Abstract: The disclosed principles provide for an RF front-end design capable of up-converting, down-converting, and conditioning broadband signals for wireless transmission with an instantaneous bandwidth of up to 3.5 GHz within the frequency range of 2-12 GHz. In addition, embodiments of the disclosed principles provide flexibility that enables RF front-ends designed as disclosed herein to be applied to many different applications including covert communications, drone communications, high data rate communications, signals intelligence, direction finding, multi-function apertures, radars and emulators, and electronic warfare. Embodiments and their related advantages and improvements of RF front-ends designed in accordance with the disclosed principles are discussed herein.

Abstract: The disclosed principles provide novel antennas and corresponding methods of manufacturing thereof. In one aspect, an antenna according to the disclosed principles have a dielectric unit. The dielectric unit may be azimuthally uniform, radially symmetric, or symmetric. The dielectric unit may include a first conducting surface, a second conducting surface, and a non-conducting aperture. The first conducting surface may be located on a first radially interior surface of the dielectric unit and have both convex and concave surfaces. The second conducting surface, oblique to an axis of radial symmetry, may extend radially outward from the axis of radial symmetry. The non-conducting aperture may be located on the radial exterior of the dielectric unit. The first conducting surface and the second conducting surface may define a dielectric volume extending radially toward and terminating in the non-conducting aperture.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an omni-directional low distortion broadband coaxial horn antenna that supports a wireless bandwidth of 2-12 GHz with an instantaneous bandwidth up to 6 GHz wide within that 2-12 GHz range. These exemplary frequencies represent a single embodiment, but do not limit the range of possible frequencies the antenna can cover based on its design equations and scalability to other frequency ranges. In general, the antenna's dielectric shape is an hourglass cylindrical annulus with a curved conical void. The annular hole in the center of the antenna allows transmission line connection to the conductive surfaces applied to both the conical subtraction from the annulus and to the antenna's base. The present invention is not limited by this embodiment and also includes any embodiment of a cylindrical annulus with a conical void as determined in the manner disclosed herein and having conductive surfaces applied to it for electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: The disclosed principles provide for an RF front-end design capable of up-converting, down-converting, and conditioning broadband signals for wireless transmission with an instantaneous bandwidth of up to 3.5 GHz within the frequency range of 2-12 GHz. In addition, embodiments of the disclosed principles provide flexibility that enables RF front-ends designed as disclosed herein to be applied to many different applications including covert communications, drone communications, high data rate communications, signals intelligence, direction finding, multi-function apertures, radars and emulators, and electronic warfare. Embodiments and their related advantages and improvements of RF front-ends designed in accordance with the disclosed principles are discussed herein.