OMT-1

ORTHOMODE TRANSDUCERS
An orthomode transducer (OMT) is a component which diplexes orthogonal polarizations. It is a physical
three-port but, due to orthogonal polarizations, an electrical four-port.
Ideal Scattering Matrix
Equivalent Circuit
1
2
1
2
j
j
j
j
0 0 e 0
0 0 0 e
S
e 0 0 0
0 e 0 0
|
|
|
|
(
(
(
=
(
(
(

Analysis: - Mode-matching routines involving T-junctions and cross-junctions (WaveWizard)
- Finite-element methods (HFSS)
- Finite-integration methods (CST)
- others
Ideally, all ports are
completely decoupled.
OMT-2
1. ASYMMETRIC (NARROWBAND) OMTs
A. Waveguide T-Junctions
Photograph of type (b)
Typical computed
performance of type (a)
OMT-3
Computed (MMT) common-
port return losses of type (d).
B. Waveguide T-Junctions and Septa
OMT-4
Animation: T-junction OMT with septum
Vertical Polarization
Front view
f = 11.5 GHz
TE
10
OMT-5
Front view
f = 11.5 GHz
TE
01
Horizontal Polarization
OMT-6
Photographs and measurements
of experimentally designed T-
junction/septum OMTs.
(e)
Return loss
Polarization discrimination
OMT-7
C. Waveguide T-Junctions and
Shorted Common Waveguide
Note that the distance from the ports to the short
is critical Narrowband operation !
D. Bifurcation and Septum
Additional matching (tuning)
elements are usually required
for medium-band operation.
OMT-8
Compact T-Junction OMT (Rosenberg, Beyer, EuMC 2011)
OMT-9
Example: OMT for Correlation Receiver (Peverini, Tascone, Virone, Olivieri, Orta, IEEE Trans.
MTT, May 2006)
(a) Circular-to-square waveguide transition
(b) V-coupling structure
(c) Polarization discriminator
(d) H-coupling structure
(e) and (f) C-shaped junctions
(g),(h) Rectangular waveguide transformers
(i), (l) 45-degree rectangular waveguide twists
Group delay (phase difference
between both polarizations)
Transmission of individual polarizations
D. E- and H-Plane Couplers
OMT-10
2. SYMMETRIC (BROADBAND) OMTs
Broadband OMTs make use of two symmetry planes in the common ports cross section. Then, for a
square cross section, the following modes are excited:
Due to the symmetry, however, the junctions involve five physical, six electrical ports, of which two pairs
will have to be combined.
10 (2m 1,2n) (2m 1,2n)
01 (2m,2n 1) (2m,2n 1)
TE TE , TM
TE TE , TM
+ +
+ +

Examples:
Ports of
longitudinal
dual junction
OMT-11
Examples for side-arm power combining
OMT-12
Performance of C-band wideband OMT
Polarization discrimination
Return loss TE
10
C-band
Ku-band
OMT-13
100GHz Reverse-Coupling OMT (Navarrini, Nesti, IEEE Trans. MTT, J an. 2009)
Assembled component
Internal details
Fabrication in two halves
OMT-14
Measurements and simulation (time-domain CST MWS including conductivity )
o
Au(DC)
0.5 at20C o= o
OMT-15
Turnstile-Junction OMT (Navarrini, Plambeck, IEEE Trans. MTT, J an. 2006)
Fully assembled component
One quarter of component
Turnstile junction with tuning stub
for wideband application
OMT-16
Measurements and simulation (CST MWS, lowest resolution)
Similar to Pol 2
OMT-17
3. QUADRUPLE-RIDGE OMTs
Quadruple-ridge OMTs are used in receiver systems where the power levels are low. The junction is not
exactly symmetric due to the two (not four) coax ports. However, broadband performance can still be
achieved due to the wide bandwidth of the ridges. Several different designs are used.
(Dunning, 2002 Workshop on Applications of Radio Science)
OMT-18
Quadruple-Ridge Tapers (Skinner, J ames, IEEE Trans. MTT, Feb. 1991)

E1 polarization
- - - - - E2 polarization
fL=4.4 GHz
OMT-19
Quadruple-Ridge OMT for CP Detection (Coutts, IEEE Trans. AP, J une 2011)
Calculated from measured
data using an ideal 90-degree
phase shifter
OMT-20
4. DUAL-BAND OMTs
A. Frequency-Band Separation Using a
Broadband OMT and Diplexers
Note that diplexers are required for both polarizations.
B. Asymmetric OMTs with
Lowpass/Highpass Filters
Another set of lowpass/highpass filters is
required for the through port.
OMT-21
Ku-band OMT with single lowpass filter
TE
10
Common-port TE
10
mode return loss
Insertion loss TE
10
through port
TE
01
Insertion loss TE
01
to branching port
Insertion loss TE
01
to through port
Common-port TE
01

mode return loss
OMT-22
C. Dual-Band (Symmetric) Orthomode Junction (OMJ)
- Connect OMT if f
U
is linearly polarized
- Connect septum polarizer if f
U
is
circularly polarized
Waveguide representation
Circuit representation
OMT-23
Example: C-band (dual-band) OMT
5.86.4GHz OMT
3.64.2GHz OMJ
with coaxial
bandstop filters
Example: Symmetric four-port combiner
with sum and difference ports at f
L
(e.g., for
tracking).
OMT-24
Example: Optimized 19.5/29.5 GHz OMJ

3-section junction at common port

4-section transformer at through port

1 iris plus 5-stub E-plane stub filter at all
branching ports
Design:

determine interface ports for
monomode operation in all frequency
bands

design lowpass (E-plane stub) filters
for branching ports

design a double-plane stepped square-
waveguide transformer

allow for irises in the branching ports
and add, say, two discontinuities at
input and through port

analyze entire structure (one quarter
due to symmetry) with MMT

optimize iris dimensions and additional
discontinuities first

add more parameters to optimization
until reasonable performance is
achieved
OMT-25
Performance of optimized 19.5/29.5 with 2 GHz bandwidth
Common port (1), through port (2), branching port (3)
16 20 24 28 32
f/GHz
0
20
40
60
80
100
dB
S
33
S
22
MMT
HFSS
16 20 24 28 32
f/GHz
0
20
40
60
80
100
dB
MMT
HFSS
S
11
S
21
S
31
OMT-26
C-Band OMJ with Reduced-Size Ports
Monomode operation at all ports until f
C
(TE
12
/TM
12
) =6.6 GHz (common port),
f
C
(TE
20
) =6.278 GHz (branching port),
f
C
(TE
01
) =6.278 GHz (vertical port).
3 4 5 6 7
f/GHz
0
20
40
60
80
100
dB
RL - input
RL - through
RL - branching
IL- through
IL - branching
OMT-27
D. Dual-Band OMT for Circular Polarization
Note: The exact phase differences are critical !
In the upper frequency band, the initial phase shift
of polarizer 1 is compensated by polarizer 2.
OMT-28
5. OMT NETWORKS
Multiband CP application
Switchable LP - CP application