Claims
- 1. A method of controlling the distribution of a bias in a periodic array of electronic devices, comprising:
sensing the voltage drop on a bias line resulting from the intrinsic resistance in the bias line at selected electronic devices in the array; and applying a prescribed bias voltage via an impedance network at the control input of selected devices in the array based upon the sensed voltage drop.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage drop on the bias line is sensed at each electronic device in the array and a prescribed bias voltage is applied to each device based on the sensed voltage drop.
- 3. A method of controlling the distribution of bias in a periodic array of active cells that is biased with a DC bias supply, a bias supply line and a bias-return conductor line, comprising:
sensing the voltage difference between consecutive cells on the bias-return conductor line resulting from the internal conductor resistance in the bias-return conductor line; and based on the sensed voltage difference, applying to each cell a prescribed control bias voltage.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the prescribed control voltage is applied via an impedance network at each cell along the array that allows the control bias voltage to track the voltage difference on the return line.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the impedance network includes
a voltage divider circuit disposed between the bias-return current line and a reference voltage conductor return line, and a tracking resistance inserted in the reference-voltage conductor return line that is connected to the voltage divider circuit.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the impedance network maintains a substantially constant control bias voltage distribution to each cell in the array relative to the sensed voltage on the bias return line at each cell.
- 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the active cells are differential pair amplifiers and the periodic array is a grid amplifier.
- 8. A periodic active grid array, comprising:
a plurality of active cells that are combined at their outputs in a periodic arrangement via bias-supply conductors, each having a DC bias voltage source that supplies bias to each of the cells; a reference voltage source; a bias return conductor line connected to each cell, the line having internal resistances, Rcond, disposed along the bias-return conductor line; and a bias distribution impedance network disposed between the bias return conductor line and an auxiliary reference-voltage return conductor line that controls the distribution of bias in a periodic array.
- 9. The array of claim 8, wherein the bias distribution impedance network includes
a first resistor disposed between the bias return conductor line and a control input of a cell; a second resistor connected to the first resistor and control input and at the other end to the reference-voltage conductor line; the first and second resistor defining a voltage divider circuit that establishes, at each cell, the voltage at the control lead relative to the varying voltages on the bias-return conductor line; and a tracking resistor, Rtrack, disposed between the second resistor of each cell and the reference-voltage conductor line, that causes the voltage on the reference-voltage control line at each cell to have a specific relationship to the voltage on the bias-return line.
- 10. The array of claim 8, wherein the value of the Rtrack is defined by the equation:
- 11. A quasi-optic grid array that amplifies an RF input beam in free space, comprising:
a plurality of differential pair unit cells, each having two control inputs that receive the input beam, two outputs that radiate the amplified beam and common cathodes, the cells being interconnected at their outputs in a periodic arrangement via bias-supply conductor lines, and a bias-return conductor line; a DC bias voltage source connected to the bias supply conductor lines that supplies output bias to each of the cells; a reference voltage source; the bias return conductor lines having an internal resistance, Rcond, disposed along the bias-return conductor line; and a bias distribution impedance network disposed between the bias return conductor line and an auxiliary reference-voltage return conductor line that controls the distribution of bias in a periodic array.
- 12. A periodic active grid array that includes active cells having control leads to be biased and interconnected via a bias-return conductor line, comprising:
means for establishing, at a first group of cells selected from the grid array, the voltage at the control lead relative to the varying voltages on the bias-return conductor line; and means for controlling a prescribed control bias voltage to be applied to a second group of selected cells.
- 13. The grid array of claim 11, wherein the second group of selected cells includes all the active cells in the grid array.
- 14. The grid array of claim 12, wherein the first group of selected cells includes all of the active cells in the grid array.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/211,252, filed on Jun. 13, 2000.
STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] The U.S. Government may have certain rights in this invention pursuant to ARO Grant No. DAA G55-98-1-0001 awarded by the U.S. Army and ONR Grant No. N66 001-96-C-8627.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60211252 |
Jun 2000 |
US |