The Boeing Company

Tai Anh Lam

Minas Hagop Tanielian

Claudio Parazzoli

David R Smith

Julio A Navarro

Charles W Manry, Jr

Gary Alan Ray

Jonathan Martin Saint Clair

Jonathan David Embler

Manny S Urcia

Joseph A Marshall

Lixin Cai

Alec Adams

David Christien Soreide

Otis Franklin Layton

Michael J Best

Jean Ann Nielsen

John S Derov

Benjamin Emerson Carl Koltenbah

Isaac Ron Bekker

Sangvavann Heng

Victor S Starkovich

Minas H Tanielin

Peter Shaw

Minas Tanielian

Benjamin E Koltenbah

Systems, methods, and apparatus for processing a signal using a non-uniform antenna array are disclosed. In one aspect, a receiver apparatus for processing high frequency signals is provided. The receiver apparatus may comprise an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements. The plurality of antenna elements may include a first antenna element and a remainder of the plurality of antenna elements. The remainder of the plurality of antenna elements may be uniformly spaced apart from one another by a first distance and arranged in a substantially linear orientation. The remainder of the plurality of antenna elements may include a second antenna element spaced apart from the first antenna element by a second distance. The second distance may be different than the first distance.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for processing high frequency signals

A system and method for sending signals at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. A window system in a hypersonic aircraft is provided. The window system comprises a transmissive window in an aeroshell of the hypersonic aircraft, a thermal seal, a sensor, and a sensor housing assembly enclosing the sensor. The transmissive window comprises a facesheet and insulating material adjacent to the facesheet. The thermal seal surrounds a perimeter of the facesheet and seals the facesheet to the aeroshell. The window system is radio-frequency transparent at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. The window system is configured to operate at an insertion loss of less than one decibel at the hypersonic speeds.

Hypersonic aircraft window system

Various techniques provide systems and methods for facilitating aperture protection. In one example, a system for facilitating aperture protection is provided. The system includes an optical limiter device. The optical limiter device includes a thermochromic material and a plurality of nanostructures, where each of the nanostructures is in contact with a portion of the thermochromic material. At least a subset of the nanostructures is configured to receive incident light and generate heat in response to the incident light. At least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to the heat and block the incident light when the portion is in the second state. The portion is configured to transition from the second state back to the first state when the portion cools, such as upon removal of the incident light. Related methods and products are also provided.

Optical limiters with thermochromic material and nanostructures for facilitating aperture protection

Devices and methods for protecting electro-optical instruments includes a transparent substrate and a conductive film layer on the substrate. The film layer may be perforated with an array of holes and may be configured to attenuate RF/microwave electromagnetic radiation. The devices may include a plurality of optical waveguides having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each optical waveguide is disposed over the substrate and passes through a respective hole of the array of holes such that each hole includes at least one optical waveguide. The waveguide may be configured to capture incident light from the second end and guide the incident light to the first end through the hole.

Devices and methods for protecting IR-VIS sensors from electromagnetic interference

A protection circuit configured to protect delicate electronics from high power signals is disclosed herein. To that end, the protection circuit includes a limiter circuit comprising a phase changing material to prevent high power signals from reaching one or more electronic circuits. The phase changing material assumes a limiting state automatically when an energy of an applied signal exceeds a threshold, which limits the energy of the signal passed on to any associated electronics.

Micro plasma limiter for RF and microwave circuit protection

Various techniques provide optical limiters for facilitating aperture protection. In one example, a system includes an optical device. The optical device includes a photocathode configured to emit electrons in response to an applied voltage and an incident light. The optical device further includes a phase change material. At least a portion of the phase change material is configured to receive the electrons from the photocathode. The portion is further configured to transition from a first phase to a second phase in response to the electrons. The portion is further configured to reflect the incident light when the portion of the phase change material is in the second phase. Related methods and products are also provided.

Optical limiters for facilitating aperture protection

A passively switched resonant chamber includes one or more conductive walls defining a resonant cavity configured to store energy in an electromagnetic field. The passively switched resonant chamber also includes a switching device that includes a first conductive wire having a first end extending into the resonant cavity. The switching device also includes a second conductive wire having a second end extending into the resonant cavity. The second end is separated from the first end by a gap. A phase change material in the gap is configured to switch from a non-conductive state to a conductive state in response to a strength of the electric field in the resonant cavity satisfying a threshold.

