Patent Grant
12183970
The disclosure relates generally to systems, methods, and devices related to antennas and specifically relates to waveguides and other elements of a broadband antenna array.
Antennas are ubiquitous in modern society and are becoming an increasingly important technology as smart devices multiply and wireless connectivity moves into exponentially more devices and platforms. An antenna structure designed for transmitting and receiving signals wirelessly between two points can be as simple as tuning a length of a wire to a known wavelength of a desired signal frequency. At a particular wavelength (which is inversely proportional to the frequency by the speed of light λ=c/f) for a particular length of wire, the wire will resonate in response to being exposed to the transmitted signal in a predictable manner that makes it possible to “read” or reconstruct a received signal. For simple devices, like radio and television, a wire antenna serves well enough.
Passive antenna structures are used in a variety of different applications. Communications is the most well-known application, and applies to areas such as radios, televisions, and internet. Radar is another common application for antennas, where the antenna, which can have a nearly equivalent passive radiating structure to a communications antenna, is used for sensing and detection. Common industries where radar antennas are employed include weather sensing, airport traffic control, naval vessel detection, and low earth orbit imaging. A wide variety of high-performance applications exist for antennas that are less known outside the industry, such as electronic warfare and ISR (information, surveillance, and reconnaissance) to name a couple.
High-performance antennas are required when high data rate, long range, or high signal-to-noise ratios are required for a particular application. In order to improve the performance of an antenna to meet a set of system requirements, for example on a satellite communications (SATCOM) antenna, it is desirable to reduce the sources of loss and increase the amount of energy that is directed in a specific area away from the antenna (referred to as ‘gain’). In the most challenging applications, high performance must be accomplished while also surviving demanding environmental, shock, and vibration requirements. Losses in an antenna structure can be due to a variety of sources: material properties (losses in dielectrics, conductivity in metals), total path length a signal must travel in the passive structure (total loss is loss per length multiplied by the total length), multi-piece fabrication, antenna geometry, and others. These are all related to specific design and fabrication choices that an antenna designer must make when balancing size, weight, power, and cost performance metrics (SWaP-C). The gain of an antenna structure is a function of the area of the antenna and the frequency of operation. To create a high gain antenna is to increase the total area with respect to the number of wavelengths, and poor choice of materials or fabrication method can rapidly reduce the achieved gain of the antenna by increasing the losses in the passive feed and radiating portions.
One of the lowest loss and highest performance RF structures is hollow metal waveguide. This is a structure that has a cross section of dielectric, air, or vacuum which is enclosed on the edges of the cross section by a conductive material, typically a metal like copper or aluminum. Typical cross sections for hollow metal waveguide include rectangles, squares, and circles, which have been selected due to the ease of analysis and fabrication in the 19th and 20th centuries. Air-filled hollow metal waveguide antennas and RF structures are used in the most demanding applications, such as reflector antenna feeds and antenna arrays. Reflector feeds and antenna arrays have the benefit of providing a very large antenna with respect to wavelength, and thus a high gain performance with low losses.
Every physical component is designed with the limitations of the fabrication method used to create the component. Antennas and RF components are particularly sensitive to fabrication method, as the majority of the critical features are inside the part, and very small changes in the geometry can lead to significant changes in antenna performance. Due to the limitations of traditional fabrication processes, hollow metal waveguide antennas and RF components have been designed so that they can be assembled as multi-piece assemblies, with a variety of flanges, interfaces, and seams. All of these joints where the structure is assembled together in a multi-piece fashion increase the size, weight, and part count of a final assembly while at the same time reducing performance through increased losses, path length, and reflections. This overall trend of increased size, weight, and part count with increased complexity of the structure have kept hollow metal waveguide antennas and RF components in the realm of applications where size, weight, and cost are less important than overall performance.
One example of a component for waveguides is a transition between a coaxial waveguide input/output and a hollow waveguide. A “transition” is the region of the waveguide that converts the impedance or mode in one region of waveguide to the impedance or mode of another region of waveguide. In other words, an antenna, for example, transmitting an electromagnetic signal may provide the electromagnetic signal through a hollow waveguide into a transition where the electromagnetic signal is propagated in a hollow waveguide mode and converted into a coaxial waveguide mode propagating in a coaxial waveguide that is connected to the antenna. Likewise, an antenna receiving an electromagnetic signal may receive the electromagnetic signal from an antenna element connected to a coaxial waveguide which transitions to a hollow waveguide. The transitions serve an electromagnetic signal from a coaxial waveguide to a hollow waveguide or vice versa.
Accordingly, conventional hollow waveguides have been manufactured using conventional subtractive manufacturing techniques which limit specific implementations for waveguides to the standard rectangular, square, and circular cross-sectional geometries that have the limitations described above. Additive manufacturing techniques provide opportunities, such as integrating waveguide structures with other RF components such that a plurality of RF components may be formed in a smaller physical device with improved overall performance. However, the process of fabricating a traditional rectangular, square, or circular waveguide structure in additive manufacturing typically leads to suboptimal performance and increased total cost in integrated waveguide structures. Novel cross-sections for waveguide structures that take advantage of the strengths of additive manufacturing will allow for improved performance of antennas and RF components while reducing total cost for a complex assembly.
It is therefore one object of this disclosure to provide coaxial waveguide to hollow waveguide structures that may be optimally fabricated with three dimensional printing techniques (aka additive manufacturing techniques). It is a further object of this disclosure to provide coaxial waveguide transition to hollow waveguide structures that enable novel array geometries. It is a further object of this disclosure to provide coaxial waveguide transition to hollow waveguide structures that are integral with other RF components.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive implementations of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where:
Disclosed herein are improved systems, methods, and devices for communicating electromagnetic energy with an antenna array. Specifically disclosed herein are improved dual-polarization antenna arrays comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components. The antenna array is arranged such that nearest-neighbor pairs of radiating elements are orthogonal relative to one another.
