EP0293429A1 - Composite antenna reflector with polarized subreflector - Google Patents

Composite antenna reflector with polarized subreflector

Info

Publication number
EP0293429A1
EP0293429A1 EP19870908045 EP87908045A EP0293429A1 EP 0293429 A1 EP0293429 A1 EP 0293429A1 EP 19870908045 EP19870908045 EP 19870908045 EP 87908045 A EP87908045 A EP 87908045A EP 0293429 A1 EP0293429 A1 EP 0293429A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
reflector
radiation
horn
polarization
antenna system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19870908045
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Thomas A. Bockrath
Frank A. Taormina
Paramjit S. Bains
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Raytheon Co
Original Assignee
Hughes Aircraft Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hughes Aircraft Co filed Critical Hughes Aircraft Co
Publication of EP0293429A1 publication Critical patent/EP0293429A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q15/00—Devices for reflection, refraction, diffraction or polarisation of waves radiated from an antenna, e.g. quasi-optical devices
    • H01Q15/14—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures
    • H01Q15/22—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures functioning also as polarisation filter
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q19/10—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/18—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces
    • H01Q19/19—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface
    • H01Q19/195—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using reflecting surfaces having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces comprising one main concave reflecting surface associated with an auxiliary reflecting surface wherein a reflecting surface acts also as a polarisation filter or a polarising device
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q25/00—Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
    • H01Q25/001—Crossed polarisation dual antennas

Definitions

  • This invention relates to antennas which are suitable for spacecraft and are capable of transmitting separate electromagnetic signals independently at different polarizations and/ more particularly, ' to a construction of an antenna having plural reflectors of substantially concentric curvature spaced apart by electrically insulating material and reflecting dual polarizations via a polarized subreflector for coupling to a pair of feed horns.
  • Spacecraft carry antennas which form a part of a communication link between the spacecraft and communication stations on the earth.
  • the antennas serve to focus and to direct electromagnetic energy along the communication link.
  • Various communication channels are employed in a communication link, which channels may be separated from each other in frequency and in polarization of the electromagnetic energy.
  • Of particular interest, herein, is the construction of antennas to provide for separation of the communication channels by polarization of the electromagnetic energy.
  • such antennas typically include a feed horn and a reflector.
  • the physical arrangement of the horn and the reflector are determined in large measure by the configuration of the spacecraft, as well as by limitations on weight and requirements for rigidity.
  • a reflector may be constructed with a reflecting surface -having parallel, electrically conductive elements in the form of a screen.
  • the aforementioned problem is overcome and other advantages are provided by a mode of construction of an antenna system having plural reflectors positioned on a common support in spaced-apart relation while permitting independent illumination of the reflectors by their respective feeds.
  • the configuration of the reflectors on the common support provides a reduction in overall weight of the antenna system while retaining a desired level of rigidity in the reflectors to ensure accurate formation of beams of electromagnetic energy.
  • the reflector support is formed as a shell of honeycomb material transparent to the electromagnetic energy.
  • the inner and the outer surfaces of the shell are provided with a curvature suitable for forming a beam, a typical surface of curvature being a paraboloid formed by rotation of a parabola about an axis of the surface.
  • strips of electrically conductive material oriented parallel to each other for reflection of electromagnetic energy wherein the electric field is parallel to the. electrically-conductive strips.
  • On the outer surface of the shell there is provided a second set of electrically conductive strips which are parallel to each other and are oriented perpendicularly to the electrically-conductive strips on the inner surface of the shell.
  • the strips on the outer surface of the shell reflect electromagnetic radiation having an electric field perpendicular to the electric field of radiation reflected from the strips on the inner surface of the shell. Also, the strips on the inner surface of the shell are sufficiently narrow so as to permit propagation of the course polarized radiation to the outer surface with substantially no attenuation by the strips on the inner surface.
  • the strips on the inner surface of the shell serve to form an inner reflector, and the strips on the outer surface of the shell serve to form an outer reflector of the electromagnetic energy.
  • the shell can be made uniformly thin by arranging the reflectors such that their axes coincide. Also, the focal lengths of the two reflectors are substantially the same so as to permit a substantially uniform spacing between the two reflectors. This minimizes the total volume of the honeycomb structure and, therefore, minimizes the weight of the supporting structure of the two reflectors.
  • two feed horns are employed, the two horns transmitting radiation toward the concave sides of the reflectors via a subreflector assembly having a polarization sensitive surface, such as a set of parallel, electrically-conductive strips, which reflect polarization in .one plane while being transmissive to polarization in a perpendicular plane.
  • a polarization sensitive surface such as a set of parallel, electrically-conductive strips, which reflect polarization in .one plane while being transmissive to polarization in a perpendicular plane.
  • the two feed horns can be oriented perpendicularly to each other, with an element of the subreflector positioned between the horns so as to electrically isolate the two horns from each other.
  • the horns can be individually positioned at the focal points of the respective reflectors.
  • Fig. 1 shows a v iew of an antenna system of the invention including a first embodiment of a feed structure, a portion of a reflector assembly being cut away to show reflective screens on both the front and back surfaces of a composite reflector;
  • Fig. 2 shows a v iew of an antenna system of the invention, similar to the view of Fig. 1, but including a feed structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
  • Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a composite reflector of Figs. 1 and 2 showing .the laying of tapes of strips of ref l ecting mater ia l in orthogonal directions on opposed surfaces of the compos ite reflector;
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of tape taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;
  • Fig. 5 is a top plan view, shown diagrammatical ly, of the antenna system of Fig. 1 , the f ront ref lecting surface of the composite reflector being a horizontally polarized screen;
  • Fig.6 is a perspective view, shown diagrammatically, of the antenna system of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 7 is a side view of the antenna system of Fig. 1, shown diagrammatically and with the composite reflector in sectional view;
  • Fig. 8 is a view taken along a boresight axis of the composite reflector of the antenna system of Fig. 1, shown diagrammatically;.
  • Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view, encircled by the line 9-9 in Fig. 8 of a front surface of the composite reflector of Fig. 1 showing metallic strips which form a front reflecting surface;
  • Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the antenna system of Fig. 2, shown diagrammatically and wherein a front reflecting surface of the composite antenna has been removed to show vertically oriented reflecting strips of a vertically polarized screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
  • Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the antenna system of
  • Fig. 2 shown diagrammatically and wherein the front reflecting surface has been removed to expose the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
  • Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the antenna system of Fig. 2, shown diagrammatically with the reflector being sectioned, and wherein the front reflecting surface of the composite reflector has been removed to show the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
  • Fig.13 is a front view of the antenna system of Fig. 12 taken along a boresight axis of the composite reflector, shown diagrammatically, and wherein. a front reflecting surface of the composite reflector has been deleted to show the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector; and
  • Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view, encircled by the line 14-14 in Fig. 13, of the vertically polarized screen on the back surface of the composite reflector.
  • an antenna 20 comprises a reflector assembly 22 and a feed assembly 24 supported by a base 26.
  • the reflector assembly 22 includes a composite reflector - 28 having a front reflecting surface 30 and a back reflecting surface 32 which are spaced apart from each other by a supporting structure in the form of a dish 34.
  • the dish 34 is secured within an encircling yoke 36 by flanges 38, the yoke 36 upstanding from the base 26 and holding the composite reflector 28 with the front reflecting surface 30 facing the feed assembly 24.
  • the feed assembly 24 includes two horn feeds 40 and 42 with a polarized screen 44 placed between the two feeds
  • the feed 42 is located on the side of the screen 44 which faces the reflector assembly 22 while the feed 40 is located on the opposite side of the screen 44.
  • a transceiver 46 is connected by wires 48 to the horns 40 and 42, the transceiver 46 being of well-known configuration and having separate channels for the transmission and reception of signals of the horns 40 and 42.
  • the screen 44 has been partially cut away to facilitate the showing of the horn 42; also, the yoke 36 has been partially cutaway to more clearly show the structure of the composite reflector 28.
  • an antenna 50 is constructed with the same general configuration as the antenna 20 of Fig. 1.
  • the antenna 50 includes a reflector assembly 52 which has the same construction including the composite reflector 28 as the reflector assembly 22 of Fig.1, and a feed assembly 54 which is an alternative embodiment of the feed assembly 54.
  • the reflector assembly 24 and the feed assembly 54 are supported and positioned relative to each other by a base 56, the feed assembly 54 being positioned in front of the reflector assembly 52.
  • the horns 40 and 42 are positioned in a side-by-side relation relative to the general direction of propagation of radiation between the feed assembly 54 and the reflector assembly 52, rather than the front to back arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42 in Fig.1.
  • the feeds 40 and 42 are connected by the wires 48 to the transceiver 46 as in Fig. 1.
  • the base 56 and the yoke 36 have been partially cut away in Fig. 2 to facilitate a showing of the components, of the antenna 50.
  • the feed assembly 54 comprises two intersecting polarized screens 58 and 60, the direction of polarization of the screen 60 being crossed relative to the direction of polarization of the screen 58.
  • the screens 58 and 60 are positioned between the horns 40 and 42.
  • Figs. 3 and 4 show further details in the construction of the composite reflector 28 of Figs. 1 and 2.
  • the dish 34 is formed of a core 62 of foamed plastic material sandwiched between a front face sheet 64 and a back face sheet. 66.
  • Strips of tape 68 comprising a backing layer 70 with uniformly spaced apart metallic strips 72 thereon are placed on the sheets 64 and 66.
  • the strips of tape 68 are arranged in a side-by-side array to form the front reflecting surface 30 on the front face sheet 64, and the back reflecting surface 32 on the back face sheet 66.
  • the backing layer 70, the face sheets 64 and 66, and the core 62 are electrically insulating and transparent to electromagnetic radiation.
  • the overall thickness of the composite reflector 28 is less than an inch, typically, with the thickness of the core 62 being in the range of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch.
  • the application of the tape 68 on the front side of the reflector 28 is in the horizontal direction to provide a horizontal polarization to the front reflecting surface 30.
  • the application of the tape 68 to the back side of the reflector 28 is in the vertical direction to provide a vertical polarization • to the back reflecting surface 32.
  • a suitable material for the fabrication of the core 62 is a foamed polycarbonate having a honeycomb structure, the material being commercially available in sheets such as that known as Kevlar.
  • the front and the back face sheets 64 and 66 may be formed of a cloth impregnated with a resin. The cloth is positioned initially on a mandrel to attain the desired shape of the reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 after which the resin is cured to provide a rigid structure to the sheets 64 and 66.
  • the shape of each reflecting surface is preferrably a conic section of revolution, such as a parabaloid.
  • the honeycomb structure of the core 62 is readily flexed so as to permit a bending of the core 66 to match the shape of the front face sheet 64 and the back face sheet 66.
  • Adhesive is applied to both the front and the back surfaces of the sheet of material of the core 62, whereupon the sheet of core material 62 is placed between the face sheets 64 and 66 and bent to mate therewith/ after which the adhesive is cured to construct a rigid lightweight structure, which structure is the dish 34 which supports the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32.
  • a suitable material for the backing layer 70 of the tape 68 is a polycarbonate such as Kapton.
  • the backing layer 70 may have a thickness of one mil.
