JP2015188145A - Waveguide and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waveguide having flexibility, capable of transmitting an electromagnetic wave of a terahertz band without lowering transmission efficiency, and capable of being easily manufactured, and also to provide a method of manufacturing the same.SOLUTION: A laminate L2 is formed by a resin layer 10, a conductor layer 20 and a coating layer 30. The resin layer 10 has elasticity and conductivity. The coating layer 30 has higher conductivity than that of the conductor layer 20. The waveguide 1 surrounded by the coating layer 30 is formed by bending the laminate L2 so that the coating layer 30 is disposed inside. The coating layer 30 may not be contained in the laminate L2. In this case, the waveguide 1 surrounded by the conductor layer 20 is formed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a waveguide for transmitting an electromagnetic wave having a terahertz band, for example, a frequency of 0.05 THz to 10 THz, and a method for manufacturing the same.

  Terahertz communication using electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band is expected to be applied to various uses such as short-range ultrahigh-speed communication and uncompressed / delayed ultrahigh-definition video transmission. A typical waveguide is made of a metal tube having a rectangular cross section.

  Patent Document 1 describes a flexible waveguide having flexibility. In the flexible waveguide described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of annular metal plates in which crests and troughs are alternately formed are stacked. Here, a some metal plate is arrange | positioned so that the peak part and trough part of an adjacent metal plate may contact | abut, and it welds mutually. Patent Document 2 describes an array antenna device including a dielectric-filled waveguide. The dielectric-filled waveguide described in Patent Document 2 is configured by performing metal plating on the outer periphery of a rectangular dielectric.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-92388 JP 2008-271498 A

  In the waveguide of Patent Document 1, flexibility is imparted by forming a bellows by the crests and troughs of a plurality of stacked metal plates. However, in order to transmit terahertz band electromagnetic waves, the cross-sectional dimension of the waveguide needs to be as extremely small as 1 mm or less. Therefore, it becomes difficult to form a peak part and a trough part in each metal plate, and to weld a plurality of metal plates.

  In the waveguide of Patent Document 2, electromagnetic waves are transmitted through a dielectric body constituting the waveguide. However, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves decreases due to dielectric loss. Similarly to Patent Document 1, in order to transmit terahertz band electromagnetic waves, it is necessary to make the cross-sectional dimension of the waveguide as extremely small as 1 mm or less. Therefore, it is difficult to manufacture a waveguide that transmits electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a waveguide that has flexibility and can transmit terahertz band electromagnetic waves easily without reducing transmission efficiency, and a manufacturing method thereof.

  (1) A waveguide according to a first aspect of the present invention is a waveguide having a waveguide for transmitting an electromagnetic wave in a terahertz band, on a resin layer having stretchability and conductivity, and on one surface of the resin layer The conductor layer is formed, and the resin layer and the conductor layer constitute a laminated body, and the laminated body is bent so that the conductor layer is on the inner side, thereby forming a waveguide surrounded by the laminated body. The

  In this waveguide, a laminate is constituted by a resin layer having stretchability and conductivity and a conductor layer formed on one surface of the resin layer. The laminated body is bent so that the conductor layer is on the inside, thereby forming a waveguide surrounded by the conductor layer.

  Since the resin layer has conductivity, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves transmitted through the waveguide can be improved. Further, since the hollow waveguide surrounded by the conductor layer is formed, the dielectric loss tangent of the waveguide becomes equal to air. Therefore, a decrease in transmission efficiency due to dielectric loss is prevented. Furthermore, since the resin layer has stretchability, flexibility is imparted to the waveguide.

  Further, the shape and dimensions of the waveguide can be easily adjusted by adjusting the bending position and the bending angle of the laminate. Therefore, the dimension of the cross section of the waveguide can be easily set to an extremely small value. As a result, a waveguide having flexibility and capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band without lowering transmission efficiency can be easily manufactured.

  (2) A plurality of grooves extending in parallel with the direction in which the waveguide extends may be formed in the conductor layer, and the laminate may be bent along the plurality of grooves to form the waveguide.

  In this case, the laminate can be easily bent. Thereby, the cross section of the waveguide can be easily formed in a predetermined shape and size.

  (3) The laminated body may be bent so as to form a rectangular shape on a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the waveguide extends.

