Disclosure of Invention
Aiming at the problems, the invention provides an integrated waveguide interconnection device based on a low temperature co-fired ceramic integration technology and a preparation method thereof, which can realize broadband transition interconnection of an LTCC integrated air waveguide and a metal waveguide.
According to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an integrated waveguide interconnect device, including:
a metal waveguide assembly including a first body and a metal waveguide received in the first body; and
the integrated waveguide comprises a second body, the second body is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of substrates manufactured by a low-temperature co-fired ceramic process, an air waveguide is formed in the second body, and an included angle between the transmission direction of the air waveguide and the transmission direction of the metal waveguide is larger than zero degree;
and an air interconnection waveguide is formed in the second body, the air interconnection waveguide is communicated with the air waveguide and the metal waveguide, and a step part formed by at least two layers of intermediate substrates in the multilayer substrates is arranged in the air interconnection waveguide, so that the air interconnection waveguide has approximately equal matching impedance in the transmission direction.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the transmission direction of the metal waveguide and the transmission direction of the air waveguide are substantially perpendicular to each other.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the multi-layered substrate includes an upper substrate and a lower substrate respectively disposed at upper and lower sides of a middle substrate,
the lower surface of the upper substrate is provided with an upper metal layer, the upper surface of the lower substrate is provided with a lower metal layer, the middle substrate is provided with a cutting part, a plurality of metalized holes arranged in the transmission direction are formed on two sides of the cutting part, and the upper metal layer, the lower metal layer and the two rows of metalized holes form an air waveguide.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the step portion is formed by forming cutouts having different lengths in the transport direction on at least two layers of the intermediate substrates, the step portion being provided with the metal layer, the at least two layers of the intermediate substrates being formed with a plurality of metallized holes on both sides of the step portion in the transport direction and on a side perpendicular to the transport direction, the metal layer and the metallized holes forming the air interconnection waveguide.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the metal waveguide is disposed on an outermost substrate among the plurality of substrates, the outermost substrate is formed with a through hole around which a metalized hole is arranged such that the air interconnection waveguide extends to the outermost substrate.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the metal waveguide communicates with the air interconnect waveguide through at least one layer of the substrate located on top of the intermediate substrate.
The invention also provides a manufacturing method of the integrated waveguide interconnection device, which comprises the following steps:
providing a plurality of green ceramic tapes;
the following operations were performed on the green tape using a low temperature co-fired ceramic process:
punching and filling the holes with a conductive material to form metallized holes;
printing a metal layer; and
forming a cut-out;
sequentially overlapping the green ceramic tapes, and forming an air waveguide cavity and an air interconnection waveguide cavity by the cut parts;
embedding a sacrificial material block into the air waveguide cavity, and embedding a support material block into the air interconnection waveguide cavity;
pressing the green ceramic tape to obtain a second body;
taking out the supporting material block, sintering the second body, and decomposing the sacrificial material block to obtain an integrated waveguide; and
a metal waveguide assembly is bonded to the integrated waveguide.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the method of making the block of sacrificial material comprises:
pressing the carbon ribbon to obtain a rough blank of the sacrificial material;
and carrying out fine laser processing on the rough blank of the sacrificial material to obtain a sacrificial material block.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the method of making the block of support material comprises:
and forming the silicon rubber in a stainless steel mold to obtain the support material block.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the green tape pressing process comprises a warm water isostatic pressing process.
According to the integrated waveguide interconnection device of the embodiment of the invention, the air interconnection waveguide has approximately equal matching impedance in the transmission direction through the stepped structure of the air interconnection waveguide, so that equal impedance transformation of the contact section of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide can be realized, broadband transition interconnection is formed between the metal waveguide and the air waveguide, and broadband excitation and low-loss transmission of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide are realized.
Detailed Description
In order that the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent, the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the following specific embodiments.
According to an inventive concept of an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an integrated waveguide interconnection apparatus including: a metal waveguide assembly includes a first body and a metal waveguide received in the first body. The integrated waveguide comprises a second body, the second body is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of substrates manufactured by a low-temperature co-fired ceramic process, an air waveguide is formed in the second body, and an included angle between the transmission direction of the air waveguide and the transmission direction of the metal waveguide is larger than zero degree. An air interconnection waveguide is formed in the second body, the air interconnection waveguide is communicated with the metal waveguide, and a step portion formed by at least two layers of middle substrates in the multilayer substrates is arranged in the air interconnection waveguide, so that the air interconnection waveguide has approximately equal matching impedance in the transmission direction.
