EP0524622B1 - Antenna array for ultra-high frequencies - Google Patents

Antenna array for ultra-high frequencies Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0524622B1
EP0524622B1 EP92112576A EP92112576A EP0524622B1 EP 0524622 B1 EP0524622 B1 EP 0524622B1 EP 92112576 A EP92112576 A EP 92112576A EP 92112576 A EP92112576 A EP 92112576A EP 0524622 B1 EP0524622 B1 EP 0524622B1
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Prior art keywords
array
array antenna
sources
source
unit
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0524622A1 (en
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Gérard Caille
Frédéric Magnin
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Alcatel Espace Industries SA
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Alcatel Espace Industries SA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
    • H01Q21/22—Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
    • H01Q21/08—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an array antenna for microwave waves, this array being for example, but not limited to, a linear array intended to be placed along the focal line of a cylindro-parabolic reflector.
  • the array antennas are designed with a view to obtaining adaptive diagrams from a multitude of elementary sources such as: horns, helices, dipoles, "patches” (small conductive patterns or “blocks", for example of rectangular shape , and etched on a substrate), etc ...
  • the simplest array antenna is the conventional linear array antenna which comprises, on the same line, a greater or lesser number of identical elementary sources and spaced at a regular pitch, the pitch being the distance from the center of a source to that of the adjacent source.
  • the antenna of D1 is reconfigurable in orientation by a phase shift applied between sub-arrays, and supplied by the respective sources.
  • the electronic orientation of the beam of the antenna D1 is limited in precision and in angular displacement by the performance compromises accepted at the level of the antenna in order to obtain more affordable production costs.
  • the elementary sources constituting the network remain identical to each other.
  • the invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.
  • a network antenna comprising a series of similar elementary sources (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, ...) arranged one beside the other to form at least one linear network.
  • these elementary sources in a first direction which joins the center of said network at its ends, these elementary sources being arranged so that the effective space of separation between two successive sources is chosen so that there are no holes of illumination in this network (space practically zero or equal to half a wavelength): characterized in that : the width of these elementary sources, measured in said first direction, gradually increases according to the distance from a source to said center of said network towards its ends.
  • this progressive widening of the dimensions of the sources follows a law of variation in geometric progression.
  • these horns are not identical, and their width L, and thereafter the pitch p which separates the respective axes of two adjacent horns, gradually increases, on either side of the central horn Co and in the same way right as to the left of the latter, as one moves away from this central horn Co towards the ends, right and left respectively, of this network 1.
  • the pitch pn is defined from the pitch po by the same relation.
  • the antenna array according to FIG. 1 can, for example, be provided to be placed along the focal line of a conventional cylindro-parabolic reflector (not shown), in order to sweep a fine lobe through such an antenna. in the plane determined by the network and the line of the vertices of the parabolic sections.
  • This scheme is a priori fairly conventional in structure. It comprises a microwave transceiver (4) which is coupled, via a bi-directional link 5, to a distributor 6 having the role of effecting a uniform distribution of the energy emitted, or received, on its different output channels. , or input, referenced Vo, V1d, V1g, V2d, V2g, V3d, V3g, ..., and respectively supplying the horns Co, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, ...
  • This power very advantageously corresponds to the maximum and optimal power for which these amplifiers are calculated. Total power is therefore maximized, and energy efficiency is optimized because each amplifier operates at the maximum efficiency for which it is built.
  • the central horn Co has the same width, for example about 2 cm, as that of a regular network of the prior art.
  • the progressive increase in their width will be carried out by groups of horns. For example, five successive cones, on the right as on the left, will have the same width each time, the following five being all identical and a little wider, etc ...
  • the plaintiff was thus able to halve the number of horns necessary for a linear network of nearly 6 meters having to sweep a beam lengthened by about 6 degrees on either side of its normal.
  • the drop in gain was only on the order of 0.35 to 0.4 dB.
  • FIG. 3 An exemplary embodiment of an antenna network of the same type, but based on resonant blocks, or "patches", is shown very schematically in Figure 3, where the denominations CO, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g ,. .., for the elementary sources have been respectively replaced by PO, P1d, P1g, P2g, P2g, ..., designating the replacement patches of the previous horns.
  • Each of these patches is connected to its corresponding amplifier and phase shifter block by a respective line Lo, L1d, L1g, L2d, L2g ....
  • the invention is not limited to the preceding embodiments. It also applies to the realization of two-dimensional plane networks: in such a case, the dimension of the sources increases from the center of the network towards its edges, both along the abscissa axis and along the ordinate axis. In the case of a network with a planar structure of revolution, the progressive increase in the dimensions of the sources takes place, similarly, from the center towards the periphery of this structure.
  • each of these generators comprises a series of radiating elements comprising, as for example in Figures 3 and 4, a central element framed on either side, by radiating elements similar, but gradually increasing in width and arranged so as not to create illumination holes on this generator.