  • the metallic strips 72 are formed by securing a sheet of metal, such as copper, to the backing layer 70.
  • the width of the tape 68 is typically 2.25 inches as is the width of the metallic sheet.
  • the dep ⁇ th of the metallic sheet is 0.2 mils, typically.
  • the metallic strips 72 are much narrower than the width of the tape 68, the metallic strips 72 having a width of typically 15 mils with a spacing on center lines of 45 mils. This leaves a spacing of 30 mils between edges of adjacent ones of the metallic strips 72.
  • the metallic strips 72 of copper are formed from a copper sheet by a process of etching the copper sheet or foil after securing the copper to the backing layer 70.
  • the thickness of the face sheets 64 and 66 is approximately 7 mils.
  • the foregoing dimensions of the metallic strips 72 are suitable for operation of the antenna system of the invention for electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range of 4 - 14 GHz (gigahertz).
  • a suitable adhesive for securing the tape 68 to the face sheets 64 and 66 is an epoxy glue. Suitable resins and epoxies are available for curing at temperatures slightly above room temperature, such as 125 degrees fahrenheit.
  • each of the metallic strips 72 appear as straight lines when viewed along a boresight axis of the reflector 28.
  • the strips 72 due to the curvature of the reflecting surfaces, when the strips 72 are viewed at another direction the strips 72 appear to have a slight curvature.
  • it is desirable to introduce. a slight curvature to the metallic strips 72 as they are etched upon each strip of the tape 68. The amount of curvature varies slightly from strip to strip ' of the tape 68, depending upon the positions which the respective strips of tape are to occupy within the reflector 28.
  • the horizontal orientation of the metallic strips 72 in the front reflecting surfaces 30 provides for a reflection of electromagnetic waves wherein the electric field lies in the horizontal direction, while permitting a transmittance of electromagnetic waves having an electric field oriented in the vertical plane.
  • the front reflecting surface 30 is essentially transparent to vertically polarized radiation allowing such radiation to pass through the front reflecting surface 30 to be reflected from the back reflecting surface 32 wherein the metallic strips 72 are oriented in the vertical direction.
  • the two reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 operate independently of each other for indepedently reflecting the horizontally and the vertically polarized radiations.
  • the feed assemblies 24 and 54 cooperate with the dual polarization capability of the composite reflector 28 by separately transmitting horizontally and vertically polarized radiation from the horns 40 and 42 respectively to the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32.
  • the screen 44 is formed of vertically oriented metallic strips 74 mounted on a substrate 76 which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The spacing and width of the strips 74 is the same as that of the strips 72 in the reflector 28.
  • the substrate 76 may also be formed of a polycarbonate.
  • the screen 44 is transparent to horizontally polarized radiation from the horn feed 40 while reflecting vertically polarized radiation from the horn feed 42. Thus, radiation from the feed 40 propagates through the screen 44 to reflect off the front reflecting surface 30 of the reflector 28. Vertically polarized radiation from the feed 42 is reflected by the screen 44 towards the reflector 38 to be reflected from the back reflecting surface 32.
  • the screen 60 is provided with horizontal metallic strips 78 disposed on a substrate 80.
  • the screen 58 is provided with vertical metallic strips 82 on a substrate 84.
  • the two substrates 80 and 84 are fabricated of material, such as a polycarbonate, which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation.
  • the screen 58 is transparent to the horizontal radiation of the feed 40 while reflecting the vertically polarized radiation from the feed 42.
  • the screen 60 is transparent to the vertically polarized radiation of the feed 42 while reflecting the horizontal polarized radiation of the feed 40.
  • the radiation f.rom the feed 40 is reflected by the screen 60, a portion of the reflected radiation passing through the screen 58, the horizontally polarized radiation reflected by the screen 60 impinging upon the reflector 28 to be reflected from the front reflecting surface 30.
  • vertically polarized radiation of the feed 42 is reflected by the screen 58, a portion of the reflected radiation
  • the antenna 50 of Fig.2 and the antenna 20 of Fig. 1 are seen to provide for independent transmission and focusing of their respective horizontally polarized radiations and their respective vertically polarized radiations.
  • the operations of the antennas 20 and 50 are reciprocal such that independent operation at either polarization can be obtained for both received and transmitted radiation signals.
  • FIG. 5-9. The arrangement of the metallic strips 72 in the front reflecting surface 30 is shown in Figs. 5-9. These figures also show the arrangement of the metallic strips 74 on the screen 44. In addition, these figures show the front-to-back arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42 and the point of intercept 86 of each of the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 upon a line 88. While the hatching in Figs. 5-8 is directed to only one of the feed assemblies, namely the feed assembly 24 of the antenna 20, the showing of the horizontally arranged metallic strips 72 of the front reflecting surface 30 applies to both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs. 1 and 2. Also, the enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 9 applies to both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs. 1 and 2.
  • Figs. 10-14 show the vertically oriented metallic strips 72 of the back reflecting surface 32 of the reflector 28 in both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs.1 and 2.
  • Figs.10 - 13 also show the arrangement of the components of the feed assembly 54 of the antenna 50 of Fig.2.
  • the view of the metallic strips 72 of the reflector assembly 52 corresponds to that which would be seen by vertically polarized radiation, it being understood that the front reflecting surface 30 as well as the components of the dish 34 are transparent to the vertically polarized radiation.
  • the side-by-side arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42, as well as the arrangement of the screens 58 and 60 of the feed assembly 54 are readily seen in the views of Figs.10 -13.
  • Rays of radiation may propagate from distant points towards the reflector, or in the reverse direction, along a path 90 shown in Figs. 7 and 12.
  • Vertically polarized radiation received along the path 90 is focused by the back reflecting surface 32 to a focus at the mouth of the horn feed 42.
