阅读说明：本技术 基于脊间隙波导的灵活功分比双频带分支线毫米波耦合器 (Flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on ridge gap waveguide ) 是由 吴永乐 黄宏毅 王卫民 冯文杰 施永荣 于 2020-05-15 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明实施例提供了基于脊间隙波导的灵活功分比双频带分支线毫米波耦合器,其中,上述耦合器包括：壳体、第一平面金属板、第二平面金属板、内部分支线耦合器、四个两段式阻抗变换器和多个金属销钉,内部分支线耦合器包括：两个特性阻抗相同的第一金属脊和两个特性阻抗相同的第二金属脊,两段式阻抗变换器包括：一个第三金属脊和一个第四金属脊,第一平面金属板和第二平面金属板平行且位于壳体内,内部分支线耦合器、两段式阻抗变换器与金属销钉位于第一平面金属板朝向第二平面金属板的板面。本发明实施例提供的耦合器中的介质为空气,降低了高频信号在耦合器内传输的过程中的传输损耗。(The embodiment of the invention provides a ridge gap waveguide-based millimeter wave coupler with a flexible power division ratio and dual-band branch lines, wherein the coupler comprises: casing, first plane metal sheet, second plane metal sheet, interior part branch line coupler, four two segmentation impedance transformer and a plurality of metal pins, interior part branch line coupler includes: two first metal ridges with the same characteristic impedance and two second metal ridges with the same characteristic impedance, the two-stage impedance transformer comprises: the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are parallel and are positioned in the shell, and the internal branch line coupler, the two-section impedance transformer and the metal pin are positioned on the surface, facing the second plane metal plate, of the first plane metal plate. The medium in the coupler provided by the embodiment of the invention is air, so that the transmission loss of a high-frequency signal in the transmission process in the coupler is reduced.)

1. A flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on ridge gap waveguide, the coupler comprising: the impedance transformer comprises a shell, a first plane metal plate (101), a second plane metal plate (102), an internal branch coupler (103), four two-section impedance transformers (104) and a plurality of metal pins (105);

the internal portion spur coupler (103) comprises: two first metal ridges (1031) with the same characteristic impedance and two second metal ridges (1032) with the same characteristic impedance, wherein the characteristic impedance of the first metal ridges (1031) is different from that of the second metal ridges (1032); the two first metal ridges (1031) are arranged in parallel, the two second metal ridges (1032) are arranged in parallel, and two ends of each first metal ridge (1031) are respectively connected with one end of one second metal ridge (1032);

each two-section impedance transformer (104) is respectively used for being connected with the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port; the two-stage impedance transformer (104) comprises: a third metal ridge (1041) and a fourth metal ridge (1042), the characteristic impedances of the third metal ridge (1041) and the fourth metal ridge (1042) are different, the third metal ridge (1041) and the fourth metal ridge (1042) are positioned on the same straight line and connected;

the first planar metal plate (101) and the second planar metal plate (102) are parallel and are positioned in the shell; the internal branch line coupler (103) and each two-section impedance transformer (104) are positioned on the surface of the first planar metal plate (101) facing the second planar metal plate (102);

every two-section impedance transformers (104) are respectively connected to two ends of a first metal ridge (1031) and one end of a second metal ridge (1032) connected with the first metal ridge (1031); the two-section impedance transformers (104) are located in line with the one first metal ridge (1031);

the metal pin (105) is located on the plate surface of the first planar metal plate (101) facing the second planar metal plate (102) except for the inner branch line coupler (103) and the two-stage impedance transformer (104).

2. Coupler according to claim 1, characterized in that the first metal ridge (1031) is perpendicular to the second metal ridge (1032).

3. The coupler of claim 1,

the first metal ridge (1031), the second metal ridge (1032), the third metal ridge (1041) and the fourth metal ridge (1042) are the same in width, different in length and different in height.

4. The coupler of claim 1,

the first metal ridge (1031), the second metal ridge (1032), the third metal ridge (1041) and the fourth metal ridge (1042) have the same electrical length.

5. The coupler of claim 1,

the first metal ridges (1031) are of the same size and/or

The second metal ridges (1032) are of the same size, and/or

The third metal ridges (1041) have the same size, and/or

The fourth metal ridges (1042) are of the same size, and/or

The metal pins (105) have the same size, and the distribution period between the metal pins (105) is the same.

6. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the housing is a non-sealed housing.

7. The coupler of claim 1,

the first plane metal plate (101), the second plane metal plate (102), the internal branch coupler (103), the two-section impedance transformer (104) and the metal pin (105) are made of aluminum.

8. The coupler of claim 1,

the center of the internal part-branch coupler (103) coincides with the center of the first planar metal plate (101).

9. The coupler according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the coupler further comprises: the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation output port;

the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port are respectively connected with the two-section impedance transformer (104).

10. The coupler of claim 9, wherein the input port, the pass-through output port, the coupled output port, and the isolated port are all wave ports.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of electricity, in particular to a flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on ridge gap waveguide.

Background

A coupler is a four-port device having an input port, an output port, and the like, and is capable of dividing power of a signal input from the input port in proportion and outputting a signal obtained after the power division from the output port. A signal transmission path exists between the input port and the output port of the coupler, and a signal transmission medium is filled in the coupler. After a signal is input to the coupler from the input port, the signal is transmitted to the output port through the medium filled in the coupler along the signal transmission path.

In view of the above, in the prior art, the coupler generally includes a transmission path, a metal ground, and a medium filled between the transmission path and the metal ground. The transmission path is composed of a microstrip line, the medium is a solid medium, and the metal ground is a metal sheet. Although the above-mentioned coupler of the prior art can realize signal processing, the dielectric constant of the solid medium is generally large, which results in large transmission loss during transmission of high-frequency signals in the coupler.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the invention aims to provide a ridge gap waveguide-based millimeter wave coupler with a flexible power division ratio and dual-band branch lines, so as to reduce transmission loss of high-frequency signals in the transmission process of the coupler. The specific technical scheme is as follows:

the embodiment of the invention provides a ridge gap waveguide-based millimeter wave coupler with a flexible power division ratio and dual-band branch lines, which comprises: the impedance transformer comprises a shell, a first plane metal plate, a second plane metal plate, an internal branch coupler, four two-section impedance transformers and a plurality of metal pins;

the internal portion spur coupler includes: the first metal ridges have the same characteristic impedance and the second metal ridges have the same characteristic impedance, and the characteristic impedance of the first metal ridges is different from that of the second metal ridges; the two first metal ridges are arranged in parallel, the two second metal ridges are arranged in parallel, and two ends of each first metal ridge are respectively connected with one end of one second metal ridge;

each two-section impedance transformer is respectively used for being connected with the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port; the two-stage impedance transformer includes: the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge have different characteristic impedances, and the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge are positioned on the same straight line and connected;

the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are parallel and are positioned in the shell;

the internal branch line coupler and each two-section impedance transformer are positioned on the surface of the first plane metal plate facing the second plane metal plate;

each two-section impedance transformers are respectively connected to two ends of one first metal ridge and connected to one end of a second metal ridge connected with the one first metal ridge; the two-section impedance transformers and the first metal ridge are positioned on the same straight line;

the metal pin is positioned on the surface of the first plane metal plate facing the second plane metal plate, and the metal pin is arranged on the part except the part provided with the internal branch line coupler and the two-section impedance transformer.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first metal ridge is perpendicular to the second metal ridge.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first metal ridge, the second metal ridge, the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge have the same width, different lengths and different heights.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first metal ridge, the second metal ridge, the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge have the same electrical length.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sizes of the first metal ridges are the same, and/or the sizes of the second metal ridges are the same, and/or the sizes of the third metal ridges are the same, and/or the sizes of the fourth metal ridges are the same, and/or the sizes of the metal pins are the same, and the distribution period between the metal pins is the same.

In one embodiment of the invention, the housing is a non-sealed housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first planar metal plate, the second planar metal plate, the internal branch coupler, the two-stage impedance transformer and the metal pin are made of aluminum.

In one embodiment of the invention, the center of the internal part-branch coupler coincides with the center of the first planar metal plate.

In one embodiment of the invention, the coupler further comprises: the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation output port;

the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port are respectively connected with the two-section impedance converters.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port, and the isolation port are all wave ports.

