High power balanced limiting low noise amplifier device, transceiver assembly and radar

Abstract

The application relates to a high-power balanced amplitude-limiting low-noise amplification device, a transceiver assembly and a radar. When the intensity of an input signal is increased to be higher than the threshold power of an amplitude-limiting module and lower than the threshold power of a plasma amplitude limiter, the signal reaches the amplitude-limiting module through a signal distributor and the plasma amplitude limiter to realize the amplitude-limiting function and prevent the low-noise amplifier from being damaged. When the intensity of the input signal continues to increase to be higher than the threshold power of the plasma amplitude limiter, the input large signal first reaches the amplitude-limiting module, the amplitude-limiting module is turned on, the input large signal is reflected, the incident and reflected large signals jointly act on the plasma amplitude limiter, the plasma amplitude limiter is accelerated to be turned on, the large signal amplitude limiting is realized, the strong electromagnetic energy is reflected, the rear-end low-noise amplifier is effectively protected from being damaged by the strong electromagnetic energy, the safety of the rear-end low-noise amplifier is fully ensured, and the protection capability of the amplitude-limiting low-noise amplifier is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radar technology, and in particular to a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier, transceiver assembly, and radar. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to passive phased array radar, active phased array radar has significant advantages in conformal and sparse array design, and adaptive beamforming, making it the main direction of phased array radar development. An active phased array radar typically contains dozens to tens of thousands of transceiver units, serving as both the final power amplifier stage for signal transmission and the front end for signal reception. For active phased array radar, limiters and low-noise amplifiers (LNOA) are key components in the receiving branch. In traditional transceiver units, limiters and LNOA are generally cascaded as separate devices to achieve signal limiting and amplification. To meet the demands of miniaturization, high performance, and high reliability, integrated limiter-LNOA designs have gained popularity among designers. However, with the increasing threat of strong electromagnetic energy, simply integrated limiter-LNOA designs often fail to meet power tolerance requirements and are highly susceptible to damage from strong electromagnetic energy, thus still presenting a technical problem of insufficient protection capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier, a transceiver assembly, and an active phased array radar, which can significantly improve the protection capability of the limiting low-noise amplifier.

[0004] On the one hand, a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier is provided, including a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner;

[0005] The input port of the signal distributor is used to receive the incident signal. The through port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the first plasma limiter. The coupling port of the signal distributor is the input port of the second plasma limiter. The isolation port of the signal distributor is used to connect to a high-power load.

[0006] The output port of the first plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the first low-noise amplifier through the first limiting module. The output port of the second plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the second low-noise amplifier through the second limiting module. The output port of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the first input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the second input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the bandwidth combiner is used to output the in-phase superimposed signal to the processing terminal.

[0007] The signal strength threshold of the first plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the first limiting module, and the signal strength threshold of the second plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the second limiting module.

[0008] In one embodiment, the signal distributor is a 3dB bridge.

[0009] In one embodiment, the 3dB bridge is a microstrip bridge.

[0010] In one embodiment, the bandwidth combiner is a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first limiting module is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip, and the second limiting module is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip.

[0012] On the other hand, a transceiver assembly is also provided, including a high-power load, a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner.

[0013] The input port of the signal distributor is used to receive the incident signal. The through port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the first plasma limiter. The coupling port of the signal distributor is the input port of the second plasma limiter. The isolation port of the signal distributor is used to connect to a high-power load.

[0014] The output port of the first plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the first low-noise amplifier through the first limiting module. The output port of the second plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the second low-noise amplifier through the second limiting module. The output port of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the first input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the second input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the bandwidth combiner is used to output the in-phase superimposed signal to the processing terminal.

[0015] The signal strength threshold of the first plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the first limiting module, and the signal strength threshold of the second plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the second limiting module.

[0016] In one embodiment, the signal distributor is a 3dB bridge.

[0017] In one embodiment, the 3dB bridge is a microstrip bridge.

[0018] In one embodiment, the bandwidth combiner is a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference.

