Dual band space-fed array

• US 7,336,232 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Quan, Clifton, Lee, Jar J., Livingston, Stanley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US11/499,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 343/754, 343/753, 343/853, 343/725, 343/727, 343/705, 343/708
• US Class Current: 343/754
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1292 for mounting on balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/286 substantially flush mounted with the skin of the craft
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/08 Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/085 Slot-line radiating ends
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0018 Space- fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual-band, space fed antenna array includes a feed array with a first set of feed radiators for operation in a first frequency band of operation and a second set of feed radiators for operation in a second frequency band of operation. A primary array lens assembly is spaced from and illuminated by the feed array. The primary array lens includes a first set of radiator elements and a second set of radiator elements operable in the first frequency band of operation. The primary array lens assembly also includes a third set of radiator elements and a fourth set of radiator elements operable in the second frequency band of operation.

Claims

1. A dual-band, space fed antenna array, comprising:

a feed array comprising a first set of feed radiators for operation in a first frequency band of operation and a second set of feed radiators for operation in a second frequency band of operation;

a primary array lens assembly spaced from and illuminated by said feed array by energy in said first and said second frequency bands of operation radiated from said feed array, said primary array lens comprising a first set of radiator elements and a second set of radiator elements operable in said first frequency band of operation, the first set and the second set being spaced apart by a spacing distance, the first set facing to space to form a first radiating aperture for said first frequency band of operation, the second set facing toward said feed array;

the primary array lens assembly further comprising a third set of radiator elements and a fourth set of radiator elements operable in said second frequency band of operation, the third set facing to space to form a second radiating aperture for said second frequency band of operation, the fourth set facing toward said feed array.

2. The array of claim 1, wherein said first frequency band of operation is a UHF band, and said second frequency band is an X band.

3. The array of claim 1, wherein said first frequency band of operation is a UHF band, and said primary lens array comprises:

a first dielectric substrate;

a second dielectric substrate spaced from said first dielectric substrate;

wherein said first set of radiators are fabricated on said first dielectric substrate, said second set of radiators are fabricated on said second dielectric substrate, and said first set of radiators are orthogonally polarized relative to a polarization sense of the second set of radiators.

4. The array of claim 3, wherein said first set of radiators comprise a set of dipole radiators, and said second set of radiators comprise a set of long slot radiators.

5. The array of claim 3, wherein the primary lens array further comprises respective signal transmission lines connected between corresponding ones of the first set of radiators and the second set of radiators.

6. The array of claim 1, wherein the spacing distance between the first set and the second set is equivalent to one quarter wavelength of a frequency of operation in the first frequency band.

7. The array of claim 1, wherein said first frequency band is a UHF frequency band.

8. The array of claim 7, wherein said primary lens assembly further comprises a first groundplane structure to serve the second set of radiator elements, and a second groundplane structure to serve the first set of radiator elements.

9. The array of claim 8, wherein said first set of radiators are orthogonally polarized relative to a polarization sense of the second set of radiators, and wherein said spacing distance between the first set and the second set is equivalent to one quarter wavelength of a frequency of operation in the first frequency band.

10. The array of claim 9, wherein the first groundplane structure comprises a thin wire grid structure disposed adjacent said first set of radiators, the wire grid structure is a set of spaced conductive lines arranged in a generally parallel configuration and orthogonal to a polarization sense of the first set of radiators.

11. The array of claim 10, wherein the first set of radiators is a set of dipole radiators, and the second set of radiators is a set of long slot radiators arranged in a generally parallel relationship.

12. The array of claim 11, wherein the wire grid structure and the first set of radiators are formed on opposed surfaces of a first substrate.

13. The array of claim 12, wherein the long slot radiators are formed on a first surface of a second substrate by slots formed in a conductive groundplane layer defined on said first surface.

14. The array of claim 13, wherein said second frequency band is in X band, and said third and fourth sets of radiators are mounted to said second substrate.

15. The array of claim 14, wherein the third set of radiators and the fourth set of radiators are flared dipole radiators fabricated on dielectric substrate strips which are supported in parallel, spaced relation on respective first and second surfaces of the second substrate.

16. The array of claim 15, wherein said dielectric substrate strips are attached orthogonally to the second substrate, and extend parallel to said long slot radiators.

17. The array of claim 16, wherein respective ones of said dielectric strips are spaced apart by one-half wavelength at an X-band frequency of operation.

18. The array of claim 1, wherein said first set of feed radiators and said second set of feed radiators are formed on a common dielectric substrate.

19. The array of claim 18, wherein said first set of feed radiators and said second set of feed radiators comprise flared dipole radiating elements.

20. A dual-band, space fed antenna array, comprising:

a feed array comprising a first set of feed radiators for operation in a UHF frequency band of operation and a second set of feed radiators for operation in an X-band frequency band of operation;

a primary array lens assembly spaced from and illuminated by said feed array, said primary array lens comprising a set of UHF pickup elements and a set of UHF radiator elements spaced apart by a spacing distance, the set of UHF radiator elements facing to space to form a UHF radiating aperture, the set UHF pickup elements facing toward said feed array;

the primary array lens assembly further comprising a set of X-band pickup elements facing toward said feed array, and a set of X-band radiator elements forming an X-band radiating aperture.

21. The array of claim 20, wherein said primary lens array comprises:

a first substrate;

a second substrate spaced from said first substrate;

wherein said set of UHF pickup elements is fabricated on said first substrate, said set of UHF radiators is fabricated on said second substrate, and said set of UHF pickup elements are orthogonally polarized relative to a polarization sense of the set of UHF radiators.

22. The array of claim 21, wherein said set of UHF pickup elements comprises a set of dipoles, and said set of UHF radiators comprises a set of long slot radiators.

23. The array of claim 22, wherein the primary lens array further comprises respective signal transmission lines connected between corresponding ones of the set of UHF pickup elements and the set of UHF radiators.

24. The array of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of stand-off elements disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

25. The array of claim 21, wherein the spacing distance between the set of UHF pickup elements and the set of UHF radiators is equivalent to one quarter wavelength of a frequency of operation in the UHF band.

26. The array of claim 25, wherein said primary lens assembly further comprises a first groundplane structure to serve the set of UHF radiators, and a second groundplane structure to serve the set of UHF pickup elements.

27. The array of claim 26, wherein the second groundplane structure comprises a thin wire grid structure disposed on said first substrate on a first substrate surface opposite a first substrate surface on which said set of UHF pickup elements are formed, wherein the wire grid structure is a set of spaced conductive lines arranged in a generally parallel configuration and orthogonal to a polarization sense of the set of UHF pickup elements.

28. The array of claim 27 wherein the set of UHF radiators comprises a plurality of long slot radiators formed on a first surface of the second substrate by slots formed in a conductive groundplane layer defined on said first surface, said conductive groundplane layer serving as said second groundplane structure.

29. The array of claim 21, wherein said X-band set of pickup elements and said X-band set of radiators are mounted to said second substrate.

30. The array of claim 29, wherein said X-band set of pickup elements and said X-band set of radiators are flared dipole radiators fabricated on dielectric substrate strips which are supported in parallel, spaced relation on respective first and second surfaces of the second substrate.

31. The array of claim 30, wherein said dielectric substrate strips are attached orthogonally to the second substrate, and extend parallel to said set of UHF radiators.