Raytheon Company

Robert S Isom

James M Irion, Ii

Justin Kasemodel

David D Crouch

Thomas V Sikina

Jack J Schuss

Christopher R Koontz

James S Wilson

David D Heston

Brandon William Pillans

Jason G Milne

John G Heston

Alberto F Viscarra

Mikel J White

Cary C Kyhl

James M Elliott

Gordon R Scott

Larry C Martin

Patrick J Kocurek

Waid A Paine

Jayna Shah

Richard G Pierce

Dave E Swernofsky

Izabella Furman

Andrew J Marquette

James M Ii Irion

A unit cell of an array antenna includes an integrated dilation and feed circuit and an associated radiator assembly. The integrated dilation and feed circuit includes an asymmetric dilation layer, an asymmetric combiner layer, a symmetric feed layer and a symmetric slot layer. Feed circuits on the feed layer are configured to couple radio frequency (RF) signals to/from a pair of orthogonally disposed slot elements symmetrically disposed on the slot layer of the integrated dilation-feed circuit. The slot layer couples signals to and from the radiator assembly. Such unit cell may be used to provide an array antenna including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna.

Polarization versatile radiator

An assembly comprises a first subassembly, a second subassembly, and a conductive grounding element. The first subassembly comprises a first module comprising a first ground plane and a first conductive region in operable communication with the first ground plane. The second subassembly comprises a second module comprising a second ground plane distinct from the first ground plane and a second conductive region in operable communication with the second ground plane. The first and second subassemblies attach to each other along a seam. The conductive grounding element comprises an electrically conductive material including a first portion disposed adjacent to the first conductive region and a second portion disposed adjacent the second conductive region. The conductive grounding element is configured to fill one or more gaps in the seam and to operably couple together the first and second ground planes of the first and second subassemblies into a third common ground plane.

Tile to tile RF grounding

Methods and apparatus for providing a wideband dual differential current loop radiator. In embodiments, a radiator includes first and second dipole pairs with first and second differential conductor pairs providing differential signals to the first and second dipole arms. The radiator may include a cavity, which can be filed with air, in at least a portion of a feed layer. The dipoles may have a coincident phase center.

Dual differential radiator

In one aspect, a unit cell of a phased array antenna includes a printed wiring board (PWB). The PWB includes a first layer comprising a radiator, a second layer comprising a feed circuit configured to provide excitation signals to the radiator, a plurality of vias connecting the feed circuit to the radiator, a signal layer, an active component layer comprising an active component bonded to the signal layer and a radio frequency (RF) connector connecting the signal layer to the feed circuit.

Printed wiring board with radiator and feed circuit

Guanella topology balun/unun impedance transformer contains cascaded, i.e., series-coupled, coils of different sizes implemented in RF CMOS technology. The cascading of differently-sized coils provides for a large resonance-free operating bandwidth. The shunt inductive loading maximizes low frequency performance.

CMOS Guanella balun

In one aspect, a unit cell of a phased array antenna includes a metal plate having a hole, a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first plurality of laminate layers disposed on the first side, a second plurality of layers disposed on the second side of the metal plate, a radiator disposed in the first plurality of layer on the first side, a feed circuit disposed in the second plurality of laminate layers on the second side and configured to provide excitation signals to the radiator and a first plurality of vias extending through the hole connecting the feed circuit to the radiator.

High frequency polymer on metal radiator

A wideband dual-polarized current loop antenna element is provided having a ground tower and an antenna circuit integrated, such as within a multi-layer circuit board configuration. The antenna circuit includes feed conductors and element conductors, each of which are capacitively coupled to a top ground plane of the ground tower. The feed conductors are coupled to receive signals from coaxial feed lines coupled to the respective antenna element and element conductors are coupled to receive signals from adjacent antenna elements, such as in an antenna array configuration. The antenna element can further include one or more frequency selective surface (FSS) layers disposed proximate to the top ground plane of the ground tower and the antenna circuit. The ground tower, antenna circuit and one or more FSS layers can be formed to provide a low-profile antenna element having wide broadband performance.

