Systems and methods for using power dividers for improved ferrite circulator RF power handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9466866-B2
Application number	US-201414247452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2014
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for using power dividers for improved ferrite circulator RF power handling are provided. In one embodiment, a method for switching RF power using a high power circulator switch comprises: operating a ferrite circulator switch to direct RF power to either a first output port or a second output port, the ferrite circulator switch comprising at least three ferrite circulators arranged as a triad switch, wherein a first circulator is coupled to the first output port, a second circulator is coupled to the second output port; and using a waveguide power divider coupled between the first circulator and the second circulator, distributing reflected RF power received at the first output port or the second output port between a plurality of waveguide loads.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high power circulator switch, the switch comprising:
at least three ferrite circulators, the at least three ferrite circulators arranged as a triad switch, wherein a first circulator is coupled to a first output of the triad switch, a second circulator is coupled to a second output of the triad switch, and a third circulator coupled to an input of the triad switch;
a waveguide power divider comprising a first port coupled to the first circulator and a second port coupled to the second circulator;
at least two waveguide loads including a first waveguide load and a second waveguide load, wherein the first waveguide load is coupled to a third port of the waveguide power divider and the second waveguide load is coupled to a fourth port of the waveguide power divider;
wherein the waveguide power divider distributes any RF power received at the first port of the waveguide power divider between the at least two waveguide loads; and
wherein the waveguide power divider distributes any RF power received at the second port of the waveguide power divider between the at least two waveguide loads.

2. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide power divider comprises a four port quadrature coupler having a first input port coupled to the first circulator and a second input port coupled to the second circulator.

3. The switch of claim 1 , further comprising at least a first supplemental isolator intervening between the first circulator and the third circulator, and at least a second supplemental isolator intervening between the second circulator and the third circulator.

4. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide power divider comprises a magic tee waveguide power divider.

5. The switch of claim 4 , wherein the magic tee waveguide power divider comprises an H-plane port coupled to the first waveguide load and an E-plane port coupled to the second waveguide load.

6. The switch of claim 1 , wherein when the triad switch is switched to a first state, RF power received at the input is directed through the third circulator and the first circulator to the first output, and any reflected RF power received at the first output is directed by the first circulator to the first port of the waveguide power divider; and
wherein when the triad switch is switched to a second state, RF power received at the input is directed through the third circulator and the second circulator to the second output, and any reflected RF power received at the second output is directed by the second circulator to the second port of the waveguide power divider.

7. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the first circulator and the second circulator remain in a fixed switching state when a switching state of the third circulator is switched.

8. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the first circulator and the second circulator are switched between states in lock-step with switching of the third circulator.

9. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the waveguide power divider evenly distributes any reflected RF power received at the first or second ports of the waveguide power divider between the at least two waveguide loads.

10. The switch of claim 6 , wherein the waveguide power divider unevenly distributes any reflected RF power received at the first or second ports of the waveguide power divider between the at least two waveguide loads.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Kroening Adam M

Classifications

• H01P5/22

  Hybrid ring junctions · CPC title

• H01P1/11 Primary

  by ferromagnetic devices · CPC title

• H01P1/39

  Hollow waveguide circulators · CPC title

• H01P5/20

  Magic-T junctions · CPC title

• H01P1/38

  Circulators · CPC title