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Description

La présente invention se rapporte à une antenne-réseau pour ondes hyperfréquences, ce réseau étant par exemple, mais non limitativement, un réseau linéaire destiné à être placé selon la ligne focale d'un réflecteur cylindro-parabolique.The present invention relates to an array antenna for microwave waves, this array being for example, but not limited to, a linear array intended to be placed along the focal line of a cylindro-parabolic reflector.

Les antennes-réseau sont conçues en vue de l'obtention de diagrammes adaptatifs à partir d'une kyrielle de sources élémentaires telles que : cornets, hélices, dipôles, "patchs" (petits motifs conducteurs ou "pavés", par exemple de forme rectangulaire, et gravés sur un substrat), etc...The array antennas are designed with a view to obtaining adaptive diagrams from a multitude of elementary sources such as: horns, helices, dipoles, "patches" (small conductive patterns or "blocks", for example of rectangular shape , and etched on a substrate), etc ...

En associant à chacune de ces sources élémentaires un déphaseur commandable, ou réalise une antenne à balayage électronique dont le faisceau peut "dépointer" (c'est à dire : balayer) très rapidement.By associating with each of these elementary sources a controllable phase shifter, or produces an antenna with electronic scanning, the beam of which can "spot" (ie: sweep) very quickly.

L'antenne réseau la plus simple est l'antenne réseau linéaire classique qui comporte, sur une même ligne, un plus ou moins grand nombre de sources élémentaires identiques et espacées d'un pas régulier, le pas étant la distance du centre d'une source à celui de la source adjacente.The simplest array antenna is the conventional linear array antenna which comprises, on the same line, a greater or lesser number of identical elementary sources and spaced at a regular pitch, the pitch being the distance from the center of a source to that of the adjacent source.

En réalisant un réseau de façon similaire, mais selon deux dimensions orthogonales au lieu d'une seule, on obtient un "réseau plan", souvent de contour rectangulaire, éventuellement avec des coins tronqués.By making a network in a similar way, but in two orthogonal dimensions instead of one, we obtain a "planar network", often of rectangular outline, possibly with truncated corners.

De manière semblable, et à condition d'adopter une maille hexagonale, on peut réaliser un réseau de révolution dans un plan.In a similar way, and on condition of adopting a hexagonal mesh, one can realize a network of revolution in a plane.

L'inconvénient de toutes ces antennes-réseau à pas régulier réside dans le fait que, pour une antenne de grandes dimensions, le nombre de sources élémentaires à prévoir peut devenir très élévé, de sorte que ce genre d'antenne est souvent d'un prix de revient prohibitif.The disadvantage of all these regular pitch array antennas is that, for a large antenna, the number of elementary sources to be provided can become very high, so that this kind of antenna is often of a prohibitive cost price.

