 is surrounded on four sides with conductive material and an electromagnetic wave is then capable of propagation in the surrounding substrate 7, so that the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is formed.
  • slots or grooves 23 can also be used, which preferably connect the conductive layer 8 in an electrically conductive manner to the electrically conductive back 6 and form lateral electrically conductive boundary surfaces for the section of the substrate 7 that is limited by this. Examples are the use of rows of via or the like instead of the grooves 23.
  • the slots or grooves 23 can be filled or at least partially filled in the course of the formation of the electrically conductive walls 20 with electrically conductive material 3, in particular the same or the same electrically conductive material 3 that is also preferably deposited to form the walls 20.
  • the joint formation of the wall 20 or walls 20 and the electrically conductive lateral boundary surfaces for the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is an advantageous aspect of the present invention.
  • the electrically conductive, lateral boundaries for the formation of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 are particularly preferably formed in a common process with the walls 20, in particular with the same deposition of conductive material 3.
  • the section of the side of the circuit board material 5 in which the recess 10 and the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 (to be formed) or the structures delimiting it, such as the grooves 23, are plated together.
  • the surface of the conductive layer 8 can optionally also be or be plated, which is not shown for reasons of simplicity.
  • the interface 24 of the substrate 7 is formed or opened, via which the substrate 7 directly adjoins the recess 10, the surface structures 9 or the cavity 4.
  • the interface 24 forms a window for the entry and / or exit of electromagnetic waves 2 from the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 into the cavity 4 and / or from the cavity 4 into the substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • a structure for impedance matching can also be provided, as already mentioned in the context explained by way of example with FIG. 2.
  • the cavity 4 preferably does not break through the back 6.
  • the back 6 is and therefore preferably remains closed without interruption.
  • the cavity 4 and / or the recess 10 forming or delimiting the cavity 4 preferably extends in a slot-like or groove-like manner primarily along the main direction of extent or in the main plane 19 of the circuit board material 5.
  • the recess 10 is or forms a groove or an elongated one Slot which extends through the conductive layer 8 into the back 6, preferably through the substrate 7, and preferably extends longer in the direction of the main extension plane or main extension direction 19 of the circuit board material 5 than perpendicular thereto.
  • Walls 20 and / or bottom of the groove-shaped recess 10 or groove preferably run at least substantially parallel or perpendicular to the main plane of extent or main direction of extent 19 of the printed circuit board material 5.
  • FIG 3 shows the circuit board material 5 and at least one, in the illustrated example two or more, different covers 11, which (each) correspond to the circuit board material 5 in such a way that an assembly of these to one another (each) creates the cavity 4 or the one with the cavity 4 formed waveguide forms or can form.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 can have a conductor track, in particular a stripline 25, formed with the circuit board material 5 and in particular produced by structuring the conductive layer 8.
  • the conductor track or stripline 25 can serve to establish an electrical connection, signal connection and / or the connection or assembly of electronic components or can be used for this purpose.
  • the stripline 25 can have a transition 27 for coupling to the substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • the strip line 25 can have or form a transition 27 at the strip line end 26 for coupling to the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed therewith (not shown).
  • the one or more conductor tracks or striplines 25 is / are / are preferably produced by structuring the conductive layer 8.
  • it is one or more microstrip lines for which the back 6 functions as a reference electrode or ground surface, the strip line (s) 25 formed in the conductive layer 8 or by structuring the conductive layer 8 through the substrate 7 (dielectric) is separated.
  • the conductor tracks or stripline (s) 25 can be used to be connected to a semiconductor component, for example via one or more bonding wires, flip-chip connections or the like, in particular to its outputs for transmission and / or Inputs for receiving signals.
  • the Signals can form the electromagnetic wave 2 by coupling into the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 or the cavity 4 or, conversely, the signals can be generated from the electromagnetic wave 2 from the cavity 4 or the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 in the stripline 25.
