Terahertz power synthesis antenna

Abstract

The invention provides a terahertz power synthesis antenna, and relates to the technical field of terahertz waves. According to the invention, the power synthesis input end comprising the synthesis matching cavity and the at least two standard rectangular waveguides is directly integrated with the conical horn antenna as the radiation output end, so that efficient synthesis and radiation of multiple paths of terahertz signals are realized. TE10 mode signals from standard rectangular waveguides are directly synthesized and converted into a TM01 mode through a mode conversion structure in a synthesis matching cavity, so that an independent conversion link from the rectangular waveguides to a conical horn antenna is omitted, insertion loss and reflection loss caused by multi-stage conversion are reduced, and synthesis efficiency and output power are improved; according to the invention, radiation of the conical horn antenna is directly fed in, high directivity and high gain characteristics of the conical horn antenna are fully utilized, and it is ensured that a synthesized terahertz signal is efficiently radiated with good beam quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of terahertz wave technology, and more particularly to a terahertz power combining antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Terahertz waves (THz) are electromagnetic waves that lie between submillimeter waves and infrared radiation, representing the last untapped frequency band in the electromagnetic spectrum. Because the terahertz frequency range lies at the intersection of electronics and photonics, it exhibits a series of unique properties compared to other frequency bands of electromagnetic radiation. Compared to microwave and millimeter-wave electromagnetic waves, terahertz waves offer higher resolution; and compared to X-ray electromagnetic waves, they have lower photon energy and do not produce harmful ionization within biological cells. These characteristics make terahertz waves highly valuable for applications in hazardous materials detection, biomedical imaging, and food and drug testing.

[0003] However, the output power of current single-channel terahertz transmitters is relatively low, making it difficult to meet the needs of practical applications. Therefore, terahertz power combining technology is needed to improve the output power. Conical horn antennas are widely used at the output of terahertz transmitters due to their high directivity and high gain. However, traditional terahertz transmitters require the terahertz signal to be converted from the rectangular waveguide port to the conical antenna, increasing conversion loss and further reducing the output power of the terahertz transmitter. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a terahertz power combining antenna, which solves the technical problem of limited power of current terahertz transmitters.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a terahertz power combining antenna, comprising: a power combining input terminal and a conical horn antenna serving as a radiation output port; the power combining input terminal includes a combining matching cavity and at least two standard rectangular waveguides; the ports of each standard rectangular waveguide serve as signal input ports for introducing multiple TE signals. 10 The mode-matching cavity is connected between a standard rectangular waveguide and a conical horn antenna, and integrates a mode conversion structure to convert the terahertz signals from each standard rectangular waveguide. 10 The terahertz signals of the mode are directly synthesized and converted into TM. 01 The pattern signal is fed into the conical horn antenna for radiation.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the mode conversion structure includes a cylindrical central conductor positioned along the central axis of the synthesis matching cavity. The cylindrical central conductor and the inner wall of the synthesis matching cavity together form a coaxial waveguide structure for realizing TE. 10The conversion from TEM mode to TM mode is achieved by a radially dimensionally tapered transition structure at the end of the synthetic matching cavity facing the conical horn antenna. 01 The mode is switched and impedance matching is completed.

[0007] In one possible implementation, at the connection between the synthetic matching cavity and each standard rectangular waveguide, there is a waveguide structure with a gradually changing width and / or length, used to achieve impedance matching between the standard rectangular waveguide and the mode conversion structure.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the cylindrical central conductor has a conductivity greater than or equal to 5.0 × 10⁻⁶. 7 Made of an alloy material with a magnetic permeability of S / m and a relative permeability of less than or equal to 1.2.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the optimization of the flow from TE is achieved by adjusting at least one of the parameters of the cylindrical central conductor: radius, height, conductivity, and permeability. 10 Mode to TM 01 Efficiency of mode conversion.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the number of standard rectangular waveguides is four, and the synthetic matching cavity is configured to connect the four TE channels. 10 The mode of terahertz signal synthesis and conversion.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the terahertz power combining antenna has a combining efficiency of no less than 98% at 110 GHz, a port isolation of more than 12 dB, and a gain of no less than 20 dB for the conical horn antenna.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the synthetic matching cavity consists of a separable and combinable upper half and a lower half; a columnar central conductor is disposed within the lower half.