  • Horizontally polarized radiation received along the path- 90 is focused by the front reflecting surface 30 to a focus located at the mouth of the horn feed 40.
  • the two focuses are located on a line 88 in Fig. 7, and in Fig. 12 are located equidistant from the line 88.
  • the arrangement of the reflector 28 as depicted in Figs.
  • the focal length of the reflector 28 may be as high as 100 inches, or more if desired.
  • the diameter of the reflector 28 may be in the range of 80 - 90 inches.

Abstract

Une structure de réflecteur composite (28) pour un système d'antenne de vaisseau spatial (20, 50) est formée sur un matériau à nid d'abeille, transparent au rayonnement électromagnétique et possédant des surfaces courbes externe et interne (30, 32) écartées de manière essentiellement uniforme et présentant des ensembles correspondants d'éléments réfléchissants internes et externes (68). Les ensembles d'éléments réfléchissants (68) comprennent des bandes parallèles en matériau électriquement conducteur (72), les bandes sur la surface interne (30) étant perpendiculaires aux bandes sur la surface externe (32). Les deux ensembles d'éléments réfléchissants (68) sont suffisamment écartés l'un de l'autre pour conférer une rigidité adéquate à la structure de support (62). Une paire de pavillons d'alimentation (40, 42) éclairent les réflecteurs (68) via un réflecteur secondaire (44) présentant une surface sensible à la polarisation, qui réfléchit les ondes électromagnétiques polarisées dans un plan et transmet les ondes électromagnétiques polarisées dans un plan perpendiculaire. Cet agencement des composants du système d'antenne permet le positionnement individuel des pavillons d'alimentation (40, 42) de chaque côté des réflecteurs respectifs, tout en maintenant une transmission indépendante découplée des signaux à polarisation transversale, et réduit le poids global tout en conservant une rigidité adéquate à toute la structure. Chaque pavillon d'alimentation (40, 42) peut être remplacé par un réseau de pavillons d'alimentation ayant la même polarisation que le pavillon qu'ils remplacent.A composite reflector structure (28) for a spacecraft antenna system (20, 50) is formed on a honeycomb material, transparent to electromagnetic radiation and having external and internal curved surfaces (30, 32) essentially uniformly spaced apart and having corresponding sets of internal and external reflective elements (68). The sets of reflective elements (68) include parallel strips of electrically conductive material (72), the strips on the inner surface (30) being perpendicular to the strips on the outer surface (32). The two sets of reflective elements (68) are spaced apart enough to impart adequate rigidity to the support structure (62). A pair of power pavilions (40, 42) illuminate the reflectors (68) via a secondary reflector (44) having a polarization sensitive surface, which reflects the electromagnetic waves polarized in one plane and transmits the electromagnetic waves polarized in one perpendicular plane. This arrangement of the components of the antenna system allows the individual positioning of the power pavilions (40, 42) on each side of the respective reflectors, while maintaining an independent decoupled transmission of the signals with transverse polarization, and reduces the overall weight while retaining adequate rigidity to the entire structure. Each feed pavilion (40, 42) can be replaced by a network of feed pavilions having the same polarization as the pavilion they replace.

Description

CQMPQSITE ΔM^ LΔ REFLECTOR WITH POLARI ZED SDBREFLECTOR
BACKGROUND Q£ IH£ INVENTION
This invention relates to antennas which are suitable for spacecraft and are capable of transmitting separate electromagnetic signals independently at different polarizations and/ more particularly,' to a construction of an antenna having plural reflectors of substantially concentric curvature spaced apart by electrically insulating material and reflecting dual polarizations via a polarized subreflector for coupling to a pair of feed horns.
Spacecraft carry antennas which form a part of a communication link between the spacecraft and communication stations on the earth. The antennas serve to focus and to direct electromagnetic energy along the communication link. Various communication channels are employed in a communication link, which channels may be separated from each other in frequency and in polarization of the electromagnetic energy. Of particular interest, herein, is the construction of antennas to provide for separation of the communication channels by polarization of the electromagnetic energy.
Typically, such antennas include a feed horn and a reflector. The physical arrangement of the horn and the reflector are determined in large measure by the configuration of the spacecraft, as well as by limitations on weight and requirements for rigidity.
As a result of these requirements, it is usually necessary to offset the position of a feed horn from a central axis of symmetry of an antenna reflector. To preserve a direction of polarization of the electromagnetic energy, and to prevent the generation of a cross-polarized component, a reflector may be constructed with a reflecting surface -having parallel, electrically conductive elements in the form of a screen.
In the case wherein two reflecting surfaces are to be employed for the reflection of electromagnetic waves of differing polarization, such as two cross-polarized waves, it is desireable to construct a single supporting structure for both of the reflecting surfaces, thereby to conserve overall weight of the antenna structure. Such a sharing of support structure requires a positioning of feed horns such that their respective polarized electromagnetic waves impinge upon the desired reflectors for directing the waves of the respective polarizations in the desired directions. In addition, the assembly of reflectors must be configured in a fashion such that the presence of one reflector does not interfere with the propagation of electromagnetic energy between a second reflector and the feed horn associated therewith.
A problem arises in that modes of construction which are presently available for a composite antenna structure having plural reflectors entails a greater weight to the support structure than is desirable.
SUMMARY Q£ lfl£ INVENTION
The aforementioned problem is overcome and other advantages are provided by a mode of construction of an antenna system having plural reflectors positioned on a common support in spaced-apart relation while permitting independent illumination of the reflectors by their respective feeds. In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the configuration of the reflectors on the common support provides a reduction in overall weight of the antenna system while retaining a desired level of rigidity in the reflectors to ensure accurate formation of beams of electromagnetic energy.