An antenna assembly described herein includes a waveguide transition device comprising two or more coaxial waveguides. The antenna assembly further includes a radiating component comprising: two or more radiating elements configured to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy through two or more signal ears, wherein each of the two or more signal ears is in communication with a coaxial waveguide of the two or more coaxial waveguides. The antenna assembly is dual polarized.
Further specifically disclosed herein are improved transitions for combining or splitting electromagnetic energy moving between dual coaxial waveguide ports and a hollow waveguide port. A device disclosed herein includes a hollow waveguide port, two or more coaxial waveguide ports, and a transition disposed between the waveguide port and the two or more coaxial waveguide ports. The transition combines or divides electromagnetic energy depending on the direction of travel between the waveguide port and the two or more coaxial waveguide ports. The device may be constructed with metal additive manufacturing techniques (three-dimensional metal printing) and include a series of intricate impedance steps and tapers for transitioning impedance of the electromagnetic energy.
Embodiments described herein are directed generally to the movement of electromagnetic energy through an array of antennas. The embodiments described herein enable the collection or transmission of an increased amount of electromagnetic energy over an increased distance-of-travel through the use of precise waveguides, transitions, and antenna arrays.
In electromagnetic field theory, the reciprocity theorem (also known as the Lorentz reciprocity theorem) is associated with the coupling energy between fields produced by one source on another. According to antenna reciprocity, the ratio of transmitted power from the transmitting antenna to the received power of the receiving antenna will not change even when the modes of the antennas are interchanged. Reciprocity in antenna communication is desirable because it offers the opportunity to interchangeably use a single pair of antennas in both receiving and transmitting modes. Described herein are antenna arrays comprising a plurality of antenna pairs with orthogonal orientations. This increases the power of the electromagnetic energy being transmitted or received by the antenna array.
Embodiments described herein include improved configurations for a waveguide that can be implemented in an antenna. A waveguide includes a hollow enclosed space for carrying or propagating waves of electromagnetic radiation. In radio-frequency engineering and communications engineering, a waveguide is commonly a hollow metal pipe used to carry radio waves. The electromagnetic waves in a waveguide (which may include a metal pipe or other hollow space) may be imagined as travelling down the guide with a time-varying electric field that is oriented in a discrete set of configurations within the waveguide, dependent on frequency and geometry. Depending on the frequency, waveguides can be constructed of conductive or dielectric materials. Generally, the lower the frequency to be passed, the larger the waveguide. In practice, waveguides allow energy over a set of frequencies to move in both directions, similar to cables or PCB traces. For such applications, it is generally desired to operate waveguides with only one mode propagating through the waveguide, or a set of well-defined modes propagating through the waveguide.
In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific techniques and embodiments are set forth, such as particular techniques and configurations, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the device disclosed herein. While the techniques and embodiments will primarily be described in context with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the techniques and embodiments may also be practiced in other similar devices.
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. It is further noted that elements disclosed with respect to particular embodiments are not restricted to only those embodiments in which they are described. For example, an element described in reference to one embodiment or figure, may be alternatively included in another embodiment or figure regardless of whether or not those elements are shown or described in another embodiment or figure. In other words, elements in the figures may be interchangeable between various embodiments disclosed herein, whether shown or not.
Before the structure, systems, and methods for creating waveguide transitions are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular structures, configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such structures, configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
In describing and claiming the subject matter of the disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below.
It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting of” and grammatical equivalents thereof exclude any element or step not specified in the claim.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof limit the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic or characteristics of the claimed disclosure.
As used herein, the terms “hollow ridged waveguide” and “hollow waveguide” broadly encompass waveguides that are single/dual ridge waveguides or waveguides without a ridge, any of which do not have a center conductor, as would be appropriate to a particular application known to those of ordinary skill in the art and those waveguides that are hollow in rectangular, circular, hexagonal, or other geometrical shapes. For example, where applications of the disclosure are specific to a particular waveguide type (e.g., a hollow waveguide vs. a coaxial waveguide vs. an optical waveguide) this disclosure refers to those particular waveguide types by name to differentiate “hollow ridge waveguides” and “hollow waveguides” from waveguides that may be coaxial waveguides, which have a center conductor and an outer conductor, or optical waveguides, which are generally made from a solid dielectric, or other different types and kinds of waveguides. However, a “waveguide” broadly refers to all waveguides of various types and kinds.
It is also noted that many of the figures discussed herein show air volumes of various implementations of waveguides, waveguide components, and/or waveguide transitions. In other words, these air volumes illustrate negative spaces of the components within a fabricated element which are created by a metal skin installed in the fabricated element, as appropriate to implement the functionality described. It is to be understood that positive structures that create the negative space shown by the various air volumes are disclosed by the air volumes, the positive structures including a metal skin and being formed using the additive manufacturing techniques disclosed herein.
For the purposes of this description as it relates to metal additive manufacturing, the direction of growth over time is called the positive z-axis, or “zenith” while the opposite direction is the negative z-axis or “nadir.” The nadir direction is sometimes referred to as “downward” although the orientation of the z-axis relative to gravity makes no difference in the context of this invention. The direction of a surface at any given point is denoted by a vector that is normal to that surface at that point. The angle between that vector and the negative z-axis is the “overhang angle,” θ (“theta”).
