Resistive Microwave Power Divider with Gas Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reactive-type broadband high-power microwave dividers and combiners are complex and expensive to fabricate, and they poorly combine thermal noise signals due to uncorrelated phase, frequency, and amplitude, which degrades the signal-to-noise ratio in large antenna arrays.
Innovation Solution
A power divider/combiner design featuring a main conductor, ground conductor, input and output connectors, and a hollow cylindrical conductor with slots for satellite conductors, along with a gas retention system to improve thermal and electrical performance, and a method to calculate unit element transmission line characteristic admittances for efficient signal combination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reactive-type broadband high-power microwave divider/combiner is used, then mechanical and electrical ruggedness is improved, but RF matching performance deteriorates compared to Wilkinson power divider
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the reactive-type divider/combiner into a resistive-type device by changing the fundamental operating principle. This parameter change enables excellent RF matching performance (VSWR < 1.05:1) across broadband frequencies while maintaining mechanical and electrical ruggedness through the resistive load architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sealed enclosure filled with dry nitrogen gas to create an inert environment. This prevents moisture ingress and oxidation of the resistive elements, thereby maintaining both the RF matching performance and electrical characteristics over time while preserving mechanical ruggedness.
2Quantity of substance
If cable- and antenna-generated thermal noise signal is combined, then signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates due to uncorrelated phase, frequency and amplitude
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the combining mechanism from reactive (which preserves phase relationships) to resistive (which dissipates noise power). The resistive loads at each port independently absorb thermal noise signals, preventing their combination and degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio, while still allowing N signals to be combined effectively.
3Ease of manufacture
If a two-stage MTL power divider is used, then power division functionality is achieved, but fabrication cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex multiconductor transmission line modules and replaces them with simple resistive elements. This extraction of the complicated MTL structure while retaining the power division functionality dramatically reduces fabrication cost and device complexity, achieving the same N-way power division with much simpler components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances the signal-to-noise ratio by efficiently combining microwave signals while reducing thermal noise, and the gas retention system improves the microwave power transmission capabilities and reduces moisture-related issues in harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
means for receiving and retaining a gas inside the divider/combiner when the divider/combiner is in use
Implementation Method 2
resistive-type broadband high-power microwave divider/combiner
Implementation Method 3
isolator-protected power sources
Data Source
AI summary
A power combiner/divider includes a main conductor; a ground conductor radially exterior of the main conductor; an input connector having a center conductor electrically coupled to the main conductor and having a second conductor electrically coupled to the ground conductor; a conductive cylinder including an inner cylindrical surface radially exterior of and spaced apart from the main conductor, including an outer cylindrical surface; a second ground conductor radially exterior of the outer cylindrical surface of the conductive cylinder, a gap being defined between the second ground conductor and the outer surface of the conductive cylinder; a plurality of output connectors, the output connectors having center conductors electrically coupled to the conductive cylinder and having respective second conductors electrically coupled to the second ground conductor; and means for receiving and retaining a gas inside the divider/combiner. Methods of manufacturing are also disclosed.