A transmission line structure includes a first transmission line having a first and a second extending line segments and a first and a second line segments extending along a first direction and a third line segment extending along a second direction, and a second transmission line having a third and a fourth extending line segments, a fourth and a fifth line segments extending along the first direction and a sixth line segment extending along the second direction. The first and the second extending line segment are connected to ends of the first and the second line segment. The third line segment is connected to sides of the first and the second line segment. The third and the fourth extending line segment are connected to ends of the fourth the fifth line segment. The sixth line segment is connected to sides of the fourth and the fifth line segment.

A package trace design technique provides at least partial cancelation of reflections. In one illustrative method of providing a high-bandwidth chip-to-chip link with a first die coupled to a second die via a first substrate trace, an intermediate trace, and a second substrate trace, the method includes: (a) determining a first propagation delay for an electrical signal to traverse the first substrate trace, the electrical signal having a predetermined symbol interval; (b) determining a second propagation delay for the electrical signal to traverse the second substrate trace; and (c) setting a length for at least one of the first and second substrate traces, the length yielding a difference between the first and second propagation delays, the difference having a magnitude equal to half the predetermined symbol interval.

A transmission line is provided with a fixed physical length and a programmable electrical length for achieving a programmable time delay. The transmission line can include a dielectric and a biasing device disposed across the dielectric, and the biasing device can dynamically and continuously vary an absolute level of a bias voltage across the dielectric to vary a dielectric constant of the dielectric, which can vary a time delay of the transmission line. In some embodiments, the biasing device can modulate the bias voltage from a positive voltage to a negative voltage at a frequency and with waveform characteristics that prevent such modulation from interfering with a signal propagating through the dielectric, that prevent the bias voltage from unintentionally varying the time delay of the transmission line when the absolute level of the bias voltage is constant, and that prevents ion impurities within the dielectric from accumulating on bias electrodes.

A transmission line is provided with a fixed physical length and a programmable electrical length for achieving a programmable time delay. The transmission line can include a dielectric and a biasing device disposed across the dielectric, and the biasing device can dynamically and continuously vary an absolute level of a bias voltage across the dielectric to vary a dielectric constant of the dielectric, which can vary a time delay of the transmission line. In some embodiments, the biasing device can modulate the bias voltage from a positive voltage to a negative voltage at a frequency and with waveform characteristics that prevent such modulation from interfering with a signal propagating through the dielectric, that prevent the bias voltage from unintentionally varying the time delay of the transmission line when the absolute level of the bias voltage is constant, and that prevents ion impurities within the dielectric from accumulating on bias electrodes.

A wide band radio frequency (RF) circulator, including: a first stage having four ports; and a second stage having four ports, wherein the first stage and the second stage are connected via a pair of conductive delay lines including a reciprocal delay line placed on a dielectric substrate and a non-reciprocal delay line placed on ferrite substrate, wherein each of the first stage and the second stage include a pair of couplers.

A wide band radio frequency (RF) circulator, including: a first stage having four ports; and a second stage having four ports, wherein the first stage and the second stage are connected via a pair of conductive delay lines including a reciprocal delay line placed on a dielectric substrate and a non-reciprocal delay line placed on ferrite substrate, wherein each of the first stage and the second stage include a pair of couplers.

Miniature slow-wave transmission lines are described having an asymmetrical ground configuration. In some embodiments, the asymmetrical ground configuration facilitates a reduction in size. Non-uniform auxiliary conductors may be disposed above or below the co-planar waveguide to facilitate a reduction in the length of the miniature slow-wave transmission lines. Phase shifters may be implemented having a reduced size by including one or more miniature slow-wave transmission lines.

A true time delay (TTD) module includes a substrate and a transmission line formed on the substrate. The transmission line includes time delay lines that define signal paths of varying lengths between a signal input and a signal output of the TTD module. A plurality of switching elements are positioned along the transmission line and are selectively controllable to define a signal transmission path between the signal input and the signal output. The switching elements include an input switching element positioned at a first end of each of the plurality of time delay lines, an output switching element positioned at a second end of each of the plurality of time delay lines, and at least one intermediate switching element positioned between the input switching element and the output switching element of at least one of the plurality of time delay lines.

A true time delay (TTD) module includes a substrate and a transmission line formed on the substrate. The transmission line includes time delay lines that define signal paths of varying lengths between a signal input and a signal output of the TTD module. A plurality of switching elements are positioned along the transmission line and are selectively controllable to define a signal transmission path between the signal input and the signal output. The switching elements include an input switching element positioned at a first end of each of the plurality of time delay lines, an output switching element positioned at a second end of each of the plurality of time delay lines, and at least one intermediate switching element positioned between the input switching element and the output switching element of at least one of the plurality of time delay lines.

A liquid crystal phase shifter is disclosed. The liquid crystal phase shifter includes a liquid crystal cell, a partition plate, a first microstrip line, a second microstrip line and liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal cell includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other; the partition plate is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the first microstrip line is disposed on a surface of the partition plate away from the second substrate; the second microstrip line is disposed on a surface of the partition plate away from the first substrate; and the liquid crystal molecules are provided between the first substrate and the partition plate, and between the second substrate and the partition plate.