Differential high power amplifier for a low profile, wide band transmit array

• US 9,316,723 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Schulte, Walter B. Jr., Carr, James A., Lee, Jar J., Tayrani, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOUIZZA, MICHAEL M
• Application Number:
  US13/479,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/034 Duplexers switching devices for waveguides H01P1/10; transmit-receive switching in transceivers H04B1/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H

Abstract

An integrated differential high power amplifier-radiator array that overcomes the prior art impedance match issues is described. An impedance matching balun is used to feed a high output impedance, differential HPA, which in turn drives a wide band radiator or array of radiators having a matching input impedance to provide a highly efficient, compact transmit system. In one exemplary embodiment, the HPA may be a high impedance Class-B HPA configured as a push-pull cascode amplifier. A high impedance isolator or circulator may be used between the HPA and the radiator. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that a receive implementation, using a properly matched low noise amplifier in place of the HPA, is also possible. Similarly, with the addition of a slotline circulator, transceiver operation is also attainable with the addition of an impedance matched receive chain.

Claims

1. An integrated antenna system, comprising:

an input device configured to convert a supplied unbalanced signal into a balanced differential output signal;

a high power amplifier (HPA) operably coupled to said differential output signal, said HPA configured as a Gallium Nitride (GaN) cascode push-pull Class B amplifier having a balanced, high impedance output, wherein the HPA includes an output impedance in a range between 100 and 200 ohms; and

an impedance-matched differentially-driven radiator (IMDDR) comprising a differential antenna element and at least one of a differential slotline isolator and a differential slotline circulator,

wherein a differential input port of said IMDDR is operatively coupled to said balanced high impedance output of said HPA, the differential input port of said IMDDR coupled to an input of the at least one of a differential slotline isolator and a differential slotline circulator, and a differential output of the at least one of a differential slotline isolator and a differential slotline circulator is radiated into free space by the differential antenna element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a balun.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a slotline balun.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a differential amplifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a 180 degree hybrid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said HPA comprises a GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said HPA comprises a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said differential antenna element comprises an array of differentially-driven radiating elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said differential antenna element comprises one of the group consisting of a dipole element, a horn element, a spiral element, a patch element, and a reflector element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said differential antenna element comprises an array of radiating elements each selected from the group consisting of a dipole element, a horn element, a spiral element, a patch element, and a reflector element.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said differential antenna element comprises an active electronically scanned array (AESA).

12. An integrated antenna system configured as a transceiver, comprising:

an input device configured to convert a supplied unbalanced signal into a balanced differential output signal;

a high power amplifier (HPA) operably coupled to said differential output signal, said HPA configured as a cascode push-pull Class B amplifier and having a balanced high impedance output;

a differential low-noise amplifier (LNA); and

an impedance-matched differentially-driven radiator (IMDDR) comprising a differential antenna element having a differential port and a differential slotline circulator having a plurality of differential ports,

wherein one of said plurality of differential ports of said slotline circulator is operably connected to said differential port of said antenna element and receiving signals from free space thereby, another of said plurality of differential ports of said slotline circulator operably connected to said LNA; and

another of said plurality of differential ports of said slotline circulator operably connected to said differential output of said HPA, wherein said LNA is configured to amplify said received signals and wherein said HPA is configured to amplify signals for radiation into free space by said IMDDR.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said input device comprises a balun.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said input device comprises a differential amplifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said HPA comprises a Gallium Nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said differential antenna element comprises an array of differentially-driven radiating elements.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said differential antenna element comprises an active electronically scanned array (AESA).

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the HPA includes an output impedance in a range between 100 and 200 ohms.