RU123586U1 - RECEIVING ACTIVE PHASED ANTENNA ARRAY MODULE - Google Patents

Abstract

A receiving active phased array module containing a receiving microstrip antenna, a preselector filter that prevents overload of the receiving path, an attenuator that provides an amplitude distribution of the signal over the opening of the array; a phase shifter that sets the phase distribution of the signal, a gyrator for ensuring the matching of the elements of the path, an amplifier consisting of one or more stages of active amplification, and a detector that serves to extract the envelope signal, characterized in that the elements of the module are constructed using layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures in combination with resonant phenomena.

Description

The utility model relates to radio engineering and can be used to build the receiving modules of the active phased antenna arrays (AFAR) of the microwave range. It is proposed to use multifunctional radar and information systems of increased noise immunity as part of the AFAR, in radio relay communication lines and aircraft radio communication systems.

AFAR modules are known in which receivers and transmitters are an integral part of a complex antenna system. From such modules as from "bricks" AFAR are assembled. The block diagram of the AFAR receiving module includes an antenna, an active element, and a phasing system. The structural unity of the module is ensured by the choice of components: antennas can be printed, slotted, lens, horn, etc .; active elements can be diodes and transistors that are part of mixers and amplifiers; the phasing system is usually a smooth or discrete bushing or reflective phase shifters on p-i-n-diodes, ferrites, etc. Signal processing in the module receiver can occur at an intermediate frequency, and not at the frequency of the received signal.

One of the new directions in the construction of AFAR modules is the use of layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures in combination with resonance phenomena. Layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures [1] are an ideal object for creating microwave magnetoelectric (ME) devices [2-3]. The use of electromechanical, ferromagnetic and magnetoacoustic resonances, magnetic dipole and electric dipole transitions in these structures allows us to design new ones. Microwave ME devices [4-6] and create various modules on their basis [7].

Obviously, for the operation of the modules, some nodes are used that are not structurally included in the module, but are an accessory of the entire system: it is a powerful local oscillator for all AFAR mixers, a signal processing device (adders, multipliers, correlators for combining the signals received by each module), a control unit phase shifters, processor, etc. They are not discussed below.

The receiving AFAR modules considered below consist of the following elements: receiving microstrip antenna [7]; filter preselector [8], which prevents overload of the receiving path; attenuator, providing the amplitude distribution of the signal along the opening of the lattice; a phase shifter [9] that defines the phase distribution of the signal; a gyrator [10] to ensure alignment of the elements of the path; an amplifier consisting of one or more stages of active amplification, and a detector for extracting the envelope of the signal.

The prototype of the invention is (see RU No. 2380803, H01Q21 / 00, 2010) a receiving AFAR module consisting of an antenna of the diffraction grating type made of conductors on the surface of a metallized dielectric substrate with a focusing device, a diode mixer, and a discrete diode phase shifter on switched segments of microstrip waveguides. The use of such phase shifters is due to the unity of the manufacturing process for the printing antenna and phase shifter, which allows them to be structurally combined on a common dielectric substrate as part of the module.

The antenna of the prototype module receives millimeter-wave radiation, directs it in the form of a surface wave E along the dielectric substrate by the diffraction grating, focuses it in the H plane and feeds it to the input of the diode mixer. A portion of the power common to the AFAR heterodyne is supplied to the heterodyne input, and the intermediate frequency of the decimeter or meter range is fed to the input of a discrete diode phase shifter on switched segments of microstrip waveguides. Depending on the polarity of the voltages supplied from the AFAR phase shifter control unit, the phase of the intermediate frequency signal supplied to the output of the phase shifter (to the output of the module) changes as necessary to form the AFAR radiation pattern by the processing device.

The disadvantage of the prototype is its large dimensions. The disadvantage is due to the fact that the dimensions of the module are determined by the sum of the dimensions of the antenna, mixer and phase shifter.

The objective of the utility model is to reduce the size, increase the degree of speed; reduction of power consumed in the control circuit; decoupling of control circuits at the same time by electric and magnetic fields.

To solve this problem, an AFAR receiving module based on elements using layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures is proposed.

The difference is that the module elements are constructed using layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures in combination with resonant phenomena.

The main advantages are: a more compact and lightweight AFAR receiving module, which has high speed, low control power with isolation of control circuits of both electric and magnetic fields.

Below is a brief description of the structures of the listed elements of the ME module.

