The present application is related to co-pending application Ser. No. 10/273,459 filed on Oct. 18, 2002 entitled “A Method and Structure for Phased Array Antenna Interconnect” by John C. Mather, Christina M. Conway, and James B. West, U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,062; Ser. No. 10/698,774 entitled “Independently Controlled Dual-Mode Analog Waveguide Phase Shifter” by James B. West and Jonathan P. Doane, abandoned; Ser. No. 10/699,514 entitled “A Dual-Band Multibeam Waveguide Phased Array” by James B. West and Jonathan P. Doane, adandoned; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,822,617 entitled “A Construction Approach for an EMXT-Based Phased Array Antenna” by John C. Mather, Christina M. Conway, James B. West, Gary E. Lehtola, and Joel M. Wichgers. The patent and co-pending applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. All applications and patents are assigned to the assignee of the present application.
This invention relates to antennas, phased array antennas, and specifically to a low-loss, dual-band electromagnetic band gap (EBG), electronically scanned antenna (ESA) utilizing frequency selective surfaces (FSS).
Electronically scanned antennas or phased array antennas offer significant system level performance enhancements for advanced communications, data link, radar, and SATCOM systems. The ability to rapidly scan the radiation pattern of the ESA allows the realization of multi-mode operation, LPI/LPD (low probability of intercept and detection), and A/J (antijam) capabilities. One of the major challenges in ESA design is to provide cost effective antenna array phase shifting methods and techniques along with dual-band operation of the ESA.
It is well known within the art that the operation of a phased array is approximated to the first order as the product of the array factor and the radiation element pattern as shown in Equation 1 for a linear array.
Standard spherical coordinates are used in Equation 1 and θ is the scan angle referenced to bore sight of the array. Introducing phase shift at all radiating elements within the array changes the argument of the array factor exponential term in Equation 1, which in turns steers the main beam from its nominal position. Phase shifters are RF devices or circuits that provide the required variation in electrical phase. Array element spacing is related to the operating wavelength and it sets the scan performance of the array. All radiating element patterns are assumed to be identical for the ideal case where mutual coupling between elements does not exist. The array factor describes the performance of an array of isotropic radiators arranged in a prescribed two-dimensional rectangular grid.
A packaging, interconnect, and construction approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,822,617 entitled “A Construction Approach for EMXT-Based Phased Array Antenna” that creates a cost-effective EMXT (electromagnetic crystal)-based phased array antennas having multiple active radiating elements in an X-by-Y configuration. EMXT devices are also known in the art as tunable photonic band gap (PBG) and tunable electromagnetic band gap (EBG) substrates. A description of a waveguide section with tunable EBG phase shifter technologies is available in a paper by J. A. Higgins et al. “Characteristics of Ka Band Waveguide using Electromagnetic Crystal Sidewalls” 2002 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Seattle, Wash., June 2002 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,866 “Phase Shifting Waveguide with Alterable Impedance Walls and Module Utilizing the Waveguides for Beam Phase Shifting and Steering” by John A. Higgins. Each element is comprised of EMXT sidewalls and a conductive (metallic) floor and ceiling. Each EMXT device requires a bias voltage plus a ground connection in order to control the phase shift for each element of the antenna by modulating the sidewall impedance of the waveguide. By controlling phase shift performance of the elements, the beam of the antenna can be formed and steered.
Phase shifter operation in dual modes in one common waveguide with independent phase control for each mode at the same or different frequency bands for phased array antennas and other phase shifting applications is a desirable feature to increase performance and reduce cost and size. Dual bands of current interest include K Band (20 GHz) and Q Band (44 GHz) for satellite communication (SATCOM) initiatives.
Dual-band EBG ESA antennas are constructed of square EBG waveguide phase shifters. The waveguide aperture size is determined so as to maximize phase shift while minimizing loss. Smaller apertures yield greater phase shift per unit length, but higher loss due to input mismatch. As the frequencies of a dual-band EBG ESA are made further apart, the task of achieving low-loss 360° phase shifter performance becomes daunting.
What is needed is a low-cost, low-loss, dual-band EBG ESA waveguide antenna utilizing techniques that enable dual frequency operation at widely different frequencies.
A dual-band electromagnetic band gap (EBG) electronically scanned antenna (ESA) utilizing frequency selective surfaces (FSS) comprising a plurality of FSS waveguide phase shifters is disclosed.
The dual-band EBG ESA has low-frequency phase shifters and high-frequency phase shifters. Each of the low-frequency phase shifters contains two high-frequency phase shifters separated by a frequency selective surface. A low-frequency phase shifter has approximately double an aperture size of a high-frequency phase shifter.
Each of the FSS waveguide phase shifters comprises the low-frequency phase shifter that has low-frequency EBG devices on vertical waveguide walls, horizontal waveguide broadwalls that are substantially twice the width of the vertical waveguide walls, and a frequency selective surface located at the center of the horizontal waveguide broadwalls. The frequency selective surface is transparent at a low frequency. Each of the FSS waveguide phase shifters also comprises the two high-frequency phase shifters formed within the low-frequency phase shifter. Each high-frequency phase shifter comprises a vertical waveguide wall, the frequency selective surface, half of the horizontal waveguide broadwalls, and high-frequency EBG devices located on each half of the horizontal waveguide broadwalls. The frequency selective surface is opaque at a high frequency.
