Compact dual-frequency orthogonal mode converter with linear polarization

Abstract

The present invention relates to a broadband quadrature mode converter with linear polarization obtained by additive manufacturing, the quadrature mode converter comprising a hybrid coupler comprising: a first waveguide comprising a first input port and a first single polarized output port; and a second waveguide including a second input port and a second single-polarized output port; and a coupling portion connecting the first waveguide to the second waveguide, the orthogonal mode converter further comprising a spacer polarizer comprising: a third single-polarized input port connected to the first output port; and a fourth single polarization input port, wherein the fourth single polarization input port is connected to the second output port; and a third single-polarized output port, in which the first waveguide and the second waveguide are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry of the septum including the septum polarizer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a compact dual-frequency linear polarization orthogonal mode converter. Background Art

[0002] An orthogonal mode converter (abbreviated as OMT) is a passive component widely used in radio frequency antennas to achieve both receiving and transmitting operations.

[0003] They are particularly widely used in onboard antennas on communication satellites, so limiting the weight and volume of such antennas is a key issue. The ability of the antenna (and therefore the OMT) to transmit / receive in several frequency bands is also a determining factor.

[0004] However, conventional OMTs often struggle to achieve compactness while maintaining a wide transmit / receive bandwidth. Some OMTs, such as sidearm OMTs, are compact but not broadband. In some cases, the sidearm can be extended to operate in a second frequency band, but this extension only applies to one of the two polarizations. Other OMTs, such as "Boifot" or "Turnstile" junctions, offer broadband but are not compact because their aperture is larger than the wavelength λ of the wave at the OMT's highest operating frequency.

[0005] EP2330681 A1 describes a single frequency orthogonal mode converter comprising a septum polariser whose septa allow a 180° phase shift in order to produce a 45° polarisation.

[0006] US 2012 / 0319799 A1 describes an orthogonal mode converter comprising a first septum polarizer connected to a second corrugated polarizer to cancel the circular polarization produced by the first polarizer and produce a 45° polarization. If the converter is increased in length, thereby increasing its overall size, then theoretically, wider bandwidth performance can be achieved.

[0007] EP2047564B1 describes an orthogonal mode converter that includes a coupling portion in the form of a lateral arm connected to the converter via a slot, thereby allowing the lateral waveguide to be rotated 90°. The lateral arm increases the converter's footprint. Furthermore, broadband performance of this type of converter has not yet been demonstrated. Summary of the Invention

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an orthogonal mode converter that is not subject to the limitations of known orthogonal mode converters.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a broadband quadrature-mode converter having a reduced footprint.

[0010] These objects are achieved by means of the objects of the claims and in particular by means of a broadband linearly polarized orthogonal mode converter obtained by additive manufacturing, comprising:

[0011] A hybrid coupler, the hybrid coupler comprising:

[0012] a first waveguide comprising a first input port and a first output port having a single polarization; and

[0013] a second waveguide comprising a second input port and a second output port having a single polarization; and

[0014] a coupling portion connecting the first waveguide to the second waveguide;

[0015] The QMC also includes:

[0016] A septum polarizer, the septum polarizer comprising:

[0017] a third input port having a single polarization and connected to the first output port; and

[0018] a fourth input port having a single polarization and connected to the second output port; and

[0019] a third output port, the third output port having a single polarization;

[0020] Therein, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane of a septum containing the septum polarizer.

[0021] The symmetrical arrangement of the first and second waveguides of the coupler allows the converter's footprint to be limited, i.e., a compact cross-section is achieved along the entire length of the converter. This results in a smaller footprint, enabling the device to be compacted, for example, in an antenna array.

[0022] In the first embodiment, the coupling portion connects a first lateral surface of the first waveguide and a second lateral surface of the second waveguide, and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface are located in the same plane.

[0023] The first lateral face may correspond to the smallest face of the first waveguide, and the second lateral face may correspond to the smallest face of the second waveguide.

[0024] Advantageously, this configuration further reduces the volume by arranging the two waveguides of the coupler so that the larger lateral faces of these waveguides face each other. In this way, the space occupied by the coupler is reduced.

