Design of a power divider network for a slotted waveguide array using finite element and finite difference techniques

The most critical component in the power divider network for planar broadwall slotted waveguide arrays is the reactive T splitter 3-port. It has to be designed precisely for various split ratios in order that the power divider network produces the amplitude weighting required for the array distribution function. Since the feed network cannot tolerate an impedance mismatch, the VSWR at the central port of the T junction has to be kept very low. Also, in the mechanical layout of the antenna the effective path length differences between the T splitter output ports has to be taken into account in order to realize equal path length (constant phase) array excitation. The analysis of the T splitter is presented using field theoretical methods and measurement results. It will be shown that the T splitter results can also be combined with measured characteristics of straight and bent waveguides in simulation of the full power divider network