An overview is presented of solid-state oscillators and amplifiers realized in E-plane technology. The circuit topology, basic design procedures, and performance characteristics are described and compared. Gunn oscillators, IMPATT oscillators, transistor oscillators, injection-locked Gunn oscillators, and transistor amplifiers are surveyed. Gunn and transistor oscillators have been realized successfully for frequencies from 10 to 110 GHz, thus covering almost the entire frequency range suitable for E-plane technology. IMPATT oscillators are difficult to design and to reproduce in quasi-planar form because of the high impedance ratio that must be overcome by the circuit. E-plane FET amplifiers have been built for frequencies up to 60 GHz. >

Oscillators and amplifiers in integrated E-plane technique

Millimetre-wave low-loss finline filters, with very sharp cutoff, consisting of a number of notches periodically spaced along the single-ridge finline are described. Measured pass-band insertion losses ranged 0.5 to 1 dB for Q-band (33 to 50 GHz) filters have been achieved. These results demonstrate the technological advance of millimetre-wave filters using finline integrated circuits.

Millimetre-wave low-loss finline lowpass filters

A symmetric test fixture can be calibrated for error-corrected measurements with two standards. Equations are presented for calibrating with either of two special sets of standards: 1) a thru of zero length and a matched load and 2) a thru of zero length and a matched 2-Port with unknown transmission characteristics. A measurement example is described for a fin-line test fixture.

Symmetric Test Fixture Calibration

This paper demonstrates a novel technique of microfabrication for sub- millimeter waves circuits. The proposed technique enables E-plane high Q filters, low loss transitions and directional couplers to be formed for operating frequencies about W-band. The overall processing includes realization of ultra-thin E-plane components and rectangular waveguides with a think positive photoresist (known as SU8) onto a metal block that has been mechanically milled with standard flanges. The thickness of the E-plane substrate made with this methodology can be tailored down to a few microns. The measured insertion losses of an E-plane transmission line is typically below 0.1 dB per millimeter and the guide wavelength was found to be very close to the free-space wavelength. The methodology to achieve a thickness of dielectric substrate below ten microns also enables a transmission line of less than 30 ohm to realized with negligible losses. In addition, by glowing a conducting photoresist layer with precise thickness onto an oversize waveguide channel, it is possible to attain a re-scaled waveguide operating at submillimeter wave frequencies. In this paper, the this technique is first presented with particular reference given to the requirement of submillimeter wave applications. Our recent measurements is then given to substantiate the presentation.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Novel technique of thin photoresist micromachining for submillimeter wave circuits

This paper describes the successful demonstration of a stable FET amplifier using fin-line technique The circuit has been realized in integrated E-plane technology, utilizing two main fin-line ports and a microstrip/coplanar bias circuit The amplifier was designed for 17 GHz operation using a NE67300 FET and achieved a gain of 6 dB over a bandwidth of 1 GHz

A FET Amplifier in Fin-Line Technique

This paper presents empirical closed-form expressions for the scattering parameters of series stubs in single-ridge, unilateral fin line with narrow gap width. These expressions show the effect of fin gap width, stub length, and frequency and are suitable for computer-aided design.

W.J.R. Hoefer

Papers

An Improved Model for Short- and Open-Circuited Series Stubs in Fin Lines