Pour diminuer le nombre de sources élémentaires, certains auteurs ont pensé à la création de réseaux dits" raréfiés" ou "lacunaires", par suppression de certaines sources soit de façon aléatoire, soit selon une loi déterministe établie mathématiquement en fonction de la théorie des antennes, le nombre de sources enlevé augmentant vers les bords de l'antenne-réseau. le document D1 = DE-A1 38 39 945 du 31.05.1990 décrit un système d'antenne réseau tel que montré sur la figure 4, dans lequel un dépointage électronique peut être obtenu dans une gamme angulaire limitée moyennant un déphasage unique appliqué à une pluralité de sources élémentaires réunies au sein d'un sous-réseau, ledit système comprenant une pluralité de sous-réseaux constitués chacun d'une pluralité de sources identiques, lesdits sous-réseaux étant constitués d'un nombre variable de sources, ce nombre ayant parfois tendance à croître selon la distance du centre dudit réseau (voir figures 12,13).To reduce the number of elementary sources, some authors have thought of creating so-called "rarefied" or "incomplete" networks, by eliminating certain sources either randomly or according to a deterministic law established mathematically according to the antenna theory , the number of sources removed increasing towards the edges of the array antenna. the document D1 = DE-A1 38 39 945 of 05.31.1990 describes a network antenna system as shown in FIG. 4, in which electronic depointing can be obtained in a limited angular range by means of a single phase shift applied to a plurality of elementary sources brought together within a sub-network, said system comprising a plurality of sub-networks each made up of a plurality of identical sources, said sub-networks being made up of a variable number of sources, this number sometimes having tendency to grow according to the distance from the center of said network (see Figures 12,13).

Ainsi, l'antenne de D1 est reconfigurable en orientation par un déphasage appliqué entre sous-réseaux, et fourni par les sources respectives. Néanmoins, l'orientation électronique du faisceau de l'antenne D1 est limitée en précision et en débattement angulaire par les compromis de performances admises au niveau de l'antenne pour obtenir des coûts de réalisation plus abordables. Dans toutes ces formes de réalisation, les sources élémentaires constitutives du réseau restent identiques entre elles.Thus, the antenna of D1 is reconfigurable in orientation by a phase shift applied between sub-arrays, and supplied by the respective sources. However, the electronic orientation of the beam of the antenna D1 is limited in precision and in angular displacement by the performance compromises accepted at the level of the antenna in order to obtain more affordable production costs. In all these embodiments, the elementary sources constituting the network remain identical to each other.

Cette raréfaction permet de diminuer le nombre de sources élémentaires sans détériorer la forme du lobe principal ni faire apparaître dans le diagramme de rayonnement de l'antenne des "lobes de réseau", c'est à dire des pics dans des directions non désirées. Elle entraîne malheureusement une importante baisse du gain de l'antenne, qui chute de 10 log R, R désignant la proportion de sources restantes : si l'on enlève la moitié des sources élémentaires, on perd 3dB sur le gain total de l'antenne.This rarefaction makes it possible to decrease the number of elementary sources without deteriorating the shape of the main lobe or making appear in the radiation pattern of the antenna "network lobes", that is to say peaks in unwanted directions. Unfortunately, it leads to a significant drop in the antenna gain, which drops by 10 log R, R designating the proportion of remaining sources: if we remove half of the elementary sources, we lose 3dB on the total gain of the antenna .

Dans de nombreuses applications, une telle perte de gain est prohibitive :

  • . pour une antenne d'émission de télécommunications, il faudrait, pour garder le même bilan de liaison, doubler la puissance émise, ce qui est rarement possible;
  • . pour une antenne radar, pour laquelle le gain intervient à la fois en émission et en réception, il faudrait alors quadrupler cette puissance émise.
In many applications, such loss of gain is prohibitive:
  • . for a telecommunications transmission antenna, to keep the same link budget, the transmitted power should be doubled, which is rarely possible;
  • . for a radar antenna, for which the gain occurs both in transmission and in reception, this transmitted power would then have to quadruple.

