Reflective and transmissive mode monolithic millimeter wave array system and in-line amplifier using same

• US 20040196193A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James R. Gallivan, Kenneth W. Brown
• Original Assignee: James R. Gallivan, Kenneth W. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Kenneth W., Gallivan, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,034,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0018 Space- fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays

Abstract

An amplifier. In the illustrative embodiment, the amplifier includes a monolithic semiconductor substrate and an array disposed on said substrate for coherently receiving and retransmitting electromagnetic energy. In a specific embodiment, the array is implemented with a plurality of cells. Each of the cells includes a dual polarization antenna structure for receiving electromagnetic energy and an amplifier connected thereto. A reflective mode implementation of the present teachings includes an amplifier comprising an ortho-mode feed and a reflective amplifier array adapted to be illuminated by the feed with an input wavefront with a first polarization and to return thereto an amplified wavefront with a second polarization orthogonal to the first wavefront. Another novel aspect of the invention derives from the provision of first and second mirrors dual shaped mirrors for illuminating the array with a planar wavefront and converting the reflected planar wavefront to a spherical wavefront. A transmissive mode implementation of the invention includes an array of unit cells with each unit cell having a receiving antenna and a power amplifier. At least some of the cells have a transmit antenna adapted to send a wavefront in the direction of a received wavefront or in a controlled direction.

Claims

1. An amplifier comprising:

a monolithic semiconductor substrate and

means disposed on said substrate for coherently receiving and retransmitting electromagnetic energy.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means disposed on said substrate for coherently reflecting electromagnetic energy includes an array of cells.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein each of said cells includes a first antenna for receiving said electromagnetic energy.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said cells includes an amplifier connected to said antenna.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein each of said cells includes a second antenna for transmitting said electromagnetic energy.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein at least one of said antennas is a patch antenna.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said patch antenna is a corrugated patch antenna.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said cells includes a dual polarization antenna structure.

9. The invention of claim 1 further including means for splitting a received wavefront, reflecting a portion thereof and transmitting a portion thereof.

10. The invention of claim 5 further including means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof includes a phase shifter coupled between said first and said second antennas.

12. The invention of claim 10 wherein said means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof includes at least one phase shifter coupled between at least two of said cells.

13. An amplifier comprising:

an ortho-mode feed and

a reflective amplifier array adapted to be illuminated by said feed with an input wavefront with a first polarization and to return thereto an amplified wavefront with a second polarization orthogonal to said first wavefront.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said array includes:

a monolithic semiconductor substrate and

means disposed on said substrate for coherently receiving and retransmitting electromagnetic energy.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein said means disposed on said substrate for coherently reflecting electromagnetic energy includes an array of cells.

16. The invention of claim 15 wherein each of said cells includes a first antenna for receiving said electromagnetic energy.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein each of said cells includes an amplifier connected to said antenna.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein each of said cells includes a second antenna for transmitting said electromagnetic energy.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein at least one of said antennas is a patch antenna.

20. The invention of claim 16 said patch antenna is a corrugated patch antenna.

21. The invention of claim 13 further including feed means for illuminating said array.

22. The invention of claim 21 wherein said feed means includes means for illuminating said array with a spherical wavefront.

23. The invention of claim 22 further including means for converting said spherical wavefront to a planar wavefront.

24. The invention of claim 23 wherein said means for converting said spherical wavefront to a planar wavefront includes at least one reflective element.

25. The invention of claim 24 wherein said means for converting said spherical wavefront to a planar wavefront includes first and second mirrors.

26. The invention of claim 25 wherein said first and second mirrors are dual shaped mirrors.

27. The invention of claim 18 further including means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof.

28. The invention of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof includes a phase shifter coupled between said first and said second antenna.

29. The invention of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving and retransmitting a beam of electromagnetic energy while controlling the direction thereof includes at least one phase shifter coupled between at least two of said cells.

30. A method for coherently receiving and retransmitting an electromagnetic wavefront including the steps of:

receiving said electromagnetic wavefront and

coherently receiving and retransmitting said electromagnetic wavefront using an array of cells disposed on a monolithic semiconductor substrate.

31. The invention of claim 30 further including the step of dynamically controlling the direction of said retransmitted electromagnetic wavefront.

32. A method for coherently reflecting an electromagnetic wavefront including the steps of:

receiving said electromagnetic wavefront and providing a spherical wavefront in response thereto;

converting said spherical wavefront to a planar wavefront and

coherently reflecting said planar wavefront using an array of cells disposed on a monolithic semiconductor substrate.

33. The invention of claim 32 further including the step of converting said reflected planar wavefront to a spherical wavefront.