[0013] In one possible implementation, a positioning structure is provided between the upper and lower halves to ensure the coaxiality of the internal cavity and the cylindrical central conductor after the two are combined; the positioning structure includes a positioning pin and a positioning hole provided on the mating surface, or a boss and a groove that cooperate with each other.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the lower half is provided with mounting holes or mounting slots for accommodating and fixing the columnar center conductor.

[0015] This invention provides a terahertz power combining antenna. By directly integrating the power combining input terminal, which includes a combining matching cavity and at least two standard rectangular waveguides, with a conical horn antenna as the radiating output terminal, efficient combining and radiation of multiple terahertz signals are achieved. Through the mode conversion structure integrated inside the combining matching cavity, the TE signals from each standard rectangular waveguide are combined... 10The mode signal is directly synthesized and converted into TM. 01 This method eliminates the independent conversion stage between the rectangular waveguide and the conical horn antenna in traditional schemes, reducing insertion loss and reflection loss introduced by multi-stage conversion, and improving synthesis efficiency and output power. By directly feeding the radiation into the conical horn antenna, this invention makes full use of the high directivity and high gain characteristics of the conical horn antenna itself, ensuring that the synthesized terahertz signal can be radiated efficiently with good beam quality, and is suitable for terahertz application scenarios with high requirements for output power and radiation performance. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the 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.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a currently existing terahertz power combining antenna; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a 110GHz quad-in-one terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a detailed structural schematic diagram of a 110GHz quad-in-one terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the simulation results of the transmission coefficients of each port provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the simulation results of the standing wave ratio (SWR) of each port provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a port isolation simulation result provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the simulation results of a conical horn antenna port provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is an assembly schematic diagram of the lower half of a terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is an assembly schematic diagram of the upper half of a terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is an assembly diagram of a terahertz power combining antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail.

[0019] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. The term "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, "at least one" and "more than one" refer to two or more. The terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and "first," "second," etc., do not necessarily imply differences.

[0020] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the description of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or modules is not limited to the steps or modules listed, but may optionally include other steps or modules not listed, or may optionally include other steps or modules inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] As described in the background section... Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a currently existing terahertz power combining antenna. Figure 1The terahertz power combining antenna shown is a traditional terahertz power combining technique. The combined output port is a standard rectangular waveguide, and the transmission mode of the standard rectangular waveguide is TE10 mode. This is inconvenient for subsequent use, and usually requires an external conical waveguide to convert the mode to TM01 mode. This process increases conversion loss and further reduces the output power of the terahertz transmitter.

[0024] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figure 2 As shown, this invention provides a terahertz power combining antenna. It is a high-frequency power combining antenna that combines multiple terahertz power sources to a conical horn antenna for power output. Compared to traditional power combining schemes, this invention directly combines multiple input signals introduced through a rectangular waveguide port to the conical horn antenna for signal output, reducing the conversion loss from the rectangular waveguide port to the conical horn antenna, resulting in higher combining efficiency and lower loss. This invention can design different numbers of combining signals according to different situations and can directly achieve signal output.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the terahertz power combining antenna provided by the present invention includes: a power combining input terminal and a conical horn antenna as a radiation output port.

[0026] In this embodiment, the power combining input terminal includes a combining matching cavity and at least two standard rectangular waveguides; the ports of each standard rectangular waveguide serve as signal input ports for introducing multiple TE signals. 10 Terahertz signals in the mode.

[0027] In this embodiment, the synthetic matching cavity is connected between the standard rectangular waveguide and the conical horn antenna, and integrates a mode conversion structure inside for converting the TE signals from each standard rectangular waveguide. 10 The terahertz signals of the mode are directly synthesized and converted into TM. 01 The pattern signal is fed into the conical horn antenna for radiation.

[0028] In some embodiments, the mode conversion structure includes a cylindrical central conductor positioned at the central axis of the synthesis matching cavity. The cylindrical central conductor and the inner wall of the synthesis matching cavity together form a coaxial waveguide structure for realizing TE. 10 The synthesis matching cavity has a radially dimensionally tapered transition structure at the end facing the conical horn antenna to achieve the TEM mode to TM mode conversion. 01 The mode is switched and impedance matching is completed.

