Dielectric waveguide filter with trap resonator

1. A dielectric waveguide filter comprising:

a first solid block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators;

a second solid block of dielectric material coupled to the first solid block of dielectric material, the second block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators including first and second adjacent resonators separated by an RF signal isolator for preventing the transmission of an RF signal between the first and second resonators; and

an RF signal coupling window providing a coupling between a first one of the plurality of resonators of the first block of dielectric material and the first resonator of the second block of dielectric material whereby the first resonator of the second block of dielectric material defines a trap resonator.

2. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 1 wherein a first RF signal input/output is defined on an end one of the plurality of resonators of the first solid block of dielectric material and the first and second adjacent resonators of the second solid block of dielectric material comprised end ones of the resonators of the second solid block of dielectric material.

3. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 1 wherein the RF signal isolator comprises a plurality of spaced apart through-holes positioned between the first and second adjacent resonators.

4. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 1 wherein the RF signal coupling window is defined by a region on the first and second solid blocks of dielectric material that is devoid of conductive material.

5. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 1 further comprising a first RF signal input/output on the first one of the plurality of resonators of the first block of dielectric material.

6. A dielectric waveguide filter comprising:

a first solid block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators;

a first RF signal input/output on a first end resonator of the plurality of resonators of the first block of dielectric material;

a second solid block of dielectric material coupled to the first solid block of dielectric material, the second block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators including first and second adjacent end resonators separated by an RF signal isolator for preventing the transmission of an RF signal between the first and second end resonators; and

an RF signal coupling window for providing a coupling between the first end resonator of the plurality of resonators of the first block of dielectric material and the first end resonator of the second block of dielectric material whereby the first end resonator of the second block of dielectric material defines a trap resonator.

7. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 6 wherein the RF signal isolator comprises a plurality of spaced apart through-holes positioned between the first and second adjacent resonators.

8. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 6 wherein the RF signal coupling window is defined by a region on the first and second solid blocks of dielectric material that is devoid of conductive material.

9. A dielectric waveguide filter comprising:

a first solid block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators;

a second solid block of dielectric material coupled to the first solid block of dielectric material, the second block of dielectric material covered with a layer of conductive material and defining a plurality of resonators including a first end resonator;

a third solid block of dielectric material coupled to the first solid block of dielectric material and positioned adjacent an end of the second solid block of dielectric material and defining a resonator; a slot between the second and third solid blocks of dielectric material and defining an RF signal isolator for preventing the transmission of an RF signal between the first end resonator of the second solid block of dielectric material and the resonator of the third solid block of dielectric material; and

an RF signal coupling window providing a coupling between a first one of the plurality of resonators of the first block of dielectric material and the resonator of the third block of dielectric material whereby the resonator of the third block of dielectric material defines a trap resonator.

10. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 9 wherein the third solid block of dielectric material that is coupled to the first and second solid blocks of dielectric material is abutting an end region of the first solid block of dielectric material.

11. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 9 wherein the slot is an elongate slot.

12. The dielectric waveguide filter of claim 9 wherein the RF signal coupling window is defined by a capacitive coupling isolated pad of conductive material on the first and third solid blocks of dielectric material.