Compact dual-band linearly polarized orthomode transducer

Abstract

A broadband, linearly polarized orthomode transducer can be obtained by additive manufacturing and can comprise: a hybrid coupler comprising: a first waveguide comprising a first input port and a first output port with single polarization; and a second waveguide, comprising a second input port and a second output port with single polarization; and a coupling portion connecting the first waveguide to the second waveguide. The orthomode transducer can further comprise: a septum polarizer comprising: a third input port with single polarization connected to the first output port; and a fourth input port with single polarization connected to the second output port; and a third output port with single polarization; wherein the first and second waveguides are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry containing a septum of the septum polarizer. However, traditional OMTs generally struggle to be compact while guaranteeing a wide transmission/reception band. On the one hand, there are OMTs such as side-arm OMTs, which are compact but not broadband. In some cases, a side arm can be extended to operate in a second frequency band, but this extension is only possible for one of the two polarizations. On the other hand, there are OMTs, such as “Boifot” junctions or “Turnstile” junctions, which are broadband, but which are not compact since they have an aperture greater than the wavelength λ of a wave having the highest operating frequency of the OMT. The output ports (101,111) of the hybrid coupler are connected to the septum polarizer 2 via a third input port 200 and a fourth input port 210 of the polarizer, respectively. The other end of the polarizer 2 comprises a third output port 201. The third output port can be connected to a radiating element of the antenna, or even function as a radiating element itself in some embodiments. Each of the polarizer's third and fourth input ports (200, 210) is single-polarized. The polarizer's third output port 201 is dual-polarized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.