A Compact Three-Layer Stacked Feed Network Integrating a Quad-Ridged Orthomode Transducer and Diplexers for Dual-Band...

A compact, low-profile dual-band feed network operating at 37-40 GHz (Ka-band) and 70-86 GHz (E-band) is presented for millimeter-wave backhaul applications. The proposed network integrates a quad-ridged orthomode transducer (OMT) and four ridge-waveguide diplexers into a three-layer all-metal stacked architecture, eliminating the cascaded inter-stage flanges of conventional feed chains and yielding a monolithic-like assembly that is mechanically robust and CNC-friendly for mass production. Stepped-impedance matching stubs in the OMT junction provide broadband matching across the widely separated bands, while compact ridge-waveguide T-junction diplexers, comprising stepped-impedance low-pass filters and rectangular high-pass paths, perform the spectral separation. Back-to-back measurements of the fabricated prototype demonstrate an insertion loss below 0.6 dB across both bands. The measured VSWR at the four output ports remains below 1.5 across both bands, and the port-to-port isolation exceeds 32 dB at the Ka-band and 45 dB at the E-band. The proposed network thus offers a highly integrated, low-loss solution for next-generation dual-band mmWave links.