Microsystem technology for microwave applications at frequencies above 100 GHz
Doctoral thesis, 2016

The rapid development of wireless technology today shows an increasing need for electromagnetic components operating at even higher frequencies. Higher frequencies offer wider bandwidth, higher spatial resolution and are needed for technologies such as automotive car radars, wireless media communication and body scanners. The biggest issues with developing high frequency components are the small dimensions needed. With the small dimensions, issues with connectivity and resolution of the structures have become difficult to handle at frequencies above 100 GHz. The most common fabrication method used is micro-milling in brass, however this is limited in its resolution and micro-milling is not a mass production method, thus making it expensive. This thesis aims to realize electromagnetic components at high frequencies, more specific above 100 GHz, with the help of microsystem technology. The thesis covers a background and history of the field, a discussion of the technologies used, and presents the fabricated devices, made with microsystem technology. In this thesis, gap waveguides ranging from 100-325 GHz, gap adapters, and transitions fabricated with microsystem technology have been explored. Three different materials: silicon, SU8, and carbon nanotubes, have been tested as base materials together with a gold surface, for a gap waveguide component. The silicon-based structure performed overall the best, while the SU8 process was less costly, the carbon nanotube based structure was determined to be the lossiest of these realizations. The knowledge obtained from these fundamental structures were used to fabricate and measure a ridge gap antenna prototype. A gap adapter was used to connect to the antenna, to reduce leakage without using damaging screws. The antenna, was fabricated in silicon for 100 GHz. A new transition, based on the knowledge of previous transitions was used to connect the waveguide flange to the feed of the antenna. The ridge gap antenna has a 15.5% bandwidth and a gain of 10.3 dBi matching perfectly the simulated design. The presented work in this thesis shows how microsystem technology can realize mass producible microwave components operating above 100 GHz.

Transitions

GHz

High frequency

RF

MEMS

Gap waveguides

Waveguide

Kollektorn
Opponent: Prof. Roberto Sorrentino, University of Perugia, Italy

Author

Sofia Rahiminejad

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Electronics Material and Systems

SU8 ridge-gap waveguide resonator

International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies,; Vol. 6(2014)p. 459-465

Journal article

Polymer Gap Adapter for Contactless, Robust, and Fast Measurements at 220-325 GHz

Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems,; Vol. 25(2016)p. 160-169

Journal article

A four level silicon microstructure fabrication by DRIE

Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems,; Vol. 26(2016)

Journal article

100 GHz SOI Gap Waveguides

The 17th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems,; (2013)p. 510-513

Paper in proceeding

Carbon nanotubes as base material for fabrication of gap waveguide components

Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical,; Vol. 224(2015)p. 163-168

Journal article

Micromachined gap waveguides for 100 GHz applications

2013 7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2013,; (2013)p. 1935-1938

Paper in proceeding

Micromachined Ridge Gap Waveguide and Resonator for Millimeter-Wave Applications

Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical,; Vol. 186(2012)p. 264-269

Journal article

Micromachined contactless pin-flange adapter for robust high-frequency measurements

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering,; Vol. 24(2014)p. Art. no. 084004-

Journal article

Demonstration of a micromachined planar distribution network in gap waveguide technology for a linear slot array antenna at 100 GHz

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering,; Vol. 26(2016)p. Art. no. 074001-

Journal article

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

Areas of Advance

Information and Communication Technology

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Transport

Infrastructure

Kollberg Laboratory

Nanofabrication Laboratory

Driving Forces

Innovation and entrepreneurship

ISBN

978-91-7597-513-9

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 4194

Publisher

Chalmers

Kollektorn

Opponent: Prof. Roberto Sorrentino, University of Perugia, Italy

More information

Created

11/11/2016