L'invention vise à remédier à ces inconvénients. Elle se rapporte à cet effet à une antenne réseau comprenant une kyrielle de sources élémentaires analogues (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g,...) disposées les unes à coté des autres pour former au moins un réseau linéaire selon une première direction qui réunit le centre dudit réseau à ses extrémités, ces sources élémentaires étant disposées de manière à ce que l'espace effectif de séparation entre deux sources successives est choisi de manière à ce qu'il n'y ait pas de trous d'illumination dans ce réseau (espace pratiquement nul ou égal à une demi longueur d'onde) :
   caractérisée en ce que :
   la largeur de ces sources élémentaires, mesurée selon ladite première direction, augmente progressivement selon la distance d'une source audit centre dudit réseau vers ses extrémités.The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. To this end, it relates to a network antenna comprising a series of similar elementary sources (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, ...) arranged one beside the other to form at least one linear network. in a first direction which joins the center of said network at its ends, these elementary sources being arranged so that the effective space of separation between two successive sources is chosen so that there are no holes of illumination in this network (space practically zero or equal to half a wavelength):
characterized in that :
the width of these elementary sources, measured in said first direction, gradually increases according to the distance from a source to said center of said network towards its ends.

Préférentiellement, cet élargissement progressif des dimensions des sources suit une loi de variation en progression géométrique.Preferably, this progressive widening of the dimensions of the sources follows a law of variation in geometric progression.

De toute façon, l'invention sera bien comprise, et ses avantages et autres caractéristiques ressortiront, lors de la description suivante de quelques exemples non-limitatifs de réalisation en référence au dessin schématique annexé dans lequel :

  • . Figure 1 est une vue de face de la partie centrale d'un réseau linéaire conforme à l'invention et composé d'une kyrielle de cornets, ce réseau étant par exemple destiné à être placé selon la ligne focale d'un réflecteur cylindro-parabolique;
  • . Figure 2 est un schéma synoptique du circuit d'émission-réception à balayage électronique de faisceau qui peut être associé au réseau selon la figure 1;
  • . Figure 3 est une vue en plan simplifiée d'une réalisation semblable à celle selon Figure 1, mais réalisée à l'aide de pavés résonnants ou "patchs"; et . Figure 4 est une variante d'une réalisation connue de l'art antérieur par le document D1
In any case, the invention will be well understood, and its advantages and other characteristics will emerge during the following description of a few non-limiting examples of embodiment with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:
  • . Figure 1 is a front view of the central part of a linear network according to the invention and composed of a series of horns, this network being for example intended to be placed along the focal line of a cylindro-parabolic reflector;
  • . FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the transmission-reception circuit with electronic beam scanning which can be associated with the network according to FIG. 1;
  • . Figure 3 is a simplified plan view of an embodiment similar to that according to Figure 1, but performed using resonant pads or "patches"; and. Figure 4 is a variant of an embodiment known from the prior art by document D1

En se reportant aux figures 1 et 2, il s'agit d'un réseau linéaire 1 composé d'une kyrielle de cornets rayonnants adjacents, dont un cornet central Co encadré de part et d'autre par deux séries, identiques et symétriques par rapport à l'axe central 2 du cornet Co et donc du réseau 1, de cornets :

  • . une première série de cornets C1d,C2d,C3d,..., à droite (sur le dessin) de ce cornet central Co; et
  • . une deuxième série de cornets C1g,C2g,C3g,..., à gauche de ce cornet central Co.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it is a linear network 1 composed of a string of adjacent radiating horns, including a central horn Co framed on either side by two series, identical and symmetrical with respect to the central axis 2 of the cornet Co and therefore of the network 1, of horns:
  • . a first series of horns C1d, C2d, C3d, ..., on the right (in the drawing) of this central horn Co; and
  • . a second series of horns C1g, C2g, C3g, ..., to the left of this central horn Co.

Afin qu'il n'y ait pas de trous d'illumination dans le diagramme de rayonnement de ce réseau 1 il n'est pratiquement pas prévu d'espace effectif de séparation entre deux cornets adjacents, ceux-ci étant de ce fait séparés l'un de l'autre par une paroi commune, telle que la paroi référencée 3 sur le dessin et réalisant la jonction entre le cornet Co et le cornet C1d.So that there are no illumination holes in the radiation pattern of this network 1, there is practically no effective separation space between two adjacent horns, these being therefore separated l 'from each other by a common wall, such as the wall referenced 3 in the drawing and making the junction between the horn Co and the horn C1d.