[0019] On the other hand, an active phased array radar is also provided, including a processing terminal and the aforementioned transceiver components.

[0020] One of the above technical solutions has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0021] The aforementioned high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier, transceiver assembly, and radar, by introducing a plasma limiter into the limiting low-noise amplifier design, present a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier based on a plasma limiter. From the input port inwards, the components are arranged as follows: signal distributor, first plasma limiter, second plasma limiter, first limiting module, second limiting module, first low-noise amplifier, second low-noise amplifier, and broadband combiner. When a small input signal passes through during normal operation, the designed limiting low-noise amplifier amplifies the input signal normally, combines it in phase, and sends it to the back-end processing flow. When the input signal strength increases to above the threshold power of the limiting module but below the threshold power of the plasma limiter, the plasma limiter is in the cutoff state. The signal then passes through the signal distributor and the plasma limiter to reach the limiting module, achieving the limiting function and preventing damage to the low-noise amplifier. When the input signal strength continues to increase above the threshold power of the plasma limiter, due to the slow response time of the plasma limiter, the large input signal reaches the limiting module first, causing the limiting module to conduct and reflect the large input signal. The incident and reflected large signals work together on the plasma limiter, prompting it to conduct faster and achieve large signal limiting. This reflects the strong electromagnetic energy, effectively protecting the downstream low-noise amplifier from damage by strong electromagnetic energy, thus ensuring the safety of the downstream low-noise amplifier. The low-noise amplifier with a plasma limiter, without changing other characteristics, significantly improves its power tolerance, achieving a substantial improvement in the protection capability of the low-noise amplifier. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier in one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier in another embodiment;

[0026] Figure 3 The diagram below shows the waveforms before and after low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 0.8V. In one embodiment, (a) is the waveform before low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 0.8V, and (b) is the waveform after low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 0.8V.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the waveforms before and after low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 7V. In this embodiment, (a) is the waveform before low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 7V, and (b) is the waveform after low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 7V.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the waveforms before and after low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 15V. In this embodiment, (a) is the waveform before low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 15V, and (b) is the waveform after low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 15V.

[0029] Figure 6 The diagram shows the waveforms before and after low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 50V. In one embodiment, (a) is the waveform before low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 50V, and (b) is the waveform after low-noise amplification when the incident signal peak voltage is 50V. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0031] Currently designed band-limited low-noise amplifiers and impedance-loaded absorbing structures have failed to achieve the expected results. There are two main approaches to band-limited low-noise amplifier technology: single-channel band-limited low-noise amplifiers and balanced band-limited low-noise amplifiers with cascaded paths of two limiters and a low-noise amplifier. Regardless of the implementation method, the band-limiting module typically uses a band-limiting diode structure with low power tolerance and fast response time. Faced with strong electromagnetic energy coupled from the antenna, the band-limiting module is likely to be damaged. If the band-limiting module is damaged, the strong electromagnetic energy flowing to the low-noise amplifier poses a risk of damage to the low-noise amplifier as well.

[0032] To improve the power tolerance of the limiting low-noise amplifier while taking into account the requirements of the threshold level and response time, this application introduces a plasma limiter into the design of the limiting low-noise amplifier. It makes full use of the advantages of plasma's high power tolerance, fast response time of the limiting module, and low threshold power to achieve the characteristics of fast response time, low threshold power, and high power tolerance of the limiting low-noise amplifier. This enables effective protection against different levels of energy intensity and avoids damage to the limiting low-noise amplifier by strong electromagnetic energy.

[0033] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] In one embodiment, reference Figure 1 A high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier 100 is provided, comprising a signal distributor 11, a first plasma limiter 12, a second plasma limiter 13, a first limiting module 14, a second limiting module 15, a first low-noise amplifier 16, a second low-noise amplifier 17, and a broadband combiner 18. The input port of the signal distributor 11 is used to receive incident signals; the through port of the signal distributor 11 is connected to the input port of the first plasma limiter 12; the coupling port of the signal distributor 11 is connected to the input port of the second plasma limiter 13; and the isolation port of the signal distributor 11 is used to connect to a high-power load.

