Waveguide interconnection apparatus

Provided is a waveguide interconnection apparatus making rectangular interconnecting portions to be a curved structure, whereby it is possible to reduce a signal reflection and a signal loss due to a mismatch occurred from a discontinuous portion where waveguides are perpendicularly connected to each other, and fabricate package products having excellent performances compared to that of the prior art in the same chip and structure.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a waveguide interconnection apparatus implementing low signal loss when interconnecting waveguides in an ultrahigh frequency circuit package and, more particularly, to a waveguide interconnection apparatus, which can reduce a signal reflection and a signal loss due to a mismatch occurred from discontinuous portions (i.e., edge) where the waveguides are perpendicularly connected to each other by making the rectangular interconnecting portion be a curved structure.

2. Discussion of Related Art

When two waveguides are interconnected in a rectangular portion in a waveguide interconnection apparatus of the prior art, discontinuity due to an occurrence of edge leads to a signal reflection and hence a signal loss. To reduce such signal loss, two waveguides have been interconnected each other to be curved, which have no discontinuous portions for the signal transmission. This is for the purpose of producing a package product with superior performance to the conventional method having the same chip and structure when the method proposed by the present invention is applied.

A waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with a prior art has been disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,728.

Hereinafter, the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the prior art will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.FIG. 1Ashows a schematic view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the prior art, andFIG. 1Bshows a detailed view of the interconnection structure of the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the prior art.

Referring toFIG. 1A, the waveguide interconnection apparatus of the prior art consists of an upper housing10, an intermediate housing20, and a lower housing30, wherein the shape of two adjacent housings is rectangle. Furthermore, an upper waveguide10a, an intermediate waveguide20a, and a lower waveguide30aare included in the upper housing10, the intermediate housing20, and the lower housing30, respectively.

To detail the ultrahigh frequency signal propagated through the cross-sectional view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the prior art, the ultrahigh frequency signal propagates through waveguides such that it does through the intermediate waveguide20aof the intermediate housing20to pass the lower waveguide30aof the lower housing30after it is inputted from the upper waveguide10aof the upper housing10in a structure having its outer surface covered with a conductive material.

In this case, edge portions occur where the upper waveguide10aof the upper housing10and the intermediate waveguide20aof the intermediate housing20are contacted and where the intermediate waveguide20aof the intermediate housing20and the lower waveguide30aof the lower housing30are contacted during the signal propagation.

As such, these edge portions become discontinuous portions of the signal propagation, which cause a signal reflection and a signal loss due to a mismatch therefrom. In other words, when the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the prior art is employed, the above-mentioned discontinuous portions occur, which causes the waveguide structure to have the signal mismatch and a predetermined amount of signal attenuation.

Meanwhile, the upper housing10, the intermediate housing20, and the lower housing30can be produced in simple and low-cost manners such that rectangular parallelepiped waveguides are punched within a rectangular parallelepiped conductive structure, so that it is advantageous to fabricate a small-sized structure.

However, the waveguide interconnection apparatus fabricated by the above-mentioned prior art has the signal reflection and the signal loss due to a mismatch occurred from the discontinuous portions of the waveguides, which causes degradation of original performance of a semiconductor chip.

Therefore, according to the conventional method for interconnecting waveguides within a package having the waveguide structure, a mismatch occurred from discontinuous portions (i.e., edge) where the waveguides are perpendicularly connected to each other causes the signal reflection and the signal loss.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a waveguide interconnection apparatus having two waveguides interconnected to be curved to prevent discontinuous portions of the waveguide interconnection apparatus from being occurred.

This accompanies more complicated fabrication process, however, a package having original performance of a semiconductor chip can be obtained while reducing a signal reflection and a signal loss due to a mismatch occurred from the discontinuous portions.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a waveguide interconnection apparatus, comprising: a first housing having a first waveguide therein; a second housing having a second waveguide connected to the first waveguide; and a third housing having a third waveguide connected to the second waveguide, wherein a signal propagated from the first waveguide through the second waveguide to the third waveguide is reflected to have a predetermined angle when it passes an interconnecting portion of each waveguide, and at least one of inner connecting portions and outer connecting portions between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and between the second waveguide and the third waveguide is curved.

Here, the signal is an ultrahigh frequency signal.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second waveguide separately consists of a first portion connected to the first waveguide, a second portion connected to the first portion, and a third portion connected to the second portion and the third waveguide. Here, the first portion, the second portion and the third portion are made to be curved, linear, and curved, respectively. In addition, the first and third portions are formed to be bonded to a cover after the waveguide is curved at one surface of a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material.

Further, the first and third housings are made in such a manner that a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material is punched to form rectangular parallelepiped waveguides, and the second housing is made in such a manner that a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material is punched to form a rectangular parallelepiped waveguide. Moreover, the only outer connecting portion of the inner and outer connecting portions between the first waveguide and the second waveguide is curved, and the only outer connecting portion of the inner and outer connecting portions between the second waveguide and the third waveguide is curved. And, the inner and outer connecting portions between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and between the second waveguide and the third waveguide are curved.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a waveguide interconnection apparatus, comprising: a first housing having a first waveguide; and a second housing having a second waveguide connected to the first waveguide, wherein a signal propagated from the first waveguide to the second waveguide is reflected to have a predetermined angle when it passes an interconnecting portion of the waveguides, and at least one of an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion between the first waveguide and the second waveguide is curved.