  In this case, a waveguide having a rectangular cross section is formed. Therefore, the electromagnetic wave in the terahertz band can be transmitted satisfactorily.

(4) The electric conductivity of the resin layer may be 10 ⁵ S / m or more. In this case, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.

  (5) The resin layer may include a resin material in which conductive fibers are dispersed. In this case, the stretchability and conductivity of the resin layer can be easily improved.

  (6) The conductor layer may be separated into a plurality of portions so as to line up in the direction in which the waveguide extends.

  In this case, the laminate can be bent at the portion where the conductor layer is separated. Thereby, the flexibility of the waveguide is further improved. Therefore, the transmission direction of electromagnetic waves can be arbitrarily adjusted.

  (7) The laminate further includes a coating layer formed on one surface of the conductor layer, the coating layer has a higher conductivity than the conductor layer, and the laminate is folded so that the coating layer is on the inside. May be tuned.

  In this case, one surface of the conductor layer is covered with a covering layer having a higher conductivity than the conductor layer. As a result, a hollow waveguide surrounded by the covering layer is formed. Since it is not necessary to form a thick coating layer, it is possible to improve electromagnetic wave transmission efficiency while reducing an increase in cost.

  (8) The waveguide further includes an adhesive layer, and the first linear portion and the second linear portion of the multilayer body are formed in a state where the multilayer body is bent so that the waveguide is formed. You may adhere | attach by an adhesive bond layer.

  In this case, it is reliably prevented that a gap is generated between the first linear portion and the second linear portion of the stacked body. Thereby, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.

  (9) The adhesive layer may have conductivity. In this case, transmission loss of electromagnetic waves caused by the adhesive layer is reduced.

(10) The electrical conductivity of the adhesive layer may be 10 ⁵ S / m or more. In this case, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.

  (11) A method for manufacturing a waveguide according to a second invention is a method for manufacturing a waveguide having a waveguide for transmitting electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band, and has a stretchable and conductive resin layer and conductor. And a step of forming a waveguide surrounded by the multilayer body by bending the multilayer body so that the conductor layer is on the inner side.

  In this waveguide manufacturing method, a laminate is constituted by a resin layer having stretchability and conductivity and a conductor layer formed on one surface of the resin layer. The laminated body is bent so that the conductor layer is on the inside, thereby forming a waveguide surrounded by the conductor layer.

  Since the resin layer has conductivity, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves transmitted through the waveguide can be improved. Further, since the hollow waveguide surrounded by the conductor layer is formed, the dielectric loss tangent of the waveguide becomes equal to air. Therefore, a decrease in transmission efficiency due to dielectric loss is prevented. Furthermore, since the resin layer has stretchability, flexibility is imparted to the waveguide.

  Further, the shape and dimensions of the waveguide can be easily adjusted by adjusting the bending position and the bending angle of the laminate. Therefore, the dimension of the cross section of the waveguide can be easily set to an extremely small value. As a result, a waveguide having flexibility and capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band without lowering transmission efficiency can be easily manufactured.

  (12) The step of preparing the laminated body includes forming a plurality of groove portions extending in parallel with the direction in which the waveguide extends in the conductor layer, and laminating the conductor layer formed with the plurality of groove portions and the resin layer. And forming the waveguide may include bending the stacked body along the plurality of grooves.

  In this case, the laminate can be easily bent. Thereby, the cross section of the waveguide can be easily formed in a predetermined shape and size.

  (13) The step of preparing the laminated body may include separating the conductor layer into a plurality of portions such that the conductor layer is arranged in the direction in which the waveguide extends on the resin layer.

  In this case, the laminate can be bent at the portion where the conductor layer is separated. Thereby, the flexibility of the waveguide is further improved. Therefore, the transmission direction of electromagnetic waves can be arbitrarily adjusted.

  (14) The step of preparing the laminate includes forming a coating layer having a higher conductivity than the conductor layer on the conductor layer, and the step of forming the waveguide is laminated so that the coating layer is on the inside. It may include bending the body.

  In this case, one surface of the conductor layer is covered with a covering layer having a higher conductivity than the conductor layer. As a result, a hollow waveguide surrounded by the covering layer is formed. Since it is not necessary to form a thick coating layer, it is possible to improve electromagnetic wave transmission efficiency while reducing an increase in cost.

