Dual polarized slot-dipole radiating element

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning an inductive iris in each said waveguides to adjust the susceptance of said slots.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said dipole is an unbalanced-fed half-wave dipole.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said first mode of excitation is provided by exciting both waveguides in phase.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein said second mode of excitation is provided by exciting both waveguides out of phase.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein said second mode of excitation is provided by exciting both waveguides 180° out of phase.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein said waveguides are half-height waveguides.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein said dipole radiating means is disposed not greater than one-quarter wavelength from said waveguides.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 further comprising disposing said slots in a ground plane.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 further comprising stacking a plurality of waveguides in a planar array.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively exciting said waveguides in either of said first and second modes using a tee waveguide.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11 wherein said tee waveguide is an E-plane folded magic tee.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 further comprising using said longitudinally polarized energy and said transversely polarized energy to provide a variable polarization signal for evaluating radar target echo characteristics.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 further Comprising using said longitudinally polarized energy and said transversely polarized energy to provide a variable polarization signal for countering cross-polarized interfering signals.

Claim 16

An antenna system for radiating dual polarized electromagnetic energy comprising: a pair of contiguous waveguides, each said waveguide having a non-resonant slot in one wall thereof, said slots being coplanar having mutually parallel longitudinal axes said slots being disposed in such proximity to each other that when said waveguides are excited in a first mode of excitation said slots radiate electromagnetic energy in a transverse polarization as a single radiating aperture; and a dipole radiating means, said dipole radiating means being disposed substantially equidistant from and parallel with said longitudinal axes of said slots, said dipole radiating means being coupled to said waveguides between said slots by a feedline such that, when said waveguides are excited in a second mode of excitation said dipole radiating means radiates electromagnetic energy in a longitudinal polarization.

Claim 17

An antenna system for radiating dual polarized electromagnetic energy comprising: a pair of contiguous waveguides, each said waveguide having a non-resonant slot in one wall thereof, said slots being coplanar having mutually parallel longitudinal axes said slots being disposed in such proximity to each other that when said waveguides are excited in a first mode of excitation said slots radiate electromagnetic energy in a transverse polarization as a single radiating aperture; and a dipole radiating means, said dipole radiating means being disposed substantially equidistant from and parallel with said longitudinal axes of said slots, said dipole radiating means being coupled to said waveguides between said slots by a feedline such that, when said waveguides are excited in a second mode of excitation said dipole radiating means radiates electromagnetic energy in a longitudinal polarization.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising at least one inductive iris positioned in each of said waveguides for adjusting the susceptance of said slots.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said waveguides are half-height waveguides.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said dipole is disposed not greater than one quarter wavelength from said waveguides.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of said pairs of waveguides, each said pair having one said dipole substantially equidistant from and parallel with said longitudinal axes of said slots, said waveguides being stacked in a planar array.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15 further including tee waveguide means for selectively exciting said waveguides in either of said first and second modes.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said tee waveguide is an E-plane folded magic tee.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said dipole radiating means is a half-wave dipole having a feed point intermediate the center of said dipole and one of the ends thereof.