Here, the second housing is formed to be bonded to a cover after the waveguide is curved at one surface of a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiment of the present invention can be changed into a various type, and it should be not understood that the scope of the present invention is limit to the following embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are provided in order to explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, like numerals present like elements throughout the several figures and the repeated explanation of the element will be omitted.

Hereinafter, a waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings.FIG. 2shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 3shows a detailed assembly view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus ofFIG. 2, andFIG. 4shows a packaging state of the waveguide interconnection apparatus ofFIG. 2.

Referring toFIG. 2, the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a first housing101, second housings102,103and104, and a third housing105, and a first waveguide101a, second waveguides102a,103aand104a, and a third waveguide105aare included in the first, second and third housings101,102,103, and104, and105, respectively. The signal propagated from the first waveguide101athrough the second waveguides102a,103a, and104ato the third waveguide105a, is reflected to have a predetermined angle when it passes each interconnecting portion of the waveguides.

In addition, at least one of an inner connecting portion A and an outer connecting portion B between the first waveguide101aand the second waveguides102a,103a, and104a, and an inner connecting portion C and an outer connecting portion D between the second waveguides102a,103a, and104aand the third waveguide105a, is made to be curved. For convenience of illustration,FIG. 2shows that all of the inner connecting portions A, C and the outer connecting portions B, D are curved.

As shown inFIG. 2, the inner connecting portions represent curves corresponding to relatively small circles, and the outer connecting portions represent curves corresponding to relatively big circles on the side of the propagating signal.

In this case, to remove the discontinuous portions (i.e., edge) while the signal propagates, the second housing is divided into three portions to have their rectangular edges to be curved. In other words, the waveguide102aof a first portion102and the waveguide104aof a third portion104in the second housing are curved, which result in removal of the discontinuous portions and minimization of the signal reflection and the signal loss.

As such, to see the signal propagation within the waveguide interconnection apparatus, an ultrahigh frequency signal, for example, propagates through waveguides in a structure with its outer surface covered with a conductive material, so that it propagates through the second waveguides102a,103a,104aof the second housings102,103, and104to the third waveguide105aof the third housing105after it is inputted to the first waveguide101aof the first housing101.

FIG. 3shows a detailed assembly view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The present waveguide interconnection apparatus comprises the first housing101, the first portion102of the second housing, a first portion cover102b, the second portion103of the second housing, the third portion104of the second housing, and a third portion cover104b.

Referring toFIG. 3, a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material is punched to have the first housing101, the second portion103of the second housing and the third housing105, which form rectangular parallelepiped waveguides, and the first portion102and the third portion104of the second housing are made to have the waveguides102aand104acurved and the covers102band104bare adhered thereto.

FIG. 4shows a packaging state of the waveguide interconnection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 4, adhesives202aand202bare applied on a second housing201and PCBs203aand203bfor microstrip-waveguide transition are then mounted thereon, which are subjected to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined time to be adhered to the second housing201. Bonding solid materials204aand204bare then applied on the PCBs203aand203bto flip-chip bond a semiconductor chip205.

The semiconductor chip250is turned over to have its upper surface face the lower direction and then is flip-chip bonded with the PCBs203aand203b. The second housing201and a first housing206are then bonded together and a third housing207is also bonded thereto, and housing covers are covered, so that the package is completed. Meanwhile, waveguide structures208and209are also connected for connecting with an external structure.

To see the ultrahigh frequency signal propagation with reference toFIG. 4, the signal inputted to a waveguide208aof the waveguide structure208passes through the waveguide207aof the third housing207and the waveguide201aof the second housing201to the PCB203afor microstrip transition, so that the signal of the waveguide is changed into a signal of a microstrip-line type, and the changed signal passes through the microstrip line of the PCB and the bonding solid material204ato the semiconductor chip205.

The signal having the performance of the semiconductor chip205passes through the bonding solid material204b, the PCB203bfor microstrip waveguide transition, and the microstrip line of the PCB203b, so that the signal of the microstrip line is changed to the waveguide signal, and this waveguide signal passes through the waveguide206aof the first housing206and a waveguide201bof the second housing201so that it is outputted to a waveguide209aof the waveguide structure209.

As such, the package of the present invention is rounded off not to have the discontinuous portion at the interconnecting portion of the waveguides. As a result, the signal reflection and the signal loss are very less compared to the conventional method, and the original performance of the semiconductor chip could be maintained continuously.

FIG. 5shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 6shows a detailed assembly view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus ofFIG. 5, andFIG. 7shows a packaging state of the waveguide interconnection apparatus ofFIG. 5.

The waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it has a more simplified structure than that ofFIG. 2, whereby the size of the package can be reduced and the fabrication process would be simplified.

