N-way, ridged waveguide, radial power combiner/divider
A microwave radial power divider/combiner device in which ridged waveguides structures are provided to provide adjacent-port isolation, large bandwidth, consistent cross-port phase matching, low insertion loss, and high peak and average power handling characteristics. The device includes a single rectangular input/output waveguide coupled to a bi-conical waveguide, which in turn is coupled to multiple ridged waveguides. These ridged radial waveguides are coupled to waveguide end-launches and impedance transformers located around the circumference of the device.
1. A radial power combiner/divider comprising:
a bi-conical center port;
a plurality of waveguide end launches, each waveguide end launch coupled to the bi-conical center port; and
a plurality of impedance transformers, wherein each of the plurality of impedance transformers is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of waveguide end launches.
2. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the bi-conical center port comprises an impedance transformer.
3. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the bi-conical center port comprises a dielectric material.
4. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 3 , wherein the bi-conical center port is at least partially encased in the dielectric material.
5. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of waveguide end launches are stepped waveguides.
6. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 5 , wherein the stepped waveguides are Chebyshev transformers.
7. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of waveguide end launches are tapered waveguides.
8. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of waveguide end launches comprises an air dielectric and a metallic outer conductor.
9. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impedance transformers comprise single-step cylinders.
10. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impedance transformers comprise multiple-step cylinders.
11. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impedance transformers comprise conical frustums.
12. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impedance transformers are coupled to corresponding coaxial ports.
13. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 1 , wherein impedance and capacitance septums are placed between the plurality of impedance transformers or the plurality of waveguides.
14. A radial power combiner/divider, comprising:
a bi-conical center port wherein the bi-conical center port comprises a dielectric material;
a plurality of stepped waveguide end launches, each waveguide end launch coupled to the bi-conical center port; and
a plurality of impedance transformers, wherein each of the plurality of impedance transformers is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of waveguide end launches.
15. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 14 , wherein the bi-conical center port comprises an impedance transformer.
16. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 14 , wherein the stepped waveguides are Chebyshev transformers.
17. A radial power combiner/divider, comprising:
a bi-conical center port, wherein the bi-conical center port comprises a dielectric material;
a plurality of waveguide end launches having a first end and a second end, each waveguide end launch coupled at its first end to the bi-conical center port;
a plurality of impedance transformers, wherein each of the plurality of impedance transformers is coupled to the second end of a respective one of the plurality of waveguide end launches; and
a plurality of coaxial ports, wherein each of the plurality of coaxial ports is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of impedance transformers.
18. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 17 , wherein the bi-conical center port is at least partially encased in the dielectric material.
19. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of waveguide end launches are stepped or tapered waveguide end launches.
20. The radial power combiner/divider of claim 17 , further comprising an impedance septum and/or a capacitance septum placed between neighboring impedance transformers and/or neighboring waveguides.