The term “downward facing surface” is any non-vertical surface of an object being fabricated in a metal additive manufacturing process that has an overhang angle, θ, measured between two vectors originating from any single point on the surface. The two vectors are: (1) a vector perpendicular to the surface and pointing into the air volume and (2) a vector pointing in the nadir (negative z-axis, opposite of the build, or zenith) direction. An overhang angle, θ, for a downward facing surface will generally fall within the range: 0°≤θ<90°. Overhang angles, θ, for downward facing surfaces are illustrated in various embodiments of hollow metal waveguides, as further described below. As used herein, downward facing surfaces are unsupported by removable support structures from within a waveguide during fabrication, for example, which means that no internal bracing exists within a cavity of a waveguide for supporting downward facing surfaces or build walls.
Referring now to the figures,
The waveguide transition device 100 includes, as a part of dual-coaxial waveguides, a first coaxial waveguide 102a, with inner conductor 126a and outer conductor 114a; and a second coaxial waveguide 102b, with inner conductor 126b and outer conductor 114b, which may each be connected via the inner conductors 126a, 126b to a coaxially-fed antenna array element. The coaxial waveguides (may collectively be referred to herein with callout 102) may be constructed of metal for conducting electromagnetic energy between the inner conductors 126 and outer conductors 114 in a TEM mode. The waveguide transition device 100 includes an impedance transition area 106 which serves to match the impedance of the hollow ridged waveguide 104 to the dual coaxial waveguides 102. The impedance transition area 106 may be referred to herein as a “transition.”
The device includes a hollow waveguide 104 for propagating electromagnetic energy. The waveguide 104 represents negative space, or the absence of a structure wherein electromagnetic energy can travel in air, vacuum, or other non-conductive material. The transition 106 is configured for transitioning the electromagnetic energy from the hollow single ridge waveguide port 110, through the waveguide 104, and to the coaxial waveguides 102a, 102b. The coaxial waveguides 102a, 102b each include an inner conductor 126a, 126b and an outer conductor 114a, 114b. The electric field occupies the space between the inner conductor 126 and the outer conductor 114 with minimal penetration into either conductor such that only the electrons near the surface within some number of “skin depths” are excited to move by the field.
The transition 106 is an impedance transition and power combiner/divider region. The transition 106 converts a TE10 mode in the hollow single ridge waveguide to a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode in each of the dual coaxial waveguides. The transition 106 also acts as a power combiner or divider depending on which direction an electromagnetic wave is being propagated (e.g., being received or being transmitted). The impedance of the transition 106 may include impedance matching elements 108a and 108b which may include indents, outdents, steps with rounded corners, steps with corners which are disposed at an angle of 90° or less between adjoining faces of the step, and other features which serve to match the impedance of the transition 106 to a hollow ridged waveguide or to a coaxial waveguide. It is also to be noted that the impedance matching elements 108a and 108b may further be matched to each other on opposing sides of the transition (e.g., be symmetric or mirror images of each other).
The waveguide transition device 100 may further include a waveguide port 110 for the transition which may be a single ridge waveguide 104 in the example of
It should also be noted that while the first coaxial waveguide 102a and the second coaxial waveguide 102b are shown as having a rectangular or square cross-sectional geometry, other geometries are possible, such as circular, elliptical, or multi-faceted polygon geometries, to adjust specific characteristics of the operation of the waveguide and interface with a coaxial-fed antenna array element.
Finally, as discussed above, the waveguide transition device 100 may be made using metal additive manufacturing techniques (i.e., three-dimensional metal printing) which provide significant added benefit to the process of making the waveguide transition device 100. In some cases, metal additive manufacturing techniques allow the waveguide transition device 100 to be made where conventional techniques (such as CNC milling, for example) would be unable to replicate the shapes, sides, and construction of the waveguide transition device 100.
The waveguide transition device 100 may further include a hollow waveguide port 110 for the transition which may be a hollow single ridge waveguide in the example of
The device may be constructed with metal additive manufacturing (i.e., metal three-dimensional printing). The device may be constructed upward relative to a build plate 201, wherein the z-axis for purposes of metal additive manufacturing is orthogonal to the plane of the build plate 201. The device may be designed to ensure all overhanging angles are oriented for an additive manufacturing process.
The waveguide transition device 100 may further include an impedance transition 106 which serves to match the impedance of the hollow waveguide to other waveguide components and to the coaxial waveguide. The transition 106 also acts as a power combiner or divider depending on which direction an electromagnetic wave is being propagated (e.g., being received or being transmitted). The impedance transition 106 may include impedance matching elements 108a and 108b (108b shown in
The waveguide transition device 100 may further include a hollow waveguide port 110 for the transition which may be a hollow single ridge waveguide in the example of
The waveguide transition device 400 may include a first coaxial waveguide 402a and a second coaxial waveguide 402b which may each be connected to a coaxial-fed antenna array element. The waveguide transition device 400 may further include an impedance transition 406 which serves to match the impedance of the waveguide to other waveguide components and to the coaxial input/output requirements. The transition 406 also acts as a power combiner or divider depending on which direction an electromagnetic wave is being propagated (e.g., being received or being transmitted). The impedance transition 406 may include impedance matching elements 408a and 408b which may include indents, outdents, steps with rounded corners, and other features which serve to match the impedance of the impedance transition 406 to a waveguide or to a coaxial input/output. It is also to be noted that impedance matching elements 408a and 408b may further be matched to each other on opposing sides of the waveguide transition device 400 (e.g., be symmetric or mirror images of each other).
The waveguide transition device 400 may further include a hollow waveguide port 410 for the waveguide transition device 400 which may be a hollow single ridge waveguide in the example of
It should also be noted that while first coaxial waveguide 402a and second coaxial waveguide 402b are shown as being rectangular/square in cross-section, other cross-section geometries are possible, such as circular, or multi-faceted polygon geometries, to adjust specific characteristics of the operation of the waveguide and interface with a coaxial-fed antenna element.
