Abstract: An antenna assembly includes a first flare arm, a second flare arm located adjacent to the first flare arm, a feed block having an opening therein, a feed slot extending from the opening to an outer periphery of the feed block, and a feed line integral with the feed block as a contiguous unitary component. The first flare arm and the second flare arm are symmetric about the feed block. The feed line can have a first portion integrated into the feed block and a second portion at least partially extending across the feed slot. A method of fabricating an antenna assembly includes additively manufacturing a feed block having a feed slot adjacent to a first flare arm and a second flare arm, and additively manufacturing a feed line having a first portion integral with the feed block, and a second portion at least partially extending across the feed slot.

Abstract: An antenna assembly includes an electrically conductive ground plane; a signal pin adjacent to the ground plane; and a tapered conductive surface coupled to the signal pin, the tapered conductive surface being symmetric about an axis passing through the signal pin and orthogonal to the ground plane, where the ground plane and the tapered conductive surface are an additively manufactured contiguous unitary component. The antenna assembly can further include a support structure extending from the ground plane to the tapered conductive surface. The support structure can be coupled to an outer edge of the tapered conductive surface or a center region of the tapered conductive surface. The antenna assembly can further include a cover over the tapered conductive surface thereby forming a hollow region between the cover and the tapered conductive surface.

Abstract: An adaptive filter protocol stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium that is operatively in communication with a processor of a platform. The adaptive filter protocol includes a first processing loop that is operatively in communication with at least one receiving device of the platform for receiving at least one input signal. The adaptive filter protocol also includes a second processing loop that is operatively in communication with the first processing loop and has a deterministic gradient descent optimization logic and an interpolation logic. When the at least one receiving device receives the at least one input signal, the adaptive filter protocol enables the processor to generate a refined match filter parameters that substantially correlates with the initial parameters of the at least one input signal upon completing a plurality of refining cycles of the second processing loop.

Abstract: An adaptive filter protocol stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium that is operatively in communication with a processor of a platform. The adaptive filter protocol includes a first processing loop that is operatively in communication with at least one receiving device of the platform for receiving at least one input signal. The adaptive filter protocol also includes a second processing loop that is operatively in communication with the first processing loop and has a deterministic gradient descent optimization logic and an interpolation logic. When the at least one receiving device receives the at least one input signal, the adaptive filter protocol enables the processor to generate a refined match filter parameters that substantially correlates with the initial parameters of the at least one input signal upon completing a plurality of refining cycles of the second processing loop.

Abstract: A computer program product and corresponding method for targeting one or more points in a three dimensional (3D) model is provided. The computer program product including least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium in operative communication with a computer processing unit (CPU), the storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the CPU, implement a process to register the 3D model with a stereoscopic image pair. The steps performed include inputting a first image and a second image that define a stereoscopic image pair into an object targeting program, wherein an object is shown in the first image and the second image, inputting a three dimensional (3D) model of the object into the object targeting program, registering the 3D model to the stereoscopic image pair, and targeting a point associated with or near the object based on the 3D model having been registered to the stereoscopic image pair.

Abstract: A communications circuit includes a first circuit block and a second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first splitter, a first signal path coupled to a first output of the first splitter, a second signal path coupled to a second output of the first splitter, and a first switch configured to couple the second signal path to a third signal path or to couple a fourth signal path to the third signal path. The second circuit block includes a second splitter, a fifth signal path coupled to a first output of the second splitter, a sixth signal path coupled to a second output of the second splitter, and a second switch configured to couple the sixth signal path to the third signal path or to couple a seventh signal path to the third signal path. The third signal path extends between the first and second circuit blocks.

Abstract: An ultra-wideband radio frequency (RF) apparatus for combining and/or dividing RF signals. RF apparatus includes a circuit board, a communication cable that operably engages with the circuit board, at least two transmission lines that are formed on the circuit board and operably engages with the communication cable, and at least two connectors that operably engages with the at least two transmission lines. The RF apparatus is operable in a first configuration and a second configuration. When the RF apparatus is provided in the first configuration, the RF apparatus is operable to divide a first RF signal into at least two RF signals. When the RF apparatus is provided in the second configuration, the RF apparatus is operable to combine the at least two RF signals into a second RF signal. The RF apparatus is capable of achieving a low insertion loss less than 1 dB over a bandwidth greater than 20:1.