  • strip lines 25, which can also be designed as differential strip lines, are at least essentially only realized with the circuit board material 5
  • the cavity 4 for forming the waveguide of the waveguide arrangement 1 is preferably made by combining a part of the cavity 4 formed in the circuit board material 5 with a Part of the cavity 4 formed in the cover 11 is formed.
  • the corresponding surface structure 9 of the circuit board material 5 or back 6 and the preferably corresponding and / or complementary surface structure 17 of the (respective) cover 11 is shown in FIG. 3.
  • the cover 11 can advantageously also be formed with or from printed circuit board material 5, or, as in the illustrated example, from a structured, electrically conductive (solid) material.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 can have an orthomode transducer 28.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 is shown in particular in FIGS.
  • An orthomode transducer 28 is a component preferably formed using waveguide technology, often abbreviated OMT and also called orthomode coupler, which divides circularly polarized waves or brings together orthogonally polarized waves.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 preferably forms a waveguide functional element 14 formed with the circuit board material 5 or back 6.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 of the present exemplary embodiment is preferably at least partially formed by the cavity 4 delimited by the printed circuit board material 5 or the back 6 of the printed circuit board material 5 and / or the thereby delimited. In addition, it can be formed or supplemented by a corresponding or complementary surface structure 17 of the cover 11.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 can have a plurality of waveguide functional elements 14, in particular connected in series.
  • the waveguide functional elements 14 each or continuously at least partially formed by the circuit board material 5, in particular the surface structure 9 of the back 6.
  • the same printed circuit board material 5 has the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, a transition therefrom to the cavity 4 and, formed by the cavity 4 or the waveguide formed therewith, one or more waveguide functional elements 14, which proceed from the substrate-integrated Waveguides 22 are successively implemented as waveguide functional elements 14, has or forms.
  • the transition between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the cavity 4 is first followed by the adaptation structure 15 and then, optionally or by way of example for a waveguide functional element 14, the orthomode transducer 28 or an input 29 of the orthomode transducer 28.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 is particularly preferably coupled via the adaptation structure 15 formed at least partially by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 to the substrate-integrated waveguide 22, which is preferably also at least partially formed by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • the adaptation structure 15 is therefore preferably arranged between the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and the orthomode transducer 28.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 particularly preferably has at least two, preferably at least or exactly three adaptation structures 15 formed with the back 6, which each couple an input 29 of the orthomode transducer 28 to a substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • the cavity 3 shows two differently designed covers 11, which each correspond to the same surface structure 9 of the circuit board material 5 of the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • the properties of the waveguide formed by the cavity 4 depend on it and can be varied in that the same back 6 has the same Surface structure 9 combined with different covers 11 form different cavities 4 or hollow conductors formed thereby.
  • a waveguide arrangement 1, preferably as described above, is produced, the circuit board material 5 being combined with the back 6, which has the surface structure 9, with one of several available, different covers 11 to form a cavity 4 of a waveguide.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 is combined from the back 6 of the printed circuit board material 5 and one of several different covers 11 that can each be connected directly or indirectly to the back 6 to form a waveguide.
  • the covers 11 are each designed to form hollow conductors with different waveguide properties or with different waveguide functional elements 14, by connection to the back 6, the hollow space 4 having hollow conductors.
  • a waveguide with the waveguide properties that can be selected by choosing the cover 11 is produced accordingly.
  • the adaptation or the properties of waveguide functional elements can be configured by selecting one of the several different covers 11.
  • one aspect of the present invention relates to a system based on a surface structure 9 of a printed circuit board material 5 designed to form a waveguide and several alternative covers 11, which are designed to form different cavities 4 or waveguide functional elements 14 with the surface structure 9.
  • one of the different covers 11, in particular the lower cover 11 in FIG. 3, is equipped with a surface structure 17 through which only an outwardly open cavity 4 or Waveguide with only one opening 32 is formed when this cover 11 is connected to the circuit board material 5.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 which is formed with corresponding, mutually corresponding surface structures 9, 17 of the back 6 and the cover 11, is designed to receive electromagnetic waves 2 introduced into the cavity 4 from the outside in particular to forward horizontal and vertical components separately.
