Waveguide switch

Claim 2

A double-throw microwave switch having a first and second switched port and a common port and comprising three like symmetrically-arrayed Y-shaped waveguide sections, a first arm of each of a first and second Y-shaped waveguide section comprising a respective first and second arm of a third one of said three Y-shaped waveguide sections, a third arm of said third Y-shaped waveguide section comprising said common port, a third arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections forming a respective one of said first and second switched ports, electrically switchable impedance means interposed in said first and second arms of each of said first and second Yshaped waveguide sections for selectively coupling an alternative one of said first and second ports in microwave circuit with said common port, said switchable impedance means comprising first swiTchable impedance means interposed in said first Yshaped waveguide section for intercoupling said first and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said first port during an unexcited second state of said first switchable means; and second switchable impedance means interposed in said second Yshaped waveguide section for inter-coupling said second and common ports during a first state of said second switchable means and isolating said common port from said second port during an unexcited second state of said second switchable means flip-flop means for synchronously operating said first and second switchable means in mutually exclusive states.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 in which there is included a non-reflective load impedance in a second arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections, and in which said switchable impedance means of each of said first and second waveguide section comprises a first cavity-tuned diode interposed in that arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections which is common to said third Y-shaped waveguide section and situated near a star junction of said third waveguide section, a second cavity-tuned diode interposed in said second arm of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections and situated between said load impedance and a star junction of said respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, each of said cavity-tuned diodes functioning at the center-frequency of the bandwidth of said waveguide sections as a matched impedance in an excited state thereof and functioning as a reflective short circuit in an unexcited state thereof, said first and second diodes of each of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, respective first diodes of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states.

Claim 4

A double-throw microwave switch having a first and second switched port and a common port and comprising three like symmetrically arrayed Y-shaped waveguide sections, an arm of each of a first and second Y-shaped waveguide section comprising a respective first and second arm of a third one of said three Y-shaped waveguide sections, a third arm of said third Y-shaped waveguide section com-prising said common port, a third arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections forming a respective one of said first and second switched ports, a second arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections including a non-reflective load impedance near a terminus thereof, and electrically switchable impedance means interposed in said waveguide sections for selectively coupling an alternative one of said first and second ports in microwave circuit with said common port, said electrically switchable impedance means comprising first switchable impedance means interposed in said first Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said first and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said first port during an unexcited second state of said first switchable means; and second switchable impedance means interposed in said second Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said second and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said second port during an unexcited second state of said second switchable means, and said first and second switchable means being adapted to be synchronously operated in mutually exclusive states, said switchable impedance means of each of said first and second waveguide section comprising a first cavity-tuned diode interposed in that arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections which is common to said third Y-shaped waveguide section and situated near a star junction of said third wavEguide section, a second cavity-tuned diode interposed in said second arm of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections and situated between said load impedance and a star junction of said respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, each of said cavity-tuned diodes functioning at the center-frequency of the bandwidth of said waveguide sections as a matched impedance in an excited state thereof and functioning as a reflective short circuit in an unexcited state thereof, said first and second diodes of each of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, respective first diodes of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be oper-ated in mutually exclusive states.

Claim 5

A double-throw microwave switch having a first and second switched port and a common port and comprising three like symmetrically arrayed Y-shaped waveguide sections, an arm of each of a first and second Y-shaped waveguide section comprising a respective first and second arm of a third one of said three Y-shaped waveguide sections, a third arm of said third Y-shaped waveguide section com-prising said common port, a third arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections forming a respective one of said first and second switched ports, a second arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections including a non-reflective load impedance near a terminus thereof, and electrically switchable impedance means interposed in said waveguide sections for selectively coupling an alternative one of said first and second ports in microwave circuit with said common port, said electrically switchable impedance means comprising first switchable impedance means interposed in said first Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said first and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said first port during an unexcited second state of said first switchable means; and second switchable impedance means interposed in said second Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said second and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said second port during an unexcited second state of said second switchable means, and said first and second switchable means being adapted to be synchronously operated in mutually exclusive states, said switchable impedance means of each of said first and second waveguide section comprising a first cavity-tuned diode interposed in that arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections which is common to said third Y-shaped waveguide section and situated near a star junction of said third wavEguide section, a second cavity-tuned diode interposed in said second arm of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections and situated between said load impedance and a star junction of said respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, each of said cavity-tuned diodes functioning at the center-frequency of the bandwidth of said waveguide sections as a matched impedance in an excited state thereof and functioning as a reflective short circuit in an unexcited state thereof, said first and second diodes of each of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, respective first diodes of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be oper-ated in mutually exclusive states.