As shown in
In an implementation, the rotational offsets 412a, 412b are implemented to ensure that the coaxial waveguides are offset 90-degrees relative to one another. In this implementation, the first coaxial waveguide 102a may be oriented orthogonal, or nearly orthogonal, to the second coaxial waveguide 102b.
Finally, as discussed above, the waveguide transition device 400 may be made using metal additive manufacturing techniques which provides significant added benefit to the process of making the waveguide transition device 400. In some cases, metal additive manufacturing techniques allows the waveguide transition device 400 to be made where conventional techniques (such as CNC milling, for example) would be unable to replicate the shapes, sides, and construction of the waveguide transition device 400.
As shown in
The coaxial waveguides 402a, 402b may be sized to match to a radiating element coaxial geometry. The air volume (represented in
The waveguide transition device 600 includes three metal conductors for each of the two twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguides (e.g., two balanced inner conductors and one outer conductor in each twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide arrangement). The first coaxial waveguide 602a includes a first inner conductor 626a and a second inner conductor 627a enclosed by the outer conductor 614a body of the twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide. The second coaxial waveguide 602b includes a first inner conductor 626b and a second inner conductor 627b enclosed by the outer conductor 614b body of the twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide. The waveguide transition device 600 may further include an impedance transition 606, which is similar in implementation and description to the transition 106, shown in
Accordingly, the waveguide transition device 600 includes four inner metal conductors (e.g., a dual twin-wire arrangement). The device includes a first coaxial waveguide 602a including a first inner conductor 626a and a second inner conductor 627a. The device includes a second coaxial waveguide 602b including a first inner conductor 626b and a second inner conductor 627b. The second inner conductors 627a, 627b are not shown due to the cross sectional view of
The device may be constructed with metal additive manufacturing (i.e., metal three-dimensional printing). The device may be constructed upward relative to a build plate 601, wherein the z-axis for purposes of metal additive manufacturing is orthogonal to the plane of the build plate 601. The device may be designed to ensure all overhanging angles are oriented for an additive manufacturing process.
The first coaxial waveguide 602a includes a first inner conductor 626a and a second inner conductor 627a. The second coaxial waveguide 602b is not illustrated due to the perspective of
The waveguide transition device 900 essentially provides a direct conversion and power split from a hollow dual ridge waveguide TE10 mode into a balanced twin-wire coaxial mode, including a helical twist in the balanced coaxial twin-wire waveguide to reorient the balanced twin wire orientation to align with a twin-wire fed radiating element.
Accordingly, the waveguide transition device 900 includes four metal inner conductors which are oriented within the waveguide transition device 900 with a helical 90-degree twist. The waveguide transition device 900 includes a first coaxial waveguide 902a and a second coaxial waveguide 902b. The first coaxial waveguide 902a includes twin wires in a helical twist formation, wherein the twin wires constitute the first inner conductor 926a and the second inner conductor 927a surround by the outer conductor 914a. Similarly, the second coaxial waveguide 902b includes twin wires in a helical twist formation, wherein the twin wires constitute the first inner conductor 926b and the second inner conductor 927b surround by the outer conductor 914b.
The twin wires in the helical twist formations (i.e., the inner conductors of the coaxial waveguides) are disposed between the impedance transition 906. The waveguide transition device 900 includes the impedance transition 906, which is similar in implementation and description to the transition 406, shown in
The orientation of the conductor wires is determined based on the cross-sectional geometry of the wire. The cross-sectional geometry may be rectangular, square, elliptical, circular, or some other geometric shape. The orientation of the cross-sectional geometry of the conductor wire may be changed from a first end (at the impedance transition 906 region) to a second end (distal from the impedance transition 906 region). In an implementation as illustrated in
The device may be constructed with metal additive manufacturing (i.e., metal three-dimensional printing). The device may be constructed upward relative to a build plate 901, wherein the z-axis for purposes of metal additive manufacturing is orthogonal to the plane of the build plate 901. The device may be designed to ensure all overhanging angles are oriented for an additive manufacturing process.
The waveguide transition device 1000 includes the dual twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide (see 600) illustrated in
The pair of waveguides in each of devices 600 and 900 support two orientations of twin wire coax for feeding dual-polarized antenna array elements which are fed by a twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide. The helical twist of the inner conductors within the coaxial waveguide allows for reorientation of the twin wire coax to align with the orientation of the twin-wire balanced antenna radiating element.
As shown in
Accordingly, the transitions 1060 and 1090 may each operate in one of an E-plane and an H-plane while also feeding a dual-polarization antenna array comprised of twin-wire balanced coaxial radiating elements. The helical twists implemented on conductor pairs 1092a and 1092b allow appropriate orientation or reorientation of twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide fed antenna radiating elements and facilitate a dual polarization broadband antenna array.
The first and second circular coaxial waveguides 1118a, 1118b may each be directly connected to a coaxial-fed antenna element. The waveguide transition device 1100 may further include an impedance transition 1106 which serves to match the impedance of the waveguide transition device 1100 to other waveguide components and to the coaxial input/output requirements. The transition 1106 also acts as a power combiner or divider depending on which direction an electromagnetic wave is being propagated (e.g., being received or being transmitted). The impedance transition 1106 may include impedance matching elements 1108a and 1108b which may include indents, outdents, steps with rounded corners, a first and second taper of each ridge of a dual ridge waveguide to support the transition to a coaxial waveguide, and other features which serve to match the impedance of the impedance transition 1106 to a hollow waveguide or to a coaxial waveguide. It is also to be noted that impedance matching elements 1108a and 1108b may further be matched to each other on opposing sides of the waveguide transition device 1100 (e.g., be symmetric or mirror images of each other). The waveguide transition device 1100 may further include a hollow waveguide port 1110.
