Miniature X-band branch-line coupler using photoimageablethick-film materials

The design and measurement of a 10 GHz miniaturised branch-line coupler using thick-film photoimageable materials is presented. This attempts to reduce passive component size by demonstrating thin-film microstrip (TFMS)-based structures with a thick film processing technology. This technique offers a cheaper and faster way to implement compact multilayer circuits compared to thin-film technology. The fabricated hybrid of intrinsic area 1.19×1.07 mm demonstrates excellent performance and the measurements are in good agreement with the simulations     

Broadband CPW Marchand balun using photoimageable multilayerthick-film process

The design of a broadband coplanar waveguide (CPW) Marchand balun fabricated using a photoimageable thick-film process is described. A multilayer coupling structure is employed to obtain a tight coupling. The technique is suitable as a low cost means of fabricating balanced mixers and modulators, with the balun requiring no bond-wires or through-substrate vias. The balun operates from 2 to 9 GHz with an excellent performance     

Photoimageable thick-film millimetre-wave metal-pipe rectangularwaveguides

A novel dielectric-filled metal-pipe rectangular waveguide has been fabricated using photoimageable thick-film materials. The waveguides incorporate a new transition from CPW-to-TFMS-to-MPRWG. Standard on-wafer measurement techniques, waveguide STD calibration standards, demonstrated low attenuation across the 60 to 90 GHz frequency range