Abstract: An antenna assembly includes a first flexible layer including a conductive ground plane on a first layer of dielectric material, and a second flexible layer including a first array of conductive patches on a second layer of dielectric material. The antenna assembly further includes a second array of conductive patches on a third layer of dielectric material. The first, second, and third flexible layers are rollable or foldable, to provide a stowed position for the antenna assembly and a deployed position for the antenna assembly. In an example, the first array of conductive patches includes at least a first patch and a second patch, and the second array of conductive patches includes at least a third patch and a fourth patch. In the deployed position, the first patch is above the third patch and the ground plane, and the second patch is above the fourth patch and the ground plane.

Abstract: An attenuator circuit includes a differential input having first and second inputs, and a differential output having first and second outputs. The attenuator circuit further includes a first transistor coupled between the first input and the first output, a second transistor coupled between the second input and the second output, a third transistor coupled between the first input and the second output, and a fourth transistor coupled between the second input and the first output. During a pass-through state, the first and second transistors are enabled, and the third and fourth transistors may be disabled. During an attenuation state, the first, second, third, and fourth transistors are all disabled. An attenuator network (e.g., T or Pi network) may have its differential input terminals coupled to the first and second inputs of the differential input, and its differential output terminals coupled to the first and second outputs of the differential output.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an antenna assembly includes additively manufacturing an element that is monolithic and that includes (i) a ground plane, (ii) a patch above the ground plane, and (iii) a structure having a lower end in contact with the ground plane and an upper end in contact with the patch. The method further includes applying a dielectric material between the ground plane and the patch. In an example, the dielectric material is dielectric foam. The method further includes removing a section of the ground plane around the lower end of the structure, such that the structure extends through the ground plane and not in contact with the ground plane. The method further includes connecting an inner conductor of a coaxial cable connector to the lower end of the structure, and an outer portion of the coaxial cable connector to the ground plane.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structurally competent, EMI-shielded IR window includes using a mathematical model that combines the Sotoodeh and Nag models to determine an optimal thickness and dopant concentration of a doped layer of GaAs or GaP. A slab of GaAs or GaP is prepared, and a doped layer of the same material having the optimal thickness and dopant concentration is applied thereto. In embodiments, the doped layer is applied by an HVPE method such as LP-HVPE, which can also provide enhanced GaAs transparency near 1 micron. The Drude model can be applied to assist in selecting an anti-reflective coating. If the model predicts that the requirements of an application cannot be met by a doped layer alone, a doped layer can be applied that exceeds the required IR transparency, and a metallic grid can be applied to improve the EMI shielding, thereby satisfying the requirements.

Abstract: A method of growing large GaAs or GaP IR window slabs by HVPE, and in embodiments by LP-HVPE, includes obtaining a plurality of thin, single crystal, epitaxial-quality GaAs or GaP wafers, cleaving the wafers into tiles having ultra-flat, atomically smooth, substantially perpendicular edges, and then butting the tiles together to form an HVPE substrate larger than 4 inches for GaP, and larger than 8 inches or even 12 inches for GaAs. Subsequent HVPE growth causes the individual tiles to fuse by optical bonding into a large “tiled” single crystal wafer, while any defects nucleated at the tile boundaries are healed, causing the tiles to merge with themselves and with the slab with no physical boundaries, and no degradation in optical quality. A dopant such as Si can be added to the epitaxial gases during the final HVPE growth stage to produce EMI shielded GaAs windows.

Abstract: An antenna assembly includes a ground plane including conductive material, and a dielectric material above the ground plane. A patch antenna is on the dielectric material. In an example, a plurality of features extends from an upper surface or a lower surface of the dielectric material and within the dielectric material, wherein the plurality of features comprises voids filled with gas or are vacuum. Additionally, or alternatively, the dielectric material is doped with a dopant. In an example, the antenna assembly further includes a first aperture and a second aperture on the ground plane and below the patch antenna, and another dielectric material below the first and second apertures. In some such cases, a first feed line is below the first aperture, and a second feed line is below the second aperture.

