A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.

A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.

A broadband panel array antenna includes a polarization layer, a radiating layer and a feed layer which are sequentially stacked from top to bottom. The feed layer is used for converting a single path of TE10 mode signals into a plurality of paths of same-power in-phase TE10 mode signals and transmitting the plurality of paths of TE10 mode signals to the radiating layer. The radiating layer is used for radiating the plurality of paths of TE10 mode signals from the feed layer to a free space. The polarization layer is used for rotating the polarization direction of an electric field generated by the radiating layer to reduce the side lobe in an E-plane direction diagram and an H-plane direction diagram. The broadband panel array antenna has the advantages of being low in side lobe, high in gain and efficiency, and low in machining cost.

A broadband panel array antenna includes a polarization layer, a radiating layer and a feed layer which are sequentially stacked from top to bottom. The feed layer is used for converting a single path of TE10 mode signals into a plurality of paths of same-power in-phase TE10 mode signals and transmitting the plurality of paths of TE10 mode signals to the radiating layer. The radiating layer is used for radiating the plurality of paths of TE10 mode signals from the feed layer to a free space. The polarization layer is used for rotating the polarization direction of an electric field generated by the radiating layer to reduce the side lobe in an E-plane direction diagram and an H-plane direction diagram. The broadband panel array antenna has the advantages of being low in side lobe, high in gain and efficiency, and low in machining cost.

A borehole drilling communication system that includes a hydraulic drill, a communication module, and a transducer. The hydraulic drill has a drill pipe and a drill head where the communication module is located, The transducer has an input end and is mounted on the drill pipe adjacent the communication module. The communication module includes a first output terminal electrically connected to the drill pipe and a second output terminal electrically connected to the input end of the transducer. The transducer includes a helical conductor that is positioned coaxially over a section of the drill pipe at the drill head, with the helical conductor terminating at an electrically isolated free end. During use in borehole drilling, data sent from the communication module is launched by the transducer and transmitted along the drill pipe as a single conductor transmission line.

A surface-wave waveguide may include a base conductive ground plane including opposite side edges and a pair of conductive side walls. One conductive side wall extends from each side edge of the conductive ground plane. The surface-wave waveguide may also include a substrate including a dielectric material disposed on the base conductive ground plane and between the conductive side walls. The surface-wave waveguide may also include an impedance sheet disposed on the substrate and between the conductive side walls. The impedance sheet may include a predetermined impedance characteristic for transmitting an electromagnetic wave.

A surface-wave waveguide may include a base conductive ground plane including opposite side edges and a pair of conductive side walls. One conductive side wall extends from each side edge of the conductive ground plane. The surface-wave waveguide may also include a substrate including a dielectric material disposed on the base conductive ground plane and between the conductive side walls. The surface-wave waveguide may also include an impedance sheet disposed on the substrate and between the conductive side walls. The impedance sheet may include a predetermined impedance characteristic for transmitting an electromagnetic wave.

A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.

A quasi-optical coupling system launches and extracts surface wave communication transmissions from a wire. At millimeter-wave frequencies, where the wavelength is small compared to the macroscopic size of the equipment, the millimeter-wave transmissions can be transported from one place to another and diverted via lenses and reflectors, much like visible light. Transmitters and receivers can be positioned near telephone and power lines and reflectors placed on or near the cables can reflect transmissions onto or off of the cables. The lenses on the transmitters are focused, and the reflectors positioned such that the reflected transmissions are guided waves on the surface of the cables. The reflectors can be polarization sensitive, where one or more of a set of guided wave modes can be reflected off the wire based on the polarization of the guided wave modes and polarization and orientation of the reflector.

Disclosed herein are components for millimeter-wave communication, as well as related methods and systems.