The device may be constructed with metal additive manufacturing (i.e., metal three-dimensional printing). The device may be constructed upward relative to a build plate 1101, wherein the z-axis for purposes of metal additive manufacturing is orthogonal to the plane of the build plate 1101. The device may be designed to ensure all overhanging angles are oriented for an additive manufacturing process.
It is noted, for purposes of description that the transition may be implemented on side of antenna array 1400, that is not visible due to perspective in
In an implementation, the antenna array is implemented with pairs of transitions that may have different components or orientations. For example, an antenna array may be manufactured that includes a pair of transitions from devices 100 and 400 illustrated herein; or a pair of transitions from devices 100 and 600 illustrated herein; or a pair of transitions from devices 100 and 900 illustrated herein; or a pair of transitions from devices 100 and 1100 illustrated herein. Any of the transition devices illustrated herein, including devices 100, 400, 600, 900, and 1100 may be paired with one another in any suitable combination. Additionally, same devices may be paired with one another such that an antenna array may include a pair of identical or mirror-image devices 1100 illustrated in
The array 1500 may incorporate the above mentioned waveguide elements, disclosed herein. For example, the array 1500 may include a plurality of radiating elements 1502 and coaxial inputs 1504a, 1504b. The array 1500 may further include a plurality of combiners (antenna elements 1400 as shown in
The array 1500 includes the plurality of radiating elements 1502 and located beneath the radiating elements 1502 (relative to the illustration in
The array 1500 may be implemented as a phased array, which is an electronically scanned array with a computer-controlled array of antennas that create a beam of electromagnetic waves that can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antennas. This is implemented by electronically altering the phase between radiating elements 1502 or between rows of radiating elements 1502. When the phase of the radiating element 1502 is changed, the beam of electromagnetic energy can point off-orthogonal to the antenna rather than perfectly orthogonal to the antenna. In this case, the antenna does not need to be physically or mechanically pointed and can instead be electrically pointed to a desired direction.
The antenna arrays described herein may be implemented in a phased array such as a passive phased array (PESA), an active electronically scanned array (AESA), a hybrid beam forming phased array, or a digital beam forming (DBF) array. The geometries of the elements in the array 1500 and the spacings between different elements in the array 1500 are optimized for combining electromagnetic energy from independent radiating elements 1502 to generate an electronically-controllable phased array.
The array 1600 receives or transmits electromagnetic energy through the waveguide transition device 1606 as illustrated. The waveguide transition device 1606 is incorporated in a waveguide transition device such as those illustrated in
The array 1600 includes a plurality of radiating components 1608, 1610 such that each waveguide transition device feeds into one or more radiating components 1608, 1610. The radiating components 1608, 1610 are configured for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic energy. The array 1600 includes a plurality of first radiating components oriented at a “benchmark” orientation, which may be referred to herein as benchmark radiating components 1608. The array 1600 further includes a plurality of second radiating components oriented at an orthogonal orientation relative to the benchmark radiating components 1608, which may be referred to herein as orthogonal radiating components 1610. In the example illustrated in
The orientations of the benchmark radiating components 1608 and the orthogonal radiating components 1610 determine the polarization of the electromagnetic waves that are received or transmitted by the radiating components 1608, 1610. Thus, the electromagnetic waves being transmitted or received by the benchmark radiating components 1608 comprise a polarization that is orthogonal to the polarization of the electromagnetic waves being transmitted or received by the orthogonal radiating components 1610. The radiating components 1608, 1610 support dual linear polarization.
The benchmark radiating components 1608 include radiating elements configured to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy though signal ears. Each of the signal ears is in communication with a coaxial waveguide of the waveguide transition device 1606. The radiating elements associated with a benchmark radiating component 1608 may be referred to as benchmark radiating elements 1602a, 1602b as discussed herein. As illustrated in
The orthogonal radiating components 1610 also include radiating elements configured to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy though signal ears. Each of the signal ears is in communication with a coaxial waveguide of the waveguide transition device 1606. The radiating elements associated with an orthogonal radiating component 1610 may be referred to as orthogonal radiating elements 1604a, 1604b as discussed herein. As illustrated in
The array 1600 is constructed such that a single waveguide transition device 1606 feeds two pairs of radiating components including a first radiating component comprising a first pair of radiating elements and a second radiating component comprising a second pair of radiating elements. The spacings between the individual radiating elements, the pairs of radiating elements, and the waveguide transition devices are optimized to maintain the desired λ (lambda) spacing at the top frequencies of operation.
In an implementation, a single waveguide transition device 1606 feeds two pairs of radiating components of the same orientation. Thus, a single waveguide transition device 1606 is configured for one type of polarization, and neighboring waveguide transition devices may be configured for an orthogonal polarization. The single waveguide transition device therefore ultimately feeds four independent radiating elements (and signal ears) that are tuned to the same polarization.
The array 1600 can be implemented as a phased array. Phased arrays offer numerous advantages by providing reduced total swept volume and rapid beam scanning. Phased arrays are used in military and commercial applications such as wireless communication systems and radar systems. The main purpose of a phased array antenna is to scan a wide angular range with high array gain without mechanically pointing the array. Generally, the spacing between radiating components 1608, or equivalently 1610, in both the x- and y-axes within a phased array antenna is limited to 0.5λ or less to avoid performance problems caused by grating lobes. However, in the array 1600 described herein, the spacing between the radiating elements 1602, 1604 is optimized at 0.5λ but may extend up to 1.0λ. The spacing cannot exceed 1.0λ without suffering significant performance degradation.
