Dual channel microwave transmit/receive module for an active aperture of a radar system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG.
1, disclosed thereat is a block diagram broadly illustrative of an active aperture 1 for a radar system 2 including a plurality of phased array antenna elements 3 coupled to a plurality of identical dual channel T/R modules 10 by way of respective RF circulators 4.
Each T/R module 10 includes a pair of RF transmit ports TX1 and TX2 and a pair of receive ports RX1 and RX2 connected to separate antenna elements 3 and circulators 4 for implementing two separate and distinct T/R channels embodied within one common T/R module 10.
Both T/R channels, moreover, share a common input port TXM from a transmit manifold 5 and a common output port RXM to a receive manifold 6 which form part of a common RF manifold for the system.
The combined output from the receive manifold 6 is fed to the receiver section, not shown, of the radar system 2.
RF pulses generated for transmission are fed to the transmit manifold 5 via an array driver 7.
The six RF input/output ports TX1, TX2, RX1, RX2, TXM and RXM define an RF interface for the T/R module 10.
The module 10, moreover, receives DC power from a DC source 8 and beam steering control signals are received from a beam controller 9 via a power/logic interface.
All of these subsystems are under the control of a one or more microprocessors, not shown, located in the radar system 2.
Considering now the details of the preferred embodiment of the invention and as shown in FIGS.
2A-2D, the T/R module 10 exhibits an elongated relatively thin profile and implements a pair of discrete transmit/receive channels within a single common package including a multi-layer substrate structure 12 comprised of a plurality of high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) layers, to be described hereinafter, bonded together in a generally flat, rectangular configuration including a relatively wide front end portion 14 and a relatively narrow rear portion 16.
The substrate 12 acts as a means for interconnecting a number of active and passive components which will be described hereinafter for implementing a dual T/R function for a phased array radar system