Par ailleurs, ces cornets ne sont pas identiques, et leurs largeur L, et par la suite le pas p qui sépare les axes respectifs de deux cornets adjacents, croit progressivement, de part et d'autre du cornet central Co et de même façon à droite comme à gauche de ce dernier, au fur et à mesure que l'on s'éloigne de ce cornet central Co en direction des extrémités, droite et gauche respectivement, de ce réseau 1.Furthermore, these horns are not identical, and their width L, and thereafter the pitch p which separates the respective axes of two adjacent horns, gradually increases, on either side of the central horn Co and in the same way right as to the left of the latter, as one moves away from this central horn Co towards the ends, right and left respectively, of this network 1.

La loi de variation en largeur des cornets est préférentiellement une loi en progression géométrique, par exemple de la forme : l n = l o (1 + k) n-1

Figure imgb0001
où k est un facteur d'accroissement constant, par exemple égal à 0,1 , lo la largeur du cornet central Co, et ln la largeur du cornet de rang n, Cnd ou Cng.The law of variation in width of the horns is preferably a law in geometric progression, for example of the form: l not = l o (1 + k) n-1
Figure imgb0001
 where k is a constant growth factor, for example equal to 0,1, l o the width of the central horn Co, and l n the width of the horn of rank n, Cnd or Cng.

Bien entendu, en particulier dans le cas de l'antenne réseau 1 représentée où toutes les sources se touchent, le pas pn est défini à partir du pas po par la même relation.Of course, in particular in the case of the array antenna 1 shown where all the sources touch, the pitch pn is defined from the pitch po by the same relation.

Le réseau d'antenne selon Figure 1 peut, à titre d'exemple, être prévu pour être placé selon la ligne focale d'un réflecteur classique cylindro-parabolique (non-représenté), afin de faire balayer par une telle antenne un lobe fin dans le plan déterminé par le réseau et la ligne des sommets des sections paraboliques.The antenna array according to FIG. 1 can, for example, be provided to be placed along the focal line of a conventional cylindro-parabolic reflector (not shown), in order to sweep a fine lobe through such an antenna. in the plane determined by the network and the line of the vertices of the parabolic sections.

Le schéma synoptique du bloc électronique associé au réseau 1 est représenté en Figure 2.The block diagram associated with the electronic block associated with network 1 is shown in Figure 2.

Ce schéma est à priori de structure assez classique. Il comporte un émetteur-récepteur hyperfréquences (4) qui est couplé, via une liaison bi-directionnelle 5, à un répartiteur 6 ayant pour rôle d'effectuer une distribution uniforme de l'énergie émise, ou reçue, sur ses différentes voies de sortie, ou d'entrée, référencées Vo,V1d, V1g,V2d,V2g,V3d,V3g ,..., et alimentant respectivement les cornets Co,C1d,C1g,C2d,C2g,C3d,C3g,...This scheme is a priori fairly conventional in structure. It comprises a microwave transceiver (4) which is coupled, via a bi-directional link 5, to a distributor 6 having the role of effecting a uniform distribution of the energy emitted, or received, on its different output channels. , or input, referenced Vo, V1d, V1g, V2d, V2g, V3d, V3g, ..., and respectively supplying the horns Co, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, ...

Sur chacune desdites voies, on trouve successivement :

  • . un déphaseur respectif Do....,D3d,D3g,..., recevant sur sa borne de commande Bo,...,B3d,B3g,..., un signal de commande de déphasage provenant d'un pointeur lui-même piloté par un calculateur central (non représentés), ce dernier élaborant classiquement la loi de phase en fonction du pointage souhaité;
  • . puis, entre ce déphaseur et le cornet associé, un amplificateur de puissance hyper-fréquences, respectivement HPAo,..., HPA3d,HPA3g,...
On each of said channels, there are successively:
  • . a respective phase shifter Do ...., D3d, D3g, ..., receiving on its control terminal Bo, ..., B3d, B3g, ..., a phase shift control signal coming from a pointer itself- even controlled by a central computer (not shown), the latter conventionally developing the phase law as a function of the desired pointing;
  • . then, between this phase shifter and the associated horn, a hyper-frequency power amplifier, respectively HPAo, ..., HPA3d, HPA3g, ...

