Air-filled quad-ridge radiator for AESA applications
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsYong U. Kim, Andrew G. Laquer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing an integrated radio frequency (RF) module, comprising structurally forming at least one RF waveguide and at least one RF radiator of a metalized ceramic material. The RF waveguide(s) and the RF radiator(s) are connected and operatively coupled with each other. Each of the RF radiator(s) comprises a metalized outer wall and at least one metalized axial ridge extending along an inner surface of the outer wall. The method further comprises sintering the metalized ceramic material to create a monolithic structure comprising the RF waveguide and RF radiator, and operatively coupling RF circuitry to the RF waveguide(s).
Claims33
A method of manufacturing an integrated dual-polarization radio frequency (RF) integrated radiator-transmit/receive module (IRTRM), comprising:
- structurally forming at least one RF waveguide and at least one RF radiator from a metalized ceramic material, the at least one RF waveguide and the at least one RF radiator being operatively coupled with each other, each of the at least one RF radiator comprising an outer wall and two orthogonal pairs of axial ridges, wherein each of the axial ridges directly extends from an inner surface of the outer wall, and
- wherein each of the axial ridges is connected to the inner surface of the outer wall, and is in a form of a parallelepiped;
- simultaneously sintering the metalized ceramic material to create a monolithic structure comprising the at least one RF waveguide and the at least one RF radiator, which are formed as a single integrated unit;
- and
- operatively coupling RF circuitry to the at least one RF waveguide.
An integrated dual-polarization radio frequency (RF) module, comprising:
- at least one radiator, each of which includes an outer wall and two orthogonal pairs of axial ridges, wherein each of the axial ridges directly extends from an inner surface of the outer wall, and
- wherein each of the axial ridges is connected to the inner surface of the outer wall, and is in a form of a parallelepiped;
- at least one waveguide respectively operatively coupled to the at least one RF radiator;
- RF circuitry operatively coupled to the at least one RF waveguide;
- and
- wherein the at least one RF radiator and the at least one RF waveguide are formed of a monolithic metalized ceramic structure as a single integrated unit, and the RF circuitry is affixed to the monolithic metalized ceramic structure.
A method of operating an integrated dual-polarization radio frequency (RF) module, comprising:
- launching, by a first electrically conductive probe, a vertically polarized RF signal into a waveguide;
- launching, by a second electrically conductive probe, a horizontally polarized RF signal into the waveguide;
- propagating, through the waveguide, the vertically polarized RF signal and the horizontally polarized RF signal;
- and
- radiating, by the radiator, the vertically polarized RF signal and the horizontally polarized RF signal, wherein the radiator includes an outer wall and two orthogonal pairs of axial ridges, wherein each of the axial ridges directly extends from an inner surface of the outer wall, and
- wherein each of the axial ridges is connected to the inner surface of the outer wall, and is in a form of a parallelepiped, and
- wherein the waveguide is operatively coupled to the radiator, and wherein the radiator and the waveguide are formed of a monolithic metalized ceramic structure as a single integrated unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.