  (15) The method may further include a step of bonding the first linear portion and the second linear portion of the laminate with an adhesive layer in a state where the laminate is bent.

  In this case, it is reliably prevented that a gap is generated between the first linear portion and the second linear portion of the stacked body. Thereby, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while having flexibility, the waveguide which can transmit the electromagnetic wave of a terahertz band can be easily manufactured, without reducing transmission efficiency.

1 is an external perspective view of a waveguide according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the waveguide of FIG. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing process of the waveguide of FIG. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing process of the waveguide of FIG. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing process of the waveguide of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the other bending example of a laminated body. It is an external appearance perspective view of the waveguide which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the waveguide of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the waveguide of FIG. 8. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing process of the waveguide of FIGS. 7-9. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing process of the waveguide of FIGS. 7-9. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing process of the waveguide in a 1st modification. It is sectional drawing which shows the waveguide in a 2nd modification. It is sectional drawing which shows the waveguide in a 3rd modification. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to Examples 1 and 2 and a waveguide according to Comparative Example 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the simulation result in Examples 1, 2 and Comparative Example 1.

  Hereinafter, a waveguide and a manufacturing method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, a frequency band of 0.05 THz to 10 THz is referred to as a terahertz band. The waveguide according to this embodiment can transmit an electromagnetic wave having at least a specific frequency within the terahertz band.

(A) First Embodiment (1) Configuration of Waveguide FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a waveguide according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the waveguide of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the waveguide 100 is a cylindrical body having a rectangular cross section, and a waveguide 1 through which electromagnetic waves are transmitted is formed in a space surrounded by the cylindrical body. The waveguide 100 includes a laminated body L2 composed of the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the coating layer 30.

The resin layer 10 is made of a resin having stretchability and conductivity. In the present embodiment, the resin layer 10 is made of a urethane acrylic resin in which silver fibers are dispersed. The resin layer 10 may be, for example, conductive rubber. In this case, the stretchability and conductivity of the resin layer 10 can be easily improved. The resin layer 10 may be a resin in which a conductive material such as a gold fiber or a copper fiber is dispersed. The electrical conductivity of the resin layer 10 is preferably 10 ⁵ S / m or more. In this case, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.

  The conductor layer 20 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The covering layer 30 is made of a conductor having higher conductivity than the conductor layer 20. In the present embodiment, coating layer 30 is made of copper.

  A conductor layer 20 is formed on one surface of the resin layer 10, and a coating layer 30 is formed on one surface of the conductor layer 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the laminated body L2 is provided with bent portions F1, F2, and F3. The laminated body L2 is bent into a cylindrical shape along the bent portions F1, F2, and F3 so that the coating layer 30 is on the inner side. In this case, the stacked body L2 is held in a state of being integrally bent along the bent portions F1, F2, and F3. One end and the other end of the laminate L2 are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer 40. Thereby, the hollow waveguide 1 surrounded by the coating layer 30 is formed.

(2) Manufacturing Method of Waveguide A manufacturing method of the waveguide 100 of FIG. 1 will be described. 3 to 5 are views showing a manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 of FIG. FIGS. 3A and 4A are plan views of the waveguide 100 in the manufacturing process. 3B shows a cross section taken along line A1-A1 of FIG. 3A, and FIGS. 4B and 5 show cross sections taken along line A2-A2 of FIG. 4A.

  As shown in FIG. 3, for example, a laminate L1 of a resin layer 10 made of urethane acrylic resin in which silver fibers are dispersed and a conductor layer 20 made of stainless steel is prepared. The laminated body L1 may be formed by laminating or applying the resin layer 10 on the conductor layer 20.

  The laminated body L1 is formed with bent portions F1 to F3. The bent portions F1 to F3 may be, for example, linear shallow grooves, linear marks, or the like. Alternatively, as long as the laminate L3 can be bent at the bent portions F1 to F3, there may be nothing in the bent portions F1 to F3. In the present embodiment, the distance from one end portion of the coating layer 30 to the bent portion F1 is substantially equal to the distance from the bent portion F2 to the bent portion F3. Further, the distance from the bent portion F1 to the bent portion F2 and the distance from the bent portion F3 to the other end portion of the coating layer 30 are substantially equal.