[0035] The output port of the first plasma limiter 12 is connected to the input port of the first low-noise amplifier 16 via the first limiting module 14. The output port of the second plasma limiter 13 is connected to the input port of the second low-noise amplifier 17 via the second limiting module 15. The output port of the first low-noise amplifier 16 is connected to the first input port of the bandwidth combiner 18. The output port of the second low-noise amplifier 17 is connected to the second input port of the bandwidth combiner 18, and the output port of the bandwidth combiner 18 is used to output in-phase superimposed signals to the processing terminal. The signal strength threshold of the first plasma limiter 12 is greater than the signal strength threshold of the first limiting module 14. The signal strength threshold of the second plasma limiter 13 is greater than the signal strength threshold of the second limiting module 15.

[0036] It is understood that the signal distributor 11 is used to achieve power distribution and phase control, splitting the incident signal into two signals with equal amplitude and a phase difference of a set value, which are then sent to two limiting low-noise amplifier circuits respectively. The signal distributor 11 can be built using, but is not limited to, existing power dividers and phase shifters, or can be implemented using existing digital signal processors, or can be implemented using existing integrated circuits. For example, when the signal distributor 11 is built using a power divider and a phase shifter: the power divider is used to distribute the incident signal evenly to the two channels, while the phase shifter is used to adjust the phase of each channel, thus achieving power distribution and phase control.

[0037] For example, when a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is used as the signal distributor 11, the functions supported by the DSP itself are used to digitally process and adjust the input signal. By adjusting the phase and amplitude of the incident signal, similar power distribution and phase control functions can be achieved. Alternatively, when an Integrated Circuit (IC) is used as the signal distributor 11, certain ICs can be used to implement the power distribution and phase control functions of the incident signal in a phased array radar. These ICs typically integrate components such as power dividers and phase controllers, simplifying system design and layout. The above-mentioned implementation methods of the signal distributor 11 can be selected according to the specific active phased array radar system architecture and requirements.

[0038] The first plasma limiter 12 and the second plasma limiter 13 are both identical plasma limiters. Existing plasma limiters can be used directly as these plasma limiters, and their specific specifications can be selected according to the protection requirements of the radar being applied. The first limiting module 14 and the second limiting module 15 are both identical limiting modules. Existing limiting modules in the art can be used, and their specific specifications can be selected according to the protection requirements of the radar being applied. The first low-noise amplifier 16 and the second low-noise amplifier 17 are both identical low-noise amplifiers. Existing low-noise amplifiers in the art can be used, and their specific specifications can be selected according to the protection requirements of the radar being applied. The broadband combiner is used to superimpose the two signals in phase and output them. Existing combiners in the art can be used, and their specific type can be selected according to the phase control characteristics of the signal distributor 11, as long as the required signal combining output can be achieved.

[0039] The aforementioned high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier 100 incorporates a plasma limiter in its design, creating a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier based on the plasma limiter. From the input port inwards, the amplifier consists of a signal distributor 11, a first plasma limiter 12, a second plasma limiter 13, a first limiting module 14, a second limiting module 15, a first low-noise amplifier 16, a second low-noise amplifier 17, and a broadband combiner. When a small input signal is present during normal operation, the designed limiting low-noise amplifier amplifies the input signal and combines it in phase before sending it to the back-end processing flow. When the input signal strength increases to above the threshold power of the limiting module but below the threshold power of the plasma limiter, the plasma limiter is in a cutoff state. The signal then passes through the signal distributor 11 and the plasma limiter to reach the limiting module, achieving the limiting function and preventing damage to the low-noise amplifier. When the input signal strength continues to increase above the threshold power of the plasma limiter, due to the slow response time of the plasma limiter, the large input signal reaches the limiting module first, causing the limiting module to conduct and reflect the large input signal. The incident and reflected large signals work together on the plasma limiter, prompting it to conduct faster and achieve large signal limiting. This reflects the strong electromagnetic energy, effectively protecting the downstream low-noise amplifier from damage by strong electromagnetic energy, thus ensuring the safety of the downstream low-noise amplifier. The low-noise amplifier with a plasma limiter, without changing other characteristics, significantly improves its power tolerance, achieving a substantial improvement in the protection capability of the low-noise amplifier.

