Dielectric waveguide power limiter

• US 4,342,010 A
• Filed: 05/27/1980
• Issued: 07/27/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Dixon, Samuel Jr., Jacobs, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Gensler, Paul L.
• Application Number:
  US06/153,299
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 333/17 L, 333/239, 333/219, 455/325, 455/330
• US Class Current: 333/17.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 11/006 in circuits having distributed constants H03G11/008 takes precedence

Abstract

A dielectric waveguide power limiter for a self-oscillating mixer operatingn millimeter-wave frequencies. The limiter includes a high resistivity silicon dielectric waveguide and a Gunn oscillator. A plurality of dielectric resonators each including a high uniaxial anisotropy ferrite sphere embedded therein are positioned between the power input end of the waveguide and the Gunn oscillator.

Claims

1. A microwave device, which comprises:

a high resistivity dielectric waveguide including means for coupling millimeter or sub-millimeter wave microwave energy from an external source into the waveguide;

a self-oscillating device positioned in said dielectric waveguide; and

a plurality of high dielectric-constant resonators, comprising ferrite and biased to a subsidiary resonance state, interposed between said energy coupling means and said self-oscillating device for limiting the power fed to said self-oscillating device.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein each resonator includes a ferrite member of high uniaxial anisotropy with the easy access of magnetism aligned perpendicular to the direction of propagation in the waveguide.

3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for establishing a DC magnetic field in said waveguide perpendicular to the direction of propagation in the waveguide.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said resonator is comprised of rutile.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein said resonator is comprised of strontium titanate.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein said waveguide is comprised of high resistivity silicon.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein said waveguide is configured as an elongated rectangular member of high resistivity dielectric material and said energy coupling means comprises a tapered extremity in said elongated rectangular member.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein said resonators comprise a cylindrical recess in said waveguide filled with a material of high dielectric constant.

9. The device according to claim 2 wherein said ferrite member comprises a ferrite bead.

10. The device according to claim 2 wherein said ferrite member comprises barium ferrite.

11. The device according to claim 3 wherein said magnetic field establishing means comprises first and second rare-earth permanent magnets respectively positioned on opposite sides of said waveguide.

12. The device according to claim 2 wherein the magnetic properties of said ferrite members are selected such that said device functions to limit the power of one or more specified frequencies over a wide band of frequencies.

13. A microwave device which comprises:

a high resistivity dielectric waveguide including means for coupling millimeter or sub-millimeter wave microwave energy from an external source into the waveguide;

a self-oscillating device positioned in said dielectric waveguide; and

at least one slab of ferrite material, said ferrite material being biased to a subsidiary resonance state, positioned in said dielectric waveguide intermediate said energy coupling means and said self-oscillating device.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein said ferrite material comprises barium ferrite.