Passively switched resonant chamber

A microwave device can include a printed circuit board substrate having a first microwave device subcircuit and a microdevice substrate having a second microwave device subcircuit. The first microwave device subcircuit may be formed at a low resolution and a low tolerance, while the second microwave device subcircuit may be formed at a high resolution and a high tolerance. The first microwave device subcircuit and the second microwave device subcircuit may be electrically coupled using a conductor.

Hybrid fabrication method for large area microwave circuits

A laser Doppler vibrometer architecture and detection technique that can remotely identify targets based on their natural vibration frequencies using a scanning Fabry-P&#xe9;rot interferometer. The proposed systems and methods can have stand-off distances longer than the coherence length of the laser by using spectroscopic detection methods instead of coherent heterodyne detection using a local oscillator. Pulsed lasers can be used which have high power output. In addition, by not using an acousto-optic modulator, the speed of the detectable target is not limited. Also the mixing efficiency of the return signal can be improved.

Remote target identification using laser Doppler vibrometry

A protective material that includes a dielectric mirror having at least one layer, each layer of the dielectric mirror being configured to reflect at least a portion of incident energy of a predetermined wavelength; and a photonic, crystal array of periodic structures disposed within the dielectric mirror, the photonic crystal array of periodic structures being configured to disperse non-reflected incident energy of the predetermined wavelength transmitted through the dielectric mirror across the photonic crystal array of periodic structures in a direction parallel to a plane of the dielectric mirror.

Protective material and method for reflecting and dispersing incident energy

A switching device includes a first electrode at least partially disposed within a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber encloses a plasma phase change material. The switching device includes a second electrode at least partially disposed within the sealed chamber. The second electrode is physically separated from the first electrode. When subjected to a signal that satisfies a threshold, the plasma phase change material forms a plasma within the sealed chamber. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the second electrode via the plasma when the plasma is formed. The first electrode is electrically isolated from the second electrode when the plasma is not formed. The switching device includes a first connector electrically coupled to the first electrode and a second connector electrically coupled to the second electrode. The first connector, the second connector, or both, are configured to receive the signal.

Plasma-integrated switching devices

A method includes permitting a first signal having a first electromagnetic waveform to pass through an apparatus. The method further includes blocking a second signal having a second electromagnetic waveform at the apparatus, wherein the second electromagnetic waveform is different than the first electromagnetic waveform. The apparatus includes a non-conductive substrate and a plurality of cells including conductive members coupled to the non-conductive substrate, where the conductive members are arranged to form a first discontinuous mesh, where regions between the conductive members of the first discontinuous mesh include a phase change material, and where the phase change material undergoes a phase transition from substantially non-conductive to substantially conductive.

Electronic device protection

A structural wideband aperture assembly and methods are presented. A non-conductive structural backsheet comprises electrical vias. A structural egg-crate core comprises a grid of core strips coupled to the non-conductive structural backsheet and is configured substantially perpendicular to the non-conductive structural backsheet around open boxes. A non-structural grid of antenna feed cards is configured substantially perpendicular to the non-conductive structural backsheet and crosses the core strips. A non-structural grid of antenna feed cards comprises intersections configured within the open boxes, and electronic feed-lines aligned with the electrical vias. Antenna array unit cells comprising antenna cards coupled to the non-structural grid of antenna feed cards and configured to fit within the open boxes.

Structural wideband multifunctional aperture manufacturing

Apparatus, systems and methods for electronic device protection are provided. A particular apparatus includes a non-conductive substrate and a plurality of cells including conductive members coupled to the non-conductive substrate. The conductive members are arranged to form a first discontinuous mesh. Regions between the conductive members of the first discontinuous mesh include a phase change material. The phase change material undergoes a phase transition from substantially non-conductive to substantially conductive responsive to a change of energy.

A method and apparatus are present for creating a negative index metamaterial lens for use with a phased array antenna. A design having a buckyball shape is created for the negative index metamaterial lens. The buckyball shape is capable of bending a beam generated by the phased array antenna to around 90 degrees from a vertical orientation to form an initial design. The initial design is modified to include discrete components to form a discrete design. Materials are selected for the discrete components. Negative index metamaterial unit cells are designed for the discrete components to form designed negative index metamaterial unit cells. The designed negative index metamaterial unit cells are fabricated to form fabricated designed negative index metamaterial unit cells. The negative index metamaterial lens is formed from the designed negative index metamaterial unit cells.

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Kent, WA, United States of America

Tai Anh Lam