Compact, lightweight, steerable, high-power microwave antenna

• US 6,559,807 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Applications and Research Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Scientific Applications and Research Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Koslover, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US09/915,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/772, 343/776, 343/779, 343/786, 343/781.P, 343/781.R, 343/915
• US Class Current: 343/781.00P
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/19 comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/195 wherein a reflecting surface acts also as a polarisation filter or a polarising device
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/20 wherein the primary active element is fixed and the reflecting device is movable

Abstract

A compact, lightweight, steerable, high-power, microwave weapon including a self-powered, steerable vehicle having at least one exterior antenna support surface, a self-powered, microwave radiation source mounted in the vehicle and including a waveguide to connect the power source to the exterior surface, a feed horn, extending from the waveguide means, including a window transparent to microwave energy for receiving and radiating a pulsed, high-energy microwave radiation beam, a transreflector fixedly mounted on the exterior surface arranged spaced-apart and above the feed horn and having a concave surface facing the feed horn window and formed of a plurality of electrical conductors held in parallel order in a frame, and a twistreflector pivotally mounted opposite and spaced-apart from the concave surface of the transreflector and adapted to receive microwave energy reflected to it from the concave surface of the transreflector and to rotate the polarization by 90° and reflect the microwave energy back to the transreflector for passing through the transreflector and forming a narrow, pencil-like beam of high-energy radiation in polarized form extending outward from the convex surface of the transreflector.

Claims

1. A compact, lightweight, steerable, high-power, microwave weapon comprising:

(a) a self-powered, steerable vehicle having at least one exterior antenna support surface;

(b) a self-powered, microwave radiation source mounted in said vehicle and including waveguide means to connect said power source to said exterior surface;

(c) a feed horn, extending from said waveguide means, including a window transparent to microwave energy for receiving and radiating a pulsed, high-energy microwave radiation beam;

(d) a transreflector fixedly mounted on said exterior surface arranged spaced-apart and above said feed horn and having a concave surface facing said feed horn window and formed of a plurality of electrical conductors held in parallel order in a frame; and

(e) a twistreflector pivotally mounted opposite and spaced-apart from said concave surface of said transreflector and adapted to receive microwave energy reflected to it from said concave surface of said transreflector and to rotate the polarization of said microwave energy and reflect said microwave energy back to said transreflector for passing through said transreflector and forming a narrow, pencil-like beam of high-energy radiation in polarized form extending outward from said convex surface of said transreflector.

2. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is supported on rotating wheels for travel over land.

3. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a heavier-than-air device capable of traveling through the atmosphere.

4. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said feed horn comprises a thick-walled waveguide maintained under high vacuum and containing an outlet aimed in an upward direction.

5. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said transreflector further includes a plurality of thin-walled metal tubing mounted in parallel, spaced-apart, arrangement within a frame surrounding the perimeter thereof.

6. The microwave weapon of claim 5 wherein the metal tubing is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof.

7. The microwave weapon of claim 5 wherein said frame includes at least one pair of facing, spaced-apart curved side frame members.

8. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said transreflector includes a first hinge means for pivotal movement thereof from an upright, operable, position into a downward, storage, position generally parallel to the earth'"'"'s surface.

9. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said twistreflector includes second hinge means allowing said twistreflector to pivot about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

10. The microwave weapon of claim 1 further including a pivot allowing said twistreflector to be folded downward into a storage position generally parallel to the earth'"'"'s surface.

11. The microwave weapon of claim 1 wherein said microwave radiation is pulsed at about 100 Hz at a pulse rate of about 5 gs and a power of more than 100 megawatts.

12. A highly-compact, lightweight, steerable microwave antenna comprising, in combination:

(a) a feed horn, adapted to receive a high-energy pulsed beam of microwave energy and transmitting it outward from a terminal end thereof;

(b) a transreflector mounted apart from said feed horn and forming a concave/convex surface adapted to receive said microwave radiation from said feed horn on its concave surface and reflect it substantially in a single direction;

(c) a planar twistreflector pivotally mounted opposite and spaced-apart from said concave surface of said transreflector and adapted to receive said microwave radiation reflected from said concave surface of said transreflector and to rotate its polarization by 90° and

reflect it backward toward said transreflector for passage therethrough to form a high-density, narrow beam of polarized microwave radiation for broadcast outward in a controllable direction from said convex surface thereof; and

,

(d) means associated with said twistreflector for pivoting said twistreflector about various axes for displacing said narrow beam of microwave radiation in different azimuths and elevations on demand from said convex surface of said transreflector.

13. The microwave antenna of claim 12 wherein said feed horn comprises a thick-walled waveguide maintained under high vacuum and containing an outlet aimed in an upward direction.

14. The microwave antenna of claim 12 wherein said transreflector further includes a plurality of thin-walled metal tubing mounted in parallel, spaced-apart, arrangement within a frame surrounding the perimeter thereof wherein the metal in the tubing is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof.

15. The microwave antenna of claim 14 wherein said frame includes at least one pair of facing, spaced-apart curved side frame members.

16. The microwave antenna of claim 12 wherein said transreflector includes a hinge for pivotal movement thereof from an upright, operable, position into a downward, storage, position generally parallel to the earth'"'"'s surface.

17. The microwave antenna of claim 12 wherein said twistreflector includes pivotal means allowing said twistreflector to pivot about various axes.

18. The microwave antenna of claim 17 further including a hinge allowing said twistreflector to be folded downward into a storage position generally parallel to the earth'"'"'s surface.

19. The microwave antenna of claim 12 wherein said microwave radiation is pulsed at about 100 Hz at a pulse rate of about 5 μ

s.

20. The microwave antenna of claim 19 wherein the power of the microwave radiation is greater than 100 megawatts.