Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

David Krafcsik

Carl D Wise

Peter A Stenger

Andrew Walters

Brian T McMonagle

Robert Sisk

Joseph Paquin

Fred C Kuss

Tujuana Hinton

Kevin LaCour

Steven D Block

Craig Heffner

Steven S Handley

Harvey C Nathanson

Lawrence E Dickens

Philip C Smith

R Chris Clarke

A vertically integrated Ka-band active electronically scanned antenna including, among other things, a transitioning RF waveguide relocator panel located behind a radiator faceplate and an array of beam control tiles respectively coupled to one of a plurality of transceiver modules via an RF manifold. Each of the beam control tiles includes a respective plurality of high power transmit/receive (T/R) cells as well as dielectric waveguides, RF stripline and coaxial transmission line elements. The waveguide relocator panel is preferably fabricated by a diffusion bonded copper laminate stack up with dielectric filling. The beam control tiles are preferably fabricated by the use of multiple layers of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material laminated together. The waveguide relocator panel and the beam control tiles are designed to route RF signals to and from a respective transceiver module of four transceiver modules and a quadrature array of antenna radiators matched to free space formed in the faceplate. Planar type metal spring gaskets are provided between the interfacing layers so as to provide and ensure interconnection between mutually facing waveguide ports and to prevent RF leakage from around the perimeter of the waveguide ports. Cooling of the various components is achieved by a pair of planar forced air heat sink members which are located on either side of the array of beam control tiles. DC power and control of the T/R cells is provided by a printed circuit wiring board assembly located adjacent to the array of beam controlled tiles with solderless DC connections being provided by an arrangement of 'fuzz button' electrical connector elements.

Low profile active electronically scanned antenna (AESA) for Ka-band radar systems

A solid state microwave switch having a plurality of adjacent parallel fingers covered with an oxide layer. One end of a finger is an N&plus; source region while the other end is an N&plus; drain region, with a current conducting N region between them. The oxide layer is covered with a gate layer to which a gate signal is applied for control of current between the N&plus; regions through the N region. The gate layer is highly resistive and has a sheet resistance on the order of millions of ohms per square. The length from the source to drain region is around 2 &mgr;m, and the fingers are spaced with a pitch of around 1 &mgr;m.

Solid state RF switch with high cutoff frequency

Growing community of inventors

Crownsville, MD, United States of America

David Krafcsik