The reflector support is formed as a shell of honeycomb material transparent to the electromagnetic energy. The inner and the outer surfaces of the shell are provided with a curvature suitable for forming a beam, a typical surface of curvature being a paraboloid formed by rotation of a parabola about an axis of the surface. Along the inner surface of the shell there are provided strips of electrically conductive material oriented parallel to each other for reflection of electromagnetic energy wherein the electric field is parallel to the. electrically-conductive strips. On the outer surface of the shell there is provided a second set of electrically conductive strips which are parallel to each other and are oriented perpendicularly to the electrically-conductive strips on the inner surface of the shell. The strips on the outer surface of the shell reflect electromagnetic radiation having an electric field perpendicular to the electric field of radiation reflected from the strips on the inner surface of the shell. Also, the strips on the inner surface of the shell are sufficiently narrow so as to permit propagation of the course polarized radiation to the outer surface with substantially no attenuation by the strips on the inner surface. The strips on the inner surface of the shell serve to form an inner reflector, and the strips on the outer surface of the shell serve to form an outer reflector of the electromagnetic energy.
It is desired to make the shell as thin as possible, consistent with sufficient rigidity for maintaining dimensional stability of the reflectors. The shell can be made uniformly thin by arranging the reflectors such that their axes coincide. Also, the focal lengths of the two reflectors are substantially the same so as to permit a substantially uniform spacing between the two reflectors. This minimizes the total volume of the honeycomb structure and, therefore, minimizes the weight of the supporting structure of the two reflectors.
In order to illuminate the two reflectors with cross- polarized radiation, two feed horns are employed, the two horns transmitting radiation toward the concave sides of the reflectors via a subreflector assembly having a polarization sensitive surface, such as a set of parallel, electrically-conductive strips, which reflect polarization in .one plane while being transmissive to polarization in a perpendicular plane. With such a configuration of subreflector, the two feed horns can be oriented perpendicularly to each other, with an element of the subreflector positioned between the horns so as to electrically isolate the two horns from each other. Also, the horns can be individually positioned at the focal points of the respective reflectors. This permits the linearly polarized waves of the individual horns to propagate via their respective reflectors for forming the desired transmitting and receiving beams of radiation. Also, the use of polarization-sensitive elements in both the reflectors and the subreflector assembly provides for a double filtering of polarization to ensure purity of the respective communication channels and minimization of any cross-coupling of electromagnetic energy between the two communication channels. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWING
The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a v iew of an antenna system of the invention including a first embodiment of a feed structure, a portion of a reflector assembly being cut away to show reflective screens on both the front and back surfaces of a composite reflector;
Fig. 2 shows a v iew of an antenna system of the invention, similar to the view of Fig. 1, but including a feed structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a composite reflector of Figs. 1 and 2 showing .the laying of tapes of strips of ref l ecting mater ia l in orthogonal directions on opposed surfaces of the compos ite reflector;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of tape taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a top plan view, shown diagrammatical ly, of the antenna system of Fig. 1 , the f ront ref lecting surface of the composite reflector being a horizontally polarized screen;
Fig.6 is a perspective view, shown diagrammatically, of the antenna system of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a side view of the antenna system of Fig. 1, shown diagrammatically and with the composite reflector in sectional view;
Fig. 8 is a view taken along a boresight axis of the composite reflector of the antenna system of Fig. 1, shown diagrammatically;.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view, encircled by the line 9-9 in Fig. 8 of a front surface of the composite reflector of Fig. 1 showing metallic strips which form a front reflecting surface;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the antenna system of Fig. 2, shown diagrammatically and wherein a front reflecting surface of the composite antenna has been removed to show vertically oriented reflecting strips of a vertically polarized screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the antenna system of
Fig. 2, shown diagrammatically and wherein the front reflecting surface has been removed to expose the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the antenna system of Fig. 2, shown diagrammatically with the reflector being sectioned, and wherein the front reflecting surface of the composite reflector has been removed to show the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector;
Fig.13 is a front view of the antenna system of Fig. 12 taken along a boresight axis of the composite reflector, shown diagrammatically, and wherein. a front reflecting surface of the composite reflector has been deleted to show the vertically polarized reflecting screen on the back surface of the composite reflector; and
Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view, encircled by the line 14-14 in Fig. 13, of the vertically polarized screen on the back surface of the composite reflector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With ref erence to Figs. 1 and 2, there are shown two embodiments of an antenna system of the invention. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, an antenna 20 comprises a reflector assembly 22 and a feed assembly 24 supported by a base 26. The reflector assembly 22 includes a composite reflector - 28 having a front reflecting surface 30 and a back reflecting surface 32 which are spaced apart from each other by a supporting structure in the form of a dish 34. The dish 34 is secured within an encircling yoke 36 by flanges 38, the yoke 36 upstanding from the base 26 and holding the composite reflector 28 with the front reflecting surface 30 facing the feed assembly 24.
The feed assembly 24 includes two horn feeds 40 and 42 with a polarized screen 44 placed between the two feeds
40 and 42. The feed 42 is located on the side of the screen 44 which faces the reflector assembly 22 while the feed 40 is located on the opposite side of the screen 44. A transceiver 46 is connected by wires 48 to the horns 40 and 42, the transceiver 46 being of well-known configuration and having separate channels for the transmission and reception of signals of the horns 40 and 42. The screen 44 has been partially cut away to facilitate the showing of the horn 42; also, the yoke 36 has been partially cutaway to more clearly show the structure of the composite reflector 28.
