Polymer-based resonator antennas
First Claim
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1. A dielectric resonator antenna comprising:
- a substrate with at least a first planar surface;
a feedline formed on the first planar surface of the substrate;
a polymer-based resonator body comprising at least a first body portion disposed on the first planar surface of the substrate and at least partly upon the feedline, wherein the first body portion at least partly defines a first cavity and at least one second cavity extending through the resonator body in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface, wherein the first cavity exposes a first feedline portion of the feedline; and
a conductive feed structure disposed within the first cavity, the conductive feed structure disposed at least partly upon the first feedline portion, the conductive feed structure electrically coupled to the first feedline portion, the conductive feed structure extending away from the feedline through the first cavity by an amount between 10-100% of a height of the first cavity.
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Abstract
Dielectric resonator antennas suitable for use in compact radiofrequency (RF) antennas and devices, and methods of fabrication thereof. Described are dielectric resonator antennas fabricated using polymer-based materials, such as those commonly used in lithographic fabrication of integrated circuits and microsystems. Accordingly, lithographic fabrication techniques can be employed in fabrication. The polymer-based dielectric resonator antennas can be excited using tall metal vertical structures, which are also fabricated using techniques adapted from integrated circuit and microsystems fabrication.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A dielectric resonator antenna comprising:
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a substrate with at least a first planar surface; a feedline formed on the first planar surface of the substrate; a polymer-based resonator body comprising at least a first body portion disposed on the first planar surface of the substrate and at least partly upon the feedline, wherein the first body portion at least partly defines a first cavity and at least one second cavity extending through the resonator body in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface, wherein the first cavity exposes a first feedline portion of the feedline; and a conductive feed structure disposed within the first cavity, the conductive feed structure disposed at least partly upon the first feedline portion, the conductive feed structure electrically coupled to the first feedline portion, the conductive feed structure extending away from the feedline through the first cavity by an amount between 10-100% of a height of the first cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of fabricating a dielectric resonator antenna, the method comprising:
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forming a substrate with at least a first planar surface; depositing and patterning a feedline on the first planar surface of the substrate; forming a polymer-based resonator body, comprising at least a first body portion, on the first planar surface of the substrate and at least partly upon the feedline; exposing the polymer-based resonator body to a lithographic source via a pattern mask, wherein the pattern mask defines a first cavity and at least one second cavity to be formed in the polymer-based resonator body, the first cavity extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface and at least partially exposing a first feedline portion of the feedline; developing at least one exposed portion of the polymer-based resonator body and removing the at least one exposed portion to reveal the first and at least one second cavities; depositing a conductive feed structure within the first cavity, the feed structure electrically coupled to the first feedline portion and extending away from the feedline through the first cavity, wherein the feed structure extends away from the first feedline portion through the first cavity, and wherein depositing the feed structure within the first cavity comprises depositing a conductive material upon the first feedline portion to a height between 10-100% of the height of the first cavity. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of fabricating a dielectric resonator antenna, the method comprising:
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forming a substrate with at least a first planar surface; depositing and patterning a feedline formed on the first planar surface of the substrate; forming a polymer-based resonator body comprising; forming a first body portion disposed on the first planar surface of the substrate and at least partly upon the feedline; exposing the polymer-based resonator body to a lithographic source via a pattern mask, wherein the pattern mask defines a first cavity to be formed in the first body portion extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface, and wherein the pattern mask further defines a second cavity to be formed between a wall of the first cavity and an outer wall of the first body portion, wherein the second cavity exposes a first feedline portion of the feedline; and developing at least one exposed portion of the polymer-based resonator body and removing the at least one exposed portion to reveal the first cavity and the second cavity; further forming a second body portion provided within the first cavity; and depositing a conductive feed structure disposed within the second cavity, the feed structure electrically coupled to the first feedline portion and extending away from the feedline through the second cavity, wherein the feed structure extends away from the first feedline portion through the second cavity, and wherein depositing the conductive feed structure within the second cavity comprises depositing a conductive material upon the first feedline portion to a height between 10-100% of the height of the second cavity.
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Specification