US 6,275,045 B1Granted

Microwave transmitter-receiver

AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique

InventorJean-François Eloy

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Abstract

Device for emission-reception of a stream of electromagnetic waves, in which an emission unit (1) and a reception unit (2) are each supplied with light energy passing through an optical guide (13). This light may be stopped by an optical gate (19). Otherwise, it reaches a micro-laser (4) that illuminates a photo-conducting sheet (5) on which an antenna (3) is located. The portions (6, 7) of the emitter antenna (3) at different potentials are then short circuited and a stream of electromagnetic waves is emitted. The wave stream passes through a medium to be studied and is returned to the receiving unit (2) in which it is sampled, recorded and analyzed to determine the composition of the medium through which it had passed. The wave stream has a wide frequency band and the opto-electronic device can be used to make a very compact system.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Wave emitter-receiver device for examining a medium through which waves pass, comprising, in combination, an emitter for emitting emitted waves and a receiver for receiving received waves after passing through said medium, said emitter and receiver, each having an antenna, wherein the emitter antenna and the receiver antenna each are formed of distinct portions laid out on separate photo-conducting layers;

a wave generation support device comprising an electricity power supply connected to said portions of said emitter antenna and creating a potential difference between said portions of said emitter antenna;
said wave generation support device also comprising a light source including a first micro-laser for supplying first light pulses to the photo-conducting layer of said emitter between said portions of said emitter antenna, said potential difference triggering said emitted waves if said photo-conducting layer of said emitter is illuminated by said light source;
a signal reception support device comprising a second micro-laser for supplying second light pulses to the photo-conducting layer of said receiver between said portions of said receiver antenna;
and a wave usage device for recording and analyzing said received waves, wherein the photo-conducting layers comprise a non-monocrystalline crystal.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.