Microstrip to waveguide transition systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10707549-B2
Application number	US-201815950130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) assembly that includes a microstrip to waveguide transition is described herein. In one example, the RF assembly can include a substrate, a microstrip, and a waveguide. The substrate can include an antenna that includes an antenna slot. A portion of the microstrip, such as an end of the microstrip, can be disposed within and/or underneath the antenna slot. The microstrip can be embedded within the substrate and can be electrically coupled to the antenna. At least a portion of the waveguide can be disposed over the antenna slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate comprising an antenna, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna slot;
a microstrip embedded within the substrate, comprising a first microstrip end disposed under the antenna slot, and electrically coupled to the antenna; and
a waveguide comprising a first waveguide end and a second waveguide end, wherein the first waveguide end is disposed over the antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the antenna further comprises an antenna layer disposed on a top layer of the substrate, and wherein the antenna layer comprises the antenna slot.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the substrate further comprises a dielectric layer disposed between the antenna layer and the microstrip.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the microstrip is electrically coupled to the antenna layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the substrate further comprises a ground plane layer disposed below the microstrip.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the substrate further comprises a dielectric layer disposed between the ground plane layer and the microstrip.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a major length of the antenna slot is oriented at an angle to a length direction of the microstrip.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a cylindrical waveguide.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a substantially rectangular waveguide.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a slot major length of the antenna slot is oriented at an angle to a waveguide major length of the waveguide.

11. A steerable array comprising the apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of waveguides, wherein each of the plurality of waveguides comprise a first waveguide end and a second waveguide end, and wherein each of the first waveguide ends is disposed over a corresponding antenna slot.

12. The steerable array of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of waveguides are disposed within a waveguide panel.

13. The steerable array of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of waveguides are coupled to a phased array.

14. The steerable array of claim 13 , wherein the phased array comprises a dielectric lens.

15. An aircraft comprising the steerable array of claim 11 , wherein the aircraft further comprises:
a fuselage; and
a wing, wherein the steerable array is coupled to the fuselage and/or the wing.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 , further comprising a navigational device, wherein the steerable array is communicatively coupled to the navigational device.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the steerable array is configured to generate directed electromagnetic waves and output radar data based on the generated electromagnetic waves.

18. A method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 1 , the method comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer of the substrate;
forming the microstrip above the first dielectric layer;
forming a second dielectric layer of the substrate above the microstrip;
forming an antenna layer of the substrate above the second dielectric layer; and
disposing the waveguide over the antenna slot of the antenna layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
forming a ground plane layer, wherein the first dielectric layer is formed above the ground plane layer.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the microstrip is patterned or printed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the antenna layer is patterned or printed on the second dielectric layer, and wherein at least a portion of the second dielectric layer is laminated or printed on the first dielectric layer.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Rogers John E
• Thacker Corey M

Classifications

• H01P5/107 Primary

  Hollow-waveguide/strip-line transitions · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title

• G01S13/933

  of aircraft or spacecraft · CPC title

• H01Q3/2658

  Phased-array fed focussing structure · CPC title

• G01S7/03

  Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver · CPC title