Abstract: Techniques to passively suppress or otherwise reduce stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a pumped fiber laser system. The system can be co-pumped with a tandem pumping technique, and counter-pumped with the direct diode pumping method. In an example, a pumped fiber laser system includes a fiber, a tandem pump, and a direct diode pump. The fiber has a core, an inner cladding around the core, and an outer cladding around the inner cladding. The tandem pump co-pumps light of a first wavelength in the inner cladding from a first end of the fiber, and the direct diode pump counter-pumps light of a second wavelength in the outer cladding from a second end of the fiber. A longitudinal temperature gradient can form along the fiber laser in response to this hybrid-pumping, which can combine both tandem and direct diode pumping.

Abstract: A feed forward guidance kit for a ballistic device that includes at least one optical imaging sensor, a processor that is operatively in communication with the at least one optical imaging sensor, and a feed forward guidance protocol that is stored on a computer readable medium and that is operatively in communication with the processor. When the at least one optical imaging sensor initially intercepts an aircraft at an initial location during combat, the feed forward guidance protocol instructs the processor to proactively calculate an anticipated second position of the aircraft as an orientation of the aircraft changes from an initial orientation to a translated orientation.

Abstract: Integrated capacitor structures are described. In an example, an interconnect structure includes a first layer of conductive material and a second layer of conductive material. The first layer includes a first horizontal portion having a first opening and extending along a first horizontal plane, and a first vertical portion. The second layer includes a second horizontal portion having a second opening and extending along a second horizontal plane, and a second vertical portion. The interconnect structure also includes a dielectric extending along a third horizontal plane between the first and second horizontal portions, and having one or more openings. The first vertical component extends upward from the first horizontal portion, through one opening in the dielectric and the second opening of second layer, and the second vertical component extends downward from the second horizontal portion, through another opening in the dielectric and the first opening of first layer.

Abstract: A switch matrix structure for planar circuitry such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits includes a plurality of signal dividers and a plurality of switches. Each signal divider is configured to receive a corresponding input signal and generate a corresponding plurality of divider output signals. Each switch is configured to receive a corresponding divider output from a corresponding signal divider. Each switch is configured to provide a corresponding output signal such that a plurality of output signals are generated by the plurality of switches. In an example, the plurality of switches are arranged in a column, with a first subset of the plurality of signal dividers on a first side of the column, and a second subset of the plurality of signal dividers on a second side of the column. In an example, such a routing configuration reduces a number of routing layers and/or a number of via transitions.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for jammer detection. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes steering a beam in a specified direction to generate a power measurement, the specified direction selected from a plurality of directions, such that the method comprises scanning through the plurality of directions. The method also includes adaptively steering a null in the specified direction and measuring a gain of the received signal in the null direction. The method further includes calculating a difference between the power measurement and the measured gain and generating a difference-based detection that the received signal is associated with a jammer at the specified direction. The difference-based detection is based on a comparison of the power difference to a power difference threshold value. The power difference threshold value is based on a desired probability of false alarm and probability of detection, and/or desired angular resolution.

Abstract: A method of scheduling commands for execution in a computing device includes receiving command data, where the command data includes a command to be executed on a processor and an execution start time for executing the command; storing the command data in a data storage; reading, responsive to determining that the execution start time is within an execution window, the command data from the data storage; and causing the command data to be output to a processor for execution. The method can include assigning a label to the command data, where the label corresponds to an address in the data storage, and where the command data is stored at, and read from, the address in the data storage. The method can include storing, responsive to determining that the execution start time is not within the execution window, the label, and the execution start time in a fast scheduler memory.

Abstract: Techniques for satellite signal authentication. In an example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) or global navigation satellite system (GNSS) includes antenna electronics, a processor, and a GPS or GNSS receiver. The antenna electronics is configured to provide, to the GPS or GNSS receiver, signals, wherein the signals comprise GPS or GNSS satellite signals received from a set of GPS or GNSS satellites and/or one or more falsified signals, such as spoofer signals (falsified). The processor is configured to determine, based on an expected location of a respective GPS or GNSS satellite of the set of GPS or GNSS satellites, an expected gain or expected power for a respective signal of the signals. The GPS or GNSS receiver is configured to measure a power of the respective signal, compare the measured power to the expected gain or expected power, and determine whether the respective signal is falsified based on the comparison.