WO2002099960A1 - Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique - Google Patents

Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002099960A1
WO2002099960A1 PCT/US2001/018479 US0118479W WO02099960A1 WO 2002099960 A1 WO2002099960 A1 WO 2002099960A1 US 0118479 W US0118479 W US 0118479W WO 02099960 A1 WO02099960 A1 WO 02099960A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
oscillator
output
phase
frequency
signal
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Application number
PCT/US2001/018479
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
James J. Rosenberg
David Rutledge
Blythe C. Deckman
Original Assignee
California Institute Of Technology
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 California Institute Of Technology filed Critical California Institute Of Technology
Priority to IL15882301A priority Critical patent/IL158823A0/xx
Priority to EP01948293A priority patent/EP1407539A1/fr
Priority to PCT/US2001/018479 priority patent/WO2002099960A1/fr
Publication of WO2002099960A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002099960A1/fr
Priority to IL158823A priority patent/IL158823A/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03B—GENERATION OF OSCILLATIONS, DIRECTLY OR BY FREQUENCY-CHANGING, BY CIRCUITS EMPLOYING ACTIVE ELEMENTS WHICH OPERATE IN A NON-SWITCHING MANNER; GENERATION OF NOISE BY SUCH CIRCUITS
    • H03B7/00—Generation of oscillations using active element having a negative resistance between two of its electrodes
    • H03B7/02—Generation of oscillations using active element having a negative resistance between two of its electrodes with frequency-determining element comprising lumped inductance and capacitance
    • H03B7/04—Generation of oscillations using active element having a negative resistance between two of its electrodes with frequency-determining element comprising lumped inductance and capacitance active element being vacuum tube