  The thickness t1 of the resin layer 10 is preferably, for example, 1 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. The thickness t2 of the conductor layer 20 is preferably 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less, for example.

  The material of the resin layer 10 is not limited to urethane acrylic resin in which silver fibers are dispersed, and may be, for example, conductive rubber. The conductor layer 20 is made of a material that has higher rigidity than the resin layer 10 and the coating layer 30 and can be bent. The material of the conductor layer 20 is not limited to stainless steel, but may be another metal such as aluminum (Al) or an alloy such as an aluminum alloy.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a laminated body L <b> 2 is formed by forming a coating layer 30 made of, for example, copper on the conductor layer 20. The coating layer 30 is formed by plating, for example. The thickness t3 of the coating layer 30 is preferably 0.2 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, for example. The thickness t3 of the covering layer 30 is preferably equal to or greater than the thickness at which electromagnetic waves concentrate due to the skin effect. The material of the coating layer 30 is not limited to copper, but may be another metal such as gold (Au) or aluminum, an alloy such as a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy, or another conductive material.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the laminated body L2 is bent along the bent portions F1 to F3 so that the coating layer 30 is on the inner side. The bending angle of the laminate L2 at each of the bent portions F1 to F3 is approximately 90 °. In this state, one end and the other end of the laminate L2 are bonded to each other by the adhesive layer 40. In this example, the linear end surfaces of the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the coating layer 30 at one end of the laminate L2 are bonded to the linear portion of the one surface of the coating layer 30 at the other end of the laminate L2. The

The adhesive layer 40 preferably has conductivity. The conductivity of the adhesive layer 40 is preferably 10 ³ S / m or more, and more preferably 10 ⁵ S / m or more. When the electrical conductivity of the adhesive layer 40 is 10 ³ S / m or more, the transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved. As a material for the adhesive layer 40, for example, a pressure-sensitive adhesive containing a conductive filler is used.

  Thereby, the waveguide 100 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is completed. The dimension in the width direction inside the waveguide 100 (the dimension in the width direction of the waveguide 1) D1 (FIG. 2) is preferably 30 μm or more and 5700 μm or less. The dimension in the thickness direction inside the waveguide 100 (the dimension in the thickness direction of the waveguide 1) D2 (FIG. 2) is preferably 30 μm or more and 5700 μm or less. In the present embodiment, the dimensions D1 and D2 are 864 μm and 432 μm, respectively.

(3) Effect In the present embodiment, the laminate L2 is formed by the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the covering layer 30. The resin layer 10 has stretchability and conductivity. The covering layer 30 has a higher conductivity than the conductor layer 20. The waveguide 1 surrounded by the coating layer 30 is formed by bending the stacked body L2 so that the coating layer 30 is on the inner side.

  Since the resin layer 10 has conductivity, the transmission efficiency of the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the waveguide 1 can be improved. Further, since the hollow waveguide 1 surrounded by the covering layer 30 is formed, the dielectric loss tangent of the waveguide 1 becomes equal to air. Therefore, a decrease in transmission efficiency due to dielectric loss is prevented. Furthermore, since the resin layer 10 has stretchability, flexibility is imparted to the waveguide 100.

  Moreover, the shape and dimension of the waveguide 1 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the bending position and bending angle of the laminated body L2. Therefore, the dimension of the cross section of the waveguide 1 can be easily set to an extremely small value. As a result, the waveguide 100 having flexibility and capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band without reducing transmission efficiency can be easily manufactured.

  In the present embodiment, one surface of the conductor layer 20 is covered with the covering layer 30 having a higher conductivity than the conductor layer 20. Here, since it is not necessary to form the coating layer 30 thick, an increase in the manufacturing cost of the waveguide 100 can be reduced. In the present embodiment, the coating layer 30 is formed on the conductor layer 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. When the electromagnetic wave transmission efficiency is high, the coating layer 30 may not be formed on the conductor layer 20.

(4) Other folding examples The folding position of the laminated body L2 is not limited to the above example. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another bending example of the stacked body L2. The example of FIG. 6 will be described while referring to differences from the examples of FIGS. In the example of FIG. 6, the laminate L2 is bent along the bent portions F1a, F2a, F3a, and F4a so that the coating layer 30 is on the inner side. The bending angle of the laminate L2 in each of the bent portions F1a to F4a is approximately 90 °. In this state, the linear end surface and the linear other end surface of the laminate L2 are bonded to each other by the adhesive layer 40.

