A 10-way power divider based on a transducer and a radial junction operating in the circular TM01 mode

This work presents a 10-way Ku-band power divider using a mode transducer and a radial junction connected by an overmoded circular waveguide operating in the TM 01 mode. The circular symmetry of this mode has been exploited to obtain a power divider with the rectangular output ports radially distributed along the broad wall of the waveguides in H-plane configuration. This topology provides the same amplitude and phase for all the output ports. At the same time, a compact profile has been obtained, introducing a simple manufacturing for the two components of the divider. The first component is a mode transducer converting the TE 10 mode in the rectangular waveguide to the TM 01 mode in the circular waveguide. It is based on a novel topology providing a very high purity in the mode conversion with an attenuation for the other propagating mode, the TE 11c , higher than 60 dB. The second component is a 10-way radial junction that must work under the excitation of the TM 01 , whose special features, since this mode is not the fundamental one of the circular waveguide, will be highlighted. The final design has been validated with an experimental prototype, proposing a manufacturing based on four simple parts. This has been the key to obtain an experimental prototype with specifications in the state-of-the-art. The measured efficiency is better than 96.5% in a 16.7% relative frequency bandwidth from 11 GHz to 13 GHz, with return losses better than 25 dB in the common port. The measured difference between the signals at the output ports of the prototype is ±0.3 dB for the amplitudes and ±0.45° for the phases. A comparison of the obtained results with another divider based on the TE 01 mode shows the potential of the presented design for becoming an alternative to the more extended TE 01 -based power dividersThis work was supported by the Spanish Government through the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion, Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (AEI/FEDER, UE), under Grant TEC2016-76070-C3-1/2-R (ADDMATE

Development of a high-performance W-band duplexer for plasma diagnosis using a single band with dual circular polarization

Discrepancia entre la información que aparece en el artículo que indica que el copyright es de Elsevier, y la información que aparece en la página de la revista y en el Copyright Clearance Center que indican © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V., así como que el artículo está publicado en Open Access under a Creative Commons licenceThis work presents the design and experimental validation of a high performance, compact, waveguide duplexer operating from 91.5 to 96.5 GHz for its integration in diverse W-band microwave equipment as in plasma diagnosis applications. It uses a single frequency band, with two signals discriminated by different orthogonal circular polarization, which is generated by means of a septum orthomode transducer (OMT) polarizer. Moreover, this component is optimized loaded with the horn antenna for improving the overall system performance. It is explained how these two components are integrated into a very compact duplexer, designed using efficient numerical algorithms. The manufacturing process by mean of high precision milling, and including electrical discharge machining (EDM) has led to excellent performances. The measured return loss level and isolation are higher than 30 dB, and the insertion loss level is below 0.3 dB. Finally, the key parameter in this device, which reflects the symmetry in the manufacturing process, i.e., the axial ratio, is lower than 0.6 dB for both polarizations, an excellent result showing the potential of the presented designThis work was supported by the Spanish government under grants (ADDMATE) TEC2016-76070-C3-1/2-R (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Spain, Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional: AEI/FEDER/UE) and the program of Comunidad de Madrid, Spain S2013/ICE-3000 (SPADERADARCM

High-performance 16-way Ku-band radial power combiner based on the TE01-circular waveguide mode

This work presents a 16-way Ku-band radial power combiner for high power and high frequency applications, using the very low loss TE01 circular waveguide mode. The accomplished design shows an excellent performance: the experimental prototype has a return loss better than 30 dB, with a balance for the amplitudes of ( 0.15 dB) and ( 2.5 ) for the phases, in a 16.7% fractional bandwidth (2 GHz centered at 12 GHz). For obtaining these outstanding specifications, required, for instance, in highfrequency amplification or on plasma systems, a rigorous step-by-step procedure is presented. First, a high-purity mode transducer has been designed, from the TE10 mode in the rectangular waveguide to the TE01 mode in the circularwaveguide, with very high attenuation (>50 dB) for the other propagating and evanescent modes in the circularwaveguide. This transducer has been manufactured and measured in a back-to-back configuration, validating the design process. Second, an E-plane 16-way radial power divider has been designed, where the power is coupled from the 16 non-reduced-height radial standardwaveguides into the TE01 circularwaveguide mode, improving the insertion loss response and removing the usual tapered transformers of previous designs limiting the power handling. Finally, both the transducer and the divider have been assembled to make the final radial combiner. The prototype has been carefully manufactured, showing very good agreement between the measurements and the full-wave simulationsThe authors would like to thank INMEPRE S.A., the diligence in the manufacturing process. This work was supported by the Spanish government under Grant (ADDMATE) No. TEC2016-76070-C3-1/2-R (AEI/FEDER/UE) and the program of Comunidad de Madrid S2013/ICE-3000 (SPADERADARCM

