POWER COMBINER SYSTEM COMPRISING FOUR SOLID-STATE MICROWAVE POWER AMPLIFIERS

Abstract

A power combiner system includes four microwave solid-state power amplifiers, which are connected in an H configuration by a magic tee device.

Claims

1. A power combiner system comprising four microwave solid-state power amplifiers, which are connected in an H configuration by a monobloc magic tee device, wherein the monobloc magic tee device comprises an S-clamp and a base comprising an integrated lower portion of the magic tee device.

2. The power combiner system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a bidirectional coupler.

3. The power combiner system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base comprises an integrated lower portion of the bidirectional coupler.

4. The power combiner system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a preamplifier module configured to amplify and divide the microwave signal identically toward the four solid-state amplifiers.

5. The power combiner system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the solid-state amplifiers, the magic tee device, the bidirectional coupler and the preamplifier module are mounted flat on the base.

6. The power combiner system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flat mounting comprises screws.

Description

[0033] The invention will be better understood on studying a few embodiments that are described by way of completely non-limiting examples and illustrated by the appended drawing, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a microwave solid-state power amplifier, according to one aspect of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a microwave solid-state power amplifier, according to another aspect of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a microwave solid-state power amplifier, according to another aspect of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a microwave solid-state power amplifier, according to FIG. 3.

[0038] Throughout the figures, elements having identical references are similar.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates, according to one aspect of the invention, a power combiner system comprising four microwave solid-state power amplifiers 1, which are connected in an H configuration by a magic tee device 2.

[0040] The magic tee device 2, referred to as a 4-to-1 (4 inputs/1 output), comprises, for example, three combiners referred to as two-to-one and four coaxial transitions. The power combiner system also comprises a bidirectional coupler 4.

[0041] The bidirectional coupler 4 is a microwave element which is composed of four ports. It therefore comprises a first, input port, a second, output (transmission) port, a third port for measuring, by coupling, the microwave which propagates from the first, input port to the second, output port (incident wave) and a fourth port for measuring, by coupling, the wave which propagates from the second port toward the first port (reflected wave). The coupling is the coefficient for sampling the wave between the four ports. When a −20 dB directional coupler is spoken of, for example, that means that the coupling of the wave is 1/100 of the main wave. The isolation port is also spoken of as, when the wave propagates from the first port to the second port, there is no coupling in the fourth port; it is isolated.

[0042] The combiner system further comprises a driver module 5, used to amplify and divide the microwave signal toward four paths (one path per microwave power amplifier 1). The four paths must be rigorously identical for the summation by the output combiner to be made with minimum power losses.

[0043] The combiner system also comprises a housing 6 which accommodates and protects the elements of the system, and a cover, which is not shown, may make it possible to close and finish protecting the system.

[0044] The H configuration of the combiner system makes it possible to optimize the footprint as well as the distribution of the hot spots.

[0045] The magic tee device 2, the bidirectional coupler 4 and the preamplifier module 5 may be mounted flat on a base, in this instance the housing 6. The flat mounting may comprise screws. The flat mounting configuration of the elements of the combiner system makes it easy to manage heat and multi-mission constraints. Specifically, reservoir capacitors may then be as close as possible to the microwave solid-state power amplifiers 1 for the pulsed mode as, for the power to remain constant during the pulse capacitors with high values (mF), therefore large ones, are required. Having a flat structure makes them easier to integrate.

[0046] At least one solid-state amplifier 1 may comprise at least one interconnection, between a microtrace and a suitable waveguide impedance edge, equipped with a clamping device. The microtrace transitions toward a double-edged waveguide with non-standard impedance transformation make optimal compactness without a transition possible; losses are therefore limited and yield improved.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates the magic tee device 2, comprising three two-to-one combiners 3, the bidirectional coupler 4 and an S-clamp 7.

[0048] The microwave power amplifiers 1 and the magic tee device 2 are assembled and disassembled very easily merely by screwing. Maintenance and repair operations are thus greatly facilitated.

[0049] The interconnections of the combiner system are not hyperstatic.

[0050] The modular design makes upgradability at a lower cost, in addition to easy maintainability, possible.

[0051] The combiner system offers isolation between paths, which makes it possible to maintain the gentle degradation performance. The isolation between the paths is provided by the balance resistors of the magic T. These resistors must be able, if one microwave power amplifier becomes defective, to tolerate half of the power of another microwave power amplifier. They must therefore be able to be cooled and therefore mechanically and thermally connected to the cold plate.

[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment in which the base 6 comprises an integrated lower portion of the magic tee device 2. Furthermore, the base 6 may comprise an integrated lower portion of the bidirectional coupler 4.

[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the upper portion, screwed to the base 6, of the magic tee device 2 and of the bidirectional coupler 4.

[0054] Thus, the combiner system offers excellent heat management, simple assembly and great compactness, and makes it possible to maintain optimal power yield because of the low losses.