Three dimensional (3-D) integration scheme of surface mounted non-radiative dielectric (NRD) waveguide and coplanar waveguide (CPW)

We present a three-dimensional (3-D) co-layered integration scheme involving surface-mounted nonradiative dielectric (NRD) waveguide and coplanar waveguide (CPW). The proposed planar and non-planar integration technique allows for the low-cost design of millimeter-wave circuits and systems while high-performance is expected. In this work, preliminary simulations and experiments are demonstrated with some innovative examples that include hybrid CPW/NRD-guide transitions and CPW-fed NRD-guide antenna. It is found that low transmission loss and good return loss can be achieved with the proposed concept. This work also reveals some interesting and unique electrical and mechanical features of the proposed building blocks in 3-D design