SPATIAL COMBINING DEVICE AND ANTENNA

• US 20190067781A1
• Filed: 12/18/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohan, Ankush, Denninghoff, Dan, Kitt, John, Yoon, Soack
• Granted Patent: US 10,340,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/22 Attenuating devices dissipative terminating devices H01P1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/06 Coaxial lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/08 Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/315 the loading circuit of an amplifying stage comprising a transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/04 Frequency selective two-port networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2011/0488 Notch or bandstop filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0613 using simultaneous transmission H04B7/0686 takes precedence

Abstract

A spatial power-combining device and an antenna structure designed for high efficiency, high frequency, and ultra-wide bandwidth operation. The antenna structure may include a signal conductor and a ground conductor that are entirely separated by air. A spatial power-combining device may include a plurality of amplifier assemblies including multiple output antenna structures and an output coaxial waveguide section configured to concurrently combine signals received from each output antenna structure of the plurality of amplifier assemblies. The plurality of amplifier assemblies may also include multiple input antenna structures and an input coaxial waveguide configured to provide an input signal concurrently to each input antenna structure of the plurality of amplifier assemblies.

Claims

1. A spatial power-combining device for modifying a signal, the spatial power-combining device comprising:

a plurality of amplifier assemblies, wherein each amplifier assembly comprises;

an amplifier;

an output antenna structure comprising an output ground conductor and an output signal conductor that are entirely separated by air;

a transmission line connected between the amplifier and the output signal conductor; and

an output waveguide configured to combine signals received from the output antenna of each amplifier assembly.

2. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the amplifier is a monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier.

3. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the output antenna structure is configured to transmit amplified electromagnetic signals in a frequency range that includes a frequency between 40 GHz and 400 GHz.

4. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein each amplifier assembly further comprises an input antenna structure, each input antenna structure comprising an input ground conductor and an input signal conductor that are entirely separated by air.

5. The spatial power-combining device of claim 4 further comprising an input coaxial waveguide section configured to concurrently provide a signal to each input antenna structure of the plurality of amplifier assemblies.

6. The spatial power-combining device of claim 5 wherein the plurality of amplifier assemblies are arranged coaxially about a center axis.

7. The spatial power-combining device of claim 6, further comprising:

an input coaxial waveguide section electrically coupled to the plurality of amplifier assemblies at each input antenna structure, the input coaxial waveguide section configured to provide an input signal concurrently to each input antenna structure of the plurality of amplifier assemblies; and

an output coaxial waveguide section electrically coupled to the plurality of amplifier assemblies at each output antenna structure, the output coaxial waveguide section configured to concurrently combine signals received from each output antenna structure of the plurality of amplifier assemblies.

8. The spatial power-combining device of claim 4 wherein the output ground conductor comprises a first profile and the output signal conductor comprises a second profile wherein the first profile and the second profile diverge from one another in a first direction.

9. The spatial power-combining device of claim 8 wherein the input ground conductor comprises a third profile and the input signal conductor comprise a fourth profile wherein the third profile and the fourth profile diverge from one another in a second direction.

10. The spatial power-combining device of claim 8 wherein the first profile and the second profile diverge from one another in one of a continuous manner or a stepwise manner.

11. The spatial power-combining device of claim 9 wherein the third profile and the fourth profile diverge from one another in one of a continuous manner or a stepwise manner.

12. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the output antenna structure is a stub-launch antenna.

13. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the output antenna structure comprises a profile with tuning features configured for an operating frequency and an operating bandwidth.

14. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the output signal conductor comprises a connector for receiving the transmission line.

15. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein the output ground conductor is a planar structure positioned in a first plane and the output signal conductor is a planar structure positioned is a second plane, and the first plane is parallel to the second plane.

16. The spatial power-combining device of claim 15 wherein the output ground conductor comprises an output ground conductor overlapping portion and an output ground conductor non-overlapping portion, and the output signal conductor comprises an output signal conductor overlapping portion and an output signal conductor non-overlapping portion, wherein a first line perpendicular to the first plane intersects the output ground conductor overlapping portion and the output signal conductor overlapping portion, and no line perpendicular to the first plane can intersect both the output ground conductor non-overlapping portion and the output signal conductor non-overlapping portion.

17. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 wherein each amplifier assembly comprises a body having a wedge-shaped cross-section, the body forming the output antenna structure.

18. The spatial power-combining device of claim 1 further comprising;

an outer housing, the outer housing comprising the output ground conductor of each amplifier assembly; and

an inner housing, the inner housing comprising the output signal conductor of each amplifier assembly.

19. The spatial power-combining device of claim 18 wherein the outer housing and the output ground conductor of each amplifier assembly are an integral single component.

20. The spatial power-combining device of claim 18 wherein the inner housing and the output signal conductor of each amplifier assembly are an integral single component.

21. A device for modifying a signal, the device comprising:

an amplifier assembly comprising;

an amplifier;

an input antenna structure comprising an input ground conductor and an input signal conductor that are entirely separated by air;

an output antenna structure comprising an output ground conductor and an output signal conductor that are entirely separated by air;

a first transmission line connected between the amplifier and the input signal conductor; and

a second transmission line connected between the amplifier and the output signal conductor.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the amplifier assembly is configured to transmit amplified electromagnetic signals in a frequency range that includes a frequency between 40 GHz and 400 GHz.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the input signal conductor comprises a first connector for receiving the first transmission line and the output signal conductor comprises a second connector for receiving the second transmission line.

24. The device of claim 21 further comprising;

an plurality of amplifier assemblies arranged coaxially about a center axis;

an input coaxial waveguide section electrically coupled to the plurality of amplifier assemblies at each input antenna structure; and

an output coaxial waveguide section electrically coupled to the plurality of amplifier assemblies at each output antenna structure.