A Novel Broadband Microstrip to Waveguide Transition at W band
with High Manufacturing Tolerance Suitable for MMIC Packaging
Mousumi Sarkar #1, Arijit Majumder #2
SAMEER, Kolkata Center
#
Kolkata, India
1
mousumi.kundu@mmw.sameer.gov.in
2
arijit@mmw.sameer.gov.in
Abstract — This paper presents a novel broadband microstrip
to waveguide transition using substrate integrated waveguide
(SIW) at W band suitable for MMIC packaging. The microstrip
line is first transformed to SIW and then SIW is transformed to
air filled reduced height rectangular waveguide with height being
equal to the substrate thickness. The reduced height waveguide is
brought to full height through a λ/4 chebyshev stepped impedance
transformer. Design is robust and suitable for manufacturing with
little variation in performance due to assembly. One back to back
transition is developed. Experimental result shows that return loss
of better than 10 dB is achieved over a bandwidth of 26 % with
insertion loss of 0.52 dB at centre frequency for single transition.
Index Terms — MMIC; microstrip to waveguide transition;
broadband; W band.
I. INTRODUCTION
In the last decade different systems for imaging [1],
communication [2], radar [3] are developed in planer
technology [4,5] using hybrid microwave integrated circuit
(HMIC) or monolithic microwave integrated circuit ( MMIC )
at W band. But in subsystems like antenna, high-Q filter, high-
Q oscillator, circulator etc. waveguide is still preferred due to
lower loss. Also the measurement systems in W band are still
largely in waveguide. So to characterize the circuits and
systems developed in HMIC or MMIC using measurement
system having a waveguide interface and to connect them to
any waveguide based components for final system integration,
broadband low loss microstrip to waveguide transition is a
necessity. To keep the overall package cost to minimum a
transition is required which is mechanically simple and can be
easily integrated in a modular assembly. In the past, different
microstrip to waveguide transition is reported in literature e.g.
E plane probe transition [6], antipodal finline transition [7],
transition using ridged waveguide [8], transition using
suspended strip line [9] etc. For probe transition input and
output port are in perpendicular to each other and it requires
precision tuning in the short circuited waveguide on the
backside of the transition. Transition using ridged waveguide
[8] requires elaborate machining with only 19.9% of 10 dB
return loss bandwidth. Antipodal finline requires 90 degree
twist between input output. One new type of transition is
described based on the principle of slot coupled and capacitive
coupled antennas radiating into the waveguide in [10-11]. But
in those structures waveguides are on the backside of the
substrate and perpendicular to the substrate and bandwidth is
also limited. B. Boukari et. al. [12] shows a transition where the
978-1-5386-8221-0/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE
axis of waveguide is parallel to the planer circuit and so there is
no limitation in the size of planer circuit but its experimental
result shows only 5.2% of 10 dB return loss bandwidth. A
compact transition is reported in [13] gives good result but only
15% relative bandwidth. A transition via iris coupling [14]
shows 15.9% bandwidth. A full band inline transition has been
reported in [15] but its bandwidth decreases if the top air gap is
larger than 0.025 mm which is not sufficient to incorporate dc
bias for the MMIC components. When top air gap is increased
to 0.4 mm, usuable bandwidth decreases to 17.6%.
In this paper the design and development of inline microstrip
to waveguide transition at W band is reported. The design
incorporates air gap of 0.4 mm above the substrate to include
dc bias circuit for MMIC. If the top air gap decreases, the usable
bandwidth increases and covers full W. In this design
microstrip is first transformed to SIW and then SIW is
transformed to waveguide. The side wall is realized using a
series of plated through holes (PTH) in the substrate in SIW. So
generation of higher order modes due to composite material
(dielectric and air in the gap as in the dielectric loaded
waveguide) is limited. Rogers 5880 substrate with εr=2.2 and
substrate height of 0.254 mm is used for the design. The design
can be extended to any substrate by incorporating a taper
transition from microstrip line to SIW [16]. But in the present
case the SIW design parameters are chosen in such a way that
its impedance matches to the microstrip 50Ω impedance
without any requirement for taper transition. SIW is then
transformed to air filled rectangular waveguide whose height is
equal to the substrate thickness using a tapered section of
substrate. Reduced height waveguide is then brought to full
height using a 3-stage quarter-wave Chebyshev transformer for
broader bandwidth.
II. DESIGN AND SIMULATION
A. Microstrip to SIW transition
The microstrip to SIW transition essentially consists of a 50
Ω microstip line followed by a SIW. SIW is synthesized using
two rows of PTH in the substrate. The key design parameters
for the SIW as illustrated in Fig. 1 are diameter of the vias (d),
spacing between vias (p) and spacing between the two rows of
vias (ar). Design rules relating d and p is given by [17].
 TABLE I
DESIGN PARAMETERS
h1 h2 h3 h4 L Wt W

0.32 0.42 0.91 1.27 1 0.2 2.54

Fig. 1. SIW structure with design parameters

d (1)

p 2 (2)
(a)

where λg is the guide wavelength of SIW.

