Patent ID: 6198451
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
A radar antenna feed arrangement, comprising:(a) an antenna interface for coupling a transmitted signal to and received signals from a radar antenna,(b) an optical axis extending towards said antenna interface, said transmitted signal and said received signals sharing common paths at said antenna interface,(c) a microwave integrated circuit extending parallel to said optical axis,(d) said microwave integrated circuit comprising(i) a substrate having opposite faces,(ii) a ground plane on one of the faces of said substrate,(iii) microwave components exclusively on the other of the faces of said substrate,(iv) said microwave components including first and second arrays of antenna patches active on said other face of said substrate exclusively, in respect of different polarizations,(v) each antenna patch comprising a continuous patch of conductive material adhering to said other face of said substrate, and(vi) said microwave components further including mixers connected to, but distinct from, said first and second arrays of antenna patches,(e) quasi-optical focusing means for coupling said antenna interface and said first and second arrays of antenna patches,(f) said quasi-optical focusing means including first and second parallel-conductor grids associated respectively with said first and second arrays of antenna patches, each grid being disposed on and obliquely to said optical axis so as to transmit along said optical axis or to reflect towards the associated array a received signal according to the relative orientation of the polarization plane of the received signal and the conductors of the grid, and(g) duplexing means for coupling said common paths at said antenna interface to separate transmit and receive signals paths at said microwave integrated circuit.