Spatial power combining mechanism (SPCM) for the generation and amplification of electromagnetic radiation

• US 10,218,325 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Velazco, Jose E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US15/499,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20170317654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/02 Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/189 High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/20 Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers H03F3/26 - H03F3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/602 Combinations of several amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/02 Transmitters

Abstract

A Spatial Power Combining Amplifier (SPCA) exhibiting a new concept for the amplification of coherent (e.g., microwave) radiation. A general description of the SPCA a power analysis at various SPCA stages is provided. A successfully tested S-band SPCA example was able to deliver 120 W of power with a gain of 50 dB and 50 percent efficiency.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a power divider dividing input power, inputted on the power divider, into a plurality of portions;

a spatial power combiner; and

amplifiers coupled to the power divider and the spatial power combiner, wherein;

each amplifier amplifies one of the portions so as to form an amplified output,

the spatial power combiner coherently combines the amplified outputs into a combined output, and

the spatial power comprises a waveguide dimensioned such that coupling of the amplified outputs into the waveguide generates the combined output comprising a transverse electric, mode having an order higher than a TE₁₀ mode, or a transverse magnetic mode having an order higher than a TM₀₁ mode, or a transverse electromagnetic mode having an order higher than a fundamental mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spatial power combiner comprises a waveguide dimensioned such that coupling of the amplified outputs into the waveguide generates the combined output comprising:

a TE_lmn or TM_lmn mode wherein l, m, or n are integers, or

a TE_mn or TM_mn mode wherein both m and n are integers, and l represents an order of the mode and m and n represent wave periodicity in the waveguide in two different directions in the waveguide.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode couples to a number n of amplified outputs from a number n of the amplifiers, wherein n is in a range of 2-1000.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode comprises an asymmetric mode so that the combined output maintains cylindrical or elliptical polarization of the input power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mode comprises a symmetric mode so that the combined output comprises a linear polarization.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amplifiers are coupled to the power divider and the spatial power combiner via coupling mechanisms with a coupling factor within 1% of unity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power divider comprises a spatial power divider.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spatial power combiner and the spatial power divider each comprise a resonant cavity.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amplifiers each comprise a solid state MMIC amplifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined output is connected to at least one load selected from an antenna, a waveguide, a charged-particle accelerator, a cavity, and a power divider.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input power comprises a microwave signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input power comprises an S-band, X-band, W-band, or Ka-band signal.

14. A microwave transmitter comprising the apparatus of claim 1, wherein microwaves transmitted form the transmitter have been amplified by the apparatus.

15. A radar or communications system comprising the microwave transmitter of claim 14.

16. A communication device comprising a first station including the transmitter of claim 14, wherein the transmitter transmits the microwaves so as to communicate between the first station and second station remote from the first station.

17. A wireless power beaming system comprising the transmitter of claim 14, wherein the transmitter transmits power using the microwaves.

18. A system comprising a plurality of apparatuses of claim 1,

wherein:

the combined output from one of the apparatuses provides the input power to another of the apparatuses.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input power comprises a wavelength in a range of 0.001-0.15 meters.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a power divider dividing input power, inputted on the power divider, into a plurality of portions,

a spatial power combiner;

amplifiers coupled to the power divider and the spatial power combiner, wherein;

each amplifier amplifies one of the portions so as to form an amplified output,

the spatial power combiner coherently combines the amplified outputs into a combined output, and

the amplified outputs are combined in free space inside the waveguide; and

input couplers and output couplers, wherein,

each of the input couplers couples one of the amplifiers to the power divider,

each of the output couplers couples one of the amplifiers to the spatial power combiner,

the input couplers and output couplers are designed and tuned so as to provide near unity coupling, and

the input couplers and output couplers are each independently selected from at least one member chosen from a coupling iris, a mode converter, a magnetic loop, an electric capacitive probe, and an antenna.

20. A method of fabricating an apparatus, comprising:

coupling amplifiers coupled to a power divider and a spatial power combiner, wherein;

the power divider divides input power, inputted on the power divider, into a plurality of portions,

each amplifier amplifies one of the portions so as to form an amplified output, and

the spatial power combiner coherently combines the amplified outputs into a combined output, and

the spatial power combiner comprises a waveguide dimensioned such that coupling of the amplified outputs into the waveguide generates the combined output comprising a transverse electric, mode having an order higher than a TE₁₀ mode, or a transverse magnetic mode having an order higher than a TM₀₁ mode, or a transverse electromagnetic mode having an order higher than a fundamental mode.