Quasi-optical beamformer comprising two reflectors

A quasi-optical beamformer comprising:

• a plurality N>1 of power feeds (PF), each of the iϵ[1;
• N] power feeds (PF) being configured to emit a respective radio-frequency beam denoted Ri,
• a parallel-plate radio-frequency waveguide (GO) that extends along a central main axis, denoted axis x, and that is fed at a first end by the power feeds, a plurality of network ports (PR) being arranged at a second end of the radio-frequency waveguide (GO) to collect radio-frequency radiation, the radio-frequency waveguide (GO) comprising at least two metal plates (PM) stacked so as to guide the radio-frequency beams Ri, iϵ[1;
• N] to the network ports (PR),
• a quasi-optical system (SQO) that has a focal plane (FPL) and that comprises a first reflector (M1) having a first centre (C1) centred on the axis x and a first effective radius of curvature and being configured to reflect the guided radio-frequency beams Ri, i∈[1;
• N], and that comprises a second reflector (M2) having a second effective radius of curvature and being configured to reflect the radio-frequency beams (RFi) reflected by the first reflector so as to form output radio-frequency beams (RSi) directed towards the network ports,
• the first and second effective radii of curvature and an arrangement of the power feeds (PF) being configured so that each of the output radio-frequency beams (RSi) is a plane wave, and so that the individual excitation of each of the power feeds (PF) leads to a transverse amplitude distribution Ai, on the network ports (PR), of each output radio-frequency beam (RSi) varying over a dynamic range of less than or equal to 3 dB between each of the power feeds.