Microfluidic beam scanning focal plane arrays

• US 10,454,166 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Mumcu, Gokhan, Guldiken, Rasim Oytun, Gheethan, Ahmad Adel
• Primary Examiner(s): Munoz, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holecek, Patrick R
• Application Number:
  US15/642,931
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

In some embodiments, a beam scanning antenna includes a lens having a focal surface and a microfluidic beam scanning focal plane array associated with the focal surface, the array including: an elongated microfluidic channel that contains an electrically conductive antenna element suspended within a dielectric fluid that is provided within the channel, the channel including multiple microfluidic chambers that are positioned at discrete locations along a length of the channel, wherein the antenna element can be selectively positioned within selected chambers, and means for moving the position of the antenna element along the channel to change a direction along which electromagnetic waves are transmitted or received.

Claims

1. A beam scanning antenna comprising:

a lens having a focal surface; and

a microfluidic beam scanning focal plane array associated with the focal surface, the array including;

an elongated, straight microfluidic channel that contains an electrically conductive antenna element suspended within a dielectric fluid that is provided within the channel, the channel including multiple microfluidic chambers that are positioned at discrete locations along a length of the microfluidic channel and adapted to alternatively receive the antenna element such that the antenna element can be selectively positioned at different locations along the length of the microfluidic channel, and

means for moving the position of the antenna element along the channel to change a direction along which electromagnetic waves are transmitted or received.

2. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the array is a one-dimensional array that includes only the elongated microfluidic channel.

3. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the array is a two-dimensional array that includes multiple microfluidic channels in fluid communication with each other that are arranged in rows and columns in a two-dimensional array.

4. The microfluidic focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the array is planar.

5. The microfluidic focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the array is curved.

6. The microfluidic focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the means for moving comprise one or more fluid pumps.

7. The beam scanning antenna of claim 6, wherein the pumps include a bi-directional micropump.

8. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, further comprising a feed network having a feed stub associated with each of the chambers.

9. The beam scanning antenna of claim 8, wherein the feed stubs do not contact the antenna element or the dielectric fluid but are adapted to proximity feed a chamber when the antenna element is present within the chamber.

10. The beam scanning antenna of claim 9, wherein the feedstubs have lengths that are one half of a wavelength of a frequency at which the beam scanning antenna operates.

11. The beam scanning antenna of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic chambers and feedstubs are spaced one wavelength of the frequency at which the beam scanning antenna operates.

12. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a volume of conductive fluid.

13. The beam scanning antenna of claim 12, wherein the conductive fluid is a liquid metal.

14. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a metal plate or bead.

15. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a metallized plate or bead.

16. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the array is constructed from a stack of layers of material.

17. The beam scanning antenna of claim 16, wherein the layers of material are flexible such that the array can conform to a curved surface.

18. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the dielectric fluid comprises polytetrafluoroethylene fluid.

19. The beam scanning antenna of claim 1, wherein the lens comprises a hemispherical lens.

20. The beam scanning antenna of claim 19, wherein the lens comprises a hemispherical top and a cylindrical base.