Patent ID: 6853343

Claim:
A waveguide system for propagating a signal wherein said signal enters said waveguide system oriented with a first polarization and exits said waveguide system oriented with a second polarization, said waveguide system comprising: a first waveguide adapted to be operatively connected to a polarization plate, said first waveguide comprising a first passage for propagating said signal through the first waveguide wherein said first passage is oriented substantially similar to the orientation of the signal when the signal is oriented with said first polarization; a second waveguide adapted to be operatively connected to the polarization plate, said second waveguide comprising a second passage for propagating said signal through the second waveguide wherein said second passage is oriented substantially similar to the orientation of the signal when the signal is oriented with said second polarization; and a polarization plate adapted to be operatively connected to said first and second waveguides so as to allow for the propagation of the signal from the first waveguide where the signal is oriented with the first polarization, through said polarization plate, to the second waveguide where the signal is oriented with the second polarization, said polarization plate comprising: a slot for propagating said signal wherein said slot is substantially similar in shape to said first passage and said second passage and wherein said slot is oriented so as to be rotationally offset, about an axis running longitudinally through the first and second passages and through said slot, from the orientation of the first passage and the orientation of the second passage, so that said signal enters the waveguide system oriented with said first polarization and exits said waveguide system with said second polarization; wherein said polarization plate includes a first tapered portion to thereby create a first transition region between said first passage and said slot.