Power combiner

1. A power combining apparatus, comprising:

an input waveguide section having a central longitudinal axis, and having inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner coaxial conductor and an inner surface of the outer coaxial conductor have a substantially constant ratio of radial dimension along a central longitudinal axis;

a center waveguide section, coupled to the input waveguide section, having an input, an output, and a plurality of antenna elements; and

an output coaxial waveguide section coupled to the output of the center waveguide section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the outer surface of the inner conductor and the inner surface of the outer conductor comprises a substantially conical shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements comprise a plurality of receive antenna elements associated with the input waveguide section and a plurality of transmit antenna elements associated with the output waveguide section.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the center waveguide section comprises a central longitudinal axis and a plurality of trays arranged circumferentially around the central longitudinal axis, wherein each of the trays include one of the receive antenna elements and one of the transmit antenna elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the trays further comprises at least one active element.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the trays further comprises an input antipodal finline structure including the receive antenna element for such tray and an output antipodal finline structure including the transmit antenna element for such tray.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output waveguide section comprises inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner conductor of the output waveguide section and an inner surface of the outer conductor of the output waveguide section each comprises a substantially linear radial taper.

8. A power combining apparatus, comprising:

an input waveguide section having inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner coaxial conductor and an inner surface of the outer coaxial conductor each comprises a substantially rectilinear taper;

a center waveguide section having an input, an output, and a plurality of antenna elements, wherein the input waveguide section has a substantially constant characteristic impedance, and wherein the antenna elements are arranged such that the antenna elements have an effective combined impedance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the input waveguide section; and

an output waveguide section coupled to the output of the center waveguide section.

9. A power combining apparatus, comprises:

an output waveguide section having a central longitudinal axis, and inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner conductor and an inner surface of the outer conductor have a substantially constant ratio of radial dimension along the central longitudinal axis;

a center waveguide section having an input, an output, and a plurality of antenna elements, the output of the center waveguide section being coupled to the output waveguide section; and

an input waveguide section coupled to the input of the center waveguide section.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the outer surface of the inner conductor and the inner surface of the outer conductor comprises a substantially conical shape.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the outer surface of the inner conductor and the inner surface of the outer conductor each comprises a substantially rectilinear taper.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the antenna elements comprise a plurality of receive antenna elements associated with the input waveguide section and a plurality of transmit antenna elements associated with the output waveguide section.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the center waveguide section comprises a central longitudinal axis and a plurality of trays arranged circumferentially around the central longitudinal axis, wherein each of the trays include one of the receive antenna elements and one of the transmit antenna elements.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the trays further comprises at least one active element.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the trays further comprises an input antipodal finline structure including the receive antenna element for such tray and an output antipodal finline structure including the transmit antenna element for such tray.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the output coaxial waveguide section has a substantially constant characteristic impedance; and the antenna elements are arranged such that the antenna elements have an effective combined impedance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the output waveguide section.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the input waveguide section comprises inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner conductor of the input waveguide section and an inner surface of the outer conductor of the input waveguide section each comprises a substantial linear radial taper.

18. A power combining apparatus, comprising:

an output waveguide section having a central longitudinal axis, and having inner and outer coaxial conductors configured to maintain a substantially constant characteristic impedance along the central longitudinal axis, wherein an outer surface of the inner coaxial conductor and the inner surface of the outer coaxial conductor have a substantially constant ratio of radial dimension along the central longitudinal axis; wherein an outer surface of the inner coaxial conductor and the inner surface of the outer coaxial conductor have a substantially constant ratio of radial dimension along the central longitudinal axis;

a center waveguide section, coupled to the output waveguide section, having an input, an output, and a plurality of antenna elements, the output of the center waveguide section being coupled to the output waveguide section; and

an input waveguide section coupled to the input of the center waveguide section.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each of the outer surface of the inner conductor and the inner surface of the outer conductor comprises a substantially conical shape.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the antenna elements comprise a plurality of receive antenna elements associated with the input waveguide section and a plurality of transmit antenna elements associated with the output waveguide section.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the center waveguide section comprises a central longitudinal axis and a plurality of trays arranged circumferentially around the central longitudinal axis, wherein each of the trays include one of the receive antenna elements and one of the transmit antenna elements.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each of the trays further comprises at least one active element.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each of the trays further comprises an input antipodal finline structure including the receive antenna element for such tray and an output antipodal finline structure including the transmit antenna element for such tray.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the output waveguide section comprises inner and outer coaxial conductors, wherein an outer surface of the inner conductor of the output waveguide section and an inner surface of the outer conductor of the output waveguide section each comprise a substantially linear radial taper.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the outer surface of the inner conductor and the inner surface of the outer conductor each comprises a substantially rectilinear taper.

26. A power combining apparatus, comprising:

an output waveguide section having a central longitudinal axis, and having inner and outer coaxial conductors configured to maintain a substantially constant characteristic impedance along the central longitudinal axis;

a center waveguide section, coupled to the output waveguide section, having an input, an output, and a plurality of antenna elements, the output of the center waveguide section being coupled to the output waveguide section, wherein the antenna elements are arranged such that the antenna elements have an effective combined impedance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the output waveguide section: and

an input waveguide section coupled to the input of the center waveguide section.