[0029] In this embodiment, at the connection between the synthetic matching cavity and each standard rectangular waveguide, a waveguide structure with a gradually changing width and / or length is provided to achieve impedance matching between the standard rectangular waveguide and the mode conversion structure.

[0030] In this embodiment, the columnar central conductor has a conductivity greater than or equal to 5.0 × 10⁻⁶. 7 Made of an alloy material with a magnetic permeability of S / m and a relative permeability of less than or equal to 1.2.

[0031] In this embodiment of the application, the optimization of the TE is achieved by adjusting at least one of the parameters of the columnar central conductor: radius, height, conductivity, and permeability. 10 Mode to TM 01 Efficiency of mode conversion.

[0032] In this embodiment, the number of standard rectangular waveguides is four, and the synthetic matching cavity is configured to connect the four TE channels. 10 The mode of terahertz signal synthesis and conversion.

[0033] In this embodiment, the terahertz power combining antenna has a combining efficiency of not less than 98% at the 110GHz frequency point, a port isolation of more than 12dB, and a gain of not less than 20dB for the conical horn antenna.

[0034] In this embodiment, the synthetic matching cavity is composed of a separable and combinable upper half and a lower half; a columnar central conductor is disposed in the lower half.

[0035] In this embodiment, a positioning structure is provided between the upper half and the lower half to ensure the coaxiality of the internal cavity and the columnar central conductor after the two are combined; the positioning structure includes a positioning pin and a positioning hole provided on the mating surface, or a boss and a groove that cooperate with each other.

[0036] In this embodiment, the lower half is provided with a mounting hole or mounting groove for accommodating and fixing the columnar central conductor.

[0037] For example, Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a 110GHz four-in-one terahertz power combining antenna. In the diagram, 1-4 are standard WR8 waveguides, introducing four input signals; 5 is a conical horn antenna used to transmit the combined signal; 6 is a combining and matching cavity used to combine and match the signal from the standard waveguide to the horn antenna. This invention can combine the TE signals from a standard rectangular waveguide... 10 The signal of the mode is converted to the TM of the conical antenna. 01 The pattern then radiates outwards.

[0038] The synthetic matching cavity adopts a cavity matching method, which adjusts the matching impedance by changing the cavity size. Port isolation between multiple input ports is achieved by inserting special materials in the middle, and the TE10 mode signal in the rectangular waveguide is converted into the TM01 mode signal.

[0039] For example, Figure 4This is a detailed structural diagram of a 110GHz quad-terahertz power combining antenna. R1 is the radius of the cylindrical cavity, H1 is the height of the cylindrical cavity; the special material is cylindrical, R2 is the radius, and H2 is the height; the impedance of the standard waveguide is matched to the combining port through the waveguide cavity, W1 is the width of the standard waveguide, W2 is the width of the matching waveguide, L1 is the length of the tapered waveguide, and L2 is the length of the matching waveguide.

[0040] This invention allows adjustment of the matching impedance and phase by modifying the length and width of the matching waveguide. A cylindrical special material, an alloy, is inserted at the center as the central conductor, forming a coaxial waveguide with the cylinder. This waveguide features high conductivity and low permeability. Mode conversion efficiency is optimized by adjusting the radius, height, conductivity, and permeability of the special material.

[0041] In this embodiment of the invention, the signal mode conversion sequence is: TE10 mode - TEM mode - TM01 mode. Mode conversion and matching are required between different modes. Four standard waveguides introduce the input signal, which is in TE10 mode. A cylindrical special material, an alloy material with high conductivity and low magnetic permeability, is inserted at the center of the cylinder as the center conductor. Together with the cylinder, they form a coaxial waveguide. The TE10 mode signal enters the coaxial waveguide and is converted to TEM mode. This coaxial waveguide structure does not require an additional center conductor support structure, improving ease of fabrication and reliability. Matching between TE10 mode and TEM mode can be achieved by adjusting the length and width of the matching waveguide and the length of the gradient waveguide. The TEM mode to TM01 mode conversion mainly consists of the center conductor, the coaxial outer wall (i.e., the cylindrical cavity wall), and the gradient structure. The coaxial outer wall first undergoes a frustum-shaped gradient, gradually transitioning to a conical horn antenna and converting to TM01 mode. Mode conversion matching can be completed by adjusting the center conductor structure and the gradient structure.

