Slotted array antenna with single feedpoint

Abstract

The antenna includes an antenna body, comprising a conductive material, having a cavity surrounded by intersecting wall segments. The wall segments include a rear plate and a face plate having a planar array of longitudinal slots, and both plates are positioned in spaced-apart parallel planes. The antenna further includes a center wall, centrally placed between the face plate and the rear plate, to form within the cavity a parallel pair of waveguide channels. The center bar has a center bar opening extending longitudinally along a portion of the center bar, thereby separating the center bar portion into first and second center bar segments. A guidance hole is aligned with an edge of the center bar and extends through the first center bar segment and at least a portion of the second center bar segment. A probe distributes radio frequency (RF) energy in substantially equal phase and amplitude to the waveguide channels via the center bar opening. The probe includes a probe pin, which is inserted within the guidance hole and passes through both the first center bar segment and the center bar opening and into the portion of the second center bar segment. The geometry of the probe design supports the coupling of the RF energy to the center bar opening and into each of the quadrants represented by the pair of waveguide channels.