Claim 6

A double-throw microwave switch having a first and second switched port and a common port and comprising three like symmetrically arrayed Y-shaped waveguide sections, an arm of each of a first and second Y-shaped waveguide section comprising a respective first and second arm of a third one of said three Y-shaped waveguide sections, a third arm of said third Y-shaped waveguide section com-prising said common port, a third arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections forming a respective one of said first and second switched ports, a second arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections including a non-reflective load-impedance near a terminus thereof, and electrically switchable impedance means interposed in said waveguide sections for selectively coupling an alternative one of said first and second ports in microwave circuit with said common port, said electrically switchable impedance means comprising first switchable impedance means interposed in said first Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said first and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said first port during an unexcited second state of said first switchable means; and second switchable impedance means interposed in said second Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said second and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said second port during an unexcited second state of said second switchable means, and said first and second switchable means being adapted to be synchronously operated in mutually exclusive states, said switchable impedance means of each of said first and second waveguide section comprising a first cavity-tuned diode interposed in that arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections which is common to said third Y-shaped waveguide section and situated near a star junction of said third waveguide section, a second cavity-tuned diode interposed in said second arm of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections and situated between said load impedance and a star junction of said respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, each of said cavity-tuned diodes functioning at the center-frequency of the bandwidth of said waveguide sections as a matched impedance in an excited state thereof and functioning as a reflective short circuit in an unexcited state thereof, said first and second diodes of each of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, respective first diodes of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, said star-junctions of said first and second waveguide sections being spaced apart from the star junction of said third waveguide section by a first dimension less than one waveguide wavelength and more than three-quarters of a waveguide wavelength, said first diode of each of said first and second waveguide sections being located less than one quarter waveguide wavelength from said star junction of said Third waveguide section, said second diode of each of said first and second waveguide sections being located less than one quarter wavelength from the star junction of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, said first dimension corresponding to substantially 0.86 of a waveguide wavelength, and said locations corresponding to substantially 0.18 waveguide wavelength.

Claim 7

A double-throw microwave switch having a first and second switched port and a common port and comprising three like symmetrically arrayed Y-shaped waveguide sections, an arm of each of a first and second Y-shaped waveguide section comprising a respective first and second arm of a third one of said three Y-shaped waveguide sections, a third arm of said third Y-shaped waveguide section com-prising said common port, a third arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections forming a respective one of said first and second switched ports, a second arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections including a non-reflective load-impedance near a terminus thereof, and electrically switchable impedance means interposed in said waveguide sections for selectively coupling an alternative one of said first and second ports in microwave circuit with said common port, said electrically switchable impedance means comprising first switchable impedance means interposed in said first Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said first and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said first port during an unexcited second state of said first switchable means; and second switchable impedance means interposed in said second Y-shaped waveguide section for intercoupling said second and common ports during a first state of said first switchable means and isolating said common port from said second port during an unexcited second state of said second switchable means, and said first and second switchable means being adapted to be synchronously operated in mutually exclusive states, said switchable impedance means of each of said first and second waveguide section comprising a first cavity-tuned diode interposed in that arm of each of said first and second waveguide sections which is common to said third Y-shaped waveguide section and situated near a star junction of said third waveguide section, a second cavity-tuned diode interposed in said second arm of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections and situated between said load impedance and a star junction of said respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, each of said cavity-tuned diodes functioning at the center-frequency of the bandwidth of said waveguide sections as a matched impedance in an excited state thereof and functioning as a reflective short circuit in an unexcited state thereof, said first and second diodes of each of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, respective first diodes of said first and second waveguide sections being adapted to be operated in mutually exclusive states, said star-junctions of said first and second waveguide sections being spaced apart from the star junction of said third waveguide section by a first dimension less than one waveguide wavelength and more than three-quarters of a waveguide wavelength, said first diode of each of said first and second waveguide sections being located less than one quarter waveguide wavelength from said star junction of said Third waveguide section, said second diode of each of said first and second waveguide sections being located less than one quarter wavelength from the star junction of a respective one of said first and second waveguide sections, said first dimension corresponding to substantially 0.86 of a waveguide wavelength, and said locations corresponding to substantially 0.18 waveguide wavelength.