[0042] Figure 5 The diagram shows the simulation results of the transmission coefficients for each port. Since it is a four-in-one power combining, the maximum transmission coefficient for each channel is -6dB. At 110GHz, the transmission coefficients for all four channels are -6.06dB, which translates to a combining efficiency of 98.63%.

[0043] Figure 6 The diagram shows the simulation results of the VSWR for each port. The VSWR is less than 1.2 at 110 GHz.

[0044] Figure 7 The diagram shows the simulation results of port isolation. At 110GHz, the port isolation is better than 12dB.

[0045] Figure 8The diagram shows the simulation results of the conical horn antenna port. It has good directivity at 110 GHz and the gain can reach more than 20 dB.

[0046] The simulation results above demonstrate that the present invention has high synthesis efficiency and good directionality, and can be applied to power synthesis and signal output of four terahertz transmitters.

[0047] Figures 9-11 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a terahertz power combining antenna. The terahertz power combining antenna is fabricated in two parts; a special material is inserted into the lower part, such as... Figure 9 As shown. The upper part is a conical horn antenna, as... Figure 10 As shown. The assembled whole is as follows. Figure 11 As shown.

[0048] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A terahertz power combining antenna, characterized in that, include: The power combining input terminal and the conical horn antenna serving as the radiation output port; The power combining input includes a combining matching cavity and at least two standard rectangular waveguides; The ports of each standard rectangular waveguide serve as signal input ports, used to introduce multiple TE signals. 10 The terahertz signal of the mode; The synthetic matching cavity is connected between the standard rectangular waveguide and the conical horn antenna, and integrates a mode conversion structure inside for converting the TE signals from each standard rectangular waveguide. 10 The terahertz signals of the mode are directly synthesized and converted into TM. 01 The pattern signal is fed into the conical horn antenna for radiation.

2. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mode conversion structure includes a cylindrical central conductor positioned along the central axis of the synthesis matching cavity. The cylindrical central conductor and the inner wall of the synthesis matching cavity together form a coaxial waveguide structure for realizing TE. 10 Conversion from TEM mode to TEM mode; The synthetic matching cavity has a radially dimensionally gradient transition structure at one end facing the conical horn antenna to achieve TEM mode to TM mode conversion. 01 The mode is switched and impedance matching is completed.

3. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, At the connection point between the synthetic matching cavity and each standard rectangular waveguide, a waveguide structure with a gradually changing width and / or length is provided to achieve impedance matching between the standard rectangular waveguide and the mode conversion structure.

4. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The columnar central conductor has an electrical conductivity greater than or equal to 5.0 × 10⁻⁶. 7 Made of an alloy material with a magnetic permeability of S / m and a relative permeability of less than or equal to 1.

2.

5. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that, Optimization of the TE process by adjusting at least one of the parameters of the columnar central conductor: radius, height, conductivity, and permeability. 10 Mode to TM 01 Efficiency of mode conversion.

6. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of standard rectangular waveguides is four, and the synthetic matching cavity is configured to connect four TE channels. 10 The mode of terahertz signal synthesis and conversion.

7. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The terahertz power combining antenna has a combining efficiency of no less than 98% at 110 GHz, a port isolation of more than 12 dB, and a gain of no less than 20 dB for the conical horn antenna.

8. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The synthetic matching cavity is composed of a separable and combinable upper half and a lower half; the columnar central conductor is disposed within the lower half.

9. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, A positioning structure is provided between the upper part and the lower part to ensure the coaxiality of the internal cavity and the columnar central conductor after the two are combined; the positioning structure includes a positioning pin and a positioning hole provided on the mating surface, or a boss and a groove that cooperate with each other.

10. The terahertz power combining antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, The lower half is provided with mounting holes or mounting grooves for accommodating and fixing the columnar central conductor.

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