The array 1600 includes a waveguide transition device 600 comprising a hollow dual-ridge waveguide to dual twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide such as the waveguide transition device 600 first illustrated in
As illustrated in
The waveguide transition device 900 feeds into two benchmark radiating components 1608 as shown in
The electromagnetic energy that is propagated through the coaxial waveguides are radiated out by the radiating elements 1602, 1604 at the desired amplitude and phase. This results in an efficient planar radiation geometry in free-space. In the reverse implementation, wherein electromagnetic energy is received by the array 1600, the electromagnetic energy radiates through free-space and is received by the radiating elements 1602, 1604 and then propagated through the coaxial waveguides.
The array 1600 may be referred to as a sub-array, or a single portion of a large-scale antenna array. The array 1600 may be duplicated in the x- and y-directions an unlimited number of times depending on the application. In an implementation, the array 1600 is duplicated a number of times equal to a power of 2, such as 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, or 1024 times, and so forth. The performance of the individual arrays 1600 will be impacted by the performance of surrounding arrays 1600 within a large-scale antenna array.
Consistent with the illustration presented in
The radiating components 1608, 1610 include signal ears. The radiating elements 1602, 1604 are configured to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy through the signal ears. Each of the signal ears is in communication with a coaxial waveguide. Each of the benchmark radiating components 1608 includes two signal ears, which may be referred to herein as benchmark signal ears 1812a, 1812b for purposes of discussion. Each of the orthogonal radiating components 1610 includes two signal ears, which may be referred to herein as orthogonal signal ears 1814a, 1814b for purposes of discussion.
Each of the signal ears 1812a, 1812b, 1814a, 1814b is in communication with a coaxial waveguide such as those coaxial waveguides illustrated herein (see, e.g., 102a, 102b first illustrated in
The array 1600 is constructed such that there is a physical connection from the waveguide ridge to the grounding portion of a signal ear 1812a, 1812b, 1814a, 1814b. The physical connection between the grounding portion of the signal ears 1812a, 1812b, 1814a, 1814b and the subarray body (or waveguide transition device) enables numerous benefits. One benefit is realized during manufacturing and enables the waveguide transition device and the attached radiating components to be constructed of a single piece of metal using metal additive manufacturing. This increases the overall strength and structural stability of the array. Additionally, the physical connection between the grounding portion and the subarray body increases performance of the array by increasing the amount of electromagnetic energy that is received or transmitted by the array.
The ports of the coaxial waveguides 602a, 602b from the waveguide transition device 600 feed into the orthogonal signal ears 1814a, 1814b. The ports of the coaxial waveguides 902a, 902b feed into the benchmark signal ears 1812a, 1812b. The pairs of signal ears 1812, 1814 include independent signal ears wherein each signal ear is in communication with a different coaxial waveguide.
The signal ears 1812a, 1812b, 1814a, 1814b approach one another and form a signal ear grouping. The signal ear grouping comprising two benchmark signal ears 1812 and two orthogonal signal ears 1814. The distance between the signal ears within the signal ear grouping is referred to as a capacitive gap 1918. The capacitive gap 1918 enables the array 1600 to support a broad frequency bandwidth of operation. In a typical implementation, this may include greater than 3:1 bandwidth (meaning the upper frequency of operation is greater than 3× the lower frequency of operation). The capacitive gap 1918 is included in embodiments wherein the broad frequency bandwidth of operation is needed or desired. In alternative implementations, it is not desirable to have a broad frequency bandwidth of operation, and in these implementations, the capacitive gap 1918 may be eliminated such that the signal ears 1812a, 1812b 1814a, 1814b forming the signal ear grouping physically touch one another (see, e.g.,
The antenna array 2400 includes rows of waveguide transition devices feeding into metal radiating components. The antenna array 2400 is arranged such that one row of waveguide transition devices exclusively includes a certain type of waveguide transition device (see e.g., 100, 400, 600, 900, or 1100 as illustrated herein). An adjacent row of waveguide transition devices may include a different type of waveguide transition device such that adjacent rows are orthogonal relative to one another. In another embodiment, adjacent rows of waveguide transition devices include the same type as transition device. For example, an antenna array may include only rows of waveguide transition device 1100 because waveguide transition device 1100 has symmetrical inner and outer conductors on the coaxial waveguide.
In
In the implementation illustrated in
The following examples pertain to further embodiments.
Example 1 is a device. The device includes a hollow waveguide port; two or more coaxial waveguide ports; and a transition disposed between the waveguide port and the two or more coaxial waveguide ports, wherein the transition combines or divides electromagnetic energy.
Example 2 is a device as in Example 1, wherein the transition combines or divides the electromagnetic energy based on a direction of the electromagnetic energy propagating through the device, and wherein: the transition combines the electromagnetic energy propagating from the two or more coaxial waveguide ports through the transition to the hollow waveguide port; and the transition divides the electromagnetic energy propagating from the hollow waveguide port through the transition to the two or more coaxial waveguide ports.
Example 3 is a device as in any of Examples 1-2, wherein the transition is an impedance transition and comprises one or more impedance matching elements.
Example 4 is a device as in any of Examples 1-3, wherein the transition is an impedance transition and comprises a plurality of impedance matching elements, and wherein two or more of the plurality of impedance matching elements are mirror images of one another.
Example 5 is a device as in any of Examples 1-4, wherein the hollow waveguide port is configured to connect to a hollow waveguide configured to propagate the electromagnetic energy.
