# US 10,320,042 B2 · Waveguide device with sidewall features

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- Number: US 10,320,042 B2
- Document ID: US10320042B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/111,534
- Filed: 2018-08-24
- Published: 2018-12-20
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-13
- Assignees: ViaSat, Inc.
- Applicants: ViaSat, Inc.
- Inventors: Anders Jensen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320042B2

## CPC

- H01P 1/161: sustaining two independent orthogonal modes, e.g. orthomode transducer {(combining or separating polarisations and frequencies H01P1/2131)}
- H01P 1/173: {using a conductive element}
- H01P 3/123: with a complex or stepped cross-section, e.g. ridged or grooved waveguides (H01P3/14 takes precedence)
- H01Q 15/246: {rotating the plane of polarisation of a linear polarised wave (guided wave H01P1/165)}
- H01Q 21/061: {Two dimensional planar arrays}
- H01Q 19/132: {Horn reflector antennas; Off-set feeding}
- H01Q 21/24: Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction {(circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001)}
- H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described that include one or more sidewall features to improve performance of a waveguide device. In particular, the sidewall features may be utilized within a polarizer section of a polarizer device such as a septum polarizers. The sidewall feature(s) may include recesses and/or protrusions. When a plurality of sidewall features are employed, the size, shape, spacing and kind (e.g., recess or protrusion) may vary according to a particular design.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A waveguide device, comprising:
a common waveguide section;
a divided waveguide section having a first divided waveguide associated with a first basis polarization and a second divided waveguide associated with a second basis polarization;
a polarizer section coupled between the common waveguide section and the divided waveguide section, the polarizer section comprising a central axis in a direction between the common waveguide section and the divided waveguide section, and a septum forming a boundary between the first and second divided waveguides; and
at least one sidewall feature on at least one sidewall of the polarizer section, wherein the at least one sidewall feature is coincident with the septum along the central axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises:
a first sidewall feature; and
a second sidewall feature situated opposite the first sidewall feature relative to the central axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The waveguide device of claim 2, wherein the first sidewall feature and the second sidewall feature are aligned with one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises:
a first sidewall feature; and
a second sidewall feature situated on a same side of the central axis as the first sidewall feature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises at least two sidewall features of different sizes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the septum comprises a stepped septum comprising a plurality of stepped surfaces arranged in the direction of the central axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the at least one sidewall feature is rectangular, rounded, or triangular.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises a recess in the at least one sidewall of the polarizer section.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The waveguide device of claim 8, wherein the recess comprises a channel extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises a protrusion on the at least one sidewall of the polarizer section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The waveguide device of claim 10, wherein the protrusion comprises a ridge extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises:
at least one recess into the at least one sidewall; and
at least one protrusion from the at least one sidewall.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein:
the at least one sidewall feature has a depth in a direction orthogonal to the central axis, and a width in a direction of the central axis; and
a cross-sectional dimension of the polarizer section is at least five times greater than at least one of the depth or the width of the at least one sidewall feature.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The waveguide device of claim 13, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the polarizer section is at least ten times greater than the at least one of the depth or the width of the at least one sidewall feature.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall feature comprises a material that is different from a material of the at least one sidewall of the of the polarizer section.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the common waveguide section is rectangular, square, trapezoidal, polygonal, circular, oval-shaped, or elliptical.

### Claim 17

A waveguide device, comprising:
a plurality of polarizers, each polarizer having a common waveguide section, a divided waveguide section with a first divided waveguide associated with a first basis polarization and a second divided waveguide associated with a second basis polarization, and a polarizer section coupled between the common waveguide section of the polarizer and the first and second divided waveguides,
wherein the polarizer section of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises:
a central axis in a direction between the common waveguide section and the divided waveguide section, and a septum forming a boundary between the first and second divided waveguides, and
at least one sidewall feature on at least one sidewall of the polarizer section, wherein the at least one sidewall feature is coincident with the septum along the central axis.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, further comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements coupled with common waveguide sections of respective polarizers from the plurality of polarizers.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The waveguide device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of polarizers are configured in any of a grid array, a transversely staggered array, an axially staggered array, a rectangular array, a square array, a round array, or a circular array.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, further comprising:
a first waveguide feed network coupling the first divided waveguides of the plurality of polarizers to a first common port; and
a second waveguide feed network coupling the second divided waveguides of the plurality of polarizers to a second common port.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises:
a first sidewall feature; and
a second sidewall feature situated opposite the first sidewall feature relative to the central axis.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The waveguide device of claim 21, wherein the first sidewall feature and the second sidewall feature are aligned with one another.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises:
a first sidewall feature; and
a second sidewall feature situated on a same side of the central axis as the first sidewall feature.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises at least two sidewall features of different sizes.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the septum of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises a stepped septum comprising a plurality of stepped surfaces arranged in the direction of the central axis.

### Claim 26 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein a cross-section of the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers is rectangular, rounded, or triangular.

### Claim 27 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises a recess in the at least one sidewall of the polarizer section.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The waveguide device of claim 27, wherein the recess comprises a channel extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis.

### Claim 29 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises a protrusion on the at least one sidewall of the polarizer section.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The waveguide device of claim 29, wherein the protrusion comprises a ridge extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis.

### Claim 31 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises:
at least one recess into the at least one sidewall; and
at least one protrusion from the at least one sidewall.

### Claim 32 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein:
the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers has a depth in a direction orthogonal to the central axis, and a width in a direction of the central axis; and
a cross-sectional dimension of the polarizer section of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers is at least five times greater than at least one of the depth or the width of the at least one sidewall feature.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The waveguide device of claim 32, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the polarizer section of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers is at least ten times greater than the at least one of the depth or the width of the at least one sidewall feature.

### Claim 34 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein the at least one sidewall feature of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers comprises a material that is different from a material of the at least one sidewall of the of the polarizer section.

### Claim 35 (depends on 17)

The waveguide device of claim 17, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the common waveguide section of each polarizer from the plurality of polarizers is rectangular, square, trapezoidal, polygonal, circular, oval-shaped, or elliptical.