POLARIZER FOR A WAVEGUIDE AND SYSTEM FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNALS

Abstract

A polarizer for a waveguide, comprising a main body for transmitting an electromagnetic wave, a first delay member being provided in the main body. A second delay member arranged downstream of the first delay member in the working direction (A) of the electromagnetic wave is provided in the main body, and the polarization axis (P.sub.2) of the second delay member is rotated relative to the polarization axis (P.sub.1) of the first delay member by a delay angle (β).

Claims

1. A polarizer for a waveguide, comprising: with a base body for the transmission of an electromagnetic wave; wherein a first delay element is provided in the base body; a second delay element provided in the base body downstream of the first delay element in a direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, and wherein a polarization axis of the second delay element is rotated through a delay angle with respect to a polarization axis of the first delay element; and the first delay element has a cross-section that differs from a cross-section of the base body.

2. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the base body has an essentially round cross section.

3. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the base body is a dielectric waveguide.

4. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein one delay element has a cross section that is smaller than the cross section of the base body.

5. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein one delay element is a single piece with the base body.

6. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein one delay element is formed of at least one recess, preferably a flattened area in the base body.

7. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein one delay element is formed of two recesses lying opposite one another along a circumference of the base body, and wherein the two opposing recesses are aligned orthogonally relative to the polarization axis of the delay element.

8. The polarizer as claimed in claim 6 and wherein the at least one recess has a first transition region along the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, in which the cross-section of the base body falls, followed by a central region in which the cross-section of the base body is constant, followed by a second transition region in which the cross-section of the base body rises.

9. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a length of the first delay element and a length of the second delay element, in the direction of the propagation of the electromagnetic wave, are different from one another.

10. A waveguide for the transmission of an electromagnetic wave, comprising: a polarizer.

11. A system for transmission of high-frequency electromagnetic signals, comprising: a waveguide for transmission of an electromagnetic wave; and a first antenna arrangement for feeding the electromagnetic wave into a base body of a first polarizer, wherein the first polarizer converts the electromagnetic wave that is fed in from a linear polarization to a circular polarization; a first delay element is provided in the base body of the first polarizer, the first delay element having a polarization axis that is rotated through a delay angle (α) with respect to a polarization axis of the electromagnetic wave from the first antenna arrangement; and a second delay element provided in the base body of the first polarizer downstream of the first delay element in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, and wherein a polarization axis of the second delay element is rotated through a delay angle with respect to the polarization axis of the first delay element.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, and further comprising: a second antenna arrangement for receiving an electromagnetic wave at a base body of a second polarizer; and the second polarizer is downstream of the first polarizer in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, and the second polarizer converts the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the waveguide from the circular polarization into a linear polarization; and a third delay element provided in the base body of the second polarizer, the third delay element having polarization axis that is rotated through 90° with respect to the polarization axis of the first delay element of the first polarizer; and a fourth delay element provided in the base body of the second polarizer upstream of the third delay element in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave and the fourth delay element has a polarization axis that is rotated through 90° with respect to the polarization axis of the second delay element of the first polarizer.

13. The system of claim 12 and wherein a length of one delay element in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave is determined on the delay angle (α, β) of the respective delay element, and wherein the length of the one delay element falls with a rising delay angle (α, β), preferably in inverse proportion to the delay angle (α, β).

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 and wherein the sum of the delay angle (α) of the first delay element and the delay angle (β) of the second delay element results in a total delay angle of 90°, and wherein the delay angle (α) of the first delay element is 1° to 45°, particularly preferably 15°, and the delay angle (β) of the second delay element is 1° to 89°.

15. A system for receiving high-frequency electromagnetic signals, comprising: a waveguide for transmission of an electromagnetic wave; a second antenna arrangement for receiving the electromagnetic wave at a base body of a second polarizer, and wherein the second polarizer converts the electromagnetic wave that is transmitted through the waveguide from a circular polarization to a linear polarization; a third delay element is provided in the base body of the second polarizer, and the third delay element has a polarization axis that is rotated through a delay angle (α) with respect to a polarization axis of the linearly polarized electromagnetic wave emerging from the second polarizer; and a fourth delay element is provided in the base body of the second polarizer upstream of the third delay element in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, and wherein a polarization axis of the fourth delay element is rotated through a delay angle (β) with respect to the polarization axis of the third delay element.

16. The polarizer for a waveguide of claim 1 and wherein the second delay element has a cross-section that differs from the cross-section of the base body.

17. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the base body is a hollow waveguide.

18. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the base body is a single-wire waveguide.

19. The system as claimed in claim 13 and wherein the sum of the delay angle of the first delay element and the delay angle of the second delay element results in a total delay angle of 90°, and wherein the delay angle of the first delay element is 15°, and the delay angle of the second delay element is 75°.

20. The polarizer as claimed in claim 1 and wherein one delay element is formed of at least one flattened area in the base body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings filed herewith.

[0103] The drawing/figures each show preferred exemplary embodiments in which individual features of the present invention are illustrated in combination with one another. Features of one exemplary embodiment can also be implemented when separated from the other features of the same exemplary embodiment and can, accordingly, be combined by a person skilled in the art without difficulty into further useful combinations and subsidiary combinations with features of other exemplary embodiments.