Example 6 is a device as in any of Examples 1-5, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports are spaced apart from one another with spacing less than or equal to one wavelength of the working frequency to allow for an antenna element to be disposed between the two or more coaxial waveguide ports.
Example 7 is a device as in any of Examples 1-6, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports are spaced apart from one another with spacing less than or equal to 0.5 wavelengths of the working frequency to allow for an electronic scan over a bandwidth.
Example 8 is a device as in any of Examples 1-7, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprises a rectangular geometry for either the inner conductor or the outer conductor.
Example 9 is a device as in any of Examples 1-8, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprises an elliptical geometry for either the inner conductor or the outer conductor.
Example 10 is a device as in any of Examples 1-9, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprises a twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide port for feeding a twin-wire balanced antenna array radiating element.
Example 11 is a device as in any of Examples 1-10, wherein the twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide port comprises coaxial twin-wire in a helical twist formation.
Example 12 is a device as in any of Examples 1-11, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprise an orthogonal offset of the inner conductor relative to one another such that a first coaxial inner conductor is oriented in a first orientation and a second coaxial inner conductor is oriented in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is orthogonal to the first orientation.
Example 13 is a device as in any of Examples 1-12, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprises two inner conductor wires and a helical transition wherein the two inner conductor wires comprise a helical twist formation.
Example 14 is a device as in any of Examples 1-13, wherein the helical transition rotates the two inner conductor wires to an orthogonal orientation.
Example 15 is a device as in any of Examples 1-14, further comprising a hollow dual ridge waveguide, wherein the hollow dual ridge waveguide comprises a taper to support transition of the electromagnetic energy from the hollow dual ridge waveguide to the transition.
Example 16 is a device as in any of Examples 1-15, wherein the transition comprises an offset such that the transition operates in one or more of an E-plane or an H-plane.
Example 17 is a device as in any of Examples 1-16, wherein the transition is constructed of metal using metal additive manufacturing.
Example 18 is a device as in any of Examples 1-17, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports are configured to receive the electromagnetic energy from a radiating element of an antenna, and wherein the transition is configured to transition the electromagnetic energy from the radiating element of the antenna to a low loss passive hollow waveguide combiner.
Example 19 is a device as in any of Examples 1-18, wherein the transition is configured to transition the electromagnetic energy from a TE10 mode of a hollow single ridge waveguide or a hollow dual ridge waveguide to a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode of a coaxial waveguide.
Example 20 is a device as in any of Examples 1-19, wherein each of the hollow waveguide port, the two or more coaxial waveguide ports, and the transition is constructed with metal additive manufacturing techniques and comprises a single combined unit.
Example 21 is a device as in any of Examples 1-20, wherein the transition comprises an impedance transition area.
Example 22 is a device as in any of Examples 1-21, wherein the impedance transition area further performs a power split or power combination.
Example 23 is a device as in any of Examples 1-22, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguide ports comprises a single wire coaxial metal conductor with one of a rectangular or a circular geometry.
Example 24 is a device as in any of Examples 1-23, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports are spaced apart from one another such that the spacing between the two or more coaxial waveguide ports is less than or equal to one wavelength of the working frequency of an antenna array.
Example 25 is a device as in any of Examples 1-24, further comprising an electronic scan comprising a spacing of radiating elements less than half of a wavelength of the working frequency of the antenna array.
Example 26 is a device as in any of Examples 1-25, further comprising a hollow single ridge waveguide.
Example 27 is a device as in any of Examples 1-26, further comprising a hollow dual ridge waveguide.
Example 28 is a device as in any of Examples 1-27, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide ports are offset relative to one another by about 90 degrees.
Example 29 is a device as in any of Examples 1-28, wherein the two or more coaxial waveguide port inner conductors each comprise a helical shape.
Example 30 is a device as in any of Examples 1-29, wherein the transition comprises one or more impedance matching steps.
Example 31 is a device as in any of Examples 1-30, wherein the transition comprises one or more impedance tapers.
Example 32 is a device as in any of Examples 1-31, wherein the transition is formed by metal additive manufacturing techniques (i.e., three-dimensional metal printing).
Example 33 is a device as in any of Examples 1-32, wherein the transition is constructed of metal using metal additive manufacturing with a direction of growth over time in a positive z-axis relative to a build plate.
Example 34 is a device as in any of Examples 1-33, wherein the device comprises an overhang angle measured between two vectors originating from any point on a surface of the device, wherein the two vectors comprise: a vector perpendicular to the surface and pointing into air volume, and a vector pointing in a negative z-axis relative to the build plate; wherein the overhang angle is from zero degrees to ninety degrees.
Example 35 is an antenna assembly including a plurality of, any or all, the devices described in any of Examples 1-34 arranged in a combiner network.
Example 36 is an antenna assembly as in Example 35, further comprising one or more coaxial ports.
Example 37 is an assembly. The assembly includes a waveguide transition device comprising two or more coaxial waveguides. The antenna assembly includes a radiating component comprising two or more radiating elements configured to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy through two or more signal ears, wherein each of the two or more signal ears is in communication with a coaxial waveguide of the two or more coaxial waveguides.
Example 38 is an assembly as in Example 37, wherein the assembly comprises: a first radiating component connected to a first waveguide transition device; and a second radiating component connected to a second waveguide transition device; wherein the first radiating component is a nearest-neighbor to the second radiating component within an antenna array; and wherein the two or more radiating elements of the first radiating component are orthogonal to the two or more radiating elements of the second radiating component.
Example 39 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-38, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the two or more signal ears of each of the plurality of radiating components comprises a grounding portion and a signal portion, and wherein the grounding portion is physically connected to a corresponding waveguide transition device.