[0040] In one embodiment, the signal distributor 11 is further described as a 3dB bridge.

[0041] It is understood that in this embodiment, a 3dB bridge is used as the signal distributor 11 to achieve the splitting of the incident signal into two signals with equal amplitude and a phase difference of a set value in a more efficient, reliable and cost-effective manner. The set value can be, but is not limited to, 90°, -90° or other values, and can be selected according to the application requirements.

[0042] A 3dB bridge can employ existing structures in the art, such as: a saturated amplifier structure (a common method for constructing a 3dB bridge, typically using a differential amplifier and feedback circuit to achieve bridge balance); a tuned circuit structure (utilizing resonators or frequency-selective networks to construct the 3dB bridge, achieving bridge balance by adjusting the parameters of the resonators or frequency-selective networks); a superconducting circuit structure (using superconducting elements such as SQUIDs to construct the 3dB bridge, offering low loss and high sensitivity, suitable for specialized applications); or a parallel-coupled circuit structure (using parallel coupling elements such as coupling capacitors or inductors to construct the 3dB bridge, achieving bridge balance by adjusting the values ​​of the parallel coupling elements).

[0043] These 3dB bridge structures can be selected based on specific application requirements and system design. Different structures may be suitable for different frequency ranges, power levels, and system requirements. When selecting a specific structure, factors such as bridge performance indicators (e.g., balance, bandwidth), manufacturing costs, and integration levels need to be considered.

[0044] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the 3dB bridge is further a microstrip bridge. It can be understood that the 3dB bridge uses a microstrip structure, and its dielectric substrate has a high dielectric constant of 21, effectively further reducing the size of the 3dB bridge, thereby reducing the overall size of the device. The signal passing through the 3dB bridge is split into two signals with equal amplitude and a 90° phase difference. These two signals pass through plasma limiters of identical performance. Signals below the energy threshold pass through the plasma limiter to the limiting module, and then through the limiting module to the low-noise amplifier for signal amplification. The amplified signals are then combined in phase by a bandwidth combiner 18 with corresponding phase differences to achieve in-phase superposition before output.

[0045] Furthermore, the bandwidth combiner 18 is a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference. It can be understood that in this embodiment, a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference is used to achieve in-phase superposition of the two signals, which significantly improves the operating bandwidth of the designed limiting low-noise amplifier.

[0046] Specifically, for a small signal input during normal operation, the signal strength is below the conduction threshold of the plasma limiter and the limiting module. After being spun by a 3dB bridge, the signal is divided into two signals with equal amplitude and a 90° phase difference. These signals pass through the plasma limiter and the limiting module with low loss, reaching the front end of the low-noise amplifier. After amplification, the two signals are superimposed in phase at the output of the broadband combiner and then output to the processing terminal. When the signal strength increases above the limiting module threshold but below the plasma threshold, the signal passes through the plasma limiter with low loss after being spun by a 3dB bridge, reaching the limiting module and driving it to conduct. This reflects the signal energy, with only a small amount of energy leaking to the low-noise amplifier, ensuring its safety. The reflected energy is absorbed by the high-power load after passing through the plasma limiter and the 3dB bridge.

[0047] As the signal continues to strengthen above the threshold of the plasma limiter, the plasma cannot respond to the signal leading edge in time, causing the electromagnetic energy of the signal leading edge to reach the limiting module. Due to its short response time, the limiting module quickly turns on, reflecting the energy back to the plasma limiter. The combined effect of the incident and reflected energy accelerates the conduction of the plasma limiter, thus reflecting the strong electromagnetic energy and absorbing it with the high-power load, effectively protecting the downstream low-noise amplifier from damage by the strong electromagnetic energy. Introducing a plasma limiter into the limiting low-noise amplifier significantly improves the device's power handling capability without altering other characteristics of the circuit.

