United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Jeffrey R Piepmeier

Edward J Wollack

Joseph Knuble

Jared Lucey

Negar Ehsan

Kevin Horgan

A microwave radiometer with reduced volume, mass, phase noise, and power requirements and increased harmonic rejection, includes a fixed number of frequency banks configured to provide signals within separate, non-overlapping local oscillation frequency bands, a detection circuit configured to detect one or more microwave RF signals, and an RF downconverter configured to mix the signals within the separate, non-overlapping local oscillation frequency bands with the one or more microwave RF signals to provide a continuous range of down converted frequencies.

Ultra-broadband microwave radiometer optimized for microsatellite applications

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system and method for generating noise waves at millimeter wave frequencies. A noise source generator is designed to be connected to a crystalline structure for efficient heat transfer and compatibility with millimeter wave receivers. The use of crystalline structure coupled to the noise source generator allows heat from a biasing device, such as a diode, to be carried away such that the diode is able to generate noise waves while being reversed biased without compromising the device. In another embodiment, the noise source generator includes the use of a backshort transmission line with vias that is connected to the biasing device for heat transfer from the biasing device to the backshort.

Growing community of inventors

Millersville, MD, United States of America

Jeffrey R Piepmeier