Example 40 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-39, wherein the antenna array is arranged such that two or more signal portions associated with two or more independent radiating components are pointed toward one another to form a signal ear grouping.
Example 41 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-40, wherein the signal ear grouping is arranged such that the two or more signal portions associated with the two or more independent radiating components are touching one another.
Example 42 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-41, wherein the signal ear grouping is arranged such that the two or more signal portions associated with the two or more independent radiating components are not touching one another and form a capacitive gap between the two or more signal portions.
Example 43 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-42, wherein the radiating component is constructed of a single piece of metal by metal additive manufacturing such that the radiating component is built in a positive z-axis direction relative to a build plate.
Example 44 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-43, wherein the waveguide transition device is constructed of a single piece of metal by metal additive manufacturing such that the waveguide transition device is built in a positive z-axis direction relative to a build plate.
Example 45 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-44, wherein the waveguide transition device comprises: a waveguide port; the two or more coaxial waveguides; and an impedance transition disposed between the waveguide port and the two or more coaxial waveguides, wherein the impedance transition combines or divides electromagnetic radiation propagating through the waveguide transition device.
Example 46 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-45, wherein the assembly receives or transmits the electromagnetic energy based on a direction of the electromagnetic energy propagating through the assembly, and wherein: the waveguide transition device combines the electromagnetic energy propagating from the two or more coaxial waveguides through the impedance transition to the waveguide port; and the waveguide transition device divides the electromagnetic energy propagating from the waveguide port through the impedance transition to the two or more coaxial waveguides.
Example 47 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-46, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the antenna array is arranged with a plurality of rows, and wherein each row of the plurality of rows comprises two or more waveguide transition devices and two or more radiating components.
Example 48 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-47, wherein the plurality of rows comprises a first row and a second row, and wherein: the first row transmits or receives the electromagnetic radiation at a first orientation; the second row transmits or receives the electromagnetic radiation at a second orientation; and the first orientation is orthogonal to the second orientation such that polarization of an electromagnetic wave transmitted or received by the first row is orthogonal to polarization of an electromagnetic wave transmitted or received by the second row.
Example 49 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-48, wherein: the two or more radiating elements associated with each of the two or more radiating components in the first row comprise the first orientation; and the two or more radiating elements associated with each of the two or more radiating components in the second row comprise the second orientation.
Example 50 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-49, wherein: the two or more waveguide transition devices in the first row comprise a hollow dual-ridge waveguide to dual twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide; and the two or more waveguide transition devices in the second row comprise a hollow dual-ridge waveguide to dual twin-wire balanced coaxial waveguide with a helical twist twin-wire coaxial waveguide.
Example 51 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-50, wherein the helical twist in the two or more waveguide transition devices cause a propagation orientation of the electromagnetic energy to rotate 90 degrees such that the two or more waveguide transition devices in the second row transmit or receive the electromagnetic energy at an orientation orthogonal to the electromagnetic energy transmitted or received by the two or more waveguide transition devices in the first row.
Example 52 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-51, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the antenna array is arranged such that any of the two or more signal ears of the plurality of radiating components are spaced apart from one another with spacing less than or equal to 1.0 wavelengths of the working frequency.
Example 53 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-52, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the antenna array is arranged such that the two or more coaxial waveguides of a waveguide transition device are spaced apart from one another with spacing less than or equal to 1.0 wavelengths of the working frequency.
Example 54 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-53, wherein at least one of the two or more coaxial waveguides comprises: one or more inner conductors; and an outer conductor encompassing the one or more inner conductors.
Example 55 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-54, wherein the waveguide transition device comprises a surface, and wherein the surface of the waveguide transition device comprises an overhang angle measured between two vectors originating from any point on the surface of the waveguide transition device, and wherein the two vectors comprise: a vector perpendicular to the surface and pointing into air volume; and a vector pointing in a negative z-axis relative to a build plate; wherein the overhang angle is greater than or equal to 35 degrees.
Example 56 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-55, wherein the waveguide transition device comprises one or more downward-facing surfaces relative to the build plate, and wherein each of the one or more downward-facing surfaces of the waveguide transition device comprises the overhang angle, and wherein the overhang angle is optimized for metal additive manufacturing.
Example 57 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-56, wherein the radiating component further comprises one or more downward-facing surfaces relative to the build plate, and wherein each of the one or more downward-facing surfaces of the radiating component comprises the overhang angle, and wherein the overhang angle is optimized for the metal additive manufacturing.
Example 58 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-57, wherein the waveguide transition device and the radiating component are constructed of a single piece and manufactured with metal additive manufacturing techniques.
Example 59 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-58, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the assembly further comprises a plurality of capacitive gaps between the plurality of radiating components, and wherein the plurality of capacitive gaps optimize the antenna array for a broad frequency bandwidth of operation.
Example 60 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-59, wherein the assembly is an antenna array comprising a plurality of waveguide transition devices and a plurality of radiating components, and wherein the antenna array is dual polarized, and wherein the assembly further comprises a combiner network.
Example 61 is an assembly as in any of Examples 37-60, wherein the waveguide transition device is the device described in any of Examples 1-34.
The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the invention to the precise forms or embodiments disclosed. Modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed embodiments. For example, components described herein may be removed and other components added without departing from the scope or spirit of the embodiments disclosed herein or the appended claims.
Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/107,304, filed Oct. 29, 2020, entitled “INTEGRATED BALANCED RADIATING ELEMENT,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced provisional application is inconsistent with this application, this application supersedes the above-referenced provisional application.
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| 63107304 | Oct 2020 | US |