(B) Second Embodiment (1) Configuration of Waveguide FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a waveguide according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the waveguide of FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the waveguide of FIG. 9A shows a cross section taken along line A3-A3 of the waveguide 100 shown in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9B shows a cross section taken along line A4-A4 of the waveguide 100 shown in FIG. The difference between the waveguide 100 of FIGS. 7 to 9 and the waveguide 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the waveguide 100 according to the present embodiment, a conductor layer arrangement region 10a where the conductor layer 20 is arranged and a conductor layer non-arrangement region 10b where the conductor layer 20 is not arranged are formed. The resin layers 10 are provided so as to be alternately arranged. As shown in FIG. 9A, the conductor layer 20 is formed on the conductor layer arrangement region 10 a of the resin layer 10, and the covering layer 30 is formed on the conductor layer 20. As shown in FIG. 9B, the conductor layer 20 and the coating layer 30 are not formed on the conductor layer non-arrangement region 10 b of the resin layer 10.

(2) Manufacturing Method of Waveguide The difference between the manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 and the example shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining a manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 shown in FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. 10A is a plan view of the waveguide 100 in the manufacturing process. FIG. 10B shows a cross section taken along line A5-A5 of FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10C shows a cross section taken along line A6-A6 of FIG. 10A. A cross section taken along line A7-A7 in FIG. 11A is shown, and FIG. 11C shows a cross section taken along line A8-A8 in FIG.

  First, the laminated body L1 is prepared similarly to the process of FIG. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, next, the conductor layer 20 is processed, so that a plurality of slits S parallel to the longitudinal direction of the resin layer 10 are formed in the conductor layer 20. The portions of the conductor layer 20 on both ends in the longitudinal direction are removed.

  The width of each slit S is preferably 100 μm or more and 10,000 μm or less. The spacing between adjacent slits S is preferably 50 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. In this example, the interval between the adjacent slits S is, for example, 50 μm. The conductor layer 20 can be processed by, for example, wet etching using a photoresist mask having a predetermined pattern and an iron chloride solution.

  Thereby, the conductor layer 20 is separated into a plurality of portions. The portions of the resin layer 10 that overlap the plurality of slits S and both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the resin layer 10 are exposed from the conductor layer 20. Here, the portion of the resin layer 10 that overlaps the plurality of conductor layers 20 becomes the metal layer arrangement region 10a (FIG. 9A), and the portion of the resin layer 10 that overlaps the plurality of slits S becomes the metal layer non-arrangement region 10b (FIG. 9 (b)).

  The distance from one end of the resin layer 10 to one end of the conductor layer 20 is d1, and the distance from the other end of the resin layer 10 to the other end of the conductor layer 20 is d2. In the present embodiment, the distance d1 is approximately equal to the thickness t1 of the resin layer 10, and the distance d2 is approximately equal to the thickness t2 of the conductor layer 20.

  Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the covering layer 30 is formed on the conductor layer 20 except for both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the conductor layer 20, thereby forming the multilayer body L <b> 2. The distance from one end of the conductor layer 20 to one end of the covering layer 30 is d3, and the distance from the other end of the conductor layer 20 to the other end of the covering layer 30 is d4. In the present embodiment, the distance d3 is substantially equal to the thickness t2 of the conductor layer 20, and the distance d4 is substantially equal to the thickness t3 of the coating layer 30.

  Thereafter, similarly to the process of FIG. 5, the laminate L2 is bent along the bent portions F1 to F3 and one end and the other end of the laminate L2 are bonded to each other by the adhesive layer 40. Thereby, the waveguide 100 of FIGS. 7-9 is completed. In addition, the bending position of the laminated body L2 is not limited to the examples of FIGS. The laminated body L2 may be bent similarly to the example of FIG. 6, or the laminated body L2 may be bent at other positions.

(3) Effect In the present embodiment, the conductor layer 20 is separated into a plurality of portions by forming the slits S in the conductor layer 20. The laminated body L2 can be bent at the portion where the conductor layer 20 is separated. Thereby, the flexibility of the waveguide 100 is further improved. Therefore, the transmission direction of electromagnetic waves can be arbitrarily adjusted.

