Horn antenna, waveguide or apparatus including low index dielectric material

• US 8,072,386 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Lier, Erik, Katz, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US12/245,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 343/786, 343/771, 343/772, 343/756, 343/909, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/786
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns

Abstract

A horn antenna includes a conducting horn having an inner wall and a first dielectric layer lining the inner wall of the conducting horn. The first dielectric layer includes a metamaterial having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1. The horn antenna may further include a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the dielectric core includes a fluid. A waveguide including a metamaterial is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A horn antenna comprising:

a conducting horn having an inner wall; and

a first dielectric layer lining the inner wall of the conducting horn,

wherein the first dielectric layer comprises a metamaterial having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1.

2. The horn antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer, the dielectric core comprising a fluid.

3. The horn antenna of claim 2, wherein the dielectric core comprises a higher relative dielectric constant than the first dielectric layer.

4. The horn antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

a second dielectric layer disposed over at least a portion of the first dielectric layer.

5. The horn antenna of claim 4, further comprising:

a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the second dielectric layer, the dielectric core comprising a fluid.

6. The horn antenna of claim 5, wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a higher relative dielectric constant than the dielectric core, and the dielectric core comprises a higher relative dielectric constant than the first dielectric layer.

7. The horn antenna of claim 4, wherein the relative dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions, and/or a relative dielectric constant of the second dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions.

8. The horn antenna of claim 4, wherein a thickness of the first dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions, and/or a thickness of the second dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions.

9. A power combiner assembly comprising the horn antenna of claim 4, the power combiner further comprising:

a plurality of power amplifiers,

wherein the plurality of power amplifiers are configured to provide power to the conducting horn and wherein the conducting horn is configured to combine the power from the plurality of power amplifiers into a single power transmission.

10. A reflector antenna comprising the power combiner assembly of claim 9, the reflector antenna further comprising:

a reflective dish,

wherein the conducting horn is configured to direct the single power transmission towards the reflective dish.

11. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein the conducting horn comprises a plurality of inner walls, and wherein a subset of the plurality of inner walls comprises the inner wall.

12. The horn antenna of claim 11, wherein the plurality of inner walls includes four walls, and the subset comprising the inner wall includes two walls.

13. The horn antenna of claim 12, wherein the subset of the plurality of inner walls are parallel.

14. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein the horn antenna is rectangular, circular, hexagonal or elliptical.

15. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer lines a portion of the inner wall.

16. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer lines substantially the entire length of the inner wall.

17. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein the relative dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions.

18. The horn antenna of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first dielectric layer varies with distance in one or more directions.

19. A waveguide comprising:

an outer surface defining a waveguide cavity;

an inner surface positioned within the waveguide cavity; and

a first dielectric layer lining the inner surface of the waveguide cavity,

wherein the first dielectric layer comprises a metamaterial having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1.

20. The waveguide of claim 19, wherein the inner surface of the waveguide comprises a second dielectric layer, the second dielectric layer having a higher relative dielectric constant than the first dielectric layer.

21. The waveguide of claim 19, wherein the waveguide cavity comprises a fluid.

22. The waveguide of claim 19, wherein the inner surface comprises a plurality of inner walls, and wherein a subset of the plurality of inner walls comprises the inner surface.

23. The waveguide of claim 22, wherein the plurality of inner walls includes four walls, and the subset comprising the inner surface includes two walls.

24. The waveguide of claim 19, wherein the first dielectric layer lines a portion of the inner surface.

25. The waveguide of claim 19, wherein the first dielectric layer lines substantially the entire length of the inner surface.