[0025] In one embodiment, the coupling portion comprises a prism with a trapezoidal base, a first portion of the rectangular faces of the prism contacting a first lateral face of the first waveguide and a second portion of the rectangular faces of the prism contacting a second lateral face of the second waveguide.

[0026] This geometry of the coupling portion facilitates additive manufacturing of the coupler by constraining the cantilever portion.

[0027] The coupling portion may include an impedance matching element.

[0028] In a second embodiment, the coupling portion connects a first lateral surface of the first waveguide with a second lateral surface of the second waveguide, the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface being arranged in different parallel planes.

[0029] This arrangement advantageously reduces the footprint of the converter by placing the coupling portion between the two waveguides. In fact, the outer face of the coupler, ie the face of one waveguide that does not directly face the face of the other waveguide, does not include any protruding elements that would increase the footprint of the converter.

[0030] Advantageously, the coupling portion may comprise a plurality of branches, a first end of each branch being connected to the first waveguide and a second end of each branch being connected to the second waveguide.

[0031] In one embodiment, each branch forms a double-sided roof, wherein a first roof side is adjacent to a first lateral face and a second roof side is adjacent to a second lateral face.Such a branch geometry facilitates additive manufacturing by limiting cantilevered portions.

[0032] The roof edge formed by the junction of the first side portion and the second side portion may be contained within a plane perpendicular to the printing direction.

[0033] To facilitate additive manufacturing, the first side portion may form an angle between 35° and 55° with the first lateral surface of the first waveguide, and the second side portion may form an angle between 35° and 55° with the second lateral surface of the second waveguide.

[0034] To further limit the cantilever section of the coupling portion, each branch may form a double double-sided roof comprising a first double-sided roof and a second double-sided roof, the first side of the first double-sided roof being adjacent to the first lateral surface and the second side of the first double-sided roof being adjacent to the second lateral surface, the third side of the second double-sided roof being adjacent to the first lateral surface and the fourth side of the second double-sided roof being adjacent to the second lateral surface.

[0035] The first and third roof sides may advantageously form an angle of between 35° and 55° with the first lateral surface, and the second and fourth roof sides may form an angle of between 35° and 55° with the second lateral surface.

[0036] An edge of the first roof formed by the joint of the first side and the second side may form an angle between 35° and 55° with the printing direction, and an edge of the second roof formed by the joint of the third side and the fourth side may form an angle between 35° and 55° with the printing direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] An example of how the invention may be implemented is shown in the description illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0038] · Figure 1 A quadrature mode converter according to the present invention is schematically illustrated.

[0039] · Figure 2 Diagram showing a septum polarizer.

[0040] · Figure 3 A hybrid coupler having a trapezoidal coupling section is shown.

[0041] · Figure 4a and Figure 4b The diagram includes Figure 3 Orthogonal mode converter of hybrid coupler.

[0042] · Figure 5a and Figure 5b A hybrid coupler is illustrated, the coupling portion of which includes multiple branches suitable for additive manufacturing.

[0043] · Figure 6a and Figure 6b A hybrid coupler is illustrated, the coupling portion of which includes multiple branches suitable for additive manufacturing.

[0044] · Figure 7a and Figure 7b The diagram includes Figure 6a and Figure 6b The illustrated hybrid coupler is a quadrature mode converter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the orthogonal mode converter of the present invention comprises a hybrid coupler 1 connected to a septum polarizer 2. The hybrid coupler 1 comprises two waveguides 10, 11 arranged in parallel and connected to each other by a coupling portion 12. The septum polarizer 2 is connected to the output port of the hybrid coupler 1 via two input ports.

[0046] When the radio frequency device comprising the present orthogonal mode converter is operated in transmit mode, electromagnetic waves propagate from the hybrid coupler 1 to the septum polarizer 2 and when the radio frequency device is operated in receive mode, electromagnetic waves propagate from the septum polarizer to the hybrid coupler. The terms used in the context of the present invention, such as "input port" or "output port" correspond to the operating transmit mode, although the converter can be operated indifferently in transmit mode and / or in receive mode.

[0047] Thus, the direction of wave propagation in the converter is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the waveguide of the coupler 1 and to the longitudinal direction of the polarizer 2.

