Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Apti Inc.

Bae Systems Advanced Technologies, Inc.

Simon Y London

Oved Zucker

Alexander B Kozyrev

Yannick C Morel

John E McGeehan

Clint J Novotny

Somnath Sengupta

Yeuan-Ming Sheu

Stuart E Clark

Vladimir P Leonov

Mark T Walter

A tunable frequency transmission line pulse forming network circuit for forming a waveform having a spectral content. The pulse forming network circuit comprises a dielectric material; a ground section; a stepped shaped charged section, with the charged section having a plurality of stages including a first stage; a power supply coupled to the pulse forming network circuit for charging the pulse forming network circuit; a switch coupled to the pulse forming network circuit for periodically discharging the pulse forming network circuit; and an antenna coupled to the pulse forming network circuit for propagating a high-power microwave signal from the pulse forming network circuit into the environment. At least the first stage of pulse forming network circuit has one of a tunable magnetic material and a nonlinear magnetic which facilitates adjusting the waveform and the spectral content of the waveform emitted by the pulse forming network circuit into the surrounding environment.

Tunable-frequency pulse forming networks for high power microwave applications

A steerable high-power microwave beam array includes an optical sub-system comprising a laser and an optical time delay unit and a parallel set of RF time delay units. The optical system and/or the RF delay subsystem are utilized to precisely delay the pulses from the microwave antenna elements to provide steerable beam forming.

High-power microwave beam steerable array and related methods

A system and method for generating high power pulses including a photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS), a laser for triggering the PCSS and a bipolar pulse generator coupled to the PCSS. The bipolar pulse generator is activated when the PCSS is triggered. A bipolar pulse is generated by the activated bipolar pulse generator. A modulator unit modulates the bipolar pulse to create a modulated bipolar pulse. The modulator unit is a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL).

System and method for generating high power pulses

A Multi-Cycle Digital High Power Microwave (MCD-HPM) source includes a microwave transmission line (MTL) to which a plurality electrically charged thin film transmission lines (TFTL's) are connected by switches. The switches are activated in sequence to generate a square wave at a microwave output frequency. The activation signal is controlled by a free space time delay, which can vary the timing and/or routing of the activation signal by modifying at least one free space element, thereby adjusting the switch activation timing and varying the output frequency. In embodiments, the switches are photo-conducting switches, the activation signal is a laser beam, and the switch timing is varied by reorienting and/or repositioning mirrors and/or other elements in the free space time delay. The elements can be manually adjusted, or mounted on motorized stages and automatically controlled. Optical amplifiers can be included to compensate for losses in the time delay elements.

Frequency agile high power microwave generator

A systems, pulse generators, apparatus and methods for generating a high power signal are presented. A pulse generator includes a generator and a modulator unit. The generator generates a bipolar signal. The modulator unit modulates the bipolar signal with oscillating signals to generate a modulated bipolar signal with oscillating portions. The frequency spectrum of the modulated bipolar signal contains very little to no direct current (DC) component.

High power pulse generator

Conductive segments (transmission line conductors) are positioned within a transmission line structure in order to generate multi-cycle microwave pulses. The conductor segments are switchably coupled to one or the other conductor of the transmission lines, inside the transmission line structure. Microwave pulses may be induced in the transmission line by closing the switches in a controlled manner to discharge successive segments, or successive groups of segments, into the transmission lines. The induced pulses travel uninterrupted along the transmission lines in a desired direction to the load. Efficiency of systems and energy delivered to the load in multi-section transmission lines is increased and/or maximized by adjusting the ratio of characteristic impedances associated with the transmission line conductor segments according to an optimum ratio.

Method and apparatus for digital synthesis of long multi-cycle microwave pulses

A bipolar pulse generator is implemented in a simple structure while providing a high efficiency design having a relatively low total size, while still allowing access by fibers used to control a photoconductive switch that activates the generator. The bipolar pulse generator includes a stacked Blumlein generator structure with an additional transmission line connected to a load at its near end and short-circuited at its distal end. An extra transmission line is positioned between the Blumlein generator's structure and the load provides specified limited gap between positive and negative sub-pulses. The bipolar pulse generator further includes a bended Blumlein generator structure, in which an existing intrinsic 'stray' transmission line is used to provide the bipolar pulse. Still further, bipolar pulse generator includes stepped transmission lines, with additional switches positioned between steps, which are charged by different voltages.

High power bipolar pulse generators

A compact multi-cycle high power microwave generator and a method of using the generator to generate microwave signals is disclosed and claimed. The apparatus includes one or more charged transmission line sections. Each transmission line section includes a first conductor that is section-specific and a second conductor that is common to all of the sections. A switch is associated with each section, each switch being operatively connected to a respective one of the first conductors. The apparatus includes third, common conductor that is not charged and that is operatively connected to each of the first conductors through its respective switch. The apparatus further includes a load, with the second conductor, the third conductor, and the load being operatively connected. Thus, the number of section-specific conductors, the number of charged transmission line sections, and the number of switches are all equal. Engagement of the switches generates a multi-cycle microwave pulse. Aspects, such as wavelength, frequency, and spacing, of the generated wave forms can be varied by including non-charged transmission lines intermediate the transmission line sections or varying the lengths of individual transmission line sections or varying the switching time.

Compact multi-cycle high power microwave generator

A bipolar pulse generator includes two, two-conductor transmission lines coupled together with a load positioned between the two transmission lines. Each conductor of a transmission line we define as a segment. Two segments of one transmission line are charged and switchably coupled to two segments of the other transmission line to produce a bipolar pulse on the matched load. This bipolar pulse generator may be implemented in a flat or a folded design. The generator may include two transmission line structures coupled together with a load positioned between each transmission line structures. The first transmission line structure may include a stepped transmission line and an embedded transmission line segment. A switch may be coupled between the embedded transmission line segment and another segment of the transmission line structure. During operation, the first transmission line structure may be charged to a potential with the switch in the open position and, when the switch is closed, the charge on the first transmission line structure together with the second transmission line structure generates a bipolar pulse on the matched load.

Growing community of inventors

Rockville, MD, United States of America

Simon Y London