[0104] Elements with the same function are given the same reference signs in the figures.

[0105] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first form of a polarizer according to the invention.

[0106] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second form of the polarizer according to the invention.

[0107] FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway view of the polarizer of FIG. 2 taken on line of FIG. 2.

[0108] FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway view of the polarizer of FIG. 2 taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

[0109] FIG. 5 is an isometric illustration of a system for the transmission of high-frequency electromagnetic signals with a first and a second antenna arrangement, a first and a second polarizer, and a waveguide.

DETAILED WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0110] This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the Constitutional purposes of the US Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

[0111] FIG. 1 shows an isometric illustration of a polarizer 1 for a waveguide 2 with a base body 3 for the transmission of an electromagnetic wave 4. The polarizer 1 can be designed as a single piece with the waveguide 2, or as multiple pieces or as a separate component, as is indicated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 by dotted lines at the transition between the polarizer 1 and the waveguide 2.

[0112] A first delay element 5 is provided in the base body 3, along with a second delay element 6 in the base body 3 downstream of the first delay element 5 in the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4 (or in the z-direction in terms of the Cartesian coordinate system shown in FIG. 1). The polarization axis P.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 is rotated with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.1 of the first delay element 5 through a delay angle β (cf. FIG. 2).

[0113] As already explained above, more than two delay elements can also be provided, while the use of the two delay elements 5, 6 described here is particularly preferred.

[0114] The base body 3 has an essentially round cross-section. Fundamentally, however, the cross-section of the base body 3 can be arbitrary; preferably the cross-section of the base body 3 corresponds to the cross-section of the waveguide 2.

[0115] It can be provided that the base body 3 is designed as a dielectric waveguide, hollow waveguide or single-wire waveguide. In the exemplary embodiment, the base body 3 is formed as a dielectric waveguide that can optionally be surrounded by a metal cylinder 7. The metal cylinder 7 is only suggested for illustration purposes in FIG. 1, and indeed only in the region of the waveguide 2.

[0116] In particular, it can be provided that the first delay element 5 and/or the second delay element 6 has, or have, a cross-section that differs from the cross-section of the base body 3, preferably being smaller. In the exemplary embodiment, the delay elements 5, 6 are formed as a single piece with the base body 3.

[0117] The delay elements 5, 6 can each be formed of at least one recess, preferably a flattened area 8, in the base body 3. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 5, the delay elements 5, 6 are each formed of two flattened areas located opposite one another along the circumference of the base body 3, wherein the two opposing flattened areas 8 are aligned orthogonally to the polarization axis P.sub.1, P.sub.2 of the respective delay element 5, 6.

[0118] It should be mentioned that fundamentally an arbitrary number of recesses or flattened areas 8 can be provided for each delay element 5, 6.

[0119] It is moreover provided in the exemplary embodiment that the at least one recess or flattened area 8 has a first transition region B.sub.A along the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4, in which the cross-section of the base body 3 falls, followed by a central region B.sub.B in which the cross-section of the base body 3 is constant, followed by a second transition region B.sub.C in which the cross-section of the base body 3 rises again. A consistent transition, and thus a better match of the polarizer 1 to the cross-section changes, can hereby be enabled, in particular (although not exclusively) when a dielectric base body 3 is used. For the sake of simplicity, the regions B.sub.A, B.sub.B, B.sub.C are indicated only for the first delay element 5 in FIG. 1. The use of transition regions B.sub.A, B.sub.C is optional, and can also be omitted, in particular (although not exclusively) when a metal base body 3 is used.

[0120] As can be seen in the exemplary embodiments, the length L.sub.1 (cf. FIG. 1) of the first delay element 5 and the length L.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 in the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4 are different from one another. Fundamentally, however, the lengths L.sub.1, L.sub.2 of the delay elements 5, 6 can also be identical, in particular when the delay angles α and β, yet to be described below, correspond.

[0121] It can be provided that the delay elements 5, 6 are spaced apart from one another. The distance d (cf. FIG. 1) between the delay elements 5, 6 is not, however, important.

[0122] As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the polarizer 1 can preferably be used to convert a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 into a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave 4, or at least an elliptically polarized electromagnetic wave 4, which can then be transmitted through the waveguide 2. The polarization axis P.sub.1 of the first delay element 5 can be rotated for this purpose with respect to the polarization access P.sub.L of the electromagnetic wave 4 that is fed in by a delay angle α. Through a polarization axis P.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 rotated further relative to the polarization axis P.sub.L of the electromagnetic wave 4 that is fed in and the polarization axis P.sub.1 of the first delay element 5, the polarization type of the electromagnetic wave 4 can ultimately be converted to the circular polarization.

[0123] The direction of rotation of the circular polarization that is generated is, in the exemplary embodiment, right-circular, since the excitation of the linear polarization of the incoming electromagnetic wave 4 is aligned in the x-direction. On the other hand, a linear polarization rotated through 90°, i.e. an excitation in the y-direction of the incoming electromagnetic wave 4, would, with the same configuration of the polarizer 1, have a left-circular polarization as a consequence. The rotation direction of the circular polarization can thus be determined through the alignment of the linear polarization of the incoming electromagnetic wave 4 and the alignment or arrangement of the delay elements 5, 6.

