Yingtao Tian

Micromachined Thick Mesh Filters for Millimeter-Wave and Terahertz Applications

This paper presents several freestanding bandpass mesh filters fabricated using an SU-8-based micromachining technique. The important geometric feature of the filters, which SU8 is able to increase, is the thickness of the cross-shaped micromachined slots. This is five times its width. This thickness offers an extra degree of control over the resonance characteristics. The large thickness not only strengthens the structures, but also enhances the resonance quality factor ( Q-factor). A 0.3-mm-thick, single-layer, mesh filter resonant at 300 GHz has been designed and fabricated and its performance verified. The measured Q-factor is 16.3 and the insertion loss is 0.98 dB. Two multi-layer filter structures have also been demonstrated. The first one is a stacked structure of two single mesh filters producing a double thickness, which achieved a further increased Q-factor of 27. This is over six times higher than a thin mesh filter. The second multilayer filter is an electromagnetically coupled structure forming a two-pole filter. The coupling characteristics are discussed based on experimental and simulation results. These thick mesh filters can potentially be used for sensing and material characterization at millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies.

A SU8 Micromachined WR-1.5 Band Waveguide Filter

A WR-1.5 band (500-750 GHz) waveguide 3rd order bandpass filter has been designed, fabricated, using SU8 photoresist technology, tested and presented. The filter is composed of three silver-coated SU8 layers, each of the same nominal thickness of 191 μm. This filter structure is based on three offset resonators. This novel structure is ideally suitable for the layered SU8 micromachining process. The filter exhibits a 53.7 GHz 3-dB bandwidth at a central frequency of 671 GHz. The median passband insertion loss is measured to be 0.65 dB and the return loss is better than 11 dB over the whole passband.

A Micromachined Dual-Band Orthomode Transducer

In this paper, an orthomode transducer (OMT) for dual-band operation and optimized for stacked micromachined layers implementation is presented. The proposed design avoids the use of septums, irises, pins, or small features and minimizes the number of equal-thickness micromachined layers required. In this way, the micromachining fabrication is simplified, making the proposed design a very attractive candidate for high frequency applications and for low-cost batch production. A W-band dual-band design (one different polarization in each frequency band) with more than 10% fractional bandwidth for each band and 30% separation between bands is presented. In addition, proper routing and layered bends are designed for an optimum standard interfacing with the same orientation of the input/output ports. Two OMTs in a back-to-back configuration are fabricated using a thick SU-8 photo-resist micromachining process. A total of six stacked SU-8 layers, all of them with the same thickness of 635 μm, are used. The experimental results are coherent with the tolerance and misalignment of the process, validating the proposed novel OMT design.

Fabrication of multilayered SU8 structure for terahertz waveguide with ultralow transmission loss

Abstract. A microfabricated hollow air-filled waveguide with two back-to-back bends operating in the WR-3 frequency range of 220 to 325 GHz has been successfully fabricated through a multilayered ultrathick SU8 process and has ultralow transmission loss of 0.028 to 0.03  dB/mm in a performance test. This is the first SU8 constructed hollow waveguide operating at WR-3 frequencies having transmission loss comparable with the state-of-the-art computer numerical control (CNC) machined metal circuits. The multilayered SU8 processing technique has a great advantage of reducing the transmission loss by decreasing the probability of air gaps between SU8 layers. The excellent device performance is also attributed to the precisely controlled layer thickness and ultimately low surface roughness of evaporated silver which only contributes a small part of the microwave signal attenuation.

Process Optimization of Dual-Laser Beam Welding of Advanced Al-Li Alloys Through Hot Cracking Susceptibility Modeling

Abstract Laser welding of advanced Al-Li alloys has been developed to meet the increasing demand for light-weight and high-strength aerospace structures. However, welding of high-strength Al-Li alloys can be problematic due to the tendency for hot cracking. Finding suitable welding parameters and filler material for this combination currently requires extensive and costly trial and error experimentation. The present work describes a novel coupled model to predict hot crack susceptibility (HCS) in Al-Li welds. Such a model can be used to shortcut the weld development process. The coupled model combines finite element process simulation with a two-level HCS model. The finite element process model predicts thermal field data for the subsequent HCS hot cracking prediction. The model can be used to predict the influences of filler wire composition and welding parameters on HCS. The modeling results have been validated by comparing predictions with results from fully instrumented laser welds performed under a range of process parameters and analyzed using high-resolution X-ray tomography to identify weld defects. It is shown that the model is capable of accurately predicting the thermal field around the weld and the trend of HCS as a function of process parameters.

Electrodeposition of Indium Bumps for Ultrafine Pitch Interconnection

Electroplating is a promising method to produce ultrafine pitch indium bumps for assembly of pixel detectors in imaging applications. In this work, the process of indium bumping through electrodeposition was demonstrated and the influences of various current waveforms on the bump morphology, microstructure and height uniformity were investigated. Electron microscopy was used to study the microstructure of electroplated indium bumps and a Zygo white light interferometer was utilised to evaluate the height uniformity. The results indicated that the bump uniformities on wafer, pattern and feature scales were improved by using unipolar pulse and bipolar pulse reverse current waveforms.

Investigation of SU8 as a structural material for fabricating passive millimeter-wave and terahertz components

Abstract. This paper provides a systematic review of the technical issues of SU8 fabrication for millimeter-wave and terahertz components based on research carried out at the University of Birmingham in the past decade. A design-for-manufacturability approach is followed. The flexibility of the SU8 process enables many device structures. Challenges and problems during fabrication will be discussed and demonstrated with examples. The measurement of the devices is also a significant challenge when the critical dimensions of the device shrink and special testing fixtures are needed in some cases. Finally, a brief overview of the issues discussed above is given for future guidance.

Micromachined terahertz circuits

As frequency increases the wavelength gets smaller and therefore the size of waveguides shrink. At terahertz frequencies the size of a waveguide is such that it is difficult to fabricate using conventional milling, especially when fine structures are required when making filters. Here we present an overview of work on micromachined circuits for these very high frequencies, initially demonstrating waveguides can be constructed with a loss as good as normal metals and then describing the design and measurements of some waveguide filters.