[0048] In one embodiment, the first limiting module 14 is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip, and the second limiting module 15 is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip. It is understood that the two limiting modules can be constructed according to the existing limiting module construction principles in the art, by selecting the appropriate number and arrangement of diodes based on the power tolerance and response time requirements, or by directly using a limiting chip that meets the requirements, thereby providing a more flexible and low-cost limiting structure.

[0049] The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier 100 based on a plasma limiter designed in this invention has been simulated, and the results are good, fully verifying the feasibility of this invention. For example, based on Figure 2 The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier 100 shown uses a field-circuit simulation method to establish a simulation model, obtaining the signal waveforms before and after low-noise amplification under different voltage signal injections, as shown below. Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, where, Figure 3 (a) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 0.8V. Figure 3 (b) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 0.8V. Figure 4(a) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 7V. Figure 4 (b) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 7V. Figure 5 (a) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 15V. Figure 5 (b) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 15V. Figure 6 (a) is the low-noise amplifier waveform when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 50V. Figure 6 (b) shows the waveform after low-noise amplification when the peak voltage of the incident signal is 50V. In the simulation, the power gain of the low-noise amplifier used is 20dB.

[0050] from Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can be seen that when a small signal is incident, the signal can achieve a normal gain of 20dB. As the signal strength increases, the limiting module is turned on, and the peak voltages of the input and output signals of the low-noise amplifier are limited to approximately 0.7V and 15V, respectively. The reason why there is still an output voltage after limiting is because the limiting module has leakage power. The simulation results above show that the designed limiting low-noise amplifier has the required limiting and amplification functions.

[0051] In one embodiment, a transceiver component is also provided, including a high-power load, a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner. The input port of the signal distributor is used to receive an incident signal. A through port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the first plasma limiter. A coupling port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the second plasma limiter. An isolation port of the signal distributor is used to connect to the high-power load. The output port of the first plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the first low-noise amplifier via the first limiting module. The output port of the second plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the second low-noise amplifier via the second limiting module. The output port of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the first input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the second input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the bandwidth combiner is used to output in-phase superimposed signals to a processing terminal. The signal strength threshold of the first plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the first limiting module, and the signal strength threshold of the second plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the second limiting module.

[0052] It is understood that the explanations of the aforementioned signal distributor, first plasma limiter, second plasma limiter, first limiting module, second limiting module, first low-noise amplifier, second low-noise amplifier, and broadband combiner can be understood by referring to the corresponding features of the aforementioned high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier device 100, and will not be repeated in this embodiment. The high-power load can be a power load already existing in the art, and the specific type can be selected according to the energy absorption requirements. Those skilled in the art will understand that the aforementioned transceiver components may include other existing components in addition to the aforementioned components. This can be understood by referring to the existing structures of specific transceiver components in different radars, and will not be elaborated upon in this specification.

[0053] The aforementioned transceiver components, by incorporating a plasma limiter into the design of a limiting low-noise amplifier, constitute a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier device based on the plasma limiter. From the input port inwards, the device consists of a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner. When a normally functioning small input signal passes through, the designed limiting low-noise amplifier amplifies the input signal and combines it in phase before sending it to the back-end processing flow. When the input signal strength increases to above the threshold power of the limiting module but below the threshold power of the plasma limiter, the plasma limiter is in the off state. The signal then passes through the signal distributor and the plasma limiter to reach the limiting module, achieving the limiting function and preventing damage to the low-noise amplifier. When the input signal strength continues to increase above the threshold power of the plasma limiter, due to the slow response time of the plasma limiter, the large input signal reaches the limiting module first, causing the limiting module to conduct and reflect the large input signal. The incident and reflected large signals work together on the plasma limiter, prompting it to conduct faster and achieve large signal limiting. This reflects the strong electromagnetic energy, effectively protecting the downstream low-noise amplifier from damage by strong electromagnetic energy, thus ensuring the safety of the downstream low-noise amplifier. The low-noise amplifier with a plasma limiter, without changing other characteristics, significantly improves its power tolerance, achieving a substantial improvement in the protection capability of the low-noise amplifier.

