Method of making lightweight, low thermal expansion microwave structures

摘要

A method of making a lightweight, microwave electronic structure includes the steps of forming a rigid, glass structure having a desired density by a sol-gel process and thereafter uniformly coating the formed glass structure with an adherent and uniform conductor. The sol-gel process may be carried out by polymerizing a mixture comprising silicon alkoxide, water and an alcohol. The coating process may be carried out by coating the glass structure with a solution comprising an organic compound of a metal dissolved in an organic solvent and thereafter volatizing the organic solvent.