  • the forwarding takes place preferably via adaptation structures 15 and / or substrate-integrated waveguides 22, as already explained in principle above.
  • a waveguide arrangement 1 with a different function can be implemented.
  • three openings 32 and at least one cavity 4 can be formed.
  • Further surface structures 17 can optionally only be delimited by the conductive layer 8, in any case a cavity 4 with the circuit board material 5 being formed.
  • Further cavities can be formed by surface structures 17 which, on the part of the printed circuit board material 5, are only delimited by the conductive layer 8.
  • several cavities 4 or waveguides can be formed, in particular each with an opening 32.
  • the surface structure 9 of the printed circuit board material 5 or back 6 is supplemented by the cover 11 or its surface structure 17 in such a way that a different function is fulfilled, for example an adaptation or only transmission or filtering of electromagnetic waves 2.
  • the further openings 32 of cavities 4 can correspondingly be used to couple separate electromagnetic waves 2 into separate cavities 4.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 preferably has, in particular depending on the choice of the cover 11, a plurality of mutually separate cavities 4, waveguide functional elements 14, substrate-integrated waveguides 22 and / or strip lines 25. This advantageously enables different waveguide functions to be implemented depending on the choice of a corresponding cover 11, but alternatively or additionally, preferably also depending on the choice of cover 11, to combine them into (more complex) functions.
  • the printed circuit board material 5 and in particular the back 6 preferably has one or more assembly and / or adjustment means 30.
  • the cover (s) 11 preferably have corresponding or complementary assembly and / or adjustment means 31 (the same).
  • a split-block lower part which in the present case can be formed by the printed circuit board material 5, with a split-block upper part, which in the present case is preferably formed by the cover 11 or one of the covers 11, to fit together to create the cavity 4 or to form the waveguide with it are basically known in the prior art and can be used in the present case in a corresponding manner.
  • a special feature in this context is the preferred use of the circuit board material 5 and in particular the back 6 to form an assembly and / or adjustment means 30 or that the circuit board material 5 or the back 6 has this.
  • the fact that the printed circuit board material 5 or the back 6 has the assembly and / or adjustment means 30 makes it possible to achieve a particularly compact design.
  • 4 shows a partial, perspective illustration of the waveguide arrangement 1 with a view of the outer surface 1 A or into the cavity 4, in particular through the opening 32.
  • a waveguide section 33 initially adjoins the opening 32, which only fulfills the function of guiding the electromagnetic wave 2.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 has a back element 34, which, preferably together with the other structures that collectively form the cavity 4, effects the function of the orthomode transducer 28.
  • the back element 34 is shown in particular in FIG. 5.
  • the back element 34 is preferably formed like a web and / or protrudes like a web into the cavity 4.
  • the back element 34 preferably has one or more steps.
  • the orthomode transducer 28 with its back element 34 is implemented separately from the adaptation structure 15 in the illustrated example, which admittedly directly adjoins the structure of the orthomode transducer 28 with its back element 34, but does not overlap here.
  • An adaptation has thus already taken place at least essentially at the boundary between the adaptation structure 15 and the back element 34 of the orthomode transducer 28. Accordingly, the orthomode transducer 28 can be omitted if necessary.
  • the opening 32 of the waveguide arrangement 1 for coupling in and / or out coupling the electromagnetic waves 2 can be used directly, for example for coupling in and / or out coupling the electromagnetic waves 2 into or out of a waveguide element 35 and / or into or out of an antenna 36.
  • the waveguide element 35 and / or the antenna 36 can be attached to the waveguide arrangement 1 by means of one or more fastening means 37. For example, screwing on is possible.
  • the waveguide element 35 and the antenna 36 are merely reduced in size and indicated schematically.
  • numerous different add-on parts compatible with waveguides can be combined with the proposed waveguide arrangement 1.