[0048] The orthogonal mode converter of the present invention is obtained by additive manufacturing. The term "additive manufacturing" describes any process of manufacturing a part by adding material and defining a model of the part according to computer data stored on a computer medium. In addition to stereolithography, this term refers to other manufacturing methods such as liquid or powder solidification or solidification, including but not limited to binder jetting, DED (direct energy deposition), EBFF (electron beam freeform fabrication), FDM (fused deposition modeling), PFF (plastic freeform fabrication), aerosol manufacturing, BPM (ballistic particle manufacturing), powder bed, SLS (selective laser sintering), ALM (additive layer manufacturing), polymer jetting, EBM (electron beam melting), photopolymerization, etc.

[0049] Thus, although the orthogonal mode converter comprises two components having different functions, i.e. a hybrid coupler and a septum polarizer, the manufacturing of the orthogonal mode converter does not require assembly after the 3D printing stage. Thus, the coupler and the polarizer are generally manufactured as one piece.

[0050] The hybrid coupler is a four-port directional coupler used to separate or combine waves having a specific phase relationship. There are two main types of hybrid couplers, one hybrid coupler produces a 90° phase shift between the two output ports and the other hybrid coupler produces a 180° phase shift between the two output ports. The hybrid coupler is also used as a power divider since the waves generally undergo a 3 dB attenuation, i.e. the power of the wave propagating through each of the output ports is equal to 50% of the power of the input wave.

[0051] Figure 2 A Riblet type hybrid coupler of the prior art is illustrated, which hybrid coupler is composed of two waveguides coupled together via a hole in the adjacent walls of the two waveguides.

[0052] As Figure 1The first waveguide 10 thus comprises, by way of illustration, a first input port 100 and a first output port 101, and the second waveguide comprises a second input port 110 and a second output port 111. The phase shift at the output ports depends on the coupling section 12. Each of these four ports is unipolar.

[0053] The coupling section 12 of the coupler 1 allows the waves propagating in the first waveguide 10 to at least partially enter the second waveguide 11, and vice versa.

[0054] Thus, by way of example, the waves propagating through the first input port 100 of the first waveguide 10 will be split between the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11 via the coupling section 12, and thus exit the hybrid coupler 1 via the first output port 101 and the second output port 100.

[0055] The output ports 101, 111 of the hybrid coupler are connected to the septum polarizer 2 via the third input port 200 and the fourth input port 210 of the polarizer, respectively. The other end of the polarizer 2 comprises a third output port 201. The third output port can be connected to a radiating element of an antenna, or even serve as a radiating element itself in some embodiments. Each of the third input port 200 and the fourth input port 210 of the polarizer is unipolar. The third output port 201 of the polarizer is bipolar.

[0056] Although the various embodiments shown in the figures illustrate waveguides with a rectangular cross-section, the invention is not limited to these geometries. Indeed, the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11 as well as the septum polarizer 2 can also have a circular, elliptical, polygonal (regular or irregular), for example triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, cross-section, etc.

[0057] The hybrid coupler 1 is used to simultaneously excite the third and fourth input ports of the polarizer 2 to produce two circular polarizations. The combination of these two circular polarizations by the polarizer septum results in a linear polarization in the third output port 201.

[0058] The septum 22 of the polarizer 2 is arranged in a plane parallel to the direction of wave propagation in the transducer. The septum generally has a variable height, the highest part of the septum being provided at the end of the polarizer comprising the third input port 200 and the fourth input port 210. The height of the septum can generally decrease in a linear or stepped manner. Figure 2 A polarizer 2 is shown with a septum 22 having a stepped decrease.

[0059] The orthogonal mode converter of the present invention can be implemented in different radio frequency devices intended for various frequency bands, depending on its application. The present invention can generally be implemented in devices intended for the following frequency bands: X, Ku, Ka, QV, Ku / Ka, Ka / QV.

[0060] Advantageously, the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11 of the hybrid coupler 1 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane containing the septum 22 of the polarizer 2 .

[0061] Advantageously, the cross-section of septum polarizer 2, measured perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation in the orthogonal-mode converter, is identical to the cross-section of hybrid coupler 1, measured perpendicular to the same propagation direction. Consequently, the diameter of the orthogonal-mode converter (or converter footprint), measured in a plane perpendicular to the propagation direction, is substantially constant along the propagation direction. This feature increases the compactness of the converter and thus reduces its footprint, particularly for use in compact antenna arrays.