Análisis florístico de las sierras de María y Orce (provincias de Almería y Granada, España)

11 páginas, 4 tablas y 3 figuras[EN]We carried out a floristic analysis of the María and Orce mountain ranges, situated in the north of Almería and Granada provinces, respectively, in a región of continentalized climate with a climatic irregularity of 37.5%. The biological spectrum was compared with other peninsular and north african áreas. Being a montane zone, the dominant biotype is hemicryptophytic, but a relatively high proportion of therophytes is also present, which indicates a southeast semiarid peninsular influence. Data obtained from analysis of floristic elements present (mediterranean, 51 %; iberian, 18.5 %; ibero-northafrican, 10.3 %; etc.) allow these mountain ranges to be characterized as an área of conjunction between diverse floras, specifically betic (central and eastern andalusian), eastern peninsular (taxa of the southeastern and eastern peninsular regions which may also be present in the central or southern peninsular regions), and Murcia-Almerian (southeast semiarid). The área possesses 6 local endemics: Brassica repanda (Willd.) DC. subsp. almeriensis Gómez-Campo, Nepeta hispanica Boiss. & Reuter in Boiss, subsp. hispanica, Sideritis stachydioidesV/iWk., Sideritis x sagredoi O. Socorro, J. Molero, M. Casares & F. Pérez Raya, Centaurea mariana Nyman and Centaurea Xpüfontiana Fernández Casas & Susanna. The distribution of taxa in bioclimatic belts was also studied. There was a predominance of those taxa which occur in both the mesomediterranean and the supramediterranean. Analysis of the degree of conservation of the flora according to the categories of the IUCN (25.7 % of the flora was found to be threatened to a certain degree) indicates that 85.7 % of threatened taxa are present in the supra- and oromediterranean. Lastly, we give the distribution of floristic elements according to the bioclimatic belts, noting that the endemics of most limited range are present in the summit zones, with the exception of the Almenan endemics, whose área of distribution is the basal belt of the semiarid Murcia-Almerian región.[ES]La idea de evaluar la importancia de las áreas naturales, bien sea para su conservación o para otros fines, ha evolucionado en época reciente y ha encontrado una amplia aplicación (MARGULES & USHER, 1981; GOLDSMITH, 1983). La evaluación de áreas naturales implica factores subjetivos y objetivos que, a menudo, no pueden separarse fácilmente (ROOME, 1984). SMITH & THEBERGE (1986) analizaron los criterios usados en 22 sistemas de evaluación, encontrando que los más utilizados son los de rareza y singularidad, seguidos del de diversidad. En este trabajo se realiza un análisis florístico de las sierras de María y Orce, tomando como base el estudio de CUETO (1989). Dichas sierras están situadas al norte de las provincias de Almería y Granada, respectivamente; constituyen un núcleo montano con una altura media de 1326 m, que alcanza los 2045 m de altitud en el pico María. Ocupan un área virtual sobre el plano de 202,14 km2. Por su situación geográfica, presentan un clima continental, que se suaviza algo en las vertientes sur, como consecuencia de la influencia del Mediterráneo. La irregularidad climática es del 37,5% (MONTERO & GONZÁLEZ REBOLLAR, 1983); esto favorece la existencia de una flora rica y variada, puesto que los cambios de clima propician la presencia de táxones que se desarrollan dentro de límites climáticos muy diversos. Las precipitaciones anuales en la zona oscilan entre los 340 y los 640 mm; las mínimas se presentan en el extremo noroccidental del área, lo cual indica la influencia de la depresión de Orce, mientras que las máximas se recogen en las cotas superiores de la Sierra de María. Las temperaturas medias anuales se sitúan entre los 7 °C de las cumbres de la Sierra de Maria y los 12 °C que se alcanzan en el extremo noroccidental y en las zonas bajas de la vertiente sur de ambas sierras.Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, C.S.I.C. General Segura, 1.04001 Almería. Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias. Fuentenueva, s/n. 18001 Granada. Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, C.S.I.C. Serrano, 115 duplicado. 28006 Madrid.Peer reviewe

Reproductive and nutritional management on ovarian response and embryo quality on rabbit does