Definitions

  • This invention relates to quasi-optic grid arrays, and in particular to tunable and modulatable grid oscillators.
  • RF radio frequency
  • power combining has been employed, whereby the output power of individual components are coupled, or combined, thereby creating a single power output that is greater than an individual component can supply.
  • power combining has used resonant waveguide cavities or transmission-line feed networks.
  • a typical grid amplifier 10 is an array of closely-spaced differential pairs of transistors
  • An input signal 16 passes through the horizontally polarized input polarizer 18 and creates an input beam incident from the left that excites rf currents on the horizontally polarized input antennas 20 of the grid 12. These currents drive the inputs of the transistor pair 14 in the differential mode.
  • the output currents are redirected along the grid's vertically polarized antennas 22, producing a vertically polarized output beam 30 via an output polarizer 24 to the right.
  • the cross-polarized input and output affords two important advantages. First, it provides good input-output isolation, reducing the potential for spurious feedback oscillations. Second, the amplifier's input and output circuits can be independently tuned using metal-strip polarizers, which also confine the beam to the forward direction. Numerous grid amplifiers have since been developed and have proven thus far to have great promise for both military and commercial RF applications and particularly for high frequency, broadband systems that require significant output power levels (e.g. > 5 watts) in a small, preferably monolithic, package. Moreover, a resonator can be used to provide feedback to couple the active devices to form a high power oscillator. One non-modulatable source configuration, known as a "Kim oscillator,” is described in M.
  • FIG. 1 shows a functional schematic of the standard Kim oscillator disclosed therein.
  • Figure 2B shows an exploded view of the physical configuration of a standard Kim oscillator.
  • a twist reflector 40 comprising a tilted polarizer 42 and a mirror 44 rotates the y-polarization of the portion of the amplified output beam from the amplifier 46 that is incident upon it and reflects it back into the input of grid amplifier.
  • the polarizer 42 of the twist reflector 40 can be treated as a perfect reflector to energy polarized along its wires and as invisible to energy polarized perpendicular to them.
  • the grid amplifier active array provides gain and gain compression.
  • the frequency selectivity (tuning) in the feedback is accomplished by a phase delay 41, which is primarily set by the physical separation "d" of the twist reflector and the grid array.
  • the output polarizer 48 provides both isolation of the output from the input polarization as well as providing impedance matching for the input polarization.
  • Grid oscillators that include an external twist-reflector feedback network
  • Kim oscillators are conventionally frequency tuned by mechanically translating the feedback network along the axis of the grid's transmitted beam.
  • translation means adds bulk and expense to these otherwise highly reproducible structures. Mechanical tuning can be imprecise and slow. Further, the oscillator cannot modulate its output signal. Thus, such devices are impractical for most applications.
  • the present invention which addresses this need resides in an electronically tunable and modulatable quasi-optic power signal source.
  • the power signal source includes a quasi-optic grid array oscillator having an output that sources an output signal, and means for introducing a signal to entrain the frequency and phase of the oscillator output to a reference signal having a frequency and phase that are specified as a function of time, such that the oscillator output bears a predetermined relationship to the frequency and phase of the reference signal.
  • the grid array oscillator includes a grid amplifier having an input and output and a twist reflector spaced apart from the amplifier by a predetermined distance.
  • the means for entraining is an input port associated with the oscillator that accepts an external injection-locking reference signal having a frequency and phase that are specified as a function of time.
  • This electronic phase modulation described by this invention allows one to utilize signals that are typically generated with conventional transmitter systems. These phase-modulated signals at either the transmission frequency (or an integral fraction thereof), are usually generated at the output of an upconverter and applied to a preamplifier (or amplifying frequency multiplier) before the final power amplification stage.
  • This invention can be deigned into a transmitter system, thereby eliminating the need for the preamplifier (or frequency multiplier). This allows a reduction in part-count and simplification of the overall transmitter system.
  • the input port of the present invention may be located at any one of a number of locations in the oscillator.
  • the input port is located at the twist reflector. More specifically, the twist reflector includes a mirror and an angled polarizer associated with the mirror and the input port is located within the mirror of the twist reflector.
  • the input port is located at the input of the grid amplifier. In yet another embodiment, the input port is located at the output of the grid amplifier. In still yet another embodiment, the input port is located at the output of the oscillator.
  • the reference signal source that is applied to the reference port may take several different forms to achieve the same oscillator output.
  • the output of the oscillator tracks the frequency and phase of the reference signal in a one to one relationship. That is, the frequency and phase of the oscillator output is substantially the same as the frequency and phase of the input reference signal at the reference port.
  • the frequency and phase of the oscillator's output may be a multiple of the frequency and phase of the reference signal.
  • an electronically tunable and modulatable quasi-optic power signal source includes a quasi-optic grid array oscillator that includes a grid amplifier, a polarizing feedback structure and an output that sources an output signal, and a reference input port associated with the oscillator that accepts an external injection-locking reference signal having a frequency and phase that are specified as a function of time such that the oscillator output bears a predetermined relationship to the frequency and phase of the reference signal.
  • the oscillator of the present invention may also serves an a novel amplitude modulator.
  • the electronically tunable and modulatable power signal source includes a quasi-optic grid oscillator having an output that sources an output signal, a reference input port and a controller that regulates the amplitude of the output signal of the oscillator.
  • the reference port may be located at any appropriate location on the oscillator.
  • the port accepts an external injection-locking reference signal having a frequency and phase that are specified as a function of time such that the oscillator output bears a predetermined relationship to the frequency and phase of the reference signal.
  • the means for controlling the amplitude of the output is an external voltage modulator connected to the oscillator that directly modulates of the control bias voltage of the oscillator.
  • a system for electronically tuning and modulating a power signal source includes two quasi-optic grid oscillators each having an output that sources an output signal, where the output signals are summed together. Also included is outphasing modulation control unit that supplies each of the grid oscillators with its own phase-modulated reference signal.
  • Chireix's technique the phasor sum of the oscillators outputs a desired phase and amplitude modulated signal.
  • the outputs of the two oscillators are summed in free-space. In another, the outputs of the two oscillators are summed using guided-wave power combining.
  • the two amplitude modulation techniques described above may also be combined to result in a more efficient and accurate quasi-optic AM modulatable oscillator.
