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A theoretical study, backed by experimental verification, was undertaken to determine the modal characteristics of quadruple-ridged circular and square waveguides. Field lines for the first few important modes and cutoff frequencies were determined. It is shown that for square waveguides quadruple-ridge loading always decreases the TE/sub 10/-TE/sub 11/ bandwidth whereas for circular waveguides only a small amount of additional separation between the first two fundamental modes may be obtained over a limited parameter range. Symmetrical excitation will not excite the asymmetrical higher-order modes. This feature makes these waveguides acceptable as feeds for wide-band reflector antennas and for similar applications but raises a question mark regarding their use as radiators in wide-band phases arrays.

Symmetric structures such as circular and square waveguides may conveniently be used for dual polarization application. In this work the square waveguide with a dielectric lining of the same geometry is analyzed using a Galerkin-type method, with experimental verification. Modal characteristics, propagation constants, and bandwidth (BW) properties are outlined. Some interesting variations, depending on whether the value of the dielectric constant of the lining is higher or lower than that of the included material, are described and quantified to the extent possible by the accuracy of the method.

The structure consisting of an E-plane dielectric slab partially filling a rectangular waveguide is examined with attention on those higher order mode propagation characteristics that are relevant to the design of nonreciprocal remanence ferrite phase shifters. The validity of the model is established by introducing experimental comparison in the form of VSWR measurements for both pure dielectric loading and an actual composite ferrite phase shifter. Emphasis is placed on the consideration of possible mechanisms for the elimination of LSE/sub 11/, LSM/sub 11/, and LSE/sub 12/ modes, since certainly the first, most probably the second, and quite possibly the third will propagate in a practical device. Experimental verification of theoretical predictions is established and phaser design guidelines are drawn. Some additional topics, such as slabcorner chamfering and the effect of the switching wire, are included for completeness.

Part I of this work investigates the phenomenon of mode reordering in circular waveguides containing one or more dielectrics. Specifically, conditions are established, be they ranges of dimensions, dielectric constants, or frequency, under which the sequence, TM/sub 01/, TE/sub 01/, TE/sub 11/, and TE/sub 21/ is obtained instead of the conventional TE/sub 11/, TM/sub 01/, TE/sub 21/, and TE/sub 01/. The desired effect is the reversal of the order of propagation between the normally dominant TE/sub 11/ mode and the circularly symmetric low-loss TE/sub 01/. Bandwidth regimes are drawn and the credibility of the dielectric model is examined and found to be satisfactory for the application of the phenomenon to the design of digital ferrite phase shifters operating in the TE/sub 01/ mode.

The increase in TE/sub 11/-TM/sub 01/ mode bandwidth obtained by inhomogeneously loading (dielectric lining) a circular waveguide is systematically documented. Maximum bandwidth is about 31.83 percent of center frequency (up from about 26.54 percent for fully filled or empty circular waveguides). This makes circular waveguides competitive with square waveguides (bandwidth/spl aprox/ 34.3 percent) as radiators in wide-band dual-polarization arrays. Certain interesting symmetries involving the TE/sub 21/-TM/sub 01/ modal inversion are also examined.

The validity of considering the LSE/sub 20/-mode propagation threshold as the limiting factor in selecting rectangular-wave-guide ferrite-phase-shifter dimensions is examined theoretically and experimentally using a dielectric model. Depending on the effective dielectric constant of the loading material, it is shown that the LSE/sub 20/-mode cutoff may, in many cases, be exceeded without introducing spurious mode resonances. In addition, the effect of magnetization on the y-independent modal cutoffs is investigated. It is concluded that the dielectric model represents a worst case condition as far as higher order mode propagation is concerned.

The linearly tapered transmission line is very attractive as a matching section because it is the simplest and easiest to fabricate. It is shown that the high- and low-frequency behavior of the reflection coefficient is strongly frequency dependent.

The phase of the scattered fields resulting from the interaction of arbitrarily polarized plane waves and uniformly moving conducting bodies of arbitrary cylindrical cross section is examined. Conditions are derived under which a Doppler effect may be defined in the conventional manner.