Waveguide-to-substrate transition based on unilateral substrateless finline structure: Design, fabrication, and characterization

Journal article, 2020

We report on a novel waveguide-to-substrate transition with prospective use for broadband mixer design. The transition employs a substrateless finline, i.e., a unilateral finline structure with the substrate removed between the fins. This distinctive feature diminishes the overall insertion loss and facilitates matching with the waveguide. The transition is designed on a thin silicon substrate covered by a superconducting niobium thin layer. An auxiliary Au layer situated on top of the Nb layer provides grounding for the fins and facilitates the mounting process in the split-block waveguide mount. Aiming to compare simulations with measurements, a back-to-back transition arrangement for the 211-373 GHz frequency band was designed, fabricated, and characterized at cryogenic temperatures. The simulation results for the back-to-back structure show an insertion loss of less than 0.6 dB in the whole band, i.e., 0.3 dB per transition. Furthermore, a remarkable fractional bandwidth of 55% with a return loss better than 15 dB is predicted. Experimental verification shows consistent results with simulations.