The embodiment of the invention has the following beneficial effects:

as can be seen from the above, in the coupler provided in the embodiment of the present invention, no other medium is filled between the first planar metal plate and the second planar metal plate, and therefore, the medium between the first planar metal plate and the second planar metal plate is air. In the process that the input signal is transmitted from the input port to the output port along the transmission path formed by the internal branch line coupler and the two-section type impedance converter and is subjected to power distribution, the transmission medium of the input signal is air. Due to the low dielectric constant of air, transmission losses during transmission of high frequency signals within the coupler are reduced.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly described below, it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to the drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1A is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on a ridge gap waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 1B is a top view of an internal portion branch coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 1C is a top view of a two-section impedance transformer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1D is a schematic diagram of a connection relationship of metal ridges according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a coupler circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a dispersion curve simulation result of a first metal pin according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a second metal pin dispersion curve simulation result according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a single metal ridge gap waveguide in a coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a simulation result of return loss and isolation parameters of a first coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of simulation results of transmission coefficients and coupling coefficients of a first coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating simulation results of phase differences between output signals of a first coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a simulation result of return loss and isolation parameters of a second coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating simulation results of transmission coefficients and coupling coefficients of a second coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating simulation results of phase differences between output signals of a second coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

In order to solve the problem that the transmission loss of a high-frequency signal in the transmission process of the coupler is large due to the fact that the dielectric constant of a medium in the coupler in the prior art is large, the embodiment of the invention provides the flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on the ridge gap waveguide.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on ridge gap waveguide is provided, where the coupler includes: the impedance transformer comprises a shell, a first plane metal plate, a second plane metal plate, an internal branch coupler, four two-section impedance transformers and a plurality of metal pins;

the internal branch line coupler includes: two first metal ridges with the same characteristic impedance and two second metal ridges with the same characteristic impedance; the characteristic impedance of the first metal ridge is different from that of the second metal ridge; two first metal ridges are arranged in parallel, two second metal ridges are arranged in parallel, and both ends of each first metal ridge are respectively connected with one end of one second metal ridge.

Each two-section impedance transformer is respectively used for being connected with the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port; the two-stage impedance transformer includes: a third metal ridge and a fourth metal ridge, the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge having different characteristic impedances; the third metal ridge and the fourth metal ridge are positioned on the same straight line and connected.

The first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are parallel and positioned in the shell.

The internal branch line coupler is located on the first planar metal plate facing the surface of the second planar metal plate.

The two-stage impedance transformer is positioned on the surface of the first plane metal plate facing the second plane metal plate; each two-section impedance transformers are respectively connected with two ends of a first metal ridge and one end of a second metal ridge connected with the first metal ridge; the two-section impedance transformers are located on the same straight line with the first metal ridge.

The metal pin is located on the surface of the first planar metal plate facing the second planar metal plate, except for the internal branch coupler and the two-section impedance transformer.

In the coupler provided by the embodiment of the invention, other media are not filled between the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate, so that the media between the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are air. In the process that the input signal is transmitted from the input port to the output port along the transmission path formed by the internal branch line coupler and the two-section type impedance converter and is subjected to power distribution, the transmission medium of the input signal is air. Due to the low dielectric constant of air, transmission losses during transmission of high frequency signals within the coupler are reduced.

The following describes in detail a flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on a ridge gap waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention with specific embodiments.

Referring to fig. 1A, a schematic structural diagram of a flexible power division ratio dual-band branch line millimeter wave coupler based on a ridge-gap waveguide is provided, referring to fig. 1B, a top view of an internal branch line coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided, referring to fig. 1C, a top view of a two-section impedance transformer according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. Specifically, the coupler includes: a housing, a first planar metal plate 101, a second planar metal plate 102, an internal branch coupler 103, four two-stage impedance transformers 104, and a plurality of metal pins 105.

Referring to fig. 1A and 1B, the internal branch line coupler 103 includes: two first metal ridges 1031 and two second metal ridges 1032 that have the same characteristic impedance, the characteristic impedance of the first metal ridges 1031 and the second metal ridges 1032 being different.

Specifically, the internal branch coupler is used for realizing power distribution of the input signal. Since the characteristic impedances of the metal ridges having the same size are the same, the sizes of the first metal ridges 1031 may be the same, the sizes of the second metal ridges 1032 may be the same, and the sizes of the first metal ridges 1031 and the second metal ridges 1032 are different. For example, the dimensions of the first metal ridge 1031 are: length 11.75mm, height 2.45mm, width 1.6mm, the size of above-mentioned second metal spine 1032 is: length 11.78mm, height 2.44mm, width 1.6mm, or the dimensions of the first metal ridge 1031 described above are: length 7.6mm, height 2.85mm, width 2mm, the size of above-mentioned second metal spine 1032 is: length 7.93mm, height 2.98mm, width 2 mm.