(4) Other Examples of Slits In the examples of FIGS. 7 to 9, the plurality of slits S are formed along the plane perpendicular to the direction in which the waveguide 1 extends and at equal intervals. The position and angle are not limited to this. If the waveguide 100 can be bent in a desired direction, the plurality of slits S may be formed along a plane inclined with respect to the direction in which the waveguide 1 extends, or in the direction in which the waveguide 1 extends. It may be formed in a spiral around. Further, the interval between the slits S may not be constant.

(C) Modified Example (1) First Modified Example FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 in the first modified example. 12A to 12C show a cross section of a portion corresponding to the cross section along line A1-A1 of FIG. In the manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 according to the first modification, as shown in FIG. 12A, a long conductor layer 20 is prepared before the process of FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 12B, linear shallow grooves G1, G2, and G3 are respectively formed at positions of the conductor layer 20 where the bent portions F1 to F3 are provided in a later process, for example, by half etching. The The grooves G1 to G3 may be formed by mechanical processing using, for example, a YAG (yttrium, aluminum, garnet) laser.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12C, the long resin layer 10 is bonded to the conductor layer 20. Thereby, similarly to the process of FIG. 3, the elongate laminated body L1 by which the resin layer 10 and the conductor layer 20 were laminated | stacked is prepared. The subsequent steps are the same as those in FIGS. 4 and 5.

  According to the manufacturing process of the waveguide 100 in the first modification, since the shallow grooves are formed in the bent portions F1 to F3 of the multilayer body L2, the multilayer body L2 is formed along the bent portions F1 to F3. Can be bent easily. Thereby, the cross section of the waveguide 1 can be easily formed in a predetermined shape and size.

(2) Second Modification FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a waveguide 100 in the second modification. FIGS. 13A and 13B show a cross section of a portion corresponding to the cross section along line A2-A2 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 13A, in the waveguide 100 according to the second modification, both end surfaces of the resin layer 10 in the longitudinal direction are inclined toward the center. Similarly, both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the conductor layer 20 are inclined toward the center, and both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the coating layer 30 are inclined toward the center.

  One end face of the resin layer 10, one end face of the conductor layer 20, and one end face of the coating layer 30 are flush with each other, and the other end face of the resin layer 10, the other end face of the conductor layer 20 and the other end face of the coating layer 30 are flush. is there. In this case, both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the stacked body L2 are inclined toward the center. In this example, the inclination angle θ1 from the vertical direction of one end face of the laminate L2 is approximately 45 °, and the inclination angle θ2 from the vertical direction of the other end face of the laminate L2 is approximately 45 °.

  In this configuration, the stacked body L2 is bent along the plurality of bent portions F1 to F3 so that the plurality of coating layers 30 are located inside. In this case, as shown in FIG.13 (b), the cross section of the laminated body L2 becomes a rectangle. In this state, one end and the other end of the resin layer 10 are in contact, one end and the other end of the conductor layer 20 are in contact, and one end and the other end of the coating layer 30 are in contact. Thereby, the waveguide 100 is completed.

(3) Third Modification FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a waveguide 100 in the third modification. In the example of FIG. 14A, the waveguide 100 has a triangular cross section. In this case, the laminate L2 is bent along the bent portions F1b and F2b, and one end and the other end of the laminate L2 are bonded via the adhesive layer 40.

  In the example of FIG. 14B, the waveguide 100 has a pentagonal cross section. In this case, the laminated body L2 is bent along the bent portions F1c, F2c, F3c, and F4c, and one end and the other end of the laminated body L2 are bonded via the adhesive layer 40.

  In the example of FIG. 14C, the waveguide 100 has a circular cross section. In this case, the laminate L2 is bent into a circular shape, and one end and the other end of the laminate L2 are bonded via the adhesive layer 40. As described above, the waveguide 100 may have a polygonal cross section other than a rectangle, or may have a circular cross section, or may have a cross section of another shape.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the shape of the laminated body L2 is hold | maintained by adhere | attaching the one end part and other end part of the laminated body L2 via the adhesive bond layer 40, this invention is not limited to this. . The one end part and the other end part of the laminated body L2 may be joined by other methods such as fusion. In addition, when no gap is generated between the two linear portions of the stacked body L2, the stacked body L2 may not be bonded and bonded in a state where the stacked body L2 is bent. Or you may adhere | attach by the adhesive bond layer 40 which does not have electroconductivity in the state by which the laminated body L2 was bent.

