Planar high-frequency aerial for circular polarization

Claim 1

An aerial comprising at least one planar array of conductive plates arranged in the shape of a parallelogram and interconnecting propagation lines arranged and dimensioned for operating at a wavelength λ, each plate including at its periphery first, second, third and fourth connection points (N, E, S, O) successively disposed at angular intervals of 90°, said lines comprising: a. a first set of the lines, each connecting the second point (E) of one plate to an adjacent fourth point (O) of another plate and each having a length of λ/2+iλ, where i =0, 1, 2, . . . ; b. a second set of lines, each connecting the first point (N) of one plate to an adjacent third point (S) of another plate and each having a length of λ/2+jλ, where J=0, 1, 2, . . . ; c. a third set of the lines serially connecting ones o the points at a first side of the parallelogram, each of said lines having a length of λ+kλ, where k=0, 1, 2, . . . , for effecting propagation to one of said serially connected points (H), which is disposed proximate a corner of the parallelogram, of signals propagating on the first set of the lines; d. a fourth set of the liens serially connecting ones of the points at a second side of the parallelogram which is adjacent the first side, each of said lines having a length of λ+lλ, where l=0, 1, 2, . . . , for effecting propagation to one of said serially connected points (V), which is disposed proximate said corner of the parallelogram, of signals propagating on the second set of the lines; e. a segmented line connecting point H to point V, said segmented line comprising a first segment of length DH connecting point (H) to a point (D), a second segment of length GV connecting point (V) to a point (G), and a third segment of length DG connecting point (D) to point (G), said segments being dimensioned such that GH-GV=λ/4+mλ/2=DV-DH, where m=0, 1, 2, . . . , a signal representing a clockwise circularly polarized wave incident to the aerial being produced at point (D) and a signal representing a counterclockwise circularly polarized wave incident to the aerial being produced at point (G).