If the first metal ridges 1031 and the second metal ridges 1032 have the same size, the coupler structure is simple, the workload in designing and manufacturing the coupler can be reduced, and the efficiency of manufacturing the coupler can be improved.

The first metal ridges 1031 may have different sizes, and the second metal ridges 1032 may have different sizes.

Furthermore, the characteristic impedances of the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032 can be adjusted by adjusting the sizes of the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032, the power ratio between the output signal of the coupler directly connected to the output port and the output signal of the coupled output port can be changed by adjusting the characteristic impedances of the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032, if the power ratio of the two output signals is 1, it is said that the powers of the two output signals are the same, the coupler is an equal-division coupler, and if the power ratio of the two output signals is not 1, it is said that the powers of the two output signals are different, the coupler is said that the coupler is an unequal-division coupler.

Therefore, the sizes of the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032 are changed, and different power distributions of the output signal of the direct connection output port and the output signal of the coupling output port can be realized without changing the overall structure and circuit relationship of the coupler, so that the power ratio of the coupler can be flexibly adjusted.

The two first metal ridges 1031 are disposed in parallel, the two second metal ridges 1032 are disposed in parallel, and both ends of each first metal ridge 1031 are connected to one end of one second metal ridge 1032. The coupler formed by the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032 connected in the above manner is called an internal branch coupler.

Assuming that the two first metal ridges 1031 are respectively referred to as a first metal ridge a and a first metal ridge B, and the two second metal ridges 1032 are respectively referred to as a second metal ridge C and a second metal ridge D, the first metal ridge a is parallel to the first metal ridge B, the second metal ridge C is parallel to the second metal ridge D, one end a1 of the first metal ridge a is connected to one end C1 of the second metal ridge C, the other end a2 of the first metal ridge a is connected to one end D1 of the second metal ridge D, one end B1 of the first metal ridge B is connected to one end C2 of the second metal ridge C, and one end B2 of the first metal ridge B is connected to one end D2 of the second metal ridge D.

Specifically, the width of the connection portion between the second metal ridge 1032 and the first metal ridge 1031 is smaller than the width of the second metal ridge 1032, for example, the width of the second metal ridge 1032 may be 2mm, the width of the connection portion between the second metal ridge 1032 and the first metal ridge 1031 may be 0.5mm, the width of the second metal ridge 1032 may be 1.6mm, and the width of the connection portion between the second metal ridge 1032 and the first metal ridge 1031 may be 0.9 mm.

Referring to FIG. 1D, a schematic illustration of the relationship of the metal ridge connections is provided.

The first metal ridges a and B are two first metal ridges 1031, the second metal ridges C and D are two second metal ridges 1032, the third metal ridges E, F, G and H are four third metal ridges 1041, and the fourth metal ridges I, J, K and L are four fourth metal ridges 1042.

Two ends of the first metal ridge a are respectively a1 and a2, two ends of the first metal ridge B are respectively B1 and B2, two ends of the second metal ridge C are respectively C1 and C2, two ends of the second metal ridge D are respectively D1 and D2, two ends of the third metal ridge E are respectively E1 and E2, two ends of the third metal ridge F are respectively F1 and F2, two ends of the third metal ridge G are respectively G1 and G2, two ends of the third metal ridge H are respectively H1 and H2, two ends of the fourth metal ridge I are respectively I1 and I2, two ends of the fourth metal ridge J are respectively J1 and J2, two ends of the fourth metal ridge K are respectively K1 and K2, and two ends of the fourth metal ridge L are respectively L1 and L2.

As can be seen from fig. 1D, the first metal ridge a is parallel to the first metal ridge B, the second metal ridge C is parallel to the second metal ridge D, a part of the C1 end of the second metal ridge C is connected to the a1 end of the first metal ridge a, and another part is connected to the I1 end of the fourth metal ridge I; one part of the D1 end of the second metal ridge D is connected with the a2 end of the first metal ridge A, and the other part is connected with the J1 end of the fourth metal ridge J; one part of the C2 end of the second metal ridge C is connected with the B1 end of the first metal ridge B, and the other part is connected with the K1 end of the fourth metal ridge K; one part of the end D2 of the second metal ridge D is connected with the end B2 of the first metal ridge B, and the other part is connected with the end L1 of the fourth metal ridge L.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first metal ridge 1031 is perpendicular to the second metal ridge 1032.