According to another aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a method of manufacturing the above integrated waveguide interconnection apparatus, including:
providing a plurality of green ceramic tapes;
the following operations were performed on the green tape using a low temperature co-fired ceramic process:
punching and filling the holes with a conductive material to form metallized holes;
printing a metal layer; and
forming a cut-out;
sequentially overlapping the green ceramic tapes, and forming an air waveguide cavity and an air interconnection waveguide cavity by the cut parts;
embedding a sacrificial material block into the air waveguide cavity, and embedding a support material block into the air interconnection waveguide cavity;
pressing the green ceramic tape to obtain a second body;
taking out the supporting material block, sintering the second body, and decomposing the sacrificial material block to obtain an integrated waveguide; and
a metal waveguide assembly is bonded to the integrated waveguide.
Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of an integrated waveguide interconnect device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 2 schematically shows a perspective view of an integrated waveguide interconnect device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, shown in conjunction with fig. 1 and 2, an integrated waveguide interconnect device includes: a metal waveguide assembly 1 and an integrated waveguide 2. The metal waveguide assembly 1 includes a first body 11 and a metal waveguide 12 accommodated in the first body 11; the integrated waveguide 2 comprises a second body 21, the second body 21 is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of substrates manufactured by a low-temperature co-fired ceramic process, an air waveguide is formed in the second body 21, and an included angle between the transmission direction of the air waveguide and the transmission direction of the metal waveguide 12 is larger than zero degree. An air interconnection waveguide is formed in the second body 21, the air interconnection waveguide communicating the air waveguide and the metal waveguide 12, and a stepped portion formed by at least two layers of intermediate substrates 212, 213 among the multi-layered substrates is provided in the air interconnection waveguide so that the air interconnection waveguide has substantially equal matching impedance in the transmission direction.
According to the integrated waveguide interconnection device provided by the embodiment of the invention, the air interconnection waveguide has approximately equal matching impedance in the transmission direction through the stepped structure of the air interconnection waveguide, so that equal impedance transformation of the contact section of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide is realized, broadband transition interconnection is formed between the metal waveguide and the air waveguide, broadband excitation and low-loss transmission application of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide is realized, and the reduction of microwave transmission quality is avoided.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, the transmission direction of the metal waveguide 12 and the transmission direction of the air waveguide are substantially perpendicular to each other.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layered substrate includes an upper substrate 211 and a lower substrate 214 disposed on upper and lower sides of the middle substrates 212 and 213, respectively. An upper metal layer 2111 is arranged on the lower surface of the upper substrate 211, a lower metal layer 2141 is arranged on the upper surface of the lower substrate 214, cut-out portions 2121 and 2131 are formed on the middle substrates 212 and 213, a plurality of metalized holes 2122 and 2132 arranged in the transmission direction are formed on two sides of the cut-out portions, and the upper metal layer 2111, the lower metal layer 2141, and the two rows of metalized holes 2122 and 2132 form an air waveguide.
According to the integrated waveguide interconnection device provided by the embodiment of the invention, the air waveguide is shielded by using the equivalent metal waveguide wall of the metalized through hole and is in metal interconnection with the surface and the back of the waveguide through the metalized through hole so as to ensure a good grounding effect.
According to the embodiment of the present invention, the stepped portion is formed by forming the cutouts 2121, 2131 having different lengths in the transport direction on at least two layers of the intermediate substrates, the stepped portion is provided with the metal layers 2123, 2133, the at least two layers of the intermediate substrates 212, 213 are formed with the plurality of metallized holes 2124, 2134 on both sides of the stepped portion in the transport direction and on one side perpendicular to the transport direction, and the metal layers 2123, 2133 and the metallized holes 2124, 2134 form the air interconnection waveguide.