Dans les réseaux réguliers de l'art antérieur, il était nécessaire de prévoir, en aval des cornets ou autres sources élémentaires, des amplificateurs hyperfréquences dont le gain était décroissant au fur et à mesure que l'on s'écartait du cornet central, car le diagramme de rayonnement souhaité pour ce genre d'antenne nécessite que la densité de puissance émise diminue progressivement au fur et à mesure que l'on s'éloigne du centre du réseau.In the regular networks of the prior art, it was necessary to provide, downstream of the horns or other elementary sources, microwave amplifiers whose gain was decreasing as one moved away from the central horn, because the desired radiation pattern for this kind of antenna requires that the power density emitted gradually decrease as one moves away from the center of the network.

Avec le réseau conforme à l'invention, cette condition de variation de puissance est réalisée par construction, puisque le pas du réseau s'agrandit progressivement au fur et à mesure que l'on s'éloigne du cornet central Co.With the network according to the invention, this condition of variation of power is achieved by construction, since the pitch of the network gradually increases as one moves away from the central horn Co.

En conséquence, il n'est plus besoin d'avoir des amplificateurs de puissance HPAo,...,HPA3d,HPA3g,..., dont le gain varie de l'un à l'autre, et ces amplificateurs sont, selon une caractéristique avantageuse de l'invention, tous identiques et de même puissance.Consequently, it is no longer necessary to have power amplifiers HPAo, ..., HPA3d, HPA3g, ..., the gain of which varies from one to the other, and these amplifiers are, according to a advantageous characteristic of the invention, all identical and of the same power.

Cette puissance correspond très avantageusement à la puissance maximale et optimale pour laquelle ces amplificateurs sont calculés. La puissance totale est donc maximisée, et le rendement énergétique est optimisé du fait que chaque amplificateur fonctionne au rendement maximal pour lequel il est construit.This power very advantageously corresponds to the maximum and optimal power for which these amplifiers are calculated. Total power is therefore maximized, and energy efficiency is optimized because each amplifier operates at the maximum efficiency for which it is built.

Le cornet central Co a la même largeur, par exemple 2 cm environ, que celui d'un réseau régulier de l'art antérieur.The central horn Co has the same width, for example about 2 cm, as that of a regular network of the prior art.

Avantageusement, afin de ne pas trop augmenter le nombre de types de cornets, l'accroissement progressif de leur largeur sera effectué par groupes de cornets. Par exemple, cinq cornets successifs, à droite comme à gauche, auront à chaque fois la même largeur, les cinq suivants étant tous identiques et un peu plus larges, etc...Advantageously, in order not to increase the number of types of horns too much, the progressive increase in their width will be carried out by groups of horns. For example, five successive cones, on the right as on the left, will have the same width each time, the following five being all identical and a little wider, etc ...

La demanderesse a pu ainsi diviser par deux le nombre de cornets nécessaire pour un réseau linéaire de près de 6 mètres devant balayer un faisceau allongé d'environ 6 degrés de part et d'autre de sa normale. Pour une qualité comparable du diagramme de rayonnement, la baisse de gain n'a été que de l'ordre de 0,35 à 0,4 dB.The plaintiff was thus able to halve the number of horns necessary for a linear network of nearly 6 meters having to sweep a beam lengthened by about 6 degrees on either side of its normal. For a comparable quality of the radiation pattern, the drop in gain was only on the order of 0.35 to 0.4 dB.

Un exemple de réalisation d'un réseau d'antenne du même type, mais constitué à base de pavés résonnants, ou "patchs", est représenté très schématiquement en Figure 3, où les dénominations CO,C1d,C1g,C2d,C2g,..., pour les sources élémentaires ont été respectivement remplacées par PO,P1d,P1g,P2g,P2g,..., désignant les patchs de remplacement des cornets précédents.An exemplary embodiment of an antenna network of the same type, but based on resonant blocks, or "patches", is shown very schematically in Figure 3, where the denominations CO, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g ,. .., for the elementary sources have been respectively replaced by PO, P1d, P1g, P2g, P2g, ..., designating the replacement patches of the previous horns.

