Ultra High-Speed Millimeter-Wave Integrated Circuits Using NRD Guide

Abstract

Millimeter-waves have attracted much attention for the construction of novel IT (Information Technologies) systems. Several types of millimeter-wave front ends have been developed by using printed transmission lines such as a microstrip line, a coplanar waveguide, and so forth. Although such printed transmission lines are preferable for application of centimeter frequencies, they suffer from a high level of transmission loss at millimeter-wave frequencies.
Another transmission-medium candidate for millimeter-wave integrated circuits is the nonradiative dielectric waveguide (NRD guide), which consists of rectangular-shaped dielectric strips inserted in a below cutoff parallel metal plate waveguide. The NRD guide has great advantages such as no undesired radiation at curved sections and discontinuities as well as low transmission loss inherent in dielectric waveguides. Indeed, high performance millimeter-wave integrated circuits have been developed based on the NRD guide technology. In this paper, as an update, we will present progress in NRD guide technology from the viewpoint of the ultra high-speed performance.