Multielement planar antenna

• US 20040041732A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masayoshi Aikawa, Nihon Dempa Kogyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Masayoshi Aikawa, Nihon Dempa Kogyo Company Limited
• Inventors: Asamura, Fumio, Oita, Takeo, Aikawa, Masayoshi, Nishiyama, Eisuke, Egashira, Kozo
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6683 for monolithic microwave integrated circuit [MMIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

A multielement planar antenna has a substrate, a plurality of antenna element pairs disposed on a first main surface of said substrate, each of the antenna element pairs including first and second antenna elements each made of a circuit conductor, a metal conductor disposed on a second main surface of the substrate, and a slot line defined in the metal conductor. Each of the antenna element pairs has a microstrip line interconnecting the first and second antenna elements. The slot line crosses the microstrip lines and is electromagnetically coupled to the microstrip lines for feeding the first and second antenna elements. The slot line is fed at its central area by a microstrip line or a coplanar line.

Claims

1. A multielement planar antenna comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of antenna element pairs disposed on a first main surface of said substrate, each of said antenna element pairs comprising first and second antenna elements each made of a circuit conductor;

a metal conductor disposed on a second main surface of said substrate;

a slot line defined in said metal conductor; and

means for feeding said slot line;

each of said antenna element pairs having a microstrip line interconnecting said first and second antenna elements;

said slot line crossing the microstrip lines and electromagnetically coupled thereto for feeding said first and second antenna elements.

2. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second antenna elements comprises a microstrip line antenna element.

3. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 2, wherein each of said antenna element has a substantially rectangular plane shape.

4. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 1, wherein each of said microstrip lines has longitudinally central area crossing said slot line, and extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which said slot line extends.

5. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 1, wherein said antenna element pairs comprise at least two antenna element pairs disposed on each side of a feeding point at which said feeding means energizes said slot line.

6. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 5, wherein said antenna element pairs are disposed at a interval substantially equal to a wavelength of a frequency handled by the multielement planar antenna.

7. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 1, wherein said antenna element pairs comprise one antenna element pair disposed on each side of a feeding point at which said feeding means energizes said slot line.

8. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 7, wherein said slot line has ends projecting from respective crossing positions in which said microstrip lines cross said slot line, such that the ends of said slot line are electrically open as viewed from said crossing positions.

9. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 7, wherein said feeding point is located in a central area between crossing positions in which said microstrip lines cross said slot line.

10. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 8, wherein each of the ends of said slot line projecting from the respective crossing positions has a length set to about one-fourth of a wavelength of a frequency handled by the multielement planar antenna.

11. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 9, wherein said feeding means comprises a second microstrip line disposed on said first main surface and electromagnetically coupled to said slot line.

12. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 9, wherein said feeding means comprises a coplanar line disposed on said first main surface and connected to said slot line.

13. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 7, further comprising a circuit device disposed on said second main surface and connected to said slot line.

14. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 12, further comprising a circuit device disposed on said second main surface and connected to said coplanar line.

15. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 7, further comprising:

first, second, third, and fourth sets disposed on said first main surface, each of said sets consisting of two of said antenna element pairs interconnected by said slot line;

a second microstrip line disposed on said first main surface and connecting the slot lines of the first and second sets to each other;

a third microstrip line disposed on said first main surface and connecting the slot lines of the third and fourth sets being connected to each other;

a second slot line disposed on said second main surface and connecting said second microstrip line and said third microstrip line being connected to each other; and

second feeding means for energizing said second slot line at a central area thereof.

16. The multielement planar antenna according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a dielectric substrate.