Since the two first metal ridges 1031 are arranged in parallel, the two second metal ridges 1032 are arranged in parallel, and the first metal ridges 1031 are perpendicular to the second metal ridges 1032, the internal branch line coupler 103 has a rectangular structure, as shown in fig. 1A.

Referring to fig. 1D, the first metal ridge a is perpendicular to the second metal ridge C and the second metal ridge D, the first metal ridge B is perpendicular to the second metal ridge C and the second metal ridge D, and the first metal ridge a, the first metal ridge B, the second metal ridge C, and the second metal ridge D are rectangular structures.

Each two-stage impedance transformer 104 is adapted to be connected to an input port, a feedthrough output port, a coupled output port, and an isolated port, respectively.

Specifically, each two-section impedance transformer 104 is used to be connected to one of the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port, and the isolation port, and the specific connection relationship may be adjusted according to an application scenario, which is not limited herein.

The isolation port is configured to receive an input signal from the input port, and to output the input signal through the input port.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation output port may be part of the coupler.

The input port, the through output port, the coupled output port and the isolated port are connected to the two-stage impedance transformer 104, respectively.

The input port, the through output port, the coupling output port and the isolation port are all wave ports.

Referring to fig. 1A and 1C, the two-stage impedance transformer 104 includes: a third metal ridge 1041 and a fourth metal ridge 1042, wherein the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are located on the same straight line and connected.

Referring to fig. 1D, the end E1 of the third metal ridge E is connected to the end I2 of the fourth metal ridge I, and the third metal ridge E and the fourth metal ridge I are located on the same straight line; the end F1 of the third metal ridge F is connected with the end J2 of the fourth metal ridge J, and the third metal ridge F and the fourth metal ridge J are positioned on the same straight line; the end G1 of the third metal ridge G is connected with the end K2 of the fourth metal ridge K, and the third metal ridge G and the fourth metal ridge K are positioned on the same straight line; the H1 end of the third metal ridge H is connected with the L2 end of the fourth metal ridge L, and the third metal ridge H and the fourth metal ridge L are positioned on the same straight line.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the characteristic impedances of the third metal ridges 1041 in the different two-segment impedance transformers 104 are the same, the characteristic impedances of the fourth metal ridges 1042 in the different two-segment impedance transformers 104 are the same, and the characteristic impedances of the respective third metal ridges 1041 and the respective fourth metal ridges 1042 are different. Similarly, since the characteristic impedances of the metal ridges with the same size are the same, the size of the third metal ridge 1041 may be the same, the size of the fourth metal ridge 1042 may be the same, and the size of the third metal ridge 1041 is different from that of the fourth metal ridge 1042.

For example, the size of the third metal ridge 1041 may be: length 11.94mm, height 2.29mm, width 1.6mm, and the dimensions of the fourth metal ridge 1042 may be: length 12.05mm, height 2.14mm, width 1.6 mm. Or the size of the third metal ridge 1041 may be: length 8.12mm, height 3.12mm, width 2mm, the dimensions of the fourth metal ridge 1042 may be: length 8.22mm, height 2.38mm, width 2 mm.

If the third metal ridges 1041 have the same size and the second metal ridges 1042 have the same size, the coupler structure is simpler, the workload of coupler design and manufacture can be reduced, and the coupler manufacturing efficiency can be improved.

In addition, the sizes of the third metal ridges 1041 may be different, and the sizes of the fourth metal ridges 1042 may be different.

The first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102 are parallel to each other and are located in the housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102 have the same size, for example, the length may be 59.73mm, the width 29.18mm, or the length may be 40.28mm, and the width may be 21.93 mm.

The first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102 may be rectangular, as shown in fig. 1A.

In addition, the housing may be a non-hermetic housing, and only supports the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102, so that a gap exists between the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102, and thus the inside of the coupler can be connected to the outside air, and the coupler is not filled with other media, so that the media of the coupler is air.

The internal branch line coupler 103 is located on the surface of the first planar metal plate 101 facing the second planar metal plate 102.