According to the integrated waveguide interconnection device of the embodiment of the invention, the transmission direction of the air waveguide and the transmission direction of the metal waveguide have an included angle larger than zero degree, for example, the transmission direction of the metal waveguide 12 and the transmission direction of the air waveguide are approximately perpendicular to each other. The transition part between the LTCC integrated air waveguide and the metal waveguide forms a curved air interconnection waveguide, and due to the limitation of process conditions, the cross-sectional area of the air interconnection waveguide perpendicular to the microwave transmission direction is not constant, and such an inconstant cross-section may affect the microwave transmission quality. The cross sections of the transition air waveguides are kept to be approximately equal through the air interconnection waveguide with the stepped structure, and the air interconnection waveguide has an impedance transformation function, so that the air interconnection waveguide has approximately equal matching impedance in the transmission direction, the equal impedance transformation of the contact sections of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide is realized, the broadband transition interconnection is formed between the metal waveguide and the air waveguide, the broadband excitation and low-loss transmission application of the metal waveguide and the air waveguide is realized, and the reduction of microwave transmission quality is avoided.
Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a top view of one intermediate substrate 212, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 3, a cut-out portion 2121 is formed on the intermediate substrate 212, metallized holes 2122 and 2124 are arranged around the cut-out portion 2121, and a metal layer 2123 is provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate substrate 212.
Fig. 4 schematically shows a top view of another intermediate substrate 213 according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in fig. 4, a cut-out portion 2131 is formed in the intermediate substrate 213, metallized holes 2132 and 2134 are arranged around the cut-out portion 2131, and a metal layer 2133 is provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate substrate 213.
Fig. 5 shows a top view of the two intermediate substrates of fig. 3 and 4 above stacked together. The intermediate substrate 212 is stacked on the upper portion of the intermediate substrate 213, and since the length of the cutout portion of the intermediate substrate 212 on the upper portion is greater than the length of the cutout portion of the intermediate substrate 213 on the lower portion, a portion of the intermediate substrate 213 on the lower portion is exposed from the cutout portion of the intermediate substrate 212 on the upper portion, thereby forming a stepped portion 216, and the stepped portion 216 forms a stepped air interconnection waveguide at a transition portion between the metal waveguide and the air waveguide.
According to the embodiment of the invention, each layer of ladder of the air interconnection waveguide is shielded by using the metalized through hole and is in metal ground interconnection with the surface and the back of the waveguide through the metalized through hole so as to ensure good grounding effect.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the metal waveguide 12 is disposed on the outermost substrate 215 among the plurality of substrates, the outermost substrate is formed with a via 2151, and metallized holes 2152 are arranged around the via such that the air interconnection waveguide extends to the outermost substrate 215.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the metal waveguide 12 communicates with the air interconnect waveguide through at least one layer of the substrate located on the upper portion of the intermediate substrate.
According to the embodiment of the invention, in the design of the air interconnection waveguide structure, the inner wall of the metal waveguide, the metal wall of the end face of the metal waveguide and the size of the end face of the air waveguide are combined, the metal waveguide and the air interconnection waveguide are dislocated when in contact, extra step matching is formed at the interconnection position of the metal waveguide and the air interconnection waveguide, the number of steps of the air interconnection waveguide is reduced, and meanwhile, broadband transition interconnection is realized.
The invention also provides a manufacturing method of the integrated waveguide interconnection device, and fig. 6 schematically shows a manufacturing flow chart of the integrated waveguide interconnection device according to the embodiment of the invention. As shown in fig. 6, the method of manufacturing an integrated waveguide interconnect device includes:
s01: providing a plurality of green ceramic tapes;
s02: the following operations were performed on the green tape using a low temperature co-fired ceramic process:
punching and filling the holes with a conductive material to form metallized holes;
printing a metal layer; and
forming a cut-out;
s03: sequentially overlapping the green ceramic tapes, and forming an air waveguide cavity and an air interconnection waveguide cavity by the cut parts;
s04: embedding a sacrificial material block into the air waveguide cavity, and embedding a support material block into the air interconnection waveguide cavity;
s05: pressing the green porcelain tape to obtain a second body, for example, the green porcelain tape pressing process comprises a warm water isostatic pressing process;
s06: taking out the supporting material block, sintering the second body, and decomposing the sacrificial material block to obtain the integrated waveguide;
s07: and combining the metal waveguide assembly to the integrated waveguide to realize interconnection of the air waveguide and the metal waveguide.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the method of making the block of sacrificial material comprises: pressing the carbon ribbon to obtain a rough blank of the sacrificial material; and carrying out fine laser processing on the rough blank of the sacrificial material to obtain a sacrificial material block.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the method of making the block of support material comprises: and forming the silicon rubber in a stainless steel mold to obtain the support material block.
