Patent ID: 9190739
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. An antenna suitable for use as a phased array antenna of a radar system, said antenna comprising: a plurality of radiating elements; and a feed network configured to define a plurality of inputs and couple energy from the inputs to the radiating elements, wherein energy from each of the inputs is coupled to a power divider, wherein the feed network is further configured to define a plurality of over-moded waveguide couplers configured to define a plurality of sub-arrays that couple each input to a sub-group of the radiating elements, wherein the sub-arrays are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement and configured such that half of the radiators of a sub-group are shared with an adjacent sub-group of an adjacent sub-array, wherein each of the over-moded waveguide couplers is configured to define a left in-port that receives energy from a left divider, a right in-port that receives energy from a right divider adjacent the left divider, a left out-port that guides energy to a left radiator, and a right out-port that guides energy to a right radiator adjacent the left radiator, wherein each over-moded waveguide coupler includes an over-moded section defined by a width selected such that energy propagates through the over-moded section in multiple modes effective to establish a first path for energy from the left in-port and a second path for energy from the right in-port, wherein the first path is distinct from the second path.