Millimeterwave componentsRecent advances have been made by Pasquali Microwave Systems in the manufacturing of millimeter-wave components through electroforming. Electroforming is a metal forming process that forms thin parts through the electroplating process. The part is produced by plating a metal skin onto a base form, known as a mandrel, which is removed after plating. The main advantage of electroforming is that it reproduces the external shape of the mandrel within a tolerance of one micron. In this way it is possible to form an internal cavity accurately as much as the mandrel's external shape can be accurately machined.
In recent years, electroforming has taken on new importance in the fabrication of precision metallic devices with micro and nano scale feature. After the involvement in the ESA Planck LFI program, Pasquali has developed its own know-how for the fabrication of several millimeter-wave components in electroformed copper for RF application from Q-band up to W-band.
30 and 44 GHz “flight model” waveguides for ESA Planck satellite
“Flight model” waveguides are compliant with RF, environmental (vibration) and outgassing requirements for space application.
22 GHz Polarizer
This device separates two incoming circular polarization (a Left-Handed Circular Polarization and a Right-Handed Circular Polarization) into two orthogonal linear polarizations. It is composed of two parts: a Differential Phase Shifter and an Orthomode Transducer.
The RF specifications are the following:
o Frequency Range: 18-26GHz
o Return loss: < -20dB
o Cross talk: >20dB (19-25GHz) ; >35dB@22GHz
Thanks to the high precision of electroforming process the device meets all the RF requirements.
W-band OMT
This device is a full-band orthomode transducer (OMT) for the WR10 frequency band (75 - 110 GHz). It is manufactured by PMS through the electroforming process.