The frequency selective surface may be a periodic surface of identical elements that exhibits a frequency dependent behavior. The frequency selective surface comprises a plurality of unit cells etched on high-frequency material substrates. The frequency selective surfaces may be disposed on an FSS slat that extends vertically through the FSS ESA such that every other slat of the dual-band EBG ESA is an FSS slat.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dual-band EBG ESA utilizing frequency selective surfaces.
It is an object of the present invention to provide independent control of phase shift for modes operating at the same or different frequencies in an ESA.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide low-loss, dual-polarization operation at widely spaced frequencies.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a low-frequency phase shifter with approximately double the aperture size of a high frequency phase shifter.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide the benefit of independent beamsteering for dual modes and frequencies.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a low-cost dual-band EBG ESA with simple construction.
The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:
a is a top view of an electromagnetic band gap device sidewall used in the waveguide phase shifter of
b is a physical cross section view of the electromagnetic band gap device of
c is an electrical circuit representation of the electromagnetic band gap device of
The present invention is for a dual-band electromagnetic band gap (EBG) electronically scanned antenna (ESA) using frequency selective surfaces (FSS).
A single-mode analog waveguide phase shifter 10 using electromagnetic band gap (EBG) devices 15 on waveguide sidewalls 12 is shown in
The waveguide sidewalls 12 of the single-mode EBG waveguide phase shifter 10 each contain an EBG device 15 that consists of a periodic surface of conductive strips 20 that may be metal separated by gaps 21 over a surface of a dielectric substrate 25 as shown in
Various methods of tuning the EBG device 15 exist. The most developed is a plurality of reactive devices 35 such as varactor or Schotkky diodes placed periodically between the strips 20 to vary a reactance. By adjusting a reverse bias voltage on the diodes 35 applied via the conductive metallic strips 20 from a control source (not shown), the capacitive coupling between the strips 20 is altered as shown by a variable capacitor Cv in
The tunable EBG device 15 may be implemented in semiconductor MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) technology. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor substrates 25 are currently practical, but other III–V compounds are feasible. In these implementations the semiconductor substrate 25 acts as a passive (non-tunable) dielectric material, and tunability is obtained with the reactive devices 35 such as varactor or Schotkky diodes in
Ferroelectric and ferromagnetic tunable EBG substrates may be used in the EMXT device 15 as the dielectric substrate 25 of
Ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials are known to exhibit electrical parameters of relative permittivity and/or permeability that can be altered or tuned by means of an external stimulus such as a DC bias field. It should be noted, however, that the concepts described herein are equally applicable to any materials that exhibit similar electrical material parameter modulation by means of an external stimulus signal.
Substrates with adjustable material parameters, such as ferroelectric or ferromagnetic materials can be fabricated monolithically, i.e. in a continuous planar substrate without segmentation or subassemblies, through thin film deposition, ceramic fabrication techniques, or semiconductor wafer bulk crystal growth techniques. An example of bulk crystal growth is the Czochralski crystal pulling technique that is known within the art to grow germanium, silicon and a wide range of compound semiconductors, oxides, metals, and halides.
EMXT devices may be fabricated on soft substrates such as high-frequency material substrates using printed circuit techniques. A standard printed circuit board print and etch technique may be used to pattern the EMXT surface metal. The tuning devices may then be placed on the substrate using any automated placement technique such as standard pick and place or fluidic self assembly.
The waveguide phase shifters 10a may be combined into an ESA 50 shown in
A low-loss, dual-band EBG phase shifter 40 of the present invention, shown in
The low-loss, dual-band EBG phase shifter 40 of the present invention is shown in
In order to enable the present invention, the surface 41 that appears opaque at fupper and transparent at flower must be designed for use as a sidewall. Frequency selective surfaces (FSS) are known in the art and offer a simple method by which to achieve the surface 41. An FSS is a periodic surface of identical elements that exhibits a frequency dependent behavior. The FSS 41 may be formed on high-frequency material substrates using printed circuit techniques. A pattern that may be etched on the FSS 41 is shown in
Referring back to
FSS phase shifters 40 may be combined into a low-loss, dual-band, EBG FSS ESA 60 of the present invention shown in
An FSS ESA 60 can be constructed using a plurality of FSS phase shifters 40 by arranging them in a grid with common walls and controlling the phase shift of each phase shifter 40 as shown in
The FSS ESA 60 may be constructed as a space-fed lens. A dual-band feed horn (not shown) may be used to illuminate one face of the ESA 60 supplying a signal to each FSS phase sifter 40 spatially. Each FSS phase shifter 40 then applies the required amount of phase shift to steer a radiated beam to a desired direction. A spatial feed is a common low-cost method that has the advantage of simplicity and minimal RF interconnects.
The FSS ESA 60 may also be implemented using a constrained or semi-constrained feed (not shown). In this scheme, a signal is individually routed to each FSS 40 by a waveguide or other transmission line. This method, although being more complex and requiring a greater amount of RF interconnect, has the advantage of being more physically compact and generally has less degradation due to mutual coupling.
Because of the nature of the FSS phase shifter 40, the two modes must be orthogonally polarized as shown in
The FSS ESA 60 of
It is believed that a low-loss, dual-band electromagnetic band gap electronically scanned antenna utilizing frequency selective surfaces of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6756866 | Higgins | Jun 2004 | B1 |
6806846 | West | Oct 2004 | B1 |
6822617 | Mather et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6822622 | Crawford et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |