Waveguide adapter plate to facilitate accurate alignment of sectioned waveguide channel in microwave antenna assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577340-B2
Application number	US-201414217683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 18, 2014
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

An antenna apparatus includes a waveguide adapter plate for mounting an antenna flange and an RF system-in-package or other IC package. The waveguide adapter plate comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface and a waveguide flange interface. The waveguide flange interface comprises a waveguide channel section extending between the first surface and the second surface and a set of flange mounting holes extending from the first surface to the second surface. The waveguide adapter plate further includes a plurality of substrate alignment pins extending substantially perpendicular from the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna apparatus comprising:
a waveguide adapter plate comprising a metal plate comprising:
a first surface and an opposing second surface; and
a waveguide flange interface comprising:
a first waveguide channel section extending from the first surface to the second surface; and
a first set of flange mounting holes extending from the first surface to the second surface;

an integrated circuit (IC) package mounted at the second surface of the waveguide adapter plate, the IC package having a third surface facing the second surface and an opposing fourth surface, the IC package further comprising:
a second set of flange mounting holes extending from the third surface to the fourth surface and compatible with the first set of flange mounting holes;
a first metal layer proximate to the third surface, the first metal layer comprising a launcher element and a co-planar first ground plane;
a second metal layer proximate to the fourth surface, the second metal layer comprising a second ground plane;
a waveguide channel aperture comprising a first region surrounding the launcher element, the first region being substantially devoid of conductive material; and
a via fence comprising metal vias disposed at a perimeter of the first region and extending from the first ground plane to the second ground plane;

an antenna flange mounted at the first surface of the waveguide adapter plate, the antenna flange comprising a fifth surface facing the first surface and an opposing sixth surface, the antenna flange further comprising:
a second waveguide channel section extending from the fifth surface; and
a third set of flange mounting holes extending from the fifth surface to the sixth surface and compatible with the first and second sets of flange mounting holes; and

a set of bolts, each bolt extending from the fourth surface to the sixth surface via corresponding flange mounting holes in each of the first, second, and third sets of flange mounting holes; and
wherein the waveguide channel aperture, the first waveguide channel section, and second waveguide channel section are aligned through the alignment of the first, second, a third sets of flange mounting holes by the set of bolts.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide adapter plate further comprises:
a slot extending from an edge of the waveguide adapter plate to a location proximate to a perimeter of the first waveguide channel section and extending from the first surface to the second surface.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the IC package further comprises:
an IC die disposed at the fourth surface, the IC die comprising radio frequency (RF) circuitry;
an electrical connector disposed at the fourth surface; and
wherein the second metal layer comprises conductive traces coupling the electrical connector to bumps of the IC die.

4. The antenna apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the IC package further comprises:
a signal via extending between the first and second metal layers; and
wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a first signal line, the first signal line coupling the signal via and the launcher element;
the second metal layer comprises a second signal line coupling the signal via to a bump of the IC device; and
the via fence comprises metal vias at a perimeter of a region surrounding the signal via and extending between the first ground plane and second ground plane.

5. A method of fabricating an antenna apparatus, the method comprising:
fabricating a waveguide adapter plate comprising:
a metal plate comprising:
a first surface and an opposing second surface;
a waveguide flange interface comprising:
a first waveguide channel section extending between the first surface and the second surface; and
a first set of flange mounting holes extending from the first surface to the second surface; and

a slot extending from an edge of the metal plate to a location proximate to a perimeter of the first waveguide channel section and extending from the first surface to the second surface; and

a plurality of substrate alignment pins extending substantially perpendicular from the second surface;

mounting an integrated circuit (IC) package at the second surface of the waveguide adapter plate, the IC package having a third surface facing the second surface and an opposing fourth surface, the IC package further comprising:
a set of alignment holes compatable with the plurality of substrate alignment pins;
a second set of flange mounting holes extending from the third surface to the fourth surface and compatible with the first set of flange mounting holes;
a first metal layer proximate to the third surface, the first metal layer comprising a launcher element and a first ground plane coplanar to the launcher element;
a second metal layer proximate to the fourth surface, the second metal layer comprising a second ground plane;
a waveguide channel aperture comprising a first region surrounding the launcher element, the first region being substantially devoid of conductive material; and
a via fence comprising metal vias disposed at a perimeter of the first region and extending from the first ground plane to the second ground plane; and
wherein the waveguide channel aperture is aligned with the first waveguide channel section;

providing an antenna flange having a fifth surface and an opposing sixth surface, the antenna flange further comprising:
a second waveguide channel section extending from the fifth surface; and
a third set of flange mounting holes extending from the fifth surface to the sixth surface and compatible with the first and second sets of flange mounting holes; and

providing an antenna subassembly by mounting the antenna flange to the waveguide adapter plate and the IC package using a first set of bolts so that the fifth surface faces the first surface, wherein each bolt extends from the fourth surface to the sixth surface via corresponding flange mounting holes in each of the first, second, and third sets of flange mounting holes.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising
mounting the antenna subassembly to a base assembly using a second set of bolts, each bolt extending from the base assembly to the first surface via corresponding board mounting holes in the IC package and the waveguide adapter plate; and
coupling a first electrical connector of the IC package with a second electrical connector of the base assembly.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
mounting an IC die at the fourth surface, the IC die comprising radio frequency (RF) circuitry; and
mounting an electrical connector at the fourth surface; and
wherein the second metal layer comprises conductive traces coupling the electrical connector to bumps of the IC die.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein fabricating the IC package further comprises:
fabricating a signal via extending between the first and second metal layers; and
wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a first signal line and a ground plane, the first signal line coupling the via and the launcher element;
the second metal layer comprises a second signal line coupling the via to a bump of the IC device; and
the via fence comprises metal vias at a periphery of a region surrounding the signal via and extending between the first ground plane of the first metal layer and the second ground plane of the second metal layer.

Assignees

• Peraso Tech Inc
• Peraso Tech Inc

Inventors

• Fakharzadeh Mohammad
• Andrade Andrew Charles
• Jafarlou Saman
• Lynch Bradley Robert
• Tazlauanu Mihai

Classifications

• Y10T29/49016

  Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making · CPC title

• H01Q13/06

  Waveguide mouths (horns H01Q13/02) · CPC title

• H01Q13/02 Primary

  Waveguide horns · CPC title

• H01Q13/0283

  Apparatus or processes specially provided for manufacturing horns · CPC title

• H01P11/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type · CPC title