Chacun de ces patchs est relié à son bloc amplificateur et déphaseur correspondant par une ligne respective Lo, L1d, L1g, L2d, L2g....Each of these patches is connected to its corresponding amplifier and phase shifter block by a respective line Lo, L1d, L1g, L2d, L2g ....

Conformément à l'invention, les dimensions, c'est à dire en fait les largeurs non-résonnantes lo,l1d,l1g,l2d,l2g,..., de ces patchs, augmentent progressivement du centre Po du réseau vers ses deux extrémités, selon par exemple la loi géométrique précédement définie, et donc telle que : l n /l n-1 = 1+k

Figure imgb0002
According to the invention, the dimensions, that is to say in fact the non-resonant widths lo, l1d, l1g, l2d, l2g, ..., of these patches, gradually increase from the center Po of the network towards its two ends , according for example to the geometric law previously defined, and therefore such that: l not / l n-1 = 1 + k
Figure imgb0002

Par ailleurs, de façon que, toujours conformément à l'invention, il n'y ait aucun trou d'illumination dans ce réseau, tous les patchs sont séparés l'un de l'autre d'une même distance d entre bords adjacents qui est égale à la demi-longueur d'ondes guidée, cette condition étant, comme il est bien connu dans cette technique, la condition nécessaire pour éviter de tels trous d'illumination.Furthermore, so that, still according to the invention, there is no illumination hole in this network, all the patches are separated from each other by the same distance d between adjacent edges which is equal to the guided half-wavelength, this condition being, as is well known in this technique, the condition necessary to avoid such illumination holes.

Comme il va de soi, l'invention n'est pas limitée aux exemples de réalisation qui précédent. Elle s'applique de même façon à la réalisation de réseaux plans à deux dimensions : dans un tel cas, la dimension des sources s'accroît du centre du réseau vers ses bords, aussi bien le long de l'axe des abscisses que le long de l'axe des ordonnées. Dans le cas de réseau à une structure plane de révolution, l'accroissement progressif des dimensions des sources s'effectue, de façon similaire, du centre vers la périphérie de cette structure.It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the preceding embodiments. It also applies to the realization of two-dimensional plane networks: in such a case, the dimension of the sources increases from the center of the network towards its edges, both along the abscissa axis and along the ordinate axis. In the case of a network with a planar structure of revolution, the progressive increase in the dimensions of the sources takes place, similarly, from the center towards the periphery of this structure.

Dans le cas d'une antenne comprenant un réseau conformé sur une surface de révolution de profil quelconque (cylindrique circulaire, tronconique,...), par exemple selon la demande de Brevet en Europe N°92 07 598.2 déposée le 6.05.1992 au nom de la Demanderesse, comportant plusieurs génératrices d'éléments rayonnants, chacune de ces génératrices comporte une série d'éléments rayonnants comprenant, comme par exemple en Figures 3 et 4, un élément central encadré de part et d'autre, par des éléments rayonnants semblables, mais de largeur croissant progressivement et disposés de façon à ne pas créer de trous d'illumination sur cette génératrice.In the case of an antenna comprising a network shaped on a surface of revolution of any profile (circular cylindrical, frustoconical, ...), for example according to the patent application in Europe N ° 92 07 598.2 filed on 6.05.1992 at name of the Applicant, comprising several generators of radiating elements, each of these generators comprises a series of radiating elements comprising, as for example in Figures 3 and 4, a central element framed on either side, by radiating elements similar, but gradually increasing in width and arranged so as not to create illumination holes on this generator.