Figure 1 shows an example of the implementation of the ME of the receiving unit of the microwave AFAR, generally implemented on the ME devices, where:

1 - antenna;

2 - channel 1;

3 - filter preselector;

4 - attenuator;

5 - phase shifter;

6 - gyrator;

7 - amplifier;

8 - detector;

9 - channel 2;

10 channel 3;

11 - channel N.

Microstrip Receiving Antenna

In the microwave technology, slotted and rectangular emitters are often used, they are small and technologically advanced, which makes it possible to design AFARs on their basis. The microwave gap antenna is a rectangular dielectric plate (substrate) made of FLAN material metallized on both sides. The lower side of the metallization is grounded, on the upper side of the edge of the antenna a slot is cut. A rectangular recess is cut in the substrate, into which a rectangular sample is installed - a film of iron-yttrium garnet (YIG) on a substrate of gallium-gadolinium garnet (GGT). Above, a PTZ piezoceramic disk is glued to the YIG film. The disk is metallized on both sides, electrodes are supplied to its metallized sides for supplying control voltage. The PZT disk, together with the YIG film, makes up the ME element. When a control voltage is applied to the PZT disk, the properties of the microwave field passing through the element change as a result of the ME interaction. This achieves the ability to control the microwave characteristics of the device. To create the necessary magnetizing field on the reverse side of the antenna is a small magnet, adjustable with a dielectric screw. The antenna connects to the wave guide path with an SMA connector.

Preselector filter

Microwave filters on ME composites [3, 8] are designed on the basis of various manifestations of the ME effect. The ME effect is most pronounced in the form of a shift in the resonance line of the FMR under the action of a control electric field [1,4]. The ME composite in this case plays the role of a resonator. The use of a control electric field allows the tuning of the filter characteristics in a wide frequency range and the implementation of a filter preselector with electrical frequency tuning.

The band-pass microstrip ME filter is a board of dielectric material on which transmission lines are located in the form of coupled microstrip lines of non-resonant length. The resonators are made in the form of ME plates of the YIG - PZT composition. The isolation between the lines is determined by the gap between the transmission lines. The connection between the transmission lines is carried out using resonators magnetized to a resonant magnetic field. The adjustment of the filter parameters is carried out using the control electric field.

Attenuator

The ME attenuator [3] is a microstrip line in which a region with circular polarization of the microwave field is created using 3λ / 8 and λ / 8 cables. A ME cavity consisting of a YIG disk on a GGT substrate and a PZT disk is placed in this region. An external magnetic field applied to the sample creates a resonant field and serves to select the operating frequency of the device. A control electric field is applied to the electrodes deposited on the PZS piezoelectric.

Phase shifter

The microstrip microwave ME phase shifter [7, 9] is made on the basis of a three-layer ME structure consisting of a YIG film on a substrate of PT and a PZT disk. The principle of operation of the phase shifter is based on the microwave ME effect, which consists in shifting the FMR line under the action of a control electric field. The microstrip transmission line on a composite substrate: dielectric and ME disk serving as a microwave resonator, is the basis for the design of the passage-through phase shifter. In the volume of the ME cavity, circular loops of the magnetic field are created using loops. The resonator is installed in the region of circular polarization of the microwave magnetic field, the constant magnetic field is directed perpendicular to the plane of the sample. In contrast to the ME attenuator, the operating point for reducing losses is selected on the dispersion curve outside the resonance region. Under the influence of the control voltage applied to the electrodes located at the ends of the ME cavity, due to the microwave ME effect, the FMR line is shifted and the phase shifter is electrically controlled.

Gyrator

Unlike the Faraday effect gyrator known in the art, which rotates the phase by 180 °, the gyrator using the ME effect also has the ability to invert the impedance of the transmission line and convert the input voltage to current and vice versa [10]. The gyrator based on the ME effect has a compact shape due to the concentrated element used, which allows one to significantly reduce the overall dimensions of the microwave gyrator and use it in the microwave technique to invert the impedance and phase rotation of the electromagnetic wave. Elements of the ME cavity are located on a dielectric substrate. An ME element is installed in the gap of the microstrip line, covered by a loop connected to the microstrip line. In this case, the ME element is a layered structure: a YIG film on a GGG substrate and a PZZ piezoelectric with metallized coatings deposited on both sides. This device allows you to adjust the resistance of the transmission line.