In the embodiment of Fig. 2, an antenna 50 is constructed with the same general configuration as the antenna 20 of Fig. 1. The antenna 50 includes a reflector assembly 52 which has the same construction including the composite reflector 28 as the reflector assembly 22 of Fig.1, and a feed assembly 54 which is an alternative embodiment of the feed assembly 54. The reflector assembly 24 and the feed assembly 54 are supported and positioned relative to each other by a base 56, the feed assembly 54 being positioned in front of the reflector assembly 52.
In the feed assembly 54, the horns 40 and 42 are positioned in a side-by-side relation relative to the general direction of propagation of radiation between the feed assembly 54 and the reflector assembly 52, rather than the front to back arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42 in Fig.1. In Fig.2, the feeds 40 and 42 are connected by the wires 48 to the transceiver 46 as in Fig. 1. The base 56 and the yoke 36 have been partially cut away in Fig. 2 to facilitate a showing of the components, of the antenna 50. The feed assembly 54 comprises two intersecting polarized screens 58 and 60, the direction of polarization of the screen 60 being crossed relative to the direction of polarization of the screen 58. The screens 58 and 60 are positioned between the horns 40 and 42.
Figs. 3 and 4 show further details in the construction of the composite reflector 28 of Figs. 1 and 2. The dish 34 is formed of a core 62 of foamed plastic material sandwiched between a front face sheet 64 and a back face sheet. 66. Strips of tape 68 comprising a backing layer 70 with uniformly spaced apart metallic strips 72 thereon are placed on the sheets 64 and 66. The strips of tape 68 are arranged in a side-by-side array to form the front reflecting surface 30 on the front face sheet 64, and the back reflecting surface 32 on the back face sheet 66. The backing layer 70, the face sheets 64 and 66, and the core 62 are electrically insulating and transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The overall thickness of the composite reflector 28 is less than an inch, typically, with the thickness of the core 62 being in the range of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. The application of the tape 68 on the front side of the reflector 28 is in the horizontal direction to provide a horizontal polarization to the front reflecting surface 30. The application of the tape 68 to the back side of the reflector 28 is in the vertical direction to provide a vertical polarization • to the back reflecting surface 32.
A suitable material for the fabrication of the core 62 is a foamed polycarbonate having a honeycomb structure, the material being commercially available in sheets such as that known as Kevlar. The front and the back face sheets 64 and 66 may be formed of a cloth impregnated with a resin. The cloth is positioned initially on a mandrel to attain the desired shape of the reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 after which the resin is cured to provide a rigid structure to the sheets 64 and 66. The shape of each reflecting surface is preferrably a conic section of revolution, such as a parabaloid. The honeycomb structure of the core 62 is readily flexed so as to permit a bending of the core 66 to match the shape of the front face sheet 64 and the back face sheet 66. Adhesive is applied to both the front and the back surfaces of the sheet of material of the core 62, whereupon the sheet of core material 62 is placed between the face sheets 64 and 66 and bent to mate therewith/ after which the adhesive is cured to construct a rigid lightweight structure, which structure is the dish 34 which supports the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32.
A suitable material for the backing layer 70 of the tape 68 is a polycarbonate such as Kapton. The backing layer 70 may have a thickness of one mil. The metallic strips 72 are formed by securing a sheet of metal, such as copper, to the backing layer 70. The width of the tape 68 is typically 2.25 inches as is the width of the metallic sheet. The dep~th of the metallic sheet is 0.2 mils, typically. The metallic strips 72 are much narrower than the width of the tape 68, the metallic strips 72 having a width of typically 15 mils with a spacing on center lines of 45 mils. This leaves a spacing of 30 mils between edges of adjacent ones of the metallic strips 72. The metallic strips 72 of copper are formed from a copper sheet by a process of etching the copper sheet or foil after securing the copper to the backing layer 70. The thickness of the face sheets 64 and 66 is approximately 7 mils. The foregoing dimensions of the metallic strips 72 are suitable for operation of the antenna system of the invention for electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range of 4 - 14 GHz (gigahertz). A suitable adhesive for securing the tape 68 to the face sheets 64 and 66 is an epoxy glue. Suitable resins and epoxies are available for curing at temperatures slightly above room temperature, such as 125 degrees fahrenheit.
In the construction of the composite reflector 28, it is desirable to have each of the metallic strips 72 appear as straight lines when viewed along a boresight axis of the reflector 28. However, due to the curvature of the reflecting surfaces, when the strips 72 are viewed at another direction the strips 72 appear to have a slight curvature. Accordingly, to compensate for the curvature of the reflecting surfaces, thereby to make the strips 72 appear straight as viewed along the boresight', it is desirable to introduce. a slight curvature to the metallic strips 72 as they are etched upon each strip of the tape 68. The amount of curvature varies slightly from strip to strip' of the tape 68, depending upon the positions which the respective strips of tape are to occupy within the reflector 28.
In the operation of the invention, the horizontal orientation of the metallic strips 72 in the front reflecting surfaces 30 provides for a reflection of electromagnetic waves wherein the electric field lies in the horizontal direction, while permitting a transmittance of electromagnetic waves having an electric field oriented in the vertical plane. Thus, the front reflecting surface 30 is essentially transparent to vertically polarized radiation allowing such radiation to pass through the front reflecting surface 30 to be reflected from the back reflecting surface 32 wherein the metallic strips 72 are oriented in the vertical direction. In this way, the two reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 operate independently of each other for indepedently reflecting the horizontally and the vertically polarized radiations.
The feed assemblies 24 and 54 cooperate with the dual polarization capability of the composite reflector 28 by separately transmitting horizontally and vertically polarized radiation from the horns 40 and 42 respectively to the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32.