  • the attached parts in the form of the waveguide element 35 or the antenna 36, which are only shown schematically, are therefore only examples.
  • the antenna 36 can in particular be a dielectric antenna designed as described in WO 2009/100891 A1. With such a dielectric antenna, a compact antenna with high aperture efficiency can be realized in particular in a simple manner.
  • dielectric antenna 38 The antenna described in WO 2009/100891 A1 is referred to below as dielectric antenna 38.
  • the dielectric antenna 38 is shown particularly in FIGS.
  • the dielectric antenna 38 has a coupling element 39 for coupling electromagnetic waves 2 into and / or out of the dielectric antenna 38 and a lens 40 made of a dielectric material.
  • the dielectric antenna 38 is preferably designed to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves 2, in particular at the same time.
  • the antenna 38 or lens 40 preferably has a transmission area 41 for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic waves 2.
  • the transmission region 41 is preferably arranged on a side of the lens 40 facing away from the coupling element 39.
  • the mode of operation of the dielectric antenna 38 is based in particular on the fact that electromagnetic waves 2 are coupled into the lens 40 via the coupling element 39, which waves then propagate in the lens 40 and are emitted with the transmission area 41. Conversely, when receiving, electromagnetic waves hit the transmission area 41, which in this case functions as a reception area, are passed on through the lens 40 to the coupling element 39 or bundled onto the coupling element 39 and are decoupled from the lens 40 or antenna 38 there.
  • the lens 40 is at least essentially ellipsoidal in shape, at least in the transmission area 41.
  • the antenna 38 or lens 40 preferably has a main axis 42.
  • the antenna 38 or lens 40 is preferably designed symmetrically, in particular rotationally symmetrically, to the main axis 42.
  • the main axis 42 preferably forms a main or symmetry axis of the ellipsoid defined by the transmission area 41.
  • the transmission area 41 is preferably arranged in relation to the coupling element 39 in such a way that the electromagnetic waves 2 emitted by the lens 40 have an at least essentially flat phase front 44 in the main emission direction 43 of the antenna 38.
  • the phase front 44 is shown schematically in FIG. 7. 7 also indicates how the electromagnetic waves 2 propagate within the lens 40 starting from the coupling element 39 shown schematically and are essentially refracted at the ellipsoidal edge of the lens 40 in the transmission area 41 in accordance with the laws of wave optics is emitted from the lens 40 in the main emission direction 43.
  • the transmission range of the lenses defines a plurality of ellipses, the main axes of which are essentially aligned coaxially.
  • the ellipses then essentially have a focal point in common, because this enables the desired properties of the emitted electromagnetic radiation to be achieved.
  • the coupling element 39 is preferably arranged at least substantially in a focal point of the ellipsoid defined by the at least ellipsoidally shaped transmission region 41 of the lens 40, because the focal point property of the ellipsoidally shaped transmission region 41 of the lens 40 is related to the geometrical-optical refraction properties of electromagnetic waves 2 at the edge of the lens 40 or at the dielectric step edge of the dielectric material of the lens 40 in relation to the surroundings of the lens 40 can be used particularly advantageously.
  • the coupling element 39 is designed to couple electromagnetic waves 2 from the waveguide or cavity 4 of the waveguide arrangement 1 into the dielectric antenna 38 or lens 40 and / or from the dielectric antenna 38 or lens 40 into the waveguide or cavity 4 to couple.
  • the cavity 4 is preferably arranged at least substantially coaxially to the main axis 42.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 can advantageously be constructed as a flat or flat, compact module.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 is thinner than 3 cm, preferably thinner than 2 cm, in particular thinner than 1.5 cm. This makes it possible for the waveguide arrangement 1 to be formed into an extremely compact system by being attached to or plugged into another structure such as an antenna 36.