[0124] The length L.sub.1 of the first delay element 5 or the length L.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 in the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4 can be determined depending on the delay angle α or β of the respective delay element 5, 6, wherein the length L.sub.1, L.sub.2 of the delay elements 5, 6 can fall with rising delay angle α, β, preferably being in inverse proportion to the delay angle α, β.

[0125] It can in particular be provided that the sum of the delay angle α of the first delay element 5 and the delay angle β of the second delay element 6 results in a total delay angle of 90°, wherein the delay angle α of the first delay element 5 is 1° to 45°, preferably 5° to 25°, and particularly preferably 15° (as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment), and the delay angle β of the second delay element 6 is 1° to 89°, preferably 65° to 85°, and particularly preferably 75° (as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment).

[0126] The relationships between the polarization axes P.sub.1, P.sub.2, P.sub.L and the delay angles α, β are further clarified in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a further polarizer 1 in this connection.

[0127] For further clarification, FIG. 3 shows a partly cutaway side view of the polarizer 1 of FIG. 2 along the cut plane illustrated in FIG. 2, whose structure corresponds fundamentally to the structure of the polarizer 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein, however, the distance d between the first delay element 5 and the second delay element 6 is different. As already explained, however, the distance d between the delay elements 5, 6 is not important.

[0128] FIG. 4 shows a further partial view of the polarizer 1 of FIG. 2 along the cut plane IV-IV illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0129] A system 9 for the transmission of high-frequency electromagnetic signals that comprises a waveguide 2 for the transmission of an electromagnetic wave 4 and a first antenna arrangement 10 for feeding the electromagnetic wave 4 into a base body 3 of a first polarizer 1 is illustrated in FIG. 5. The first polarizer 1 is arranged between the first antenna arrangement 10, which is only illustrated schematically as a box, and the waveguide 2, and is designed to convert the electromagnetic wave 4 that is fed in from a linear polarization to a circular polarization (or at least to an elliptical polarization). A first delay element 5 is provided here in the base body 3 of the first polarizer 1, whose polarization axis P.sub.1 is rotated through a delay angle α with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.L of the electromagnetic wave 4 fed in to the base body 3 from the first antenna arrangement 10, as already illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is further provided that a second delay element 6 is arranged downstream of the first delay element 5 in the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4 in the base body 3, wherein the polarization axis P.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 is rotated through a delay angle β with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.1 of the first delay element 5.

[0130] A system, complementary to the above explanations, for receiving high-frequency electromagnetic signals can fundamentally also be provided, comprising a waveguide 2 for the transmission of an electromagnetic wave 4 and a second antenna arrangement 11 (also only illustrated schematically as a box) for receiving the electromagnetic wave 4 at a base body 3 of a second polarizer 12 that is arranged between the waveguide 2 and the second antenna arrangement 11. The second polarizer 12 is designed to convert the electromagnetic wave that is transmitted through the waveguide 2 from the circular polarization (or elliptical polarization) to a linear polarization, wherein a third delay element 13 is provided in the base body 3 of the second polarizer 12, whose polarization axis P.sub.3 is rotated through a delay angle α with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.L of the linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 emerging from the second polarizer 12. It can further be provided that a fourth delay element 14 can be provided in the base body 3 of the second polarizer 12 upstream of the third delay element 13 in the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4, wherein the polarization axis P.sub.4 of the fourth delay element 14 is rotated through a delay angle β with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.3 of the third delay element 13.

[0131] The system 9 shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to an advantageous combination, and comprises the first antenna arrangement 10, the second antenna arrangement 11 and the two polarizers 1, 12. The polarization axis P.sub.3 of the third delay element 13 in the base body 3 of the second polarizer 12 is here rotated through 90° with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.1 of the first delay element 5 of the first polarizer 1. Further, the polarization axis P.sub.4 of the fourth delay element 14 of the second polarizer 12 is here also rotated through 90° with respect to the polarization axis P.sub.2 of the second delay element 6 of the first polarizer 1.

[0132] In order to transmit an electromagnetic wave 4 using the first antenna arrangement 10 to generate a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 to the second antenna arrangement 11 for receiving a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 in circular polarization through the waveguide 2, the two polarizers 1, 12 can thus be applicable, wherein the first polarizer 1 first generates a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 from the linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4, feeds this into the waveguide 2 or is designed as a single piece with the waveguide 2 and wherein the second polarizer 12 is arranged mirrored with respect to the first polarizer 1 along the direction of propagation A of the electromagnetic wave 4 and rotated through 90°, and accepts the circularly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 out of the waveguide 2—or is designed as a single piece with the waveguide 2—and converts it to a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave 4 in order to be received by the subsequent second antenna arrangement 11.

[0133] In compliance with the statute, the present invention has been described in language more or less specific, as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the Doctrine of Equivalents.