Discrete dielectric material cavity resonator and filter having isolated metal contacts

1. A discrete cavity resonator consisting essentially of:

a single cavity dielectric base comprising a dielectric material having a dielectric constant, said dielectric base having a width, a length greater than or equal to said width defined between a first end edge and an opposed second end edge of said dielectric base, a thickness and an outer surface defining first and second opposed major surfaces, peripheral side surfaces and first and second opposed end surfaces of said dielectric base;

at least one metal contact having a predetermined area disposed in a predetermined location only on one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base to provide a predetermined loaded Q for said resonator, said metal contact being capacitively coupled to said single cavity of said dielectric base;

a metal ground coating entirely covering said outer surface of said dielectric base with the exception of said at least one metal contact and at least one isolation region formed on said one of said first and said second major surfaces which is free of said metal ground coating, said at least one isolation region surrounding said at least one metal contact and having an area sufficient to prevent significant coupling between said at least one metal contact and said metal ground coating;

wherein said dielectric constant, said width and said length of said dielectric base are each selected such that said discrete resonator resonates at least at one predetermined resonant frequency in a GHz frequency range.

2. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said dielectric material comprises a ceramic.

3. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said dielectric material is a low loss tangent, temperature stable dielectric material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , fused silica and MgO.

4. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one predetermined resonant frequency is in the range of 1 GHz to 80 GHz.

5. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said dielectric base consists of a single monolithic fired dielectric ceramic body.

6. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said width and said length of said dielectric base are each selected such that an electromagnetic field intensity within said dielectric base is greatest proximate a two-dimensional geometric center of said dielectric base, and wherein said at least one metal contact is positioned in a location that is spaced a distance from said geometric center.

7. The discrete resonator of claim 6 , wherein said at least one metal contact is positioned proximate one of said first and said second end edges of said dielectric base along said length thereof.

8. The discrete resonator of claim 7 , wherein said dielectric base has a longitudinal center line extending from said first end edge of said dielectric base toward said opposed second end edge of said dielectric base along said length thereof, and wherein said at least one metal contact is laterally offset from said longitudinal center line.

9. The discrete resonator of claim 7 , wherein said dielectric base has a longitudinal center line extending from said first end edge of said dielectric base toward said opposed second end edge of said dielectric base along said length thereof, and wherein said at least one metal contact is centered on said longitudinal center line.

10. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , further comprising another isolation region that is free from said ground coating provided on said one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base such that said discrete resonator has a different predetermined resonant frequency from said at least one predetermined resonant frequency.

11. The discrete resonator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one metal contact and said metal ground coating comprise an electrically conductive metal selected from the group consisting of gold, copper, and silver.

12. The discrete resonator of claim 11 , further comprising a surface finish provided on said metal contact and said metal ground coating.

13. The discrete resonator of claim 12 , wherein said surface finish comprises one of nickel plating and gold plating.

14. A discrete cavity filter consisting essentially of:

a single cavity dielectric base comprising a dielectric material having a dielectric constant, said dielectric base having a width, a length greater than said width defined between a first end and an opposed second end of said dielectric base, a thickness and an outer surface defining first and second opposed major surfaces, peripheral side surfaces and first and second opposed end surfaces of said dielectric base;

a planar first metal contact having a predetermined area disposed in a predetermined location only on one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base proximate said first end of said dielectric base, wherein a planar bottom surface of said first metal contact is substantially coplanar with respect to a main plane of said one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base;

a planar second metal contact having a predetermined area disposed in a predetermined location only on said one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base proximate said second end of said dielectric base, wherein a planar bottom surface of said second metal contact is substantially coplanar with respect to a main plane of said one of said first and said second major surfaces of said dielectric base;

a metal ground entirely covering said outer surface of said dielectric base with the exception of said first and second metal contacts, a first isolation region surrounding said first metal contact and a second isolation region surrounding said second metal contact, each said first and said second isolation regions being free of said metal ground coating and each having a sufficient area to prevent significant coupling between a respective one of said first and said second metal contacts and said metal ground coating;

wherein said first and second metal contacts are capacitively coupled to said single cavity of said dielectric base;

wherein said dielectric constant, said width and said length of said dielectric base are each selected such that a discrete resonator defined at least by said single cavity dielectric base, said first metal contact, said second metal contact, said metal ground coating and said first and second isolation regions resonates at least at one predetermined resonant frequency in a GHz frequency range;

wherein said predetermined areas and said predetermined locations of said first and said second metal contacts respectively provide predetermined loaded Q values for said discrete resonator with respect to said first and second metal contacts; and

wherein an electric transfer function between said first metal contact and said second metal contact implements a band pass filter response.