The two-stage impedance transformer 104 is located on the surface of the first planar metal plate 101 facing the second planar metal plate 102.

That is, the internal branch coupler 103 and the two-stage impedance transformer 104 are located on the first planar metal plate 101 and between the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102.

Each two-segment impedance transformer 104 is connected to both ends of one first metal ridge 1031, and connected to one end of a second metal ridge 1032 connected to the one first metal ridge 1031.

I.e. each two-segment impedance transformer is connected to both the first metal ridge 1031 and the second metal ridge 1032.

The two-stage impedance transformers 104 are located in a straight line with the one first metal ridge 1031.

Referring to fig. 1D, the third metal ridge E, the fourth metal ridge I, the first metal ridge a, the fourth metal ridge J and the third metal ridge F are located on the same straight line, and the third metal ridge G, the fourth metal ridge K, the first metal ridge B, the fourth metal ridge L and the third metal ridge H are located on the same straight line. As can be seen from the above, each two-section impedance transformer 104 in the embodiment of the present invention is composed of two third metal ridges 1041 and 1042 with different characteristic impedances, so that the coupler has a dual-frequency characteristic and can operate in two different frequency bands.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the widths of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are the same; the lengths of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are different; the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are different in height.

Since the characteristic impedances of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are different, and the sizes of the metal ridges with different characteristic impedances are necessarily different, the lengths and the heights of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are different when the widths of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042 are the same.

From the above, the fixed width is set, and the size of each metal ridge is designed on the basis of the same width, so that the workload of designing and manufacturing the coupler can be reduced, and the efficiency of designing and manufacturing the coupler is improved.

The first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041, and the fourth metal ridge 1042 have the same electrical length.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the center of the internal branch line coupler 103 coincides with the center of the first planar metal plate 101, and as shown in fig. 1A, the coupler has a symmetrical structure in the horizontal plane.

The coupler is in a regular left-right symmetrical and up-down symmetrical structure in the horizontal plane, so that the coupler can be designed and manufactured according to the left-right symmetrical and up-down symmetrical structure, and the efficiency of designing and manufacturing the coupler is improved.

Referring to fig. 2, an embodiment of the present invention provides a schematic diagram of a coupler circuit. Corresponding to the structure diagram shown in fig. 1A, fig. 2 shows a circuit connection relationship among the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042.

The black rectangles represent the first metal ridges 1031, the white rectangles represent the second metal ridges 1032, the rectangles including the vertical stripes represent the third metal ridges 1041, and the rectangles including the horizontal stripes represent the fourth metal ridges 1042, wherein each of the third metal ridges 1041 is connected to the input port, the through output port, the coupling output port, and the isolation port, respectively.

The metal pin 105 is located on the surface of the first planar metal plate 101 facing the second planar metal plate 102, except for the internal branch coupler 103 and the two-stage impedance transformer 104.

That is, the metal pins 105 are located on the first planar metal plate 101 and between the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102.

Specifically, the height of the metal pins 105 is smaller than the interval between the first planar metal plate 101 and the second planar metal plate 102, the size of the metal pins 105 may be the same, and the distribution period between the metal pins 105 may be the same.

For example, the length and width of the metal pins are 0.8mm, the height is 2.6mm, the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 2mm, and the interval between the metal pins 105 and the second flat metal plate 102 is 0.2mm, or the length and width of the metal pins are 0.8mm, the height is 3.2mm, the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 1.6mm, and the interval between the metal pins 105 and the second flat metal plate 102 is 0.15 mm.

The metal pin 105 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may have another shape as shown in fig. 1A.

In addition, since the coupler includes the internal branch line coupler 103 and the two-stage impedance transformer 104 in addition to the metal pins 105, the positions of the metal pins 105 may be adjusted according to the positions of the internal branch line coupler 103 and the two-stage impedance transformer 104, and thus the distribution periods between the metal pins 105 may not be completely the same.

In particular, the metal pin 105 may be used to block transmission of signals having frequencies within a certain frequency band, which may be referred to as a stopband. Signals having a frequency within the band of the impedance cannot be transmitted in the region where the metal pin 105 is present, that is, it is ensured that signals having a frequency within the band of the impedance can only be transmitted along the internal branch coupler 103 and the two-stage impedance transformer 104.

