Dielectric waveguide-to-coplanar transmission line transitions

摘要

Dielectric waveguide-to-transmission line transition structures are disclosed which can be used to interface low loss dielectric waveguides with integrated electric circuits for operation in millimeter wave frequency ranges on the order of 100 GHz. Numerous transition designs are presented for interfacing signal propagation in rectangular or cylindrical coplanar metallic transmission lines to signal propagation in dielectric waveguides. In one embodiment of the present invention, a transition structure is provided which includes a first transition section for interfacing a dielectric waveguide to a microstrip transmission line, and a second transition section for interfacing the microstrip transmission line to a coplanar transmission line. In other embodiments of the present invention, the dielectric waveguide interfaces directly to a coplanar transmission line. One embodiment employs a "T" junction for splitting a vertically polarized incoming signal in a dielectric waveguide into two horizontally polarized signals for propagation along a coplanar transmission line. Power splitter and polarization rotation structures are also provided in which either signals from a pair of dielectric waveguides can be combined in a single coplanar transmission line or the polarization of a signal can be changed prior to entering a transition structure.