Patent ID: 6278400
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: G01S,H01Q

Abstract:
A transmit/receive (T/R) module for an active aperture of a radar system, comprising:a substrate having front and rear end regions;an RF interface located at said front end region;a DC/logic interface located at said rear end region;a plurality of cavities formed in the substrate including a first pair of cavities extending entirely through the substrate and located immediately adjacent said RF interface at said front end region;an elongated current carrying bus bar and a ground plane insulated therefrom located on the bottom of said substrate, said ground plane including a pair of apertures in registration with said first pair of cavities extending through said substrate;a first and second heat sink plate secured to the substrate and the ground plane on either side of the bus bar;a plurality of circuit components located on the substrate for implementing a dual channel T/R circuit;said circuit components being arranged relative to one another so as to reduce RF signal loss within the module and having a first pair of RF signal amplifiers, one for each channel, respectively located in said first pair of cavities and mounted on said heat sink plates, said heat sink plates thereby providing a thermal interface to an external heat exchanger; and a second pair of RF signal amplifiers, one for each channel, located in a second pair of cavities of said plurality of cavities, said second pair of cavities also located immediately adjacent said RF interface at said front end region.