The equivalent waveguide width (ae) is given by [18]
a a .
(3)

(b)
The design parameters for SIW is d = 0.2 mm, p = 0.3 mm,
ar = 2.1 mm. Its wave impedance is computed using 3D-EM
simulation and is set to 50 Ω. The line width of 50 Ω microstrip
line for the substrate chosen is 0.76 mm. The line is directly
connected to designed SIW. HFSS model and simulated result
is shown in Fig. 2. Return loss of better than 17 dB is achieved
over full W band.
B. SIW to Rectangular Waveguide Transition (c)
SIW to rectangular waveguide transition is realized using a
tapered substrate inserted in a rectangular waveguide whose
S Parameters (dB)

height is equal to the substrate height. Then the reduced height

waveguide is brought to full height using Chebyshev stepped
impedance transformer which widens the bandwidth. The
transition is optimised in HFSS. Return loss of better than 15
dB is achieved in simulation over full W band with insertion
loss better than 0.1 dB. 3D-EM model and simulated result are (d)
shown in Fig. 3. The optimised design parameters (in mm) are Fig. 3. SIW to rectangular waveguide transition (a) Ansys
summarized in Table I. HFSS model (b) Side view (c) Top view (d) Simulated result

C. Microstrip to Rectangular Waveguide Transition

The microstrip to rectangular waveguide transition is realized
by combining the microstrip to SIW transition and SIW to
rectangular waveguide transition. The simulation and
optimization is carried out using 3D EM solver Ansys HFSS.
(a)
Two such microstrip to waveguide transition is simulated back
to back as shown in Fig. 4. It includes 0.4 mm gap above the
substrate of microstrip line to include capacitor, resistor etc. for
S Parameters (dB)

DC bias circuit. The simulated result as shown in Fig. 4 shows

that return loss better than 10 dB is achieved over a bandwidth
of 23.37 GHz (24.5 % relative bandwidth). Over the bandwidth
insertion loss is better than 0.4 dB. E-field propagation between
two transitions is shown in Fig. 5.
(b)
Fig. 2. Microstrip to SIW transition (a) Ansys HFSS model
(b) Simulated result of transition
 S Parameters (dB)
(a)
(a)

S Parameters (dB)
S Parameters (dB)

(b) (b)
Fig. 4. Microstrip to rectangular waveguide transition
connected back to back (a) Ansys HFSS model (b) Simulated

S Parameters (dB)
result

Fig. 5. E field pattern between transitions (c)

Fig. 6. Tolerance analysis with variation of (a) h of ± 25 micron,
(b) W of ± 50 micron (c) hbox of ± 100 micron

III. TOLERANCE ANALYSIS

Tolerance analysis has been carried out in simulation with
different design parameters. The critical parameters like step
heights of rectangular waveguide (h) is varied with ±25 micron
tolerance. Waveguide width (W), spacing between vias (p) are
varied with ± 50 micron tolerance. Diameter of vias (d),
(a)
Substrate width (Wsub) and box height above the microstrip line
(hbox) is varied with ±100 micron tolerance. Results of the
analysis is shown in Fig. 6. It shows that small change in ‘h’
S Parameters (dB)

produces larger change in S parameters whereas little change in

S parameters is observed for larger change in W and hbox which
is reflected in calculated standard deviation. Standard deviation
is calculated for each variation at lower and higher cut-off
frequency and overall bandwidth of 10 dB return loss
bandwidth. Standard deviation is also calculated of insertion
loss at centre frequency (95 GHz), lower and higher cut off
frequency of 10 dB return loss Bandwidth (83.77 GHz, 107.14
GHz respectively) for each variations of the parameters
mentioned above. Results are summarized in Table II.
IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULT
A back to back transition has been fabricated as shown in Fig.
7 (a). It is realized in split-block configuration. Substrate is
placed in the groove of the bottom part and the top part has the
λ/4 step transition in the waveguide.
Fabricated prototype is measured using Keysight’s Vector
Network Analyser along with extender modules. 3 dB
bandwidth of 24.37 GHz (26% relative bandwidth) is achieved
as shown in Fig. 7 (b). Within this bandwidth return loss is
(b)
Fig. 7. (a) Fabricated prototype (b) Measured result
better than 10 dB and insertion loss is better than 1.9 dB with
minimum of .52 dB at centre frequency.
V. CONCLUSION
An inline microstrip to waveguide transition is reported in
this article which is simple to assemble and which include
sufficient top gap over microstrip line for incorporation of DC
bias circuit of active device. Experimental result closely
matches to simulated one. In measurement return loss of better
than 10 dB is achieved over 24.4 GHz bandwidth with
minimum insertion loss of .52 dB at 93.5 GHz. So the transition
is useful for broadband multi-chip packaging with waveguide
based input / output port.
 TABLE II
TOLERANCE ANALYSIS
Parameter Tolerance Standard deviation Standard deviation Standard Standard deviation Standard deviation of Standard deviation of
of lowest frequency of highest frequency deviation of Insertion Loss at Insertion Loss at lowest Insertion Loss at lowest
of 10 dB return loss of 10 dB return loss of centre frequency (95 frequency of 10 dB frequency of 10 dB
Bandwidth Bandwidth Bandwidth GHz) Bandwidth (83.77 GHz) Bandwidth (107.14 GHz

Waveguide ± 25 µ 0.1609 1.4946 1.6433 0.0248 0.1885 0.2424

height

Waveguide ± 50 µ 0.3634 0.1471 0.2340 0.0065 0.6432 0.0403

width

PTH ± 50 µ 0.0474 0.3265 0.3 0.0518 0.0487 0.1619

distance

Substrate ± 100 µ 0.0239 0.0980 0.0877 .0067 0.0126 0.0409

width

PTH ± 100 µ 0.1869 0.3990 0.5707 0.0052 0.1461 0.1072

diameter

Microstrip ± 100 µ 0.5621 0.7625 1.2851 0.0050 2.8102 0.1286

box height

[9] E. S. Li, G. X. Tong and D. C. Niu, "Full W -band Waveguide-to-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are thankful to Director, SAMEER, MeitY for her help
and encouragement and for allowing us to carry this work. We
are also thankful to Mechanical Division of SAMEER, Kolkata
for their support in all related fabrication.
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