Ferrite phase shifter and phase array radar system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A phase shifter comprising:
- a substrate;
a ground plane disposed on a first surface of the substrate;
a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface;
three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate;
an elongated ferrite element supported within the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines; and
means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element; and
wherein the support structure comprises a bottom dielectric element, and a top dielectric element, the ferrite element being embedded within said bottom dielectric element and said top dielectric element.
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Abstract
A phase shifter comprises a substrate, a ground plane formed on a first surface of the substrate, a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate, a ferrite element supported by the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines, and means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A phase shifter comprising:
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a substrate; a ground plane disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface; three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate; an elongated ferrite element supported within the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines; and means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element; and wherein the support structure comprises a bottom dielectric element, and a top dielectric element, the ferrite element being embedded within said bottom dielectric element and said top dielectric element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A phase shifter comprising:
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a substrate; a ground plane disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface; three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate; an elongated ferrite element supported within the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines; and means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element, wherein the means for applying a magnetic field comprises a coil around the ferrite element, and wherein portions of the substrate and the ground plane are relieved to provide a dumbbell shape and provide a space for the coil.
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20. A phase shifter comprising:
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a substrate; a ground plane disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface; three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate; an elongated ferrite element supported within the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines, wherein the ferrite element has a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, with tapered ends; and means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element.
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21. An electronically scanned phased array radar system, comprising:
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a transmit/receive module, including a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier LNA and a circulator; a manifold; a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array and connected to the manifold through a plurality of respective phase shifters; the respective phase shifters arranged to individually shift the phase of signals to be transmitted by or received from the plurality of antenna elements to electronically steer a beam of the array; a controller connected to the phase shifters to control the amount of phase shift applied by the phase shifters to controllably steer the array beam; and wherein one or more of the phase shifters comprises; a substrate; a ground plane disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a dielectric support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface; three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate; a ferrite element supported in the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines, wherein said dielectric support structure has a channel disposed therein to receive said ferrite element; and a magnetic circuit for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element under control of the controller. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A phase shifter comprising:
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three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported on a dielectric support structure; a dielectric substrate having opposed first and second surfaces; a ground plane disposed on said second surface; a ferrite element supported within the dielectric support structure between the first surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines, wherein the ferrite element has a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, with tapered ends; a magnetic circuit for generating a magnetic field for aligning magnetic dipole moments of the ferrite element; and a control circuit for varying the magnetic field for adjusting a phase shift of a signal transmitted through the phase shifter. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification