Dry Film Photoresist-Based Microfabrication: A New Method to Fabricate Millimeter-Wave Waveguide Components.

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Microwave Engineering

Background:

• Millimeter-wave (mmWave) components are crucial for advanced communication systems.
• Existing microfabrication technologies for mmWave waveguides face challenges in cost, complexity, and prototyping time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, efficient, and cost-effective fabrication method for millimeter-wave (30-300 GHz) waveguide components using dry film photoresists.
• To demonstrate the potential of this method as a viable alternative to conventional microfabrication techniques.

Main Methods:

• Utilized SUEX dry film photoresist for fabricating a ridge gap waveguide resonator.
• Employed standard microfabrication processes adapted for dry film photoresists.
• Characterized the fabricated resonator's performance at millimeter-wave frequencies.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated a ridge gap waveguide resonator with resonances at 234.6 and 284 GHz.
• Achieved low signal attenuation: 0.032 dB/mm at 234 GHz and 0.033 dB/mm at 283 GHz.
• Demonstrated superior unloaded Q-values compared to conventional methods, with measured values matching simulations.

Conclusions:

• Dry film photoresists are suitable for fabricating passive millimeter-wave devices with high performance.
• The proposed fabrication method offers significant advantages including reduced processing steps, lower cost, and faster prototyping.
• This technique presents a promising alternative for the cost-effective production of millimeter-wave waveguide components.