US-12620685-B2 - Variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device

US12620685B2US 12620685 B2US12620685 B2US 12620685B2US-12620685-B2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device, comprising a series of, N, waveguide components. Each waveguide component comprises a waveguide layer comprising a waveguide opening, a recess layer comprising a recess, a conductive material coating. The waveguide components are nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by the total length of the wave-guide openings in each waveguide components.

Inventors

James CAMPION
Bernhard BEUERLE

Assignees

TERASI AB

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220315
Priority Date: 20210315

Claims (9)

1 . A variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device, comprising: a series of N waveguide components, N being two or greater, each waveguide component including a waveguide layer including a waveguide opening, a recess layer including a recess, and a conductive material coating; and a waveguide flange interface including a waveguide opening, wherein the N waveguide components are nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by a total length of a waveguide opening in each waveguide component and the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface by aligning individual waveguide openings of the N waveguide components, the nested structure is placed within the waveguide flange interface so that waveguide openings of the N waveguide components are aligned with the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface, and the waveguide opening in each waveguide component creates a phase offset of an incoming of n*λ/i, i, n being an integer.
2 . The variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 1 , wherein an outer dimension of an (i+1)th waveguide component, i going from 1 to N−1, in the series of N waveguide components is an inner dimension of a recessed section of an i th waveguide component to create self-alignment of the N waveguide components in the series of N waveguide components.
3 . The variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 1 , further comprising: alignment holes for inserting alignment pins.
4 . The variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 3 , wherein the alignment holes are manufactured into said waveguide flange interface.
5 . The variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 1 , further comprising: mating protrusions and intrusions for interlocking the N waveguide components and the waveguide flange interface.
6 . A terahertz waveguide vector network analyzer calibration kit, comprising: two or more calibration devices including the variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 1 .
7 . The variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a backshort configured to fit within a last waveguide component of the nested structure to close the combined waveguide opening length or the waveguide opening.
8 . A variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device, comprising: a series of N waveguide components, N being two or greater, each waveguide component including a waveguide layer including a waveguide opening, a recess layer including a recess, and a conductive material coating; a waveguide flange interface including a waveguide opening, wherein the N waveguide components are nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by a total length of a waveguide opening in each waveguide component and the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface by aligning individual waveguide openings of the N waveguide components, and the nested structure is placed within the waveguide flange interface so that the waveguide openings of the N waveguide components are aligned with the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface; and a waveguide filling material filled within the waveguide opening length to create a waveguide load, attenuator, or phase shifter.
9 . A method for calibrating a system, the method comprising: providing a waveguide device and a calibration kit including a series of N waveguide components, N being two or greater, each waveguide component including a waveguide layer including a waveguide opening, a recess layer including a recess, and a conductive material coating; a waveguide flange interface including a waveguide opening, wherein the N waveguide components are nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by a total length of a waveguide opening in each waveguide component and the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface by aligning individual waveguide openings of the N waveguide components, the nested structure is placed within the waveguide flange interface so that the waveguide openings of the N waveguide components are aligned with the waveguide openings in the waveguide flange interface, and the waveguide opening in each waveguide components creates a phase offset of an incoming wave of n*λ/i, i, n being an integer, and measuring at least one of a reflectance or a transmittance of one or more of a flush short calibration device, for providing a reference reflective standard for a waveguide test apparatus, a waveguide device for providing a reference transmissive standard for a waveguide test apparatus, a waveguide device with a backshort configured to fit within a last waveguide component of the nested structure to close the combined waveguide opening length or the waveguide opening, for providing a reference reflective standard for a waveguide test apparatus, or a waveguide device with a waveguide filling material filled within a waveguide opening length to create a waveguide load, attenuator, or phase shifter, for providing a reference transmissive standard for a waveguide test apparatus.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device, comprising a series of, N, waveguide components. Each waveguide component comprises a waveguide layer comprising a waveguide opening, a recess layer comprising a recess, a conductive material coating. The waveguide components are nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by the total length of the wave-guide openings in each waveguide components. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Waveguides are available today in a variety of materials, form factors and performance levels, with hollow metallic waveguides being the most prevalent due to their compatibility with industrial machining processes such as CNC milling. At frequencies above 100 GHz the tolerances associated with such manufacturing processes greatly degrade the mechanical precision and electrical performance of waveguides. In one embodiment, waveguides can be formed as through-going apertures in a substrate material. The accuracy in the length of such waveguides is limited by the precision of the substrate material's thickness. At frequencies above 100 GHz, manufacturing tolerances limit the precision that can be achieved in such through-going waveguides, particularly for devices of short electrical length. Devices of different length can be realised if multiple substrates of suitable thickness are available but are each then limited by the thickness tolerance of their relevant substrate. Hence, an improved method for realising precision waveguides of various lengths would be advantageous, and in particular a more efficient and/or reliable method for combining multiple waveguides to realise a desired overall length while ensuring accurate alignment between the waveguide apertures would be advantageous. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is a further object of the present invention to provide an alternative to the prior art. In particular, it may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide a waveguide device that solves the above mentioned problems of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, the above described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained in a first aspect of the invention by providing variable length vertically stacked nested waveguide device. Such a device typically comprises a series of, N, waveguide components, where N being two or greater. The number of waveguide components is typically selected in accordance with a specific requirement for a length of waveguide opening as each waveguide component comprises a waveguide layer comprising a waveguide opening,a recess layer comprising a recess,a conductive material coating. It is noted that although the term “layer” is used in this connection, this does not necessarily indicates that the waveguide component is provided as separate elements pieced together as one or more, such as all waveguide component may be provided by producing the waveguide component from a single element. The waveguide device preferably also comprises a waveguide flange interface comprising a waveguide opening. The waveguide components are typically nested within each other to create a nested structure with a combined waveguide opening length defined by the total length of the wave-guide openings in each waveguide components and the waveguide opening in the waveguide flange interface. This is accomplished by aligning the individual waveguide openings of the waveguide components by the nested structure. By such a waveguide device, a high precision and changeable combined waveguide opening can be provided, as the length of the combined waveguide opening is determined by the number of waveguide components and the waveguide flange interface. The precision is typically controlled by the precision by which the waveguide openings is produced and by the precision by which the geometries providing the nesting of the waveguide components and waveguide flange interface are produced. It may be preferred that the geometries are provided so that the nesting is provided by a snug fit. It is further more preferred that the dimensions of waveguide openings in the nested structure are essentially identical to each other, but in some embodiments, it may be preferred to have waveguide openings with dimensions being different to each other, although, preferably, still forming a combined wave guide opening. Preferably, the waveguide openings are rectangular, but other shapes may be used in connection with the present invention. In some preferred embodiments, the individual waveguide openings may be of different sizes, either to provide completely discontinuous structures or tapered structures. Discontinuous openings may be used inter alia as filters/frequency selective devices. Tapers can be used for impedance transformations or antennas. In some preferred embodiments of a device according to the invention, the device is configure