Thermally-compensated microwave resonator utilizing current-null segmentation
First Claim
1. A microwave resonator comprising:
- a microwave cavity having longitudinal and transverse dimensions, transversely segmented into first and second longitudinal sections for permitting relative longitudinal movement between said first and second longitudinal sections;
longitudinally spaced first and second plates secured to said cavity on the ends of said first and second longitudinal sections opposite the transverse segmentation;
thermally responsive first compensation means secured to said first and second plates; and
said first compensation means having an effective negative coefficient of thermal expansion to provide an inverse variation in the longitudinal spacing between said first and second plates;
whereby resonant frequency changes of said resonator resulting from thermally induced variations in the transverse dimensions of said cavity are substantially offset by thermally induced inverse variations in the longitudinal spacing between said first and second plates.
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Abstract
In a microwave resonator, a variable cavity-wall segmentation along the location of a propagational current null is employed for thermal-compensation purposes by utilizing it in conjunction with supplemental mechanisms which operate to counteract thermally-induced variations in the resonator'"'"'s characteristic geometry. Because dimensional variations at a current null will have minimum impact on resonator coupling parameters, a variably-configured current-null segmentation serves in a minimal-impact fashion to absorb those thermally-induced dimensional variations which occur transverse to the null. Of the three specific mechanisms disclosed for variational counteraction in the typical context of a resonator having both longitudinal and transverse extent with respect to a propagational axis, the first is a thermally-invariant assembly which provides thermal stabilization by inhibiting variations in the resonator'"'"'s characteristic longitudinal extent. The second is a thermally-responsive structure configured to provide thermal compensation by affirmatively introducing longitudinal variations which are inversely proportional to otherwise-uncompensated transverse variations. The third mechanism, which may be employed in conjunction with either of the other two and which may take the form of thermally-invariant inserts configured as part of the resonant cavity'"'"'s longitudinal walls, provides a further degree of thermal stabilization by inhibiting thermally-induced variations in the resonator'"'"'s characteristic transverse dimensions.
37 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A microwave resonator comprising:
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a microwave cavity having longitudinal and transverse dimensions, transversely segmented into first and second longitudinal sections for permitting relative longitudinal movement between said first and second longitudinal sections; longitudinally spaced first and second plates secured to said cavity on the ends of said first and second longitudinal sections opposite the transverse segmentation; thermally responsive first compensation means secured to said first and second plates; and said first compensation means having an effective negative coefficient of thermal expansion to provide an inverse variation in the longitudinal spacing between said first and second plates; whereby resonant frequency changes of said resonator resulting from thermally induced variations in the transverse dimensions of said cavity are substantially offset by thermally induced inverse variations in the longitudinal spacing between said first and second plates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A microwave resonator comprising:
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a microwave cavity traversely segmented into first and second longitudinal sections such that there is a longitudinal gap between said first and second longitudinal sections; a tuning member hang a portion extending into said gap in said cavity and being adapted to adjust the resonant frequency of said microwave cavity as said portion of said tuning member moves into and out of said microwave cavity; and thermally responsive second compensation means positioned substantially adjacent said longitudinal gap and surrounding a portion of said cavity for supporting said tuning member and for substantially compensating for changes in said resonant frequency of said microwave cavity due to thermally induced changes in microwave cavity dimensions by varying the extent to which said portion of said tuning member extends within said microwave cavity. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification