H-plane hermetic sealed waveguide probe

• US 6,201,453 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation), The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Daniel C., Chan, Steven S., Dickson, Jerry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, BENNY T
• Application Number:
  US09/195,931
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 333/26, 333/33, 333/248
• US Class Current: 333/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions

Abstract

An H-plane waveguide probe includes a microstrip formed on a dielectric substrate with a loop conductor generally configured in the shape of waveguide on one side and adapted to capture an incoming H-plane signal. A transition conductor formed on an opposing side of the substrate with a first leg and a second leg, connected together by a bend portion. The first leg of the transition conductor is generally parallel to the H-plane for coupling microwave energy from the waveguide to the microstrip. The second leg of the transition conductor is parallel to the E-field and is used to change the direction of the captured microwave energy along the H-plane direction to the E-plane direction. In order to optimize power transfer, the impedance of the loop conductor is selected to be about the same as the waveguide. The transition conductor is used to convert the E-field energy to a 50Ω impedance, for example, for connection to an external microwave circuit.

Claims

1. An H-field probe for coupling microwave energy from a waveguide having a waveguide opening of a predetermined shape defining an H-field plane and an E-field plane, the probe comprising:

a dielectric substrate having opposing sides;

a first conductor disposed on one of said opposing sides of said substrate, parallel to said H-field plane; and

a transition conductor disposed on the other of said opposing sides of said substrate, the transition conductor configured to couple microwave energy from the H-field plane to a direction parallel to the E-field plane, said transition conductor configured to be coupled to an external microwave circuit, wherein said transition conductor is provided with two leg portions defining a first leg portion and a second leg portion joined by a bend portion.

2. The H-field probe as recited in claim 1, wherein said H-field probe is provided as a planar device and said first conductor is configured in a loop.

3. The H-field probe as recited in claim 2, wherein said first conductor is configured to the predetermined shape of said waveguide opening.

4. The H-field probe as recited in claim 3, wherein said waveguide has a predetermined impedance and the first conductor is provided to have an impedance which is approximately the same as the predetermined impedance for maximum power transfer therebetween.

5. The H-field probe as recited in claim 1, wherein said two leg portions are oriented 90°

from one another on said substrate.

6. The H-field probe as recited in claim 5, wherein said first leg portion is parallel to the H-field plane and the second leg portion is parallel to the E-field plane.

7. The H-field probe as recited in claim 6, wherein said transition conductor provides a 50 ohm impedance to provide maximum power transfer from the probe to an external 50 ohm circuit.

8. The H-field probe as recited in claim 1, wherein said probe is configured to close said waveguide opening.

9. The H-field probe as recited in claim 8, wherein said probe is configured to hermetically seal said waveguide opening.

10. The H-field probe as recited in claim 9, wherein said first conductor is soldered to said waveguide.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a waveguide defining a waveguide opening for coupling microwave energy to a first external microwave circuit;

a flange disposed on one end of said waveguide; and

a waveguide probe for coupling microwave energy from said waveguide to a second external microwave circuit, said waveguide probe configured to close said waveguide opening, said waveguide probe configured to couple H-field microwave energy from said waveguide to said waveguide probe, said waveguide probe comprising a microstrip circuit which includes a dielectric substrate with a loop conductor on one side surface thereof and a transition conductor on an opposing side surface thereof, said loop conductor configured in the shape of said waveguide opening and wherein said transition conductor is provided with a first leg portion and a second leg portion perpendicular to one another and joined together by a bend portion.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said first leg portion is parallel to the H-field of said microwave energy and said second leg portion is perpendicular to said first leg portion.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said second leg portion is configured to be connected on one end thereof to said second external microwave circuit having a second predetermined impedance.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said transition conductor function to match said second predetermine impedance to maximize the configured microwave energy transfer between said transition conductor and said second external microwave circuit.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said second predetermined impedance is 50Ω

.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the loop conductor provides a predetermined first impedance selected to maximize the microwave energy transfer from the waveguide to the loop conductor.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said first predetermined impedance is 400Ω

.