(D) Correspondence between each component of claim and each part of embodiment The following describes an example of a correspondence between each component of the claim and each part of the embodiment. It is not limited.

  In the above embodiment, the waveguide 1 is an example of a waveguide, the waveguide 100 is an example of a waveguide, the resin layer 10 is an example of a resin layer, and the conductor layer 20 is an example of a conductor layer. It is. The laminates L1 and L2 are examples of laminates, the grooves G1 to G3 are examples of grooves, the coating layer 30 is an example of a coating layer, and the adhesive layer 40 is an example of an adhesive layer.

  As each constituent element in the claims, various other elements having configurations or functions described in the claims can be used.

(E) Examples The transmission efficiency of electromagnetic waves for waveguides having various structures was analyzed by simulation. FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the waveguide 100 according to the first and second embodiments and the waveguide according to the first comparative example. FIG. 15 corresponds to a cross section of the waveguide 100 of FIG. 15A and 15B show the waveguide 100 according to the first and second embodiments, respectively, and FIG. 15C shows the waveguide according to the first comparative example.

  As shown in FIG. 15A, in the waveguide 100 according to the first embodiment, the laminated body L2 including the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the coating layer 30 is bent, whereby the waveguide 100 is bent. Is formed. The waveguide 100 according to Example 1 is the same as the waveguide 100 manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment, except that both ends of the laminate L2 are not bonded by the adhesive layer 40. .

  The length of the waveguide 100 in one direction is 1 mm. The dimension D1 in the width direction outside the waveguide 100 is 978 μm, and the dimension D2 in the thickness direction outside the waveguide 100 is 546 μm. The dimension D3 in the width direction inside the waveguide 100 is 864 μm, and the dimension D4 in the width direction inside the waveguide 100 is 432 μm.

The resin layer 10 is formed of urethane acrylic resin in which silver fibers are dispersed. The electrical conductivity of the resin layer 10 is × 10 ⁵ S / m, and the thickness t1 of the resin layer 10 is 25 μm. The conductor layer 20 is made of stainless steel. The conductivity of the conductor layer 20 is 1.4 × 10 ⁶ S / m, and the thickness t2 of the conductor layer 20 is 16 μm. The covering layer 30 is made of copper. The conductivity of the coating layer 30 is 5.8 × 10 ⁷ S / m, and the thickness t3 of the coating layer 30 is 16 μm.

The waveguide 100 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the waveguide 100 according to the first embodiment except for the following points. As shown in FIG. 15B, in the waveguide 100 according to the second embodiment, both ends of the multilayer body L <b> 2 are bonded by the conductive adhesive layer 40. The conductivity of the adhesive layer 40 is 10 ⁵ S / m. The waveguide 100 according to Example 2 is the same as the waveguide 100 manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment.

  In the waveguide 100 according to the second embodiment, the dimensions of the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the coating layer 30 are the same as the dimensions of the resin layer 10, the conductor layer 20, and the coating layer 30 of the waveguide 100 according to the first embodiment. And the same for each. The adhesive layer 40 has a thickness t4 (gap spacing) of 15 μm.

  As shown in FIG. 15C, in the waveguide according to Comparative Example 1, a rectangular conductor layer 50 extending in one direction is formed, and the waveguide 1 is formed inside the conductor layer 50. The waveguide according to Comparative Example 1 is a cylindrical body having a rectangular cross section, and has a configuration in which a metal waveguide is downsized in simulation. In the waveguide according to Comparative Example 1, the dimension D1 is 1114 μm and the dimension D2 is 682 μm.

The conductor layer 50 is made of copper. The conductivity of the conductor layer 50 is 5.8 × 10 ⁷ S / m, and the thickness t5 of the conductor layer 50 is 125 μm. The length of the waveguide in one direction according to Comparative Example 1 is the same as the length of the waveguide 100 in one direction according to Example 1, and the dimensions D3 and D4 of the waveguide are the same as those in Example 1. The dimensions D3 and D4 of the waveguide 100 are the same.