[0054] In one embodiment, the signal distributor is a 3dB bridge.

[0055] In one embodiment, the 3dB bridge is a microstrip bridge.

[0056] In one embodiment, the bandwidth combiner is a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference.

[0057] It is understood that the explanation of the above-mentioned transceiver components can be understood by referring to the explanation of the corresponding embodiment of the high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0058] In one embodiment, an active phased array radar is also provided, including a processing terminal and the aforementioned transceiver components.

[0059] It is understood that the processing terminal refers to the existing signal transceiver processing terminal equipment of the radar system, used to realize functions such as back-end processing of received signals and front-end processing of transmitted signals. Those skilled in the art will understand that the active phased array radar referred to in this embodiment may include other existing components in addition to the aforementioned components. The specific details can be understood similarly based on the existing structures of different radars, and will not be elaborated upon in this specification. The explanation of the above transceiver components can be understood by referring to the corresponding features in the embodiments of the above transceiver components, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0060] The aforementioned active phased array radar, by applying the aforementioned transceiver components, incorporates a plasma limiter in the design of a limiting low-noise amplifier, resulting in a high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier device based on the plasma limiter. From the input port inwards, the device consists of a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner. When a small, normally functioning input signal passes through, the designed limiting low-noise amplifier amplifies the input signal and combines it in phase before sending it to the back-end processing flow. When the input signal strength increases to above the threshold power of the limiting module but below the threshold power of the plasma limiter, the plasma limiter is in a cutoff state. The signal then passes through the signal distributor and the plasma limiter to reach the limiting module, achieving the limiting function and preventing damage to the low-noise amplifier. When the input signal strength continues to increase above the threshold power of the plasma limiter, due to the slow response time of the plasma limiter, the large input signal reaches the limiting module first, causing the limiting module to conduct and reflect the large input signal. The incident and reflected large signals work together on the plasma limiter, prompting it to conduct faster and achieve large signal limiting. This reflects the strong electromagnetic energy, effectively protecting the downstream low-noise amplifier from damage by strong electromagnetic energy, thus ensuring the safety of the downstream low-noise amplifier. The low-noise amplifier device with a plasma limiter, without changing other characteristics, significantly improves its power tolerance, achieving a substantial improvement in the protection capability of the low-noise amplifier and enhancing radar performance.

[0061] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0062] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

[0063] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0064] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

Claims

1. A high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier, characterized in that, It includes a signal distributor, a first plasma limiter, a second plasma limiter, a first limiting module, a second limiting module, a first low-noise amplifier, a second low-noise amplifier, and a broadband combiner; The input port of the signal distributor is used to receive the incident signal, the through port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the first plasma limiter, the coupling port of the signal distributor is connected to the input port of the second plasma limiter, and the isolation port of the signal distributor is used to connect to a high-power load. The output port of the first plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the first low-noise amplifier through the first limiting module. The output port of the second plasma limiter is connected to the input port of the second low-noise amplifier through the second limiting module. The output port of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the first input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the second input port of the bandwidth combiner. The output port of the bandwidth combiner is used to output in-phase superimposed signals to the processing terminal. The signal strength threshold of the first plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the first limiting module, and the signal strength threshold of the second plasma limiter is greater than the signal strength threshold of the second limiting module.

2. The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal distributor is a 3dB bridge.

3. The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier according to claim 2, characterized in that, The 3dB bridge is a microstrip bridge.

4. The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bandwidth combiner is a broadband combiner with a 90° phase difference.

5. The high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first limiting module is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip, and the second limiting module is a diode array limiter or a limiting chip.

6. An active phased array radar, characterized in that, It includes a processing terminal and the high-power balanced limiting low-noise amplifier as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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