Rabbit does in modern rabbitries are under intensive reproductive rhythms. Females are high milk producers with high energetic expenses due to the extensive overlap between lactation and gestation. This situation leads to a negative energy balance with a mobilization of body fat especially in primiparous rabbit does. Poor body condition and poor health status severely affect the reproductive features (fertility rate and lifespan of the doe as well as ovarian physiology). This paper reviews some reproductive and nutritional approaches used in the last years to improve the reproductive performance of rabbit females, mainly focusing on the influence on ovarian response and embryo quality and with emphasis on epigenetic modifications in pre-implantation embryos and offspring consequences

Design of a Ku-Band High-Purity Transducer for the TM01 Circular Waveguide Mode by Means of T-Type Junctions

© 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other worksA new mode transducer for converting the TE10 rectangular waveguide mode to the TM01 circular waveguide mode is presented. The novel topology is based on two T type junctions with in-phaseexcitation at their input rectangular ports. The first one is an H-plane T-junction in rectangular waveguide. The second one differs from the standard E-plane T-junction in the excitation, which is carried out by modes excited with fields having the same in-phase polarization at the input rectangular ports, and has the output port in circular waveguide. This configuration exploits the symmetry of the modes under consideration to achieve a high-purity conversion, controlling the propagating circular waveguide TE11 mode to a maximum level of -42 dB in the whole operation band. The design bandwidth is 2 GHz centered at 12 GHz with a return loss level higher than 28 dB. In addition, the transducer can be divided in a main body plus a cover for easing the manufacturing. In order to verify the proposed geometry, a back-to-back arrangement has been measured connecting two similar aluminum transducers with four different angles between their rectangular ports (0◦, 45◦, 90◦, and 180◦). The excellent experimental results validate the novel transducer with a measured converting efficiency higher than 98.2% in a 16.7% relative frequency bandwidthThis work was supported by the Spanish Government (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) under Grant (ADDMATE) TEC2016-76070-C3-1/2-R (AEI/FEDER/UE

Additive manufacturing of a compact Ku-band orthomode transducer

This work presents a compact ortho-mode transducer (OMT) built by additive manufacturing in a single-block, reducing the number of parts and flanges and improving the losses and power handling capability. The single-block approach also reduces potential passive intermodulation issues since the number of interfaces between parts is minimized. The presented OMT is based on the T-junction topology, with a short-circuited common circular waveguide where the two rectangular waveguides ports are attached. Both ports are arranged in opposite direction to maintain a symmetry plane for the whole structure in order to obtain a high isolation. Specific matching elements are introduced for each polarization to route the orthogonal modes to the common waveguide. The device is built by Selective Laser Melting (SLM), which imposes a set of specific mechanical restrictions to the 3D model of the OMT. The proposed design incorporates those restrictions, simplifying the geometry of the OMT as much as possible (especially the routing elements) to simplify the manufacturing. After this process, the experimental results show an OMT working in the band from 13.4 to 15.6 GHz (15.2%) with a return loss level higher than 20 dB for both polarizations, insertion loss lower than 0.18 dB and isolation between polarizations better than 45 dB. The OMT has also been tested in radiation connected to a reference horn, measuring a cross-polarization lower than -45 dB. This experimental performance shows that the proposed combination of compact design with single-block SLM manufacturing provides tested results similar to those obtained by high-accuracy milling or spark erosion suitable for satellite applicationsThis work was supported by the Spanish Government under grant TEC2016-76070-C3-1/2-R (Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional: AEI/FEDER, UE

Design of Radial Power Combiners Based on TE 01 Circular Waveguide Mode

Modern microwave and millimeter-wave systems require high-power amplifiers in very diverse fields such as communications or plasma physics. Although amplification technology has significantly evolved in the last decades, a single module is not enough for achieving the required power level. The solution in this case is the combination of several individual modules with power combiners. In this chapter, this concept is shown with two E-plane radial power combiners, both carrying a high-power signal with the circular waveguide TE01 mode. The first design is a 16-way Ku-band combiner with an excellent experimental performance: return loss better than 30 dB, with a balance for the amplitudes of ±0.15 dB and ±2.5o for the phases, in a 16.7% fractional bandwidth (2 GHz centered at 12 GHz), and efficiency better than 95% in this band. The second design is a 5-way W-band combiner, showing excellent characteristics as well: the experimental prototype has a return loss better than 20 dB, with a balance for the amplitudes of ±0.4 dB and ±3.5o for the phases, in a 12.8% fractional bandwidth (12 GHz centered at 94 GHz), and efficiency better than 85% in this whole band. The experimental results obtained in both designs are the state of the art in the area of radial power combiners