PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA APPARATUS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

• US 20080150832A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bailleul, Patrick, Ingram, Daisy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/893
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

Embodiments include phased array antenna apparatus and methods of manufacturing them. In an embodiment, a phased array antenna apparatus includes at least one printed wiring board (PWB) (1002, FIG. 10) having multiple layers, at least one beamformer module (1014) with at least one beam combiner/divider, at least one amplifier (1016), and at least one integral radiating element (1006). The PWB includes RF manifolds (912, 916, FIG. 9) embedded within the multiple layers between corresponding ports (910, 914) of the beam combiners/dividers. The at least one integral radiating element is located proximate to an edge of the PWB and oriented in parallel with a bore-sight of the phased array antenna apparatus. In an embodiment, the beam combiners/dividers may include an H form combiner (704, FIG. 7). An opening (1026, FIG. 10) in the PWB is adapted to enable the amplifier to directly contact a heat sink (1004), in an embodiment.

Claims

1. A phased array antenna apparatus, comprising:

a first printed wiring board having multiple layers;

a plurality of interconnections embedded within the multiple layers, wherein the plurality of interconnections include a plurality of radio frequency (RF) manifolds;

at least one beam combiner/divider operably connected to the plurality of interconnections;

at least one amplifier operably connected to the at least one beam combiner/divider; and

at least one integral radiating element operably connected to the at least one amplifier, and located proximate to an edge of the printed wiring board and oriented in parallel with a bore-sight of the phased array antenna apparatus.

2. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one beam combiner/divider comprises:

an H form combiner.

3. The phased array apparatus assembly of claim 2, wherein the H form combiner includes an H form combiner, which is implemented using multiple tiers.

4. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnections comprises:

a first strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a first set of corresponding ports of the at least one beam combiner/divider; and

a second strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a second set of corresponding ports of at least one beam combiner/divider, wherein the first strip-line RF manifold and the second strip-line RF manifold are deposited on a same one of the multiple layers.

5. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one amplifier is oriented in parallel with the bore-sight of the phased array antenna apparatus.

6. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat sink to which the first printed wiring board is connected, wherein the first printed wiring board further includes an opening adapted to enable an amplifier to directly contact the heat sink.

7. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one orthogonal radiating element arranged orthogonally to the at least one integral radiating element and connected to the printed wiring board.

8. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one integral radiating element includes an end-launch radiating element etched onto a surface of the printed wiring board.

9. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one integral radiating element includes 2′

integral radiating elements arranged side-by-side along the top portion of the printed wiring board.

10. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat sink, wherein the first printed wiring board is connected to a first side of the heat sink; and

a second printed wiring board connected to a second side of the heat sink.

11. A phased array antenna apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of phased array antenna assemblies arranged in a matrix, wherein each phased array antenna assembly includes

a heat sink;

a first printed wiring board connected to a first side of the heat sink and having multiple layers;

a plurality of interconnections embedded within the multiple layers, wherein the plurality of interconnections include a plurality of radio frequency (RF) manifolds;

at least one beam combiner/divider operably connected to the plurality of interconnections;

at least one amplifier operably connected to the at least one beam combiner/divider; and

at least one integral radiating element operably connected to the at least one amplifier, and located proximate to an edge of the printed wiring board and oriented in parallel with a bore-sight of the phased array antenna apparatus.

12. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one beam combiner/divider comprises:

an H form combiner.

13. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of interconnections comprises:

a first strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a first set of corresponding ports of the at least one beam combiner/divider; and

a second strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a second set of corresponding ports of at least one beam combiner/divider, wherein the first strip-line RF manifold and the second strip-line RF manifold are deposited on a same one of the multiple layers.

14. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an opening in the first printed wiring board adapted to enable an amplifier to directly contact the heat sink.

15. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one integral radiating element includes an end-launch radiating element etched onto a surface of the printed wiring board.

16. The phased array antenna apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a second printed wiring board connected to a second side of the heat sink.

17. A method for manufacturing a phased array antenna apparatus, the method comprising:

assembling one or more modules with a printed wiring board, wherein

the printed wiring board includes multiple layers, a plurality of integral radiating elements, and a plurality of interconnections between corresponding ports of a plurality of beam combiners/dividers within a plurality of beamformer modules,

and wherein the one or more modules include the plurality of beamformer modules and a plurality of amplifier modules; and

connecting the printed wiring board to a heat sink to produce a phased array antenna assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

manufacturing the printed wiring board with a first strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a first set of corresponding ports of the plurality of beam combiners/dividers, and a second strip-line RF manifold that interconnects a second set of corresponding ports of the plurality of beam combiners/dividers, wherein the first strip-line RF manifold and the second strip-line RF manifold are deposited on a same one of the multiple layers.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

manufacturing the printed wiring board with an opening adapted to enable an amplifier to directly contact the heat sink.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

arranging at least one other phased array antenna assembly into a matrix with the first phased array antenna assembly.