In the case of the feed assembly 24, the screen 44 is formed of vertically oriented metallic strips 74 mounted on a substrate 76 which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The spacing and width of the strips 74 is the same as that of the strips 72 in the reflector 28. The substrate 76 may also be formed of a polycarbonate. The screen 44 is transparent to horizontally polarized radiation from the horn feed 40 while reflecting vertically polarized radiation from the horn feed 42. Thus, radiation from the feed 40 propagates through the screen 44 to reflect off the front reflecting surface 30 of the reflector 28. Vertically polarized radiation from the feed 42 is reflected by the screen 44 towards the reflector 38 to be reflected from the back reflecting surface 32. In the case of the feed assembly 54, the screen 60 is provided with horizontal metallic strips 78 disposed on a substrate 80. The screen 58 is provided with vertical metallic strips 82 on a substrate 84. The two substrates 80 and 84 are fabricated of material, such as a polycarbonate, which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The screen 58 is transparent to the horizontal radiation of the feed 40 while reflecting the vertically polarized radiation from the feed 42. The screen 60 is transparent to the vertically polarized radiation of the feed 42 while reflecting the horizontal polarized radiation of the feed 40. The radiation f.rom the feed 40 is reflected by the screen 60, a portion of the reflected radiation passing through the screen 58, the horizontally polarized radiation reflected by the screen 60 impinging upon the reflector 28 to be reflected from the front reflecting surface 30. Similarly, vertically polarized radiation of the feed 42 is reflected by the screen 58, a portion of the reflected radiation
-propagating through the screen 60, the vertically polarized radiation reflected by the screen 58 propagating through the front reflecting surface 30 of the reflector 28 to be reflected by the back reflecting surface 32. Thereby, the antenna 50 of Fig.2 and the antenna 20 of Fig. 1 are seen to provide for independent transmission and focusing of their respective horizontally polarized radiations and their respective vertically polarized radiations. The operations of the antennas 20 and 50 are reciprocal such that independent operation at either polarization can be obtained for both received and transmitted radiation signals.
The arrangement of the metallic strips 72 in the front reflecting surface 30 is shown in Figs. 5-9. These figures also show the arrangement of the metallic strips 74 on the screen 44. In addition, these figures show the front-to-back arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42 and the point of intercept 86 of each of the front and the back reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 upon a line 88. While the hatching in Figs. 5-8 is directed to only one of the feed assemblies, namely the feed assembly 24 of the antenna 20, the showing of the horizontally arranged metallic strips 72 of the front reflecting surface 30 applies to both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs. 1 and 2. Also, the enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 9 applies to both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs. 1 and 2.
Figs. 10-14 show the vertically oriented metallic strips 72 of the back reflecting surface 32 of the reflector 28 in both the antennas 20 and 50 of Figs.1 and 2. Figs.10 - 13 also show the arrangement of the components of the feed assembly 54 of the antenna 50 of Fig.2. In the Figs.10 - 14, the view of the metallic strips 72 of the reflector assembly 52 corresponds to that which would be seen by vertically polarized radiation, it being understood that the front reflecting surface 30 as well as the components of the dish 34 are transparent to the vertically polarized radiation. The side-by-side arrangement of the feeds 40 and 42, as well as the arrangement of the screens 58 and 60 of the feed assembly 54 are readily seen in the views of Figs.10 -13.
Rays of radiation may propagate from distant points towards the reflector, or in the reverse direction, along a path 90 shown in Figs. 7 and 12. Vertically polarized radiation received along the path 90 is focused by the back reflecting surface 32 to a focus at the mouth of the horn feed 42. Horizontally polarized radiation received along the path- 90 is focused by the front reflecting surface 30 to a focus located at the mouth of the horn feed 40. The two focuses are located on a line 88 in Fig. 7, and in Fig. 12 are located equidistant from the line 88. The arrangement of the reflector 28 as depicted in Figs. 7 and 12 is convenient for installation on board satellites or space stations circumnavigating the earth because the location of the reflector 20 relative to the feed horns 40 and 42, as well as to the subreflectors provided by the screens 44, 58, and 60, allows for incoming radiation to clear the satellite and the base 26 or 56 of the antennas 20 or 50. Also, the use of a single supporting structure in the form of the dish 34 for both of the reflecting surfaces 30 and 32 significantly reduces the weight of the reflector 28, thereby to facilitate deployment of the antennas 20 and 50 in a satellite. In a typical installation, the focal length of the reflector 28 may be as high as 100 inches, or more if desired. The diameter of the reflector 28 may be in the range of 80 - 90 inches.
It is to be understood that the above described embodiments of the invention are illustrative only, and that modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but is to be limited only as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Q M S.What is claimed is:
1. An antenna system comprising:
a plurality of reflectors each having a concave surface for focusing electromagnetic radiation, a concave surface of a first reflector of said plurality of reflectors having substantially the same shape a.s a c «oncave surface of a second » reflector of said plurality of reflectors to permit nesting of said first reflector within said second reflector;
support means located between said first reflector and said second reflector, said support means spacing said first and said second reflectors apart with a substantially uniform spacing for reducing weight of the support means, said support means being transparent to the radiation; and
feed means directing radiation at a first polarization and at a second polarization different from said first polarization to said plurality of reflectors, said first reflector being sensitive to the polarization of radiation for reflecting radiation at said first polarization while being transparent to radiation at said second polarization to allow propagation of radiation at said second polarization from said feed means to said second reflector.
2. An antenna system according to Claim 1 wherein said feed means comprises:
a first horn for transmitting radiation at said first polarization;
a second horn for transmitting radiation at said second polarization; and
polarization sensitive directing means interposed between said first horn and said second horn for directing the radiations of respective ones of said horns toward said plurality of reflectors.
3. An antenna system according to Claim 2 wherein said directing means comprises a reflector assembly positioned for receiving radiation transmitted by each of said horns, said reflector assembly including at least one reflector for reflecting the radiation of one of said horns towards said plurality of reflectors.