  • dual oscillator system described above that employs Chireix's outphasing modulation technique may also employ direct amplitude modulation to each oscillator, such that the amplitude of the first oscillator output is directly modulated with a first external voltage modulator and the amplitude of the second oscillator output is directly modulated with a second external voltage modulator.
  • a method of electronically tuning and modulating a quasi-optic grid oscillator having a signal output is disclosed. The method includes applying an entraining reference signal to the oscillator and adjusting the reference signal to a desired frequency and phase such that the oscillator output bears a predetermined relationship to the frequency and phase of the reference signal.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional quasi-optic grid array with one of the differential pair unit cells in the array magnified;
  • FIG. 2A is a functional schematic of a standard, quasi-optic grid array source (a "Kim oscillator");
  • Figure 2B shows an exploded view of the physical configuration of a standard
  • FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the physical configuration one embodiment of the present invention, whereby the twist reflector of a conventional Kim oscillator is fitted with a reference signal input port;
  • FIG. 4 A is a functional schematic of one preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the quasi-optic grid array oscillator incorporating a phase modulating scheme in which the entraining signal is introduced within the twist reflector of the active array;
  • FIG. 4B is a functional schematic of one preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the quasi-optic grid array oscillator incorporating a phase modulating scheme in which the entraining signal is introduced at the grid amplifier's input port;
  • FIG. 4C is a functional schematic of one preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the quasi-optic grid array oscillator incorporating a phase modulating scheme in which the entraining signal is introduced at the grid amplifier's output port;
  • FIG. 4D is a functional schematic of one preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the quasi-optic grid array oscillator incorporating a phase modulating scheme in which the entraining signal is introduced at the output of the oscillator; and FIG. 5 a functional schematic of one embodiment of the present invention wherein outphasing modulation is applied with a plane-modulated oscillator.
  • the invention disclosed herein resides in a quasi-optic grid oscillator that includes a reference input port placed at any of a variety of locations in the oscillator.
  • FIG. 3 shows a physical implementation of one such embodiment.
  • the twist reflector 130 includes an active grid array 146 sandwiched between and an output polarizer 148 and a twist reflector 140.
  • the twist reflector comprises a mirror 144 and a tilted polarizer 142.
  • a reference signal input port 150 is bored into the mirror 144 of the twist reflector 140.
  • a relatively small, entraining, reference signal 60 that has a time-dependent frequency and phase is simply introduced into the reference input port. As discussed below, this reference port may be located at different places in the Kim oscillator and still function in substantially the same way as the device shown in FIG. 3
  • FIG. 4 A is a functional schematic that explains the operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, wherein the quasi-optic grid array oscillator incorporates a phase modulating scheme in which an entraining signal is introduced within the twist reflector of the active array.
  • the grid amplifier 146 generates an output signal at its output, or "y-polarization" port 160.
  • y-polarization As seen at signal path 162, a portion of the signal is received by the output polarizer 148 and a portion radiates on the twist reflector 140, which introduces a phase delay 164 and polarization rotation 166.
  • the signal bounces off the reflector and returns as an x-polarized signal to the grid array along 172.
  • This return signal is received at the x- poplarized port 170 of the grid amplifier 146 and is blocked by the output polarizer 148.
  • a phase modulated or frequency modulated reference signal 60 is introduced into the reference signal port 150, where in this embodiment is located within the twist reflector 40. If the reference signal has a frequency sufficiently close to the free-running frequency that would be exhibited by the oscillator in the absence of the reference signal, the oscillator will be entrained to the reference signal 60 in both frequency and phase. In this sense the reference signal is an external injection locking signal. It should be understood that "entraining" as used herein does not necessarily mean instantaneous tracking of the reference signal.
  • the term refers to the action whereby the oscillator's output will reach a state in which its frequency will substantially match the frequency of the reference signal and its phase will bear a substantially fixed relationship to the phase of the reference signal.
  • the reference signal 60 need not be at the desired output frequency, but can instead operate at an integer fraction (e.g., one half, one third) of the desired operating frequency, since the oscillator can be entrained by a harmonic of the reference signal.
  • FIGS. 4B-4D show alternative functional schematics of the frequency/phase modulation technique shown in FIG. 4A, with the reference signal being introduced at alternative points, or ports, in the oscillator.
  • FIG. 4B shows the same schematic as FIG. 4A with reference port 150 for the reference signal 60is substantially located at the grid amplifier's 46 input port 170.
  • FIG. 4C shows the entraining signal introduced at the amplifier's output port 160
  • FIG. 4D shows the signal being introduced at the output 180 of the oscillator.
  • simultaneous amplitude modulation can also be accomplished using the oscillator.
  • Direct amplitude modulation can be accomplished through modulation of the bias voltage applied to control electrodes (e.g., gates of field effect transistors or bases of bipolar transistors) of the active devices in the array.
  • a time- varying voltage applied to the control line connecting to the control electrodes of the individual devices will yield an amplitude modulation of the oscillator output. Synchronizing this time- varying control voltage with the phase-modulated reference signal would enable, for example, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).
  • QAM quadrature amplitude modulation
  • an "outphasing modulation control unit 204 generates from a data input signal 200 and a reference oscillator 202 a pair of phase modulated signals 206, 208. These signals are applied at the signal reference ports of the two modulatable oscillators 210, 212.
  • the two reference signals are constructed from the control unit 204 such that the resultant phasor sum of the entrained oscillator outputs is the desired phase and amplitude modulated output signal.
  • the impedance matching 214, 216 and summation functions at power combiner 218 described in detail in the above-referenced article are accomplished either quasi- optically, using quasi-optical filters and spatial power combining for the summation at 218, or using guided wave components (e.g., waveguide filters, "magic tees,” orthomode transducers, or Wilkinson combiners).
  • the individual oscillators can be equipped with direct amplitude modulation through the control electrodes to provide two or more discrete steps in amplitude.
  • the two oscillators could be run in phase- quadrature, with each oscillator equipped with a simple on/off modulation. This can be used to generate either QPSK or 8QAM modulation.
  • Chireix's outphasing modulation with two constant-amplitude phase modulated oscillators could be improved upon by operating each oscillator with two or more discrete amplitude steps. Lower amplitude overall outputs would then be derived from the phasor sum of smaller amplitude individual oscillator outputs. This would improve efficiency as well as the phase and amplitude accuracy of the low amplitude overall outputs.