Referring toFIG. 5, the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a first housing301, a second housing302, and a third housing303, wherein the shape of the two adjacent housings is curved instead of rectangle. A first waveguide301a, a second waveguide302a, and a third waveguide303aare included in the first housing301, the second housing302, and the third housing303, respectively.

To see the signal propagation in the present waveguide interconnection apparatus with reference toFIG. 5, when the ultrahigh frequency signal is inputted to the waveguide301aof the first housing301, the signal passes through the second waveguide302aof the second housing302and the third waveguide303aof the third housing303. In this case, while the signal propagates, a discontinuous portion occurs in an inner interconnecting portion A where the right portion of the waveguide301aof the first housing301and the waveguide302aof the second housing302are contacted each other, however, the discontinuous portion does not occur in an outer interconnecting portion B where the left portion of the waveguide301aof the first housing301and the waveguide302aof the second housing302are contacted each other.

In addition, the discontinuous portion occurs in an inner interconnecting portion C where the left portion of the waveguide303aof the third housing303and the waveguide302aof the second housing302are contacted each other, however, the discontinuous portion does not occur in an outer interconnecting portion D where the right portion of the third waveguide303aof the third housing303and the waveguide302aof the second housing302are contacted each other.

In accordance with the second embodiment, it is advantageous that the discontinuous portions are rounded off, which brings in no occurrence of signal attenuation due to a mismatch, a simplified fabrication method, a small-sized package, and a low cost.

FIG. 6shows a detailed assembly view of the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. The present waveguide interconnection apparatus comprises the first housing301, the second housing302and the third housing303. In this structure, the first, second and third housings301,302and303are interconnected, so that two perpendicular portions are formed. A rectangular parallelepiped structure made of a conductive material can be punched to have the rectangular parallelepiped housings301,302, and303, so that it is advantageous to fabricate the low-cost and small-sized structure.

FIG. 7shows a packaging state of the waveguide interconnection apparatus ofFIG. 5. The package is fabricated such that adhesives402aand402bare applied to bond PCBs403aand403bon a second housing401, and the PCBs403aand403bfor microstrip-waveguide transition are mounted thereon and subjected to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined time to bond with the second housing401, and bonding solid materials404aand404bare then adhered to flip-chip bond a semiconductor chip405on the PCBs403aand403b.

The semiconductor chip405is then turned over to have its upper surface face the lower direction to be flip-chip bonded with the PCBs403aand403b. The second housing401and a first housing406are bonded each other and a third housing407is also bonded thereto to complete the package. Waveguide structures408and409are then connected to connect with an external structure.

To see the ultrahigh frequency signal propagation with reference toFIG. 7, the signal inputted to the waveguide408aof the waveguide structure408passes through a waveguide407aof the third housing and a waveguide401ato the PCB403afor microstrip transition, so that the signal of the waveguide is changed into a signal of a microstrip line type, and the changed signal passes through the microstrip line of the PCB and the bonding solid material404ato the semiconductor chip405.

The signal having the performance of the semiconductor chip405passes through the bonding solid material404b, the PCB403bfor microstrip waveguide transition, and the microstrip line, so that the signal of the microstrip line is changed to the waveguide signal, and this waveguide signal passes through a waveguide401band a waveguide407bof the third housing so that it is outputted to a waveguide409aof the waveguide structure409.

When the package is fabricated by the above-mentioned method, the fabrication process thereof can be simplified and the package can be small-sized, and a signal loss due to the package can be improved compared to the fabrication method of the prior art.

Meanwhile, the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention has reduced the number of the discontinuous portions compared to the prior art, however, has more discontinuous portions than the first embodiment. Thus, performance varies from the lowest level to the highest one, which corresponds to the prior art, the second embodiment, and the first embodiment in this order, and the fabrication complexity and the product cost also vary from the lowest level to the highest one, which corresponds to the prior art, the first embodiment, and the second embodiment in this order.

On the other hand, the waveguide interconnection apparatus in accordance with the modified embodiment of the present invention comprises a first housing having a first waveguide, and a second housing having a second waveguide connected to the first waveguide, wherein the signal propagated from the first waveguide to the second waveguide is reflected to have a predetermined angle when it passes through interconnecting portions of the waveguides, and at least one of the inner connecting portion and the outer connecting portion between the first waveguide and the second waveguide can be curved. In this case, the second housing can be bonded with a cover for covering one side of a rectangular parallelepiped structure made of conductive material after a curved waveguide is made on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped structure.

As mentioned above, the present invention has made the shape of two adjacent waveguides to be curved to prevent discontinuous portions of signal propagation from being occurred, which leads to solve the signal reflection and signal loss problems due to a mismatch occurred from the discontinuous portions (i.e., edge) where two adjacent waveguides are perpendicularly connected to each other.

This fabrication method decreases the signal reflection and the signal loss due to the mismatch occurred from the discontinuous portions, so that the package having the original performance of the semiconductor chip can be fabricated.

While the present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is understood that the disclosure has been made for purpose of illustrating the invention by way of examples and is not limited to limit the scope of the invention. And one skilled in the art can make amend and change the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.