  • An assembly of add-on parts on the waveguide arrangement 1 for coupling and / or decoupling electromagnetic waves 2 into or out of the cavity 4 can in such cases particularly advantageously also be at least essentially perpendicular to the main plane of extent of the entire waveguide arrangement 1, which is preferably the main direction of extent 19 of the circuit board material 5 corresponds to take place.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 can advantageously be inserted into a slot-like receptacle of an add-on part such as an antenna 36 and the add-on part can then be fastened, adjusted and / or fastened by fastening means (not shown) running transversely or perpendicularly to the circuit board material 5 or to the waveguide arrangement 1 to be assembled.
  • Main extension plane 19 engages opposite sides for the purpose of fastening.
  • 5 shows the back 6 of the printed circuit board material 5 without substrate 7 and conductive layer 8. It can be seen that the adaptation structure 15 is at least partially formed in the back 6, in particular by recesses. The same applies preferably to further or all waveguide functional elements 14 of the waveguide arrangement 1, which are each formed at least partially by the printed circuit board material 5 or the back 6.
  • FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the proposed printed circuit board material 5 for forming the waveguide arrangement 1.
  • the surface structure 9 of the back 6 reference is made to the explanations relating to FIG. 5.
  • the substrate 7 is preferably formed so flush with the remaining surface structure 9 of the back 6 or the part thereof which laterally delimits the cavity 4 or is covered by an at least substantially flat wall 20 as a conductive layer or plating 35, 6 that the section of the wall 20, conductive layer or plating 45 shown in a detached manner covers the substrate 7 in a completely conductive manner.
  • the cavity 4 can be completely surrounded by the conductive material 3 and correspondingly form a waveguide for conducting the electromagnetic waves 2 in the cavity 4.
  • the conductive layer 8 is perforated in the area of the waveguide functional elements 14, preferably in alignment with the walls 20, and forms an at least substantially flat surface for connecting or for applying and particularly preferably flat contacting the cover 11 to form the waveguide arrangement 1.
  • the conductive layer is 8, like the substrate 7 and lateral boundary surfaces of the back 6, are preferably formed in alignment with one another, in particular structured.
  • Waveguide functional elements 14 such as the adaptation structure 15 can / can in the circuit board material 5 or in the back 6 at least substantially be formed as a mirror image with respect to the main direction of extent 19 or the main plane of extent.
  • the plane in which the substrate 7 is arranged and in particular a plane bisecting the substrate 7 forms a mirror plane for the surface structure 9 of the back 6 and the surface structure 17 of the cover 11, at least in sections or in part.
  • an antenna coupling or antenna coupling structure with OMT functionality that is fully integrated or integrable in the combination of the PCB circuit board material 5 and the cover 11 is proposed.
  • This consists or function-determining components are advantageously only two parts, namely the proposed structured, one-piece PCB circuit board material 5 and the one-piece cover 11 - instead of the function, as usual, is or will be composed of many individual parts.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to aspect 1 or 2 characterized in that the waveguide arrangement 1 has a waveguide functional element 14, the waveguide functional element 14 being at least partially formed by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to aspect 3 characterized in that the waveguide functional element 14 is an adaptation structure 15, preferably wherein the adaptation structure 15 has steps 6 which are at least partially formed by or in the back 6.
  • Waveguide arrangement characterized in that the cover 11 has a surface structure 17 which corresponds to the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 in such a way that the combination of circuit board material 5 and cover 11 surrounds the cavity 4, whereby the waveguide, preferably rectangular waveguide 18, preferably wherein the surface structure 17 of the cover 11 and the surface structure 9 of the back 6 each have steps 16 which in combination form an adaptation structure 15.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to one of the preceding aspects, characterized in that the conductive layer 8 and the substrate 7 are at least substantially removed in the part of the printed circuit board material 5 and / or the back 6 is exposed on the substrate side in the part in which the back 6 den Cavity 4 limited immediately.
