Wideband ridged waveguide to diode detector transition

• US 8,390,403 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Schaffner, James H., Lynch, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Takaoka, Dean O
• Application Number:
  US12/359,986
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 333/248, 333/250, 333/254, 333/260, 343/772, 343/776, 343/784, 343/786, 324/76.11, 324/600
• US Class Current: 333/250
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/107 Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns

Abstract

A RF pick-up probe, RF choke, and DC output line that simultaneously receives RF radiation from a waveguide and provides a detected DC voltage provided by a diode RF detector disposed in said waveguide to one or more output video lines. The RF pick-up probe, RF choke, and DC output line are preferably disposed with an antenna transition element for coupling a horn antenna to a matched diode detector which provides the aforementioned DC voltage. The transition preferably includes a ridged waveguide operatively coupled to the horn antenna; a substrate for supporting a diode chip, carrying said matched diode detector, adjacent the waveguide, the substrate also supporting a pair of RF pick-up probes, each RF probe having a portion which is coupled with the diode chip, the substrate also supporting conductors coupled to the diode chip and to the pair of RF pick-up probes; and a waveguide short circuit at least partially enclosing the diode chip and disposed adjacent the substrate.

Claims

1. A transition for coupling a horn antenna to a matched diode detector comprising:

a. a ridged waveguide operatively coupled to the horn antenna;

b. a substrate for supporting a diode chip, carrying said matched diode detector, adjacent said waveguide, the substrate also supporting a pair of RF pick-up probes, each RF probe having a portion which is coupled with the diode detector chip, the substrate also supporting conductors coupled to said diode chip and to said pair of RF pick-up probes; and

c. a waveguide short circuit at least partially enclosing the diode chip and disposed adjacent said substrate.

2. The transition of claim 1 wherein each RF pick-up probe has a trapezoidal configuration at least partially penetrated by a slot for forming a shorted, slotted transmission line that serves as an RF choke between said diode chip and said conductors for carrying signals from said diode chip externally of said transition element, the trapezoidal configuration having a narrower end confronting an exterior wall of said diode chip.

3. The transition of claim 2 wherein the ridged waveguide assumes, in cross-section, a figure eight configuration.

4. The transition of claim 3 wherein the substrate is a dielectric material and therein the diode chip is supported by said substrate in a center of a throat of said waveguide.

5. The transition of claim 4 wherein the RF pick-up probes have first portions thereof which extend into the throat of said waveguide and second portions thereof which do not extend into the throat of said waveguide.

6. The transition of claim 5 wherein said substrate has a plurality of metal filled vias therein, the plurality of metal filled vias surrounding a projection of the ridged waveguide into said substrate.

7. The transition of claim 6 wherein said waveguide and said horn antenna are formed from a first common block of electrically conductive material and the waveguide short circuit is formed from a second common block of electrically conductive material, the second first common block of electrically conductive material having a cavity therein for receiving the diode chip, the first and second common blocks of electrically conductive material being disposed on opposing sides of said substrate so as to align said ridged waveguide, said diode chip and said waveguide short circuit along a common axis extending parallel to elongated ridges of said ridged waveguide.

8. The transition of claim 1 wherein said waveguide and said horn antenna are formed from a first common block of electrically conductive material and the waveguide short circuit is formed from a second common block of electrically conductive material, the second common block of electrically conductive material having a cavity therein for receiving the diode chip, the first and second common blocks of electrically conductive material being disposed on opposing sides of said substrate.

9. An antenna structure comprising a plurality of transitions according to claim 1 arranged in a planar two dimensional array of said transitions, the horn antennas associated with said plurality of transitions being arranged a planar two dimensional array of said horn antennas disposed immediately adjacent the planar two dimensional array of said plurality of transitions.

10. In combination, a RF pick-up probe, a RF choke, a diode RF detector and a DC output line, all electrically coupled with each other, and with at least the diode RF pick-up probe being disposed in a waveguide, the RF pick-up probe, in use, receiving RF radiation via said waveguide, and wherein said DC output line, in use, provides a detected DC voltage provided by the diode RF detector to one or more output lines.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the diode detector is disposed on a dielectric substrate disposed orthogonally to a major axis of said waveguide, the diode detector being at least partially enclosed by a RF short circuit provided by a cavity in an electrically conductive block disposed adjacent said dielectric substrate.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the one or more output lines are disposed on said substrate adjacent one or more channels formed in said electrically conductive block disposed adjacent said dielectric substrate.

13. The combination of claim 12 in further combination with a horn antenna operatively coupled with said waveguide.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein the waveguide, in cross section, has a figure eight configuration.

15. The combination of claim 13 wherein the electrically conductive block and the horn antenna are each disposed immediately adjacent the dielectric substrate and wherein the dielectric substrate has a plurality of conductive vias disposed therein for ohmically coupling the electrically conductive block and the horn antenna together.

16. A transition for coupling a horn antenna to a matched diode detector, the transition comprising:

a. a ridged waveguide operatively coupled to the horn antenna;

b. a substrate for supporting said matched diode detector adjacent said ridged waveguide, the substrate also supporting a pair of RF pick-up probes, each RF probe having a portion which is coupled with said matched diode detector; and

c. a waveguide short circuit at least partially enclosing the matched diode detector.

17. The transition of claim 16 wherein the matched diode detector is formed on a chip, said chip being disposed on said substrate.

18. The transition of claim 16 wherein the ridged waveguide has, in cross-section, a figure eight configuration.

19. The transition of claim 16 wherein the substrate is a dielectric material and therein the chip is supported by said substrate in a center of a throat of said waveguide.

20. The transition of claim 19 wherein the RF pick-up probes have first portions thereof which extend into the throat of said waveguide and second portions thereof which do not extend into the throat of said waveguide.

21. The transition of claim 16 wherein said substrate has a plurality of metal filled vias therein, the plurality of metal filled vias surrounding a projection of the ridged waveguide into said substrate.

22. The transition of claim 16 wherein said waveguide and said horn antenna are formed from a first common block of electrically conductive material and the waveguide short circuit is formed from a second common block of electrically conductive material, the second common block of electrically conductive material having a cavity therein for receiving the diode chip, the first and second common blocks of electrically conductive material being disposed on opposing sides of said substrate.