[0062] As mentioned above, the hybrid coupler 1 generates a 90° or 180° phase shift, depending on the coupling section 12. In transmit mode, this means that an electromagnetic wave propagating through the hybrid coupler's first input port 100 or second input port 110 is split into two waves, each of which is phase-shifted by 90° or 180° relative to each other between the first output port 101 and the second output port 111. Each of the two output waves is also attenuated by -3 dB relative to the input wave. In receive mode, the hybrid coupler receives the two waves with a 90° or 180° phase shift and combines them to create a wave with double the power, i.e., a 3 dB increase in power. Two main embodiments are described below, each corresponding to one of the two phase shifts.

[0063] exist Figure 3 1 shows a hybrid coupler 1 according to a first embodiment. A first waveguide 10 and a second waveguide 11 are connected via a coupling portion 12 .

[0064] During transmission, the coupler splits the wave propagating through the first input port 100 or the second input port 110 into two waves with a phase difference of 90° via the coupling portion 12. Therefore, the two input ports of the septum polarizer 2 are each excited simultaneously by one of the two 90° phase-shifted waves, thereby generating two 90° phase-shifted circular polarizations.

[0065] The two circular polarizations are then combined in the septum polarizer 2 , thereby generating a linearly polarized wave at the output port 201 of the septum polarizer that is tilted by 45° with respect to the input wave of the hybrid coupler 1 .

[0066] Still according to the first embodiment, the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11 of the hybrid coupler 1 may have a rectangular cross section and be arranged parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 Advantageously, one of the long sides of the rectangular cross-section of the first waveguide is parallel to one of the long sides of the rectangular cross-section of the second waveguide, so that the larger rectangular lateral wall of the first waveguide and the larger rectangular lateral wall of the second waveguide are arranged in parallel planes.

[0067] The two waveguides 10 and 11 are connected by a coupling portion 12. More specifically, the coupling portion 12 connects one of the smaller rectangular lateral walls of the first waveguide 10 with one of the smaller rectangular lateral walls of the second waveguide 11. The two smaller rectangular walls lie in the same plane, which is perpendicular to the larger rectangular lateral wall of each waveguide. Each of the smaller walls has an opening at the coupling portion to allow waves to transfer from the first waveguide to the second waveguide, or vice versa. The coupling portion includes a waveguide portion extending between the two openings to propagate waves between the two openings.

[0068] exist Figure 3 In the particular embodiment shown, the waveguide portion of the coupling section 12 has a trapezoidal geometry. More precisely, this waveguide portion comprises a rectangular base connected to the smaller lateral walls of the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11. The waveguide portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the rectangular base, and its cross section parallel to the base decreases until the waveguide portion forms a rectangular upper face opposite the base, which is therefore smaller in size than the base.

[0069] The coupling portion 12 may be provided with one or more impedance matching elements, such as ridges, internal protrusions or openings in the wall of the coupling portion. These elements are designed to optimize signal transmission in the coupling portion. Figure 3 As shown, an opening may be arranged on the top surface of the coupling portion to improve signal transmission between the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11 .

[0070] Figure 4a and Figure 4b The diagram shows an orthogonal mode converter according to the first embodiment described above. The hybrid coupler 1 and the septum polarizer 2 are manufactured as one piece by additive manufacturing, so that the converter of the present invention can be obtained without assembly.

[0071] In one embodiment, the printing direction of the layers used for additive manufacturing aligns with the wave propagation direction in the orthogonal mode converter. To reduce or even eliminate the need for printing support structures during manufacturing, certain portions of the converter are suitable for additive manufacturing. In particular, certain cantilever portions are tilted so that the angle formed with the printing direction is significantly less than 90°.

[0072] As Figure 3 illustrated, the coupling portion 12 of the hybrid coupler can comprise side faces forming an angle of 35° to 55° with the propagation direction so as to eliminate the need for any print support structure.