Claims (14)

  1. Microwave array antenna comprising a plurality of like unit sources (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, etc) disposed side by side to form at least one linear array in a first direction joining the centre of said array to its ends, said unit sources being disposed so that there is virtually no effective gap between two successive sources so that there are no illumination gaps in the array,
       characterised in that:
       the width of said unit sources, as measured in said first direction, increases progressively with the distance from a source at the centre of said array to its ends.
  2. Microwave array antenna comprising a plurality of like unit sources (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, etc) disposed side by side to form at least one linear array in a first direction joining the centre of said array to its ends, said unit sources being disposed so that the effective gap between two successive sources is equal to half the guided wavelength so that there are no illumination gaps in the array:
       characterised in that:
       the width of said unit sources, as measured in said first direction, increases progressively with the distance of a source from the centre of said array to its ends.
  3. Array antenna according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that said progressive increase in the width of said unit sources is in accordance with a geometrical progression variation law according to said distance from said centre, for example the width (Ln) of the source of rank (n) is related to the width (Ln-1) of the source of rank (n-1) by an equation of the form: Ln/Ln-1 = (1+k), where k is positive and represents a constant increase factor.
  4. Array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that it further comprises a variable phase-shifter (D0, D1d, D1g, D2d, D2g, D3d, D3g, etc) on the output side of each unit source (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, etc) and a microwave power amplifier (HPA0, HPA1d, HPA1g, HPA2d, HPA2g, HPA3d, HPA3g, etc) also on the output side of each source, and in that all said amplifiers are identical and have the same power rating equal to their common optical power rating.
  5. Array antenna according to claim 1 characterised in that, said unit sources being radiating horns (C0, ..., C3d, C3g, etc), each horn is separated from the adjacent horn by a common wall (3).
  6. Array antenna according to claim 2 characterised in that said unit sources are radiating patches (P0, ..., P2d, P2g, etc).
  7. Two-dimensional plane array antenna comprising a plurality of linear array antennas according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
  8. Two-dimensional body of revolution shape plane array antenna comprising a plurality of linear array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
  9. Antenna conformed to a surface in the shape of a three-dimensional body of revolution, said surface including a plurality of generatrices of said surface, and each generatrix comprising a plurality of linear array antenna unit sources according to any one of claims 1 to 6, said linear array of said antenna being disposed along said generatrix.
  10. Array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that it further comprises a low-noise amplifier for each unit source (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, etc) and a variable phase-shifter (DO, D1d, D1g, D2d, D2g, D3d, D3g, etc) on the output side of each low-noise amplifier.
  11. Array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that it further comprises a variable phase-shifter (D0, D1d, D1g, D2d, D2g, D3d, D3g, etc) on the output side of each unit source (C0, C1d, C1g, C2d, C2g, C3d, C3g, etc) and a microwave power amplifier (HPA0, HPA1d, HPA1g, HPA2d, HPA2g, HPA3d, HPA3g, etc) also on the output side of each source.
  12. Active array antenna according to claims 10 and 11 for radar applications characterised in that it comprises a transmit channel and a receive channel switchable alternately and each comprising a dedicated microwave amplifier.
  13. Array antenna according to claim 11 or claim 12 characterised in that all transmit mode amplifiers have the same power rating equal to their common optimal power rating.
  14. Array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6 on the focal line of a cylindrical-parabolic reflector to constitute a high-gain antenna that can be scanned electronically in the plane formed by the linear array and the row of tips of the parabolic sections.
EP92112576A 1991-07-26 1992-07-23 Antenna array for ultra-high frequencies Expired - Lifetime EP0524622B1 (en)

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FR9109506A FR2679704B1 (en) 1991-07-26 1991-07-26 NETWORK ANTENNA FOR MICROWAVE WAVES.
FR9109506 1991-07-26

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EP0524622B1 true EP0524622B1 (en) 1997-04-23

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US5327147A (en) 1994-07-05
JPH05199029A (en) 1993-08-06
EP0524622A1 (en) 1993-01-27
DE69219233D1 (en) 1997-05-28
CA2074657A1 (en) 1993-01-27
ES2100980T3 (en) 1997-07-01
FR2679704B1 (en) 1993-09-24
DE69219233T2 (en) 1997-08-07
FR2679704A1 (en) 1993-01-29

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