Dynamic, non frequency dispersive, RF power division by means of variable dielectric material properties

Abstract

A monolithic thin film variable power divider is disclosed for variable power level distribution. The thin film power divider includes a substrate having a main surface, a first stage and a second stage, each formed as thin film networks on the main surface of the substrate. The first stage includes a plurality of transmission lines, at least one of the transmission lines having a variable dielectric deposition layer providing variable power level distribution. The variable dielectric deposition is a paraelectric, such as Barium-Strontium-Titanate. The second stage includes a hybrid combiner. The thin film power divider is capable of operating at frequencies extending into the millimeter wave spectrum. The thin film power divider provides a cost effective device that varies the balance of power through a multiport RF distribution network while simultaneously maintaining little, or low, frequency dispersion during the dynamic dissemination process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a unit of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a monolithic thin film power divider in a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram for the operation of the variable power divider; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a conceptual view of a prior art variable power divider.

Claims

1. A monolithic thin film variable power divider for variable power level distribution, comprising: a substrate having a main surface;a first stage and a second stage, each formed as thin film networks on the main surface of said substrate,the first stage includes a plurality of transmission lines, at least one of the transmission lines having a variable dielectric deposition layer providing variable power level distribution,the second stage includes a hybrid combiner.

2. The monolithic thin film power divider of claim 1, wherein said variable dielectric deposition layer is made of a variable crystalline dielectric material that is capable of electric polarization by application of voltage.

3. The monolithic thin film power divider of claim 2, wherein said variable dielectric material is a compound of Barium-Strontium-Titanate.

4. The monolithic thin film power divider of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of transmission lines includes: a semiconductor cap connected to each end of the variable dielectric deposition layer, and a metal strip line formed over the variable dielectric deposition layer and each semiconductor cap, which provides a capacitor at each end of the respective transmission line.

5. A variable power divider, comprising: a substrate;a single input port receiving an RF signal;a variable power splitter having a plurality of transmission lines, wherein at least one of said transmission lines is composed of a variable dielectric material;at least one control line associated with the respective transmission line composed of variable dielectric material for supplying a respective input control voltage; anda hybrid power combiner having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, wherein said input ports are connected to respective transmission lines,wherein a complex power vector of the at least one transmission line is adjusted by changing an applied voltage to the variable dielectric material of the respective transmission line,wherein the variable power splitter and hybrid power combiner are formed on said substrate, andwherein the hybrid power combiner adds or subtracts complex power vectors of respective transmission lines in order to provide power to an output port or said plurality of output ports.

6. A variable power divider, comprising: a quartz substrate having a metal backing layer;a first layer formed on the surface of the quartz substrate, the first layer including: a first metal strip formed as a y-connection providing an input port for the variable power divider, each y-connection feeding: a first semiconductor cap,a variable dielectric deposition strip made of a ferroelectric material, anda second semiconductor cap; anda second metal strip pattern formed as a power combiner network, wherein the second semiconductor caps are connected to input ports of the power combiner network; anda second layer formed on the first layer such that a metal strip is formed on the first cap, the second cap, and the dielectric deposition strip, the metal strip includes a plurality of input lines, one for each branch of the first metal strip,wherein provided a voltage control signal supplied at a respective input line, a complex power vector for each respective dielectric deposition strip is adjusted and a RF signal provided at the input to the power divider is divided by vector arithmetic.

7. A method of varying and dividing RF power in an RF power divider having a single input port and multiple output ports, which are served by respective transmission lines, each transmission line including a variable dielectric deposition layer, comprising: receiving an RF signal;receiving a control voltage at a control port for each respective transmission line;aligning crystalline structure of each variable dielectric layer based on the respective applied control voltage;dividing power of the RF signal equally;distributing the divided power to the transmission lines, wherein each aligned crystalline structure provides a respective complex power vector;recombining the power by vector arithmetic over the complex power vectors, thereby producing power level distributed substantially without frequency dispersion.

8. The method of varying and dividing RF power of claim 7, further comprising: adjusting the divided power over a range from zero degrees to ninety degrees based on varying control voltage; andcontrolling respective phase over the range of divided power.

9. The method of varying and dividing RF power of claim 7, wherein the frequency of the RF signal is within the millimeter band spectrum.