[0073] According to a second main embodiment, the quadrature mode converter comprises a hybrid coupler 1 which generates a 180° phase shift between the two waves output by the coupler when the device is operated in transmit mode.

[0074] According to this second main embodiment, the coupling portion 12 of the hybrid coupler 1 connects a first lateral face of the first waveguide 10 and a second lateral face of the second waveguide 11, the first and second lateral faces being arranged in different parallel planes.

[0075] In transmit mode, the hybrid coupler 1 divides the wave propagating through the first input port 100 or the second input port 110 via the coupling portion 12 into two waves which are 180° out of phase. Thus, the two input ports of the septum polarizer 2 are each simultaneously excited by one of these two 180° phase-shifted waves, resulting in two 180° phase-shifted circular polarizations.

[0076] In Figure 5a and Figure 5b the illustrated embodiment, the coupling portion 12 comprises a plurality of branches 121, each branch being connected on the one hand to the first lateral face of the first waveguide 10 and on the other hand to the second lateral face of the second waveguide 11. In this way, each branch 121 intersects the plane of symmetry of the first waveguide 10 and of the second waveguide 11.

[0077] Each branch 121 comprises a waveguide for propagating a wave from the first waveguide 10 via an opening in the wall of the second lateral face to the second waveguide 11 or vice versa.

[0078] In an unillustrated embodiment, each branch 121 comprises a waveguide extending perpendicularly to the side faces of the first waveguide 10 and of the second waveguide 11. The cross section of this waveguide can be triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or more generally polygonal. In addition to or instead of straight portions, the cross section of this waveguide can comprise curved portions.

[0079] As mentioned previously, in order to reduce the need for a print support structure, certain portions of the hybrid coupler according to the second main embodiment are inclined with respect to the printing direction. The printing direction is in Figure 5a and Figure 5bThe z-axis is illustrated in FIG and corresponds to the direction of propagation of the signal in the coupler.

[0080] In particular, the branches 121 may have inclined portions to limit the cantilevered sections and thus facilitate or even enable additive manufacturing of the device.

[0081] exist Figure 5a and Figure 5b In the illustrated embodiment, each branch 121 advantageously forms a double-sided roof, each of the sides being adjacent to one or the other of the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11. The roof edge formed by the junction of the two sides is generally contained in a plane perpendicular to the printing direction z.

[0082] The two sides are tilted so that the roof edge points in the direction of the septum polarizer 2 or in the direction of the first input port 100 and the second input port 110. In other words, the double-sided roof has a V-shaped profile that points in either direction along the z-printing axis. This geometry of the branch 121 advantageously reduces the cantilever portion and thus facilitates additive manufacturing of the branch, particularly by eliminating the need for printing support structures.

[0083] Each branch forms an angle with the lateral face of its adjacent waveguide of between 35° and 55°, preferably between 40° and 50°.

[0084] In one embodiment, the branches 121 are symmetrical about the symmetry plane of the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11. In other words, each roof side is symmetrical to each other about the symmetry plane of the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

[0085] exist Figure 6a and Figure 6b In the illustrated embodiment, each branch 121 advantageously forms a dual, two-sided roof. More specifically, each branch 121 includes a first, two-sided roof, with each side of the first two-sided roof adjacent to the first waveguide 10 or the second waveguide 11, and each side of the second two-sided roof adjacent to the first waveguide 10 or the second waveguide 11. The first and second two-sided roofs are connected so that the edges of the first and second roofs are contained within the same plane. The edges of the first and second roofs form a certain angle at the connection point between the two roofs.

[0086] in other words, Figure 6a and Figure 6b The embodiment shown in Figure 5a and Figure 5b The embodiment shown in FIG is similar to that shown in FIG, wherein the difference is that each branch of the coupling portion forms a bend in a plane containing the edge of the branch.

[0087] Each of the two edges forms an angle between 35° and 55° with the printing direction, such that the angle between the two edges is between 70° and 110°.

[0088] In one embodiment, each branch 121 has a double symmetry. In fact, each branch has a first symmetry about the symmetry plane of the first waveguide 10 and the second waveguide 11, and a second symmetry about a plane perpendicular to the symmetry plane of the first waveguide and the second waveguide and containing the printing direction z.

