Fractal cross slot antenna

• US 6,642,898 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Eason, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/146,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 343/767, 343/770, 343/700.MS, 343/771, 343/772
• US Class Current: 343/770
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/08 Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas
• 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

Abstract

A fractal cross slot broad band antenna comprises a five layer configuration including a radiating fractal cross slot layer having a plurality of antennas each comprising a plurality of radiating arms. Positioned adjacent one side of the fractal cross slot layer is a first spacer layer configured to define a cavity. A microstrip coupled feed layer having feeds equal in number to the plurality of radiating arms is positioned adjacent to the first spacer layer. A second spacer layer is positioned adjacent the feed layer and is configured to also define a cavity. The fifth layer, a ground plane layer, has a copper clad surface and is positioned adjacent the second spacer layer.

Claims

1. A fractal cross slot broad band antenna, comprising:

a radiating fractal cross slot layer having at least one radiating antenna element comprising a plurality of unit cells;

a first spacer layer configured to define a first cavity, the first spacer layer positioned adjacent one side of the radiating cross slot layer;

a feed layer having feeds equal in number to the at least one radiating antenna element, the feed layer positioned adjacent to the first spacer layer;

a second spacer layer configured to define a second cavity, the second spacer layer positioned adjacent to the feed layer; and

a ground plane layer comprising a copper clad surface, said ground plane layer positioned adjacent the second spacer layer.

2. The fractal cross slot broad brand antenna as in claim 1, wherein the first spacer layer comprises an FR4 material.

3. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 1, wherein the radiating fractal cross slot layer comprises a copper clad surface on the first spacer layer.

4. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 1 wherein the at least one antenna element comprises a repeating unit cell pattern.

5. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 4, wherein the unit cell comprises a plurality of slot segments, each slot segment having one end coupled to an adjacent slot segment.

6. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 5, wherein each slot segment couples to an adjacent slot segment at an angle of less than 90 degrees.

7. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 1, wherein the at least one radiating antenna element comprises a plurality of unit cells coupled together in a continuous pattern, each unit cell coupled to an adjacent unit cell to form a radiating antenna element.

8. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna as in claim 1, wherein the radiating fractal cross slot layer comprises four radiating arms coupled together in a crossed slot configuration.

9. A fractal cross slot broad band antenna array, comprising:

a radiating fractal cross slot layer having a plurality of cross slot antennas each cross slot antenna comprising a plurality of radiating arms;

a first spacer layer configured to define a first cavity, the first spacer layer position adjacent one side of the radiating fractal cross slot layer;

a feed layer having feeds equal in number to the plurality of arms of the fractal slot antenna, the feed layer positioned adjacent to the first spacer layer;

a second spacer layer configured to define a cavity, the second spacer layer positioned adjacent to the feed layer; and

a ground plane layer comprising a copper clad surface, said ground plane layer positioned adjacent the second spacer layer.

10. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein the first layer comprises an FR4 material.

11. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein the radiating fractal cross slot layer comprises a copper clad surface on the first spacer layer.

12. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of fractal slot radiating antenna elements comprises a plurality of unit cells.

13. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein the plurality of fractal slot radiating antenna elements comprises a repeating unit cell pattern.

14. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 12, wherein the unit cell comprises a plurality of slot segments, each slot segment having one end coupled to an adjacent slot segment.

15. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 14, wherein each slot segment couples to an adjacent slot segment at an angle of less than 90 degrees