Orthogonal-mode junction coupler and associated polarization and frequency separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016181702-A1
Application number	US-201514971946-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An orthogonal-mode junction coupler and an associated polarization and frequency separator, the junction coupler comprises three opening slots, referred to as coupling slots, which are made in the casing of the coupler and pass through a plane referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler. Two of the three coupling slots are aligned along a first axis referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler, the section of the two coupling slots being of the same dimensions and of the same orientation. The two coupling slots are configured to be coupled to one of the two orthogonal linear polarizations. The third coupling slot is situated on a second axis referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler, the second transverse axis being substantially orthogonal with respect to the first transverse axis.

First claim

1 . An orthogonal-mode junction coupler having a casing delimiting a coupling cavity, electromagnetic signals polarized according to at least two orthogonal linear polarization modes being able to propagate inside the coupling cavity,
said coupler comprising two accesses, called input/output accesses, passing through said casing and opening into said coupling cavity, said two input/output accesses being aligned along an axis referred to as longitudinal with respect to the junction coupler and being arranged at opposite ends of the junction coupler, said longitudinal axis being defined by the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic signals, and in that three opening slots, referred to as coupling slots, are made in the casing of the junction coupler, said three coupling slots passing through a plane referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler, said transverse plane being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, two of said three coupling slots being aligned along a first axis referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler, the section of said two coupling slots being of the same dimensions and of the same orientation, the two coupling slots being configured to be coupled to one of the two orthogonal linear polarizations of the electromagnetic signals propagating between the two input/output accesses, the third, single coupling slot being situated on a second axis referred to as transverse with respect to the junction coupler, said second transverse axis being substantially orthogonal with respect to the first transverse axis.

2 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein a slot, referred to as image slot, is made in the casing of the coupler, said image slot passing through the transverse plane and being opposite the third coupling slot, the section of said image slot being of the same dimensions and of the same orientation as the section of the third coupling slot, one end of said image slot opening into the coupling cavity and the other end being closed by a short-circuit plane.

3 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the two coupling slots aligned along the transverse axis are configured to be coupled to the vertical linear polarization, the third, single coupling slot being configured to be coupled to the horizontal polarization.

4 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the two coupling slots aligned along the transverse axis are configured to be coupled to the horizontal linear polarization, the third, single coupling slot being configured to be coupled to the vertical polarization.

5 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the coupling cavity is taken from a substantially square, rectangular, circular or elliptical shape.

6 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling slots are oriented so as to allow electrical coupling.

7 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling slots are oriented so as to allow magnetic coupling.

8 . The junction coupler according to claim 1 , wherein an input/output access is connected to a short-circuit plane or a cut-off filter.

9 . A polarization and frequency separator, comprising an orthogonal-mode junction coupler according to claim 1 , said coupler comprising two input/output accesses and three coupling slots, one input/output access being connected to an antenna and the other access being connected to a short-circuit plane, a single coupling slot forming a polarization access and the other two coupling slots being joined together by means of a summer in order to form another polarization access.

10 . The polarization and frequency separator according to claim 9 , wherein a filter arm is connected to each coupling slot and wherein the short-circuit plane connected to an input/output access is replaced by a cut-off filter.

11 . The polarization and frequency separator according to claim 10 , wherein the filtering arms and the summer are produced using a technology taken from waveguide technology, coaxial technology or microstrip technology.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Cartaillac Erwan
• Bosshard Pierre
• Ferrando Nicolas

Classifications

• H01Q13/0258

  Orthomode horns (orthomode transducers H01P1/161) · CPC title

• H01Q5/55

  for horn or waveguide antennas · CPC title

• H01Q15/24 Primary

  Polarising devices; Polarisation filters  (H01Q15/12, H01Q15/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01P1/161 Primary

  sustaining two independent orthogonal modes, e.g. orthomode transducer {(combining or separating polarisations and frequencies H01P1/2131)} · CPC title