Wideband dual-polarized current loop antenna element

In accordance with the concepts, systems, methods and techniques described herein a tripole current loop radiating element is provided having three conductors disposed on a substrate with the three conductors being physically spaced apart from each other and arranged to be responsive to radio frequency (RF) signals at a desired frequency range. Each of the three conductors includes a ground via to couple the respective conductor to a ground plane and a signal via to receive RF signals from a single feed circuit. The feed circuit includes a signal port, and first, second and third antenna ports, with each of the antenna ports coupled to a respective one of the three conductors. The feed circuit can provide the RF signals to each of the three conductors having equal amplitudes and distributed with relative phases of 0&#xb0;/120&#xb0;/240&#xb0; respectively (i.e., phase shifted by 120&#xb0; from an adjacent conductor).

Tripole current loop radiating element with integrated circularly polarized feed

An electronic stripline circuit includes a flexible dielectric film having a three-dimensional coiled shape that defines a spiraled inner core. At least one electrically conductive signal trace is formed on a first surface of the flexible dielectric film. The signal trace extends along a signal path to define a trace length configured to control a time delay of a coiled time delay unit.

Time delay unit comprising a spirally wound meandering line pattern

Methods and apparatus for a dual polarized thumbtack radiator having enhanced dissipation. In embodiments, a power divider resistor for a balun is coupled directly to ground plane blocks that provide a RF shield. An attachment mechanism, such as a screw secures the thumbtack assembly to an aperture plate and provides thermal and electrical connection.

Methods and apparatus for antenna having dual polarized radiating elements with enhanced heat dissipation

A dual polarization current loop radiator realized with a via, probe, or exposed coaxial feed using part of a vertical metal structure of the radiator to guide current to a feed point of a horizontal metal plate capacitively coupled to the vertical metal structure is described. The vertical metal structure may be either stamped and attached to the ground plane or it can be formed along with metal backplane structure of the radiator. The top of the vertical metal piece is separated from the horizontal metal plate by a predetermined distance dielectric spacing. The spacing may be realized either a thin dielectric core or a non-conductive adhesive material.

Dual polarization current loop radiator with integrated balun

A transition apparatus for connecting first and second circuit boards is provided. The transition apparatus includes a beam having edges and a length defined between the edges, beam circuitry running along the length of the beam and connections disposed at the edges of the beam to connect the beam circuitry with respective circuitry of the first and second circuit boards at respective interior, opposing surfaces thereof.

Interconnect transition apparatus

An array antenna includes a modular, multi-layer, multi-balun board structure for use in feeding a dual polarization radiating element. In some embodiments, contacts on a multi-balun board structure may be directly conductively coupled to corresponding feed points of a dual polarization radiating element during antenna assembly. The multi-balun board structure may be inserted into an opening within an aperture board of an array antenna before the contacts are secured to the feed points. Dual balun board structures may be provided for some or all of the radiating elements on the aperture board.

Dual polarized array antenna with modular multi-balun board and associated methods

A radio frequency (RF) module having a plurality of channels includes a heat sink having at least one tapered edge; a substrate disposed over a surface of the heat sink such that the tapered edge of the heat sink extends past a boundary of the substrate. RF, logic and power circuitry is disposed on the substrate and one or more RF signal ports are formed on an edge of the substrate to allow the RF module to be used in an array antenna having a brick architecture. The tapered edge heat sink provides both a ground plane for RF signal components and a thermal path for heat generating circuits disposed in the substrate.

Vertical radio frequency module

Wideband balun having good performance characteristics for use in feeding differential antenna elements in array antennas, balanced amplifier circuits and other applications is described. Also described is a common mode isolation circuit suitable for integration with the balun.

Growing community of inventors

Allen, TX, United States of America

Robert S Isom