DUAL-POLARIZATION, SLOT-MODE ANTENNA AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20080169992A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gothard, Griffin, Ortiz, Sean, Durham, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/623,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169992A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/767
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0428 radiating a circular polarised wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

The dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna includes an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units carried by a substrate, and each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit includes a plurality of patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation. The substrate is preferably a flexible substrate. Adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit may have respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween, and a respective capacitive coupling feed plate may be associated with each gap and overlap the respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit. Each capacitive coupling feed plate may include a feed point.

Claims

1. A dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna comprising:

a substrate;

an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units carried by said substrate, and each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit comprising a plurality of patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation;

adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit having respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween; and

a plurality of capacitive coupling feed plates each being associated with a respective gap and overlapping the respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit;

each capacitive coupling feed plate including a feed point.

2. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto;

and wherein the patch antenna elements are arranged on said dielectric layer opposite said ground plane.

3. The antenna according to claim 2 wherein the capacitive coupling feed plates are between the ground plane and the patch antenna elements.

4. The antenna according to claim 2 further comprising a second dielectric layer covering the patch antenna elements.

5. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units defines a plurality of orthogonal antenna slots.

6. The antenna according to claim 2 further comprising an antenna feed structure for each antenna unit and comprising a plurality of coaxial feed lines, each coaxial feed line comprising an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor in surrounding relation thereto, said outer conductors being connected to said ground plane, said inner conductors extending outwardly from ends of respective outer conductors and being connected to respective capacitive coupling feed plates at feed points thereof.

7. The antenna according to claim 6 further comprising a plurality of connection bars each electrically connecting respective outer conductors of coaxial feed lines of adjacent antenna units.

8. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein each dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna unit comprises four square patch antenna elements arranged about a central position;

and wherein each of the capacitive coupling feed plates extends outwardly from the central position along the gaps defined by respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements.

9. The antenna according to claim 8 wherein the feed point of each capacitive coupling feed plate is positioned adjacent an outer end thereof.

10. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said substrate is flexible.

11. A dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna comprising:

a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto; and

an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units carried by said substrate and defining a plurality of orthogonal antenna slots;

each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit comprising four patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation about a central position and on said dielectric layer opposite said ground plane;

adjacent patch antenna elements of adjacent dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna units having respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween; and

a respective capacitive coupling feed plate being associated with each gap and overlapping the respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit;

each capacitive coupling feed plate include a feed point.

12. The antenna according to claim 11 wherein the capacitive coupling feed plates are between the ground plane and the patch antenna elements.

13. The antenna according to claim 11 further comprising a second dielectric layer covering the patch antenna elements.

14. The antenna according to claim 11 further comprising an antenna feed structure for each antenna unit and comprising a plurality of coaxial feed lines, each coaxial feed line comprising an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor in surrounding relation thereto, said outer conductors being connected to said ground plane, said inner conductors extending outwardly from ends of respective outer conductors and being connected to respective capacitive coupling feed plates at feed points thereof.

15. The antenna according to claim 14 further comprising a plurality of connection bars each electrically connecting respective outer conductors of coaxial feed lines of adjacent antenna units.

16. The antenna according to claim 11 wherein each of the capacitive coupling feed plates extends outwardly from the central position along the gaps defined by respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements.

17. The antenna according to claim 16 wherein the feed point of each capacitive coupling feed plate is positioned adjacent an outer end thereof.

18. A method of making a dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna comprising:

forming an array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units on a substrate, and each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit comprising a plurality of patch antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation with adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit having respective spaced apart edge portions defining gaps therebetween; and

forming a plurality of capacitive coupling feed plates each being associated with a respective gap and overlapping the respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements of each dual-polarization, slot-mode antenna unit, and each capacitive coupling feed plate including a feed point.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the substrate comprises a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto;

and wherein forming the array comprises arranging the patch antenna elements on the dielectric layer opposite the ground plane.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the capacitive coupling feed plates are formed between the ground plane and the patch antenna elements.

21. The method according to claim 18 further comprising covering the patch antenna elements with a second dielectric layer.

22. The method according to claim 18 wherein the array of dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna units defines a plurality of orthogonal antenna slots.

23. The method according to claim 19 further comprising providing an antenna feed structure for each antenna unit and comprising a plurality of coaxial feed lines, each coaxial feed line comprising an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor in surrounding relation thereto, the outer conductors being connected to the ground plane, the inner conductors extending outwardly from ends of respective outer conductors and being connected to respective capacitive coupling feed plates at the feed point.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising electrically connecting respective outer conductors of coaxial feed lines of adjacent antenna units with a respective connection bar.

25. The method according to claim 18 wherein each dual-polarization, slot-mode, antenna unit comprises four square patch antenna elements arranged about a central position;

and wherein each of the capacitive coupling feed plates extends outwardly from the central position along the gaps defined by respective spaced apart edge portions of adjacent patch antenna elements.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the feed point of each capacitive coupling feed plate is positioned adjacent an outer end thereof.