[0089] like Figure 7a and Figure 7b As shown, the orthogonal mode converter including the branch coupler has overall symmetry along a plane containing the septum 22 .

[0090] Reference numerals

[0091] 1 Hybrid Coupler

[0092] 10 First Waveguide

[0093] 11 Second Waveguide

[0094] 100 First input port

[0095] 101 First output port

[0096] 110 Second input port

[0097] 111 Second output port

[0098] 12 Coupling part

[0099] 121 branches

[0100] 122 Side

[0101] 123 Edge

[0102] 2 Spacer Polarizer

[0103] 200 Third input port

[0104] 210 Fourth input port

[0105] 201 Third output port

[0106] 22 spacers

[0107] z Printing direction.

Claims

1. A broadband linear polarization orthogonal mode converter obtained by additive manufacturing, the orthogonal mode converter comprising: A hybrid coupler (1), comprising: a first waveguide (10) comprising a first input port (100) and a first output port (101) having a single polarization; and a second waveguide (11) comprising a second input port (110) and a second output port (111) having a single polarization; and a coupling portion (12) connecting the first waveguide (10) to the second waveguide (11); The orthogonal mode converter further comprises: A septum polarizer (2), the septum polarizer (2) comprising: a third input port (200) having a single polarization and connected to the first output port (101); and a fourth input port (210) having a single polarization and connected to the second output port (111); and a third output port (201), the third output port (201) having a single polarization; The first waveguide (10) and the second waveguide (11) are arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane containing a septum (22) of the septum polarizer (2).

2. The orthogonal mode converter according to claim 1, wherein The coupling portion (12) connects a first lateral surface of the first waveguide (10) with a second lateral surface of the second waveguide (11), and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface are arranged in the same plane.

3. A quadrature mode converter according to the preceding claim, wherein The first lateral face corresponds to the face of the first waveguide (10) with the smallest size, and the second lateral face corresponds to the face of the second waveguide (11) with the smallest size.

4. A quadrature mode converter according to the preceding claim, wherein The coupling portion (12) includes a trapezoidal-based prism, a first portion of a rectangular face of the prism contacts the first lateral face of the first waveguide, and a second portion of the rectangular face of the prism contacts the second lateral face of the second waveguide.

5. A quadrature mode converter according to the preceding claim, the coupling portion (12) comprising an impedance matching element.

6. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 1, wherein: The coupling portion (12) connects a first lateral surface of the first waveguide (10) with a second lateral surface of the second waveguide (11), and the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface are arranged in different and parallel planes.

7. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 6, wherein: The coupling portion (12) includes a plurality of branches (121), a first end of each branch being connected to the first waveguide (10), and a second end of each branch being connected to the second waveguide (11).

8. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 7, wherein: Each branch (121) forms a double-sided roof, a first roof side adjacent to the first lateral face and a second roof side adjacent to the second lateral face.

9. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 8, wherein: An edge of the roof formed by a junction of the first side portion and the second side portion is contained in a plane perpendicular to a printing direction (z).

10. The quadrature mode converter according to one of claims 8 to 9, wherein The first side portion forms an angle of between 35° and 55° with the first lateral face of the first waveguide, and wherein the second side portion forms an angle of between 35° and 55° with the second lateral face of the second waveguide.

11. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 7, wherein: Each branch (121) forms a double double-sided roof, the double double-sided roof including a first double-sided roof and a second double-sided roof, the first side of the first double-sided roof being adjacent to the first lateral surface and the second side of the first double-sided roof being adjacent to the second lateral surface, the third side of the second double-sided roof being adjacent to the first lateral surface and the fourth side of the second double-sided roof being adjacent to the second lateral surface.

12. The quadrature mode converter according to claim 11, wherein: The first side portion and the third side portion form an angle of between 35° and 55° with the first lateral surface, and wherein the second side portion and the fourth side portion form an angle of between 35° and 55° with the second lateral surface.

13. The quadrature mode converter according to one of claims 11 to 12, wherein An edge of the first roof formed by the joint of the first side and the second side forms an angle of between 35° and 55° with the printing direction (z), and wherein an edge of the second roof formed by the joint of the third side and the fourth side forms an angle of between 35° and 55° with the printing direction (z).

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