The coupler is based on a ridge-gap waveguide, since signals can only be transmitted along the internal branch coupler 103 and the two-section impedance transformer 104, whereas the internal branch coupler 103 and the two-section impedance transformer 104 are both composed of metal ridges, i.e. signals are transmitted in the coupler along the respective metal ridges, in the gaps between the metal ridges and the second planar metal plate 102.

The range of the wave resistance band is changed along with the change of the shape, the size and the spacing of the metal pins, so that the wave resistance band of the coupler can be changed by changing the shape, the size and the distribution period of the metal pins without changing the overall structure of the coupler. Further, the coupler is adjusted by adjusting the sizes of the first metal ridge 1031, the second metal ridge 1032, the third metal ridge 1041 and the fourth metal ridge 1042, so that the operable frequency range of the coupler is located in the millimeter wave range within the wave impedance band, and the coupler is a millimeter wave coupler.

Referring to fig. 3, a schematic diagram of a first simulation result of the metal pin dispersion curve according to the embodiment of the present invention shows the range of the stopband when the length and width of the metal pins 105 are 0.8mm, the height is 2.6mm, and the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 2 mm.

As can be seen from fig. 3, the signal cannot be transmitted in the range of 19.6 to 51.4GHz, and therefore the stopband is 19.6 to 51.4GHz, that is, the stopband of the coupler, that is, the maximum frequency range in which the coupler can operate, is 19.6 to 51.4GHz in the case that the length and width of the metal pins 105 are 0.8mm, the height is 2.6mm, and the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 2 mm.

Referring to fig. 4, a schematic diagram of the dispersion curve simulation result of the second metal pin according to the embodiment of the present invention shows the range of the stopband in the case that the length and width of the metal pin 105 are 0.8mm, the height is 3.2mm, and the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 1.6 mm. As can be seen from fig. 4, the signal cannot be transmitted in the range of 17.3 to 42.9GHz, and therefore, the stopband is 17.3 to 42.9GHz, that is, the stopband of the coupler, i.e., the maximum frequency range in which the coupler can operate, is 17.3 to 42.9GHz in the case that the length and width of the metal pins 105 are 0.8mm, the height is 3.2mm, and the distribution period between the metal pins 105 is 1.6 mm.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first planar metal plate 101, the second planar metal plate 102, the internal branch coupler 103, the two-stage impedance transformer 104 and the metal pin 105 are made of aluminum, or may be made of other metals such as copper.

In the coupler provided by the embodiment of the invention, other media are not filled between the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate, so that the media between the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are air. In the process that the input signal is transmitted from the input port to the output port along the transmission path formed by the internal branch line coupler and the two-section type impedance converter and is subjected to power distribution, the transmission medium of the input signal is air. Due to the low dielectric constant of air, transmission losses during transmission of high frequency signals within the coupler are reduced.

In addition, because the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate are not physically connected, the first plane metal plate and the second plane metal plate can be manufactured respectively and then integrated, so that the coupler is easier to process and integrate.

Referring to fig. 5, a schematic structural diagram of a single metal ridge gap waveguide in a coupler is provided, where the metal ridge may be any one of a first metal ridge 1031, a second metal ridge 1032, a third metal ridge 1041, and a fourth metal ridge 1042.

In the figure, the lower metal plate is a first planar metal plate 101, and the upper metal plate is a second planar metal plate 102. The cuboid in the middle is a metal ridge, the 6 groups of cuboids on two sides are metal pins 105, and the length and the width of the metal pins 105 are the same. The metal ridge is located on the first plane metal plate 101 and faces the plate surface W of the second plane metal plate_RIs the width of the metal ridge, L_iIs the length of the metal ridge, H_iIs the height of the metal ridge, L_PIs the width and length, H, of the metal pin 105_PIs the height of the metal pins 105, P is the distribution period between the individual metal pins 105, H_AIs the spacing between the metal pins and the second planar metal plate 102, W_GThe distance between two metal pins 105, which is the smallest distance from the metal ridge, may be referred to as the slot width.

Taking the metal ridge as the first metal ridge as an example, the W_RCan be 1.6mm, L_iMay be 11.75mm, H_iMay be 2.45mm, L_PCan be 0.8mm, H_PMay be 2.6mm, P may be 2mm,H_Acan be 0.2mm, W_GMay be 5.2 mm.

Next, the performance of the coupler is analyzed by specific embodiments.