4. An antenna system according to Claim 3 wherein said directing means directs radiation of said first polarization and of said second polarization along a common line of propagation towards said plurality of reflectors, at least one of said horns being spaced apart from said common line of propagation.
5. An antenna system according to Claim 4 wherein said reflector of said directing means comprises a set of parallel electrically-conductive strips oriented parallel to a plane of the electric field for one of said polarizations for reflection of radiation, and oriented perpendicular to the electric field of radiation having the other of said polarizations to permit radiation of said other polarization to propagate through the reflector of said directing means.
6. An antenna system according to Claim 5 wherein said second horn is positioned along said common line of propagation, said reflector of said directing means being positioned between said second horn and said plurality of reflectors, the orientation of said conductive strips of said reflector of said directing means permitting propagation of radiation of said second horn through said conductive strips along said common line of propagation while ref lecting radiation from said first horn to propagate along said common line of propagation.
7. An antenna system accor ding to Cl aim 4 wherein said first horn and said second horn are each offset from said common line of propagation, said reflector assembly of said directing means comprises a plurality of subreflectors, one of said subreflectors having a set of parallel electrically-conductive strips oriented to . be transparent to radiation of said second horn while reflecting radiation of said first horn along said common line of propagation, and wherein a second of said subref lectors has a set of paral lel el ectrical ly-conductiv e strips or iented to be transparent to radiation of said f irst horn while reflecting radiation of said second horn to propagate along said common line of propagation.
8. An antenna system according to Cl aim 1 wherein said fir st ref l ector compr ises a set of parallel electrically-conductive strips oriented in a plane paral lel to the direction of said f irst polarization for reflecting radiation of said first polarization while being transparent to radiation at said second polarization.
9. An antenna system accor ding to Cl aim 8 wherein said second reflector comprises a set of parallel electrically-conductive strips disposed perpendicularly to the set of conductive strips of said first reflector,and wherein said antenna system further comprises means for positioning said feed means in front of said first reflector.
10. An antenna system according to Claim 9 wherein said concave surface of said first reflector is a paraboloid and the concave surface of said second reflector is a portion of a paraboloid, a central axis of the paraboloid of said first reflector surface coinciding with a central axis of said second reflector surface.
11. An antenna system according to Claim 10 wherein at least one of said horns is offset from said coincident central axes.
12. An antenna system according to Claim 11 wherein said feed means comprises:
a first horn for transmitting radiation at said first polarization;
a second horn for transmitting radiation at said second polarization; and
polarization sensitive directing means interposed between said first horn and said second horn for directing the radiations of respective ones of said horns toward said plurality of reflectors.
13. An antenna system according to Claim 12 wherein said directing means comprises a reflector assembly positioned for receiving radiation transmitted by each of said horns, said reflector assembly including at least one reflector for reflecting the radiation of one of said horns towards said plurality of reflectors;
said directing means directs radiation of said first polarization and of said second polarization along a common line of propagation towards said plurality of reflectors, at least one of said horns being spaced apart from said common line of propagation; and wherein
said reflector of said directing means comprises a set of parallel electrically-conductive strips oriented parallel to a plane of the electric field for one of said polarizations for ref lection of radiation and perpendicular to the electric field of radiation having the other of said polarizations to permit radiation of said other polarization to propagate through the reflector of said directing means; and wherein
said common line of propagation is angled relative to said central axes.
14. An antenna system according to Claim 13 wherein said second horn is positioned along said common line of propagation, said reflector of said directing means being positioned between said second horn and said plurality of reflectors, the orientation of said conductive strips of said reflector of said directing means permitting propagation of radiation of said second horn through said conductive strips along said common line of propagation while reflecting radiation from said first horn to propagate along said common line of propagation.
15. A method of constructing an antenna system suitable for transmission of electromagnetic energy at a plurality of polarizations from a vehicle carrying the antenna system, the method comprising the steps of:
fabricating a support of material transparent to electromagnetic radiation, said support having opposed surfaces, said step of fabricating further comprising a step of forming one of said opposed surfaces to be concave aπd the other of said opposed surfaces to be convex;
constructing a first reflector and a second reflector of sets of parallel electrically-conductive strips;
nesting a first reflector on said concave surface and a second reflector on said convex surface;
orienting the strips of said second reflector to be perpendicular to the strips of said first reflector, the spacing between said reflectors being substantially uniform;
positioning a feed structure in front of said first reflector, said feed structure having- a first horn and a second horn;
displacing said first horn from said second horn such that said first horn and said second horn are each located at a focal distance along a line of propa¬ gation from the corresponding reflector; and
interposing a polarization responsive subreflector assembly between said first horn and said second horn, said interposing including a step of orienting elements of said subreflector assembly for reflecting radiation of a first polarization from said first horn along a line of propagation towards said first reflector while permitting a passage of radiation of a second polarization different from said first polarization from said second horn to pass through said elements of said subreflector assembly along said line of propagation, said radiation at said second polarization propagating through said first reflector for reflectance from said second reflector.
16. A method according to Claim 15 further comprising:
mounting said support upon the vehicle, said concave and said convex surfaces being formed as a surface of revolution about an axis; and
offsetting said feed structure from said axis.
EP19870908045 1986-12-11 1987-11-09 Composite antenna reflector with polarized subreflector Withdrawn EP0293429A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US94038986A 1986-12-11 1986-12-11
US940389 1992-09-03

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WO (1) WO1988004480A1 (en)

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EP2492526A2 (en) 2011-02-22 2012-08-29 Dirk Richter Roller and roller coating method

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JPH01502230A (en) 1989-08-03

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