Construction approach for an EMXT-based phased array antenna

• US 6,822,617 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wichgers, Joel M., Mather, John C., Conway, Christina M., Lehtola, Gary E, West, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/273,872
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 343/797, 343/841, 343/853, 343/700.MS, 343/770, 342/374, 342/375
• US Class Current: 343/797
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters

Abstract

A phased array antenna with an egg crate array structure is formed from metallic row slats that form a floor and ceiling of each array element. Column slats with slots engage the row slots to form the egg crate array structure. EMXT devices are located on the column slats such that a pair of EMXT devices form array element walls. The column slats are formed from U-shaped column strips configured such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side. The column strips sides are mounted back-to-back with sides of adjacent column strips to form the column slats. Circuit devices for operation of the antenna are mounted on the U-shaped column strip and a connector is mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.

Claims

1. An EMXT-based phased array antenna for steering a radiated beam and having an egg crate-like array structure of a plurality of array elements said antenna comprising:

a plurality of row slats formed from a substrate having a plurality of row slots;

a plurality of column slats having a plurality of column slots said column slots engaging said row slots of said row slats to form the egg crate-like array structure said column slats further comprising column strips configured in a U-shape such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side of each array element in said column said column strips mounted back-to-back with adjacent column strips to form the column slats.

2. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 1 wherein each of said U-shaped column strips comprises:

a metal substrate for supporting the U-shaped column strip;

a first dielectric layer applied to the metal substrate in selected areas;

metal bias/control circuitry applied to the selected areas on the first dielectric layer;

a second dielectric layer applied over the bias/control circuitry;

a shielding metal layer applied over the second dielectric layer;

circuit terminations connected to the metal bias/control circuitry for control signals and bias voltages and to the shielding metal layer for a ground connection;

a plurality of EMXT devices attached to the substrate and connected to the circuit terminations and for phase shifting and beam steering the radiated beam of the phased array antenna; and

additional circuit terminations connected to the metal bias/control circuitry and the shielding metal layer for receiving supply voltages and phase shifter control signals.

3. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 2 wherein the EMXT devices mounted to the column strips form left and right sidewalls of each array element.

4. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 1 further comprising circuit devices for steering of the phased array antenna mounted to the U-shaped column strip.

5. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 1 further comprising a connector mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.

6. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 1 wherein the column strip left-hand side is a mirror image of the right-hand side.

7. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 1 wherein the plurality of row slats comprise a plurality of metal strips to form a floor and ceiling of each array element.

8. A phased array antenna for steering a radiated beam and having an egg crate-like array structure of a plurality of array elements said antenna comprising:

a plurality of row slats formed from a substrate having a plurality of row slots;

a plurality of column slats having a plurality of column slots said column slots engaging said row slots of said row slats to form the egg crate-like array structure said column slats further comprising a plurality of column strips each column strip being configured in a U-shape.

9. The phased array antenna of claim 8 wherein each column strip is configured such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side of each array element in said column said column strip sides mounted back-to-back with sides of adjacent column strips to form the column slats.

10. The phased array antenna of claim 9 wherein the column strip left-hand side is a mirror image of the right-hand side.

11. The phased array antenna of claim 8 wherein the U-shape column strip further comprises:

interconnect circuitry; and

a plurality of EMXT devices mounted on the U-shape column strip and connected to the interconnect circuitry for phase shifting to steer the radiated beam of the EMXT-based phased array antenna.

12. The phased array antenna of claim 11 wherein the EMXT devices mounted to the column strip form left and right sidewalls of each array element.

13. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 11 further comprising circuit devices for steering of the phased array antenna mounted to the U-shaped column strip.

14. The EMXT-based phased array antenna of claim 11 further comprising a connector mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.

15. The phased array antenna of claim 8 wherein each of said U-shaped column strips comprises:

a metal substrate for supporting the U-shaped column strip;

a first dielectric layer applied to the metal substrate in selected areas;

metal bias/control circuitry applied to the selected areas on the first dielectric layer;

a second dielectric layer applied over the bias/control circuitry;

a shielding metal layer applied over the second dielectric layer;

circuit terminations connected to the metal bias/control circuitry for control signals and bias voltages and to the shielding metal layer for a ground connection;

a plurality of EMXT devices attached to the substrate and connected to the circuit terminations and for phase shifting and beam steering a radiated beam of the phased array antenna; and

additional circuit terminations connected to the metal bias/control circuitry and the shielding metal layer for receiving supply voltages and phase shifter control signals.

16. The phased array antenna of claim 8 wherein the plurality of row slats comprise a plurality of metal strips to form a floor and ceiling of each array element.

17. A phased array antenna having an egg crate structure of a plurality of array elements said antenna comprising:

a plurality row slats formed from a metallic substrate having a plurality of row slots said row slats forming a floor and ceiling of each of said array elements; and

a plurality of column slats having a plurality of column slots said column slots engaging said row slots of said row slats to form the egg crate array structure said column slats further comprising a plurality of EMXT devices located on the column slats such that a pair of EMXT devices form walls of each of said array elements and wherein said column slats further comprise a plurality of column strips each column strip being configured in a U-shape.

18. The phased array antenna of claim 17 wherein each column strip is configured such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side of each array element in said column said column strips sides mounted back-to-back with sides of adjacent column strips to form the column slat.

19. The phased array antenna of claim 18 further comprising circuit devices for operation of the antenna mounted to the U-shaped column strip and a connector mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.