  • Waveguide arrangement characterized in that the conductive layer 8 is electrically connected to the back 6 of the circuit board material 5 at least substantially perpendicular to the main direction of extent of the circuit board material 5 by electrically conductive walls 20, the walls 20 laterally delimiting the cavity 4 so that a rectangular waveguide 18 is formed, preferably wherein the walls 20 are aligned with side walls 21 of the cover 11, whereby these together laterally delimit the cavity 4 and in this way form the rectangular waveguide 18.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 in the printed circuit board material 5 has a substrate-integrated waveguide 22, preferably wherein the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 is coupled to the cavity 4.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to aspect 8 characterized in that a boundary surface 12 of the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and of the cavity 4 is formed in one piece by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to one of the preceding aspects, characterized in that the waveguide arrangement 1 has a stripline 25 formed with the printed circuit board material 5, which has or forms a transition 27 for coupling to the substrate-integrated waveguide 22 and / or waveguide at a stripline end 26.
  • Waveguide arrangement according to one of the preceding aspects, characterized in that the waveguide arrangement 1 has, as a waveguide functional element 14, an orthomode transducer 28 which is at least partially formed by the back 6 of the circuit board material 5.
  • the waveguide arrangement 1 has at least two, preferably at least or exactly three, adaptation structures 15 formed with the back 6, which each couple an input 27 of the orthomode transducer 28 to a substrate-integrated waveguide 22.
  • System comprising a waveguide arrangement 1 according to one of the preceding aspects and an add-on part for coupling in and / or decoupling electromagnetic Waves 2 into and out of the cavity 4 of the waveguide arrangement 1, the attachment part being connectable to the waveguide arrangement 1 or being connectable to the cavity 4, the attachment part being or having an antenna 36, 38, preferably the antenna 36, 38 a lens 40 for the electromagnetic waves 2 made of a dielectric material, the lens 40 being at least substantially ellipsoidal in shape.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Structure Of Printed Boards (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un agencement de guide d'ondes creux destiné à conduire des ondes électromagnétiques dans un espace creux entouré d'un matériau conducteur, l'agencement de guide d'ondes creux comprenant un matériau de carte de circuit imprimé, qui a un dos plat électriquement conducteur, un substrat et une couche conductrice disposée sur le côté du substrat opposé au dos. Selon l'invention, le dos présente une structure de surface formée de préférence par au moins un évidement par lequel l'espace creux de guidage d'ondes est au moins partiellement délimité directement ; et/ou l'espace creux est formé dans une technique à blocs fendus en reliant le matériau de carte de circuit imprimé en tant que base de bloc fendu à un couvercle correspondant en tant que partie supérieure de bloc fendu.
EP20824942.5A 2019-12-20 2020-12-18 Agencement de guide d'ondes creux Pending EP3903376A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19218936 2019-12-20
EP20167973 2020-04-03
PCT/EP2020/086948 WO2021123111A1 (fr) 2019-12-20 2020-12-18 Agencement de guide d'ondes creux

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3903376A1 true EP3903376A1 (fr) 2021-11-03

Family

ID=73839044

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20824942.5A Pending EP3903376A1 (fr) 2019-12-20 2020-12-18 Agencement de guide d'ondes creux

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20230016951A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP3903376A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2021123111A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102020132330B3 (de) 2020-12-04 2022-06-09 CiTEX Holding GmbH THz-Sensor und THz-Messverfahren zum Vermessen eines Messobjektes

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008008715A1 (de) 2008-02-11 2009-08-13 Krohne Meßtechnik GmbH & Co KG Dielektrische Antenne
EP2500978B1 (fr) 2011-03-17 2013-07-10 Sivers Ima AB Transition de guide d'onde
GB2489950A (en) * 2011-04-12 2012-10-17 Filtronic Plc A substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) to air filled waveguide transition comprising a tapered dielectric layer
US10468736B2 (en) 2017-02-08 2019-11-05 Aptiv Technologies Limited Radar assembly with ultra wide band waveguide to substrate integrated waveguide transition

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2021123111A1 (fr) 2021-06-24
US20230016951A1 (en) 2023-01-19

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