ME Microwave Amplifier

In contrast to the ferrite microwave amplifier known in the art, an amplifier using the ME effect has a significant advantage in that magnetoacoustic resonance (MAP) is used to convert energy [6]. This allows you to convert most of the pump energy and use pump modes without critical powers. The considered amplifier has a compact shape due to the used ME element. The device does not need to use bias circuits, as in semiconductor amplifiers. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the overall dimensions of the ME microwave amplifier and use it in micro- and nanoelectronics devices. The resonator has a special shape with loops of 1/8 and 3/8 wavelengths of the amplified signal, necessary to create a microwave field with circular polarization, which allows more efficient use of the ferrite component of the ME element. The dimensions of the resonator are selected in such a way as to correspond to 1/2 the wavelength of the signal in order to ensure resonance conditions at the fundamental frequency of the precession.

Selective ME microwave detector

The detector is used to isolate the envelope of the microwave signal in the PAR modules. The detector consists of a dielectric substrate on which a microstrip transmission line is formed. An area of circular polarization of the magnetic field of the microwave signal is created on the substrate by strip loops of length λ / 8 and 3λ / 8. A disk-shaped permanent magnet is attached to the reverse side of the board, creating a resonant magnetizing field. The sensitive element is placed in the antinode region of the magnetic field and is a layered composite in the form of a disk composition: a piezoelectric-ferrite-planar semiconductor diode. Separating capacitors, which are a break in the microstrip transmission line, prevent the propagation of the control electric signal into the microwave path. Low-pass filters formed by series-connected strip lines with different wave impedances prevent the microwave signal from propagating to the input of the reading device. The device allows to detect a microwave signal in a simple and effective way, it is compatible with planar devices, a wide temperature range, low power consumption, frequency selectivity and high speed frequency tuning controlled by an electric field.

The proposed design of the receiving module of the AFAR makes it possible to realize a 1.5 - 1.7 times more compact and lightweight module of the receiving AFAR than the prototype, it has high speed, low power control, the isolation of the control circuits is carried out simultaneously by electric and magnetic fields. All these positive factors make the use of the proposed AFAR receiving module technically and cost-effective.

Information sources

1. Bichurin M.I., Petrov V.M. Magnetic resonance in layered ferrite-ferroelectric structures. ZhTF 11, T.58. S. 2277-2278 (1988).

2. Bichurin M.I. Magnetoelectric materials and their application in microwave technology. Bulletin of NovSU 19, pp. 7-12 (2001).

3. Bichurin M.I., Petrov V.M., Petrov R.V., Kapralov G.N., KilibaYu.V., Bukashev F.I., SmimovA.Yu., Tatarenko A.S. Magnetoelectric microwave devices. Ferroelectrics 280, P.211-218 (2002).

4. Bichurin M.I., Komev LA., Petrov V.M., Tatarenko A.S., KilibaYu.V., Srinivasan G. Theory of magnetoelectric effects at microwave frequencies in a piezoelectric / magnetostrictive multilayer composite. Phys. Rev. B 64, 094409 (1-6) (2001).

5. Bichurin M.I., Filippov D.A., Petrov V.M., Laletsin V.M., Paddubnaya N., Srinivasan G. Resonance magnetoelectric effects in layered magnetostrictive-piezoelectric composites. Phys. Rev. B 68, 132409 (1-4) (2003).

6. Bichurin M.I., Petrov V.M., Ryabkov O.V., Averkin S.V., Srinivasan G. Theory of magnetoelectric effects at magnetoacoustic resonance in single-crystal ferromagnetic-ferroelectric heterostructures. Phys. Rev. B 72,060,408 (R) (2005).

7. Bichurin M.I., R.V. Petrov R.V. Magnetoelectric Phasers For PAS. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference and Exhibition on Satellite Communications (ICSC'96). Moscow, P.172-176 (1996).

8. Petrov R.V., Bichurin M.I., Vorobyov Yu.D., Kiliba Yu.V. Tunable band-pass magnetoelectric microwave filter. Sat doc. International Forum on Science, Technology and Education. MIIGAIK. M., S.234-238 (1997).

9. Bichurin M.I., Petrov R.V., KilibaYu.V. Magnetoelectric microwave phase shifters. Ferroelectrics 204, P.311-318 (1997).

10. Bichurin M.I., Petrov R.V., Filippov A.V., microwave magnetoelectric gyrator, RU No. 2357356, Н03Н 011/42, 2009.

Claims (1)

An active phased array receiving module, comprising a receiving microstrip antenna, a filter preselector to prevent overloading of the receiving path, an attenuator providing amplitude distribution of the signal over the opening of the array; a phase shifter that defines the phase distribution of the signal, a gyrator to ensure alignment of the path elements, an amplifier consisting of one or more stages of active amplification, and a detector used to isolate the envelope of the signal, characterized in that the module elements are constructed using layered ferrite-piezoelectric structures in combination with resonant phenomena.