  S21 (transmission coefficient) representing transmission characteristics when an electromagnetic wave in a terahertz band of 100 GHz to 400 GHz is transmitted through the waveguide 100 according to Examples 1 and 2 and the waveguide according to Comparative Example 1 was evaluated by simulation. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating simulation results in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1. 16A to 16C, the vertical axis represents the electromagnetic wave transmission characteristic S21 [dB], and the horizontal axis represents the electromagnetic wave frequency [GHz]. FIGS. 16A to 16C show simulation results in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 16A, in the waveguide 100 according to the first example, in the frequency band of 100 GHz to 170 GHz, the transmission characteristic S21 exponentially approaches 0 as the frequency increases. Further, in the frequency band higher than 170 GHz, the transmission characteristic S21 is almost zero.

  As shown in FIGS. 16B and 16C, the waveguide 100 according to the second embodiment and the waveguide according to the first comparative example have substantially the same simulation results as the waveguide 100 according to the first embodiment. was gotten. From the comparison results between the first and second embodiments and the first comparative example, the waveguide 100 according to the first and second embodiments transmits the terahertz band electromagnetic wave with almost no attenuation, like the waveguide according to the first comparative example. It was confirmed that it has a function to

  The present invention can be used for transmission of electromagnetic waves having a frequency in the terahertz band.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Waveguide 10 Resin layer 10a Conductor layer arrangement | positioning area | region 10b Conductor layer non-arrangement area | region 20,50 Conductor layer 30 Covering layer 40 Adhesive layer 100 Waveguide F1-F3 Bending part G1-G3 Groove part L1, L2 Laminate S Slit

Claims (15)

A waveguide having a waveguide for transmitting electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band,
A resin layer having elasticity and conductivity;
A conductor layer formed on one surface of the resin layer,
The resin layer and the conductor layer constitute a laminate,
A waveguide in which the waveguide surrounded by the laminate is formed by bending the laminate so that the conductor layer is on the inside. A plurality of grooves extending in parallel with the direction in which the waveguide extends are formed in the conductor layer,
The waveguide according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide is formed by bending the laminated body along the plurality of grooves. The waveguide according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the laminated body is bent so as to form a rectangular shape on a plane perpendicular to a direction in which the waveguide extends. The waveguide according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical conductivity of the resin layer is 10 ⁵ S / m or more. The waveguide according to claim 1, wherein the resin layer includes a resin material in which conductive fibers are dispersed. The waveguide according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the conductor layer is separated into a plurality of portions so as to be aligned in a direction in which the waveguide extends. The laminate further includes a coating layer formed on one surface of the conductor layer,
The covering layer has a higher conductivity than the conductor layer,
The waveguide according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the laminated body is bent so that the covering layer is on the inner side. Further comprising an adhesive layer;
The first linear portion and the second linear portion of the multilayer body are bonded by an adhesive layer in a state where the multilayer body is bent so that the waveguide is formed. The waveguide according to any one of? 7. The waveguide according to claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer has conductivity. The waveguide according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive layer has a conductivity of 10 ⁵ S / m or more. A method of manufacturing a waveguide having a waveguide for transmitting electromagnetic waves in a terahertz band,
Providing a laminate including a stretchable and conductive resin layer and a conductor layer;
Forming the waveguide surrounded by the multilayer body by bending the multilayer body so that the conductor layer is on the inside. The step of preparing the laminate includes
Forming a plurality of grooves in the conductor layer extending in parallel with a direction in which the waveguide extends;
Laminating the conductor layer and the resin layer in which the plurality of grooves are formed,
The method of manufacturing a waveguide according to claim 11, wherein the step of forming the waveguide includes bending the stacked body along the plurality of grooves. The step of preparing the multilayer body includes separating the conductor layer into a plurality of portions so that the conductor layer is aligned in a direction in which the waveguide extends on the resin layer. Wave tube manufacturing method. The step of preparing the laminate includes forming a coating layer having a higher conductivity than the conductor layer on the conductor layer,
The method of manufacturing a waveguide according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the step of forming the waveguide includes bending the stacked body so that the covering layer is inside. 15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising a step of bonding the first linear portion and the second linear portion of the laminate with an adhesive layer in a state where the laminate is bent. The waveguide according to item.

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