According to the embodiment of the invention, the air interconnection waveguide structure is small in size, the embedding operation of the sacrificial material block is difficult, and the integrated waveguide is obtained by embedding the support material block into the air interconnection waveguide cavity, embedding the sacrificial material block into the air waveguide cavity, taking out the support material block after the green porcelain band is pressed, sintering, and oxidizing and decomposing the sacrificial material block.
The integrated waveguide interconnection device and the method for manufacturing the same will be described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that the examples are only specific embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.
6 layers of green tape are provided, the thickness of the single layer green tape is 0.188 mm.
The following operations were performed on the green tape using a low temperature co-fired ceramic process:
punching holes on the 1 st layer of the green porcelain tape according to design requirements, filling the holes with a conductive material to form metalized holes, printing metal layers on the upper surface and the lower surface of the green porcelain tape, and forming cut parts;
punching holes on the 2 nd layer of the green porcelain tape according to design requirements, filling the holes with a conductive material to form metalized holes, printing metal layers on the upper surface and the lower surface of the green porcelain tape, and forming cut parts;
punching holes on the 3 rd layer of the green porcelain tape according to design requirements, filling the holes with a conductive material to form metalized holes, printing metal layers on the upper surface and the lower surface of the green porcelain tape, and forming cut parts;
punching holes on the 4 th layer of the green porcelain tape according to design requirements, filling the holes with a conductive material to form metalized holes, printing metal layers on the upper surface and the lower surface of the green porcelain tape, and forming cut parts;
and printing a metal layer on the upper surface of the 5 th layer of green ceramic tape.
And sequentially overlapping the layers of the green ceramic tapes, and forming an air waveguide cavity and an air interconnection waveguide cavity by the cut parts.
The air waveguide cavity is positioned on the 3 rd layer and the 4 th layer of green porcelain strips, the upper surface of the air waveguide cavity is the lower surface of the 2 nd layer of green porcelain strips, the lower surface of the air waveguide cavity is the upper surface of the 5 th layer of green porcelain strips, metallized holes are arranged on two sides of the air waveguide cavity in the transmission direction, and the metallized holes, the upper surface of the air waveguide cavity, the lower surface of the air waveguide cavity and the air waveguide cavity jointly form an air waveguide; the air interconnection waveguide cavity is a step-shaped cavity, stepped parts are formed by the cut-off parts of the 1 st layer and the 2 nd layer at different positions and the cut-off parts of the 3 rd layer and the 4 th layer at different lengths in the transmission direction, the surfaces of the stepped parts are metal layers, the cut-off parts of the 1 st layer and the 2 nd layer are surrounded by metalized holes, the 3 rd layer and the 4 th layer are communicated with the air waveguide cavity, the metalized holes are formed in two sides in the transmission direction and one side perpendicular to the transmission direction, and the metalized holes, the metal layers and the step-shaped cavity form the air interconnection waveguide together.
And embedding the sacrificial material block into the air waveguide cavity and embedding the support material block into the air interconnection waveguide cavity. The manufacturing method of the sacrificial material block comprises the following steps: pressing the carbon ribbon to obtain a rough blank of the sacrificial material; and carrying out fine laser processing on the rough blank of the sacrificial material to obtain a sacrificial material block. The manufacturing method of the supporting material block comprises the following steps: and forming the silicon rubber in a stainless steel mold to obtain the support material block.
And pressing the green porcelain tape to obtain a second body, wherein the green porcelain tape pressing process comprises a warm water isostatic pressing process.
And taking out the supporting material block, sintering the second body, and decomposing the sacrificial material block to obtain the integrated waveguide.
The WR6 metal waveguide is combined to the integrated waveguide, and the interconnection of the air waveguide and the metal waveguide is realized.
In the above-described interconnection of the air waveguide and the metal waveguide, fig. 7 schematically shows graphs of return loss S11 and insertion loss S21 of the air waveguide and the metal waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 7, in the 117GHz to 178GHz band, the relative bandwidth is 41.4%, the port return loss S11 is greater than 15dB, and the insertion loss S21 is less than 0.15dB, so that the broadband excitation and low-loss transmission application of the air waveguide and the metal waveguide is realized.
The above-mentioned embodiments are intended to illustrate the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention in further detail, and it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention, and any modifications, equivalents, improvements and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.