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  • Optical Modulation, Optical Deflection, Nonlinear Optics, Optical Demodulation, Optical Logic Elements (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un oscillateur à grille quasi-optique accordable en fréquence et modulable en phase par voie électronique. L'oscillateur comprend un port d'entrée de signal de référence par lequel un petit signal de référence externe est introduit, indiquant la fréquence et la phase du signal de l'oscillateur. L'invention concerne également l'utilisation de techniques de modulation d'amplitude pour améliorer davantage la fonction de modulateur de l'oscillateur.
PCT/US2001/018479 2001-06-05 2001-06-05 Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique WO2002099960A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL15882301A IL158823A0 (en) 2001-06-05 2001-06-05 Electronically tunable and modulatable quasi-optic grid oscillator
EP01948293A EP1407539A1 (fr) 2001-06-05 2001-06-05 Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique
PCT/US2001/018479 WO2002099960A1 (fr) 2001-06-05 2001-06-05 Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique
IL158823A IL158823A (en) 2001-06-05 2003-11-11 A quasi-optical lattice oscillator that can be tuned and modulated electronically

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2001/018479 WO2002099960A1 (fr) 2001-06-05 2001-06-05 Oscillateur a grille quasi-optique accordable et modulable par voie electronique

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IL (2) IL158823A0 (fr)
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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7110165B2 (en) * 2002-10-29 2006-09-19 Wavestream Wireless Technologies Power management for spatial power combiners
US7184205B1 (en) * 2006-02-03 2007-02-27 Hrl Laboratories, Llc Electromagnetic array structure capable of operating as an amplifier or an oscillator
EP1994636A2 (fr) * 2006-01-31 2008-11-26 Raython Company Oscillateurs à transistors de forte puissance

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
KIM M ET AL: "A 6.5 GHZ-11.5 GHZ SOURCE USING A GRID AMPLIFIER WITH A TWIST REFLECTOR", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, IEEE INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 41, no. 10, 1 October 1993 (1993-10-01), pages 1772 - 1774, XP000414474, ISSN: 0018-9480 *
LECUYER F ET AL: "A 16-ELEMENT REFLECTION GRID AMPLIFIER", 2000 IEEE MTT-S INTERNATIONAL MICROWAVE SYMPOSIUM DIGEST. IMS 2000. BOSTON, MA, JUNE 11-16, 2000, IEEE MTT-S INTERNATIONAL MICROWAVE SYMPOSIUM, NEW YORK, NY: IEEE, US, vol. 2 OF 3, 11 June 2000 (2000-06-11), pages 809 - 812, XP000967264, ISBN: 0-7803-5688-8 *
MADER T ET AL: "QUASI-OPTICAL VCOS", IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, IEEE INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 41, no. 10, 1 October 1993 (1993-10-01), pages 1775 - 1781, XP000414475, ISSN: 0018-9480 *

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7110165B2 (en) * 2002-10-29 2006-09-19 Wavestream Wireless Technologies Power management for spatial power combiners
EP1994636A2 (fr) * 2006-01-31 2008-11-26 Raython Company Oscillateurs à transistors de forte puissance
EP1994636A4 (fr) * 2006-01-31 2009-08-05 Raytheon Co Oscillateurs à transistors de forte puissance
US7184205B1 (en) * 2006-02-03 2007-02-27 Hrl Laboratories, Llc Electromagnetic array structure capable of operating as an amplifier or an oscillator

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL158823A0 (en) 2004-05-12
IL158823A (en) 2013-08-29
EP1407539A1 (fr) 2004-04-14

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