Signal amplification using a reference plane with alternating impedance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9800231-B2
Application number	US-201615047692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A method amplifies a signal on a transmission line. A driver transmits an initial signal on a transmission line, which is overlaid on an Alternating Impedance-Electromagnetic BandGap (AI-EBG) structure (i.e., a reference plane) on a circuit board. The AI-EBG structure induces an alternating change to an impedance in the transmission line. The alternating change to the impedance creates a reflection signal to an initial signal on the transmission line, and the reflection signal and the initial signal combine to create an amplified signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for amplifying a signal on a transmission line, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a driver, an initial signal on a transmission line, wherein the transmission line is overlaid on an Alternating Impedance - Electromagnetic BandGap (AI-EBG) structure on a circuit board; and
inducing, by the AI-EBG structure, an alternating change to an impedance in the transmission line, wherein the alternating change to the impedance creates a reflection signal to an initial signal on the transmission line, and wherein the reflection signal and the initial signal combine to create an amplified signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission line is in an electronic structure that comprises a conductor layer, an insulation layer adjacent to the conductor layer, an Alternating Impedance Electromagnetic Bandgap (AI-EBG) layer adjacent to the conductor layer, and a signal driver, the transmission line, and a destination device overlaid on the AI-EBG layer, wherein the AI-EBG structure is the AI-EBG layer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the AI-EBG layer comprises:
an AI-EBG unit cell array of AI-EBG unit cells, wherein each AI-EBG unit cell comprises a metal patch having a first thickness and one or more metal branches having a second thickness, wherein the one or more metal branches extend away from the metal patch, and wherein the first thickness of the metal patch is greater than the second thickness of the one or more metal branches.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
connecting a ground to the AI-EBG layer; and
connecting a terminator to the AI-EBG layer and the ground.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
connecting a power source to the conductor layer; and
electrically insulating the AI-EBG layer and the insulation layer from the power source by a conducting via through the AI-EBG layer and the insulation layer, wherein the conducting via electrically couples the power source to the signal driver.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Choi Jinwoo

Classifications

• H10W44/00

  Electrical arrangements for controlling or matching impedance · CPC title

• H03K5/02 Primary

  by amplifying (H03K5/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F7/02

  using variable-inductance element; using variable-permeability element · CPC title

• H05K1/0236 Primary

  Electromagnetic band-gap structures · CPC title

• H03F1/56

  Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for · CPC title