What is claimed is:

1. A phased array comprising:

A low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, wideband and high-gain dual-polarized array antenna employing an innovative microstrip slot patch antenna element is designed and fabricated. The design parameters of the antenna are optimized using commercial softwares (Microwave Office and Zeland IE3D) to get the suitable -parameters and radiation patterns. In one exemplary embodiment, a dual-polarized antenna has a ferrite substrate that provides for the use of small antenna elements and also provides broad bandwidth and good impedance matching.

a first plurality of radiators having a first polarization and including a first coupling portion, a first radiating aperture, and a twist portion connecting said first coupling portion to said first radiating aperture;

a second plurality of radiators having a second polarization, different from said first polarization and including a second coupling portion, a second radiating aperture, and an offset portion connecting said second coupling portion to said second radiating aperture; and,

means for positioning said first and second plurality of radiators such that radiating patterns of said first and second plurality of radiators are congruent.

2. The phased array according to claim 1, wherein said first and second plurality of radiators are used alternately during transmission and simultaneously during reception.

Dual Polarized Slot Antenna

3. The phased array according to claim 1, wherein said means for positioning includes means for mating said first and second plurality of radiators together.

4. The phased array according to claim 1, wherein an assembly of said first plurality of radiators includes a first azimuth manifold assembly, a second azimuth manifold assembly, each manifold assembly being connected through a respective phase shifter to a respective twist portion.

5. The phased array according to claim 4, further comprising means for connecting said first azimuth manifold assembly and said second azimuth manifold assembly to one another.

6. The phased array according to claim 1, wherein

said first coupling portion includes a manifold assembly;

said twist portion includes a twist plate; and

a phase shifter connecting the manifold assembly and the twist plate.

7. The phased array according to claim 6, wherein said twist plate includes a double ridged waveguide having section rotated with respect to incoming and outgoing waveguides, said section additionally having side walls which are split in two paths extending across the respective incoming and outgoing waveguides.

8. The phased array according to claim 6, wherein said phase shifter comprises a toroid phase shifter.

9. The phased array according to claim 8, further comprising phase matching transitions at an input and output of the phase shifter.

10. The phased array according to claim 9, wherein said phase matching transitions include at least one dielectric layer in a channel of a block, said at least one layer having a higher dielectric constant than said block.

11. The phased array according to claim 9, wherein said phase shifter comprises a toroid phase shifter which includes a housing and means for mounting said toroid phase shifter and said phase matching transitions in said housing.

Design Of Wideband Dual Polarized Slot Antenna

12. The phased array according to claim 11, wherein said means for mounting includes a compliant member for accommodating height differences between said toroid phase shifter and said phase matching transitions.

13. The phased array according to claim 12, wherein said compliant member covers a portion of said toroid phase shifter and a portion of said phase matching transition and said means for mounting further includes a conductive member between said compliant member and portions of said toroid phase shifter and said phase matching transitions.

14. The phased array according to claim 1, means for delivering energy to and from said first and said second plurality of radiators.

15. The phased array according to claim 14, wherein said means for delivering energy includes a difference channel connected to a top of a first manifold of said first plurality of radiators and to a top of a second manifold of said first plurality of radiators.

16. The phased array according to claim 15, wherein said means for delivering energy further includes another difference channel connected to a side of the first manifold and to a side of said second manifold.

Antenna

17. The phased array according to claim 15, wherein said means for delivering energy further includes a summation channel connected to a side of the first manifold and to a side of said second manifold.

18. The phased array according to claim 15, wherein said difference channel occupies a plane adjacent to a plane of a summation channel between said first and second manifold.

19. The phased array according to claim 18, further comprising a common wall between said difference channel and said summation channel, said common wall having a slot therein, wherein a position of said difference channel relative to the slot impedance matches the difference channel.

20. The phased array according to claim 18, further comprising two collinear channels orthogonal to and in the plane of the summation channel and a corner feature which matches impedance of said two collinear channels and the summation channel.

21. The phased array according to claim 14, wherein said means for delivering energy includes a difference channel connected to a bottom of a manifold of said second plurality of radiators and a summation channel on a side of said manifold.

22. The phased array according to claim 14, wherein said means for delivering energy includes a calibration channel connected to a manifold of said first plurality of radiators and to a manifold of said second plurality of radiators.

23. The phased array according to claim 1, further comprising manifolds which transfer energy to and from said first and second plurality of radiators, and said first and second coupling portions include dielectric waveguides which couple the manifolds to first and second radiating apertures.

24. The phased array according to claim 23, wherein said dielectric waveguide includes a coupling window and said manifold includes a coupling slot to be aligned with said coupling window.

25. The phased array according to claim 24, further comprising means for aligning said dielectric waveguide and said manifold.

26. The phased array according to claim 25, wherein said means for aligning includes staking posts in said dielectric waveguide and corresponding holes in said manifold.

27. The phased array according to claim 25, wherein said means for aligning includes bars on either side of said coupling slot.

28. The phased array according to claim 24, further comprising means for preventing leaking of radiation between said dielectric waveguide and said manifold. Cavity-backed

29. The phased array according to claim 28, wherein said means for preventing leaking of radiation includes serrations on outer edges of said coupling window.

30. The phased array according to claim 28, wherein said means for preventing leaking of radiation includes appropriately spacing bars on either side of said coupling slot.

31. The phased array according to claim 24, further comprising a raised pad in said coupling window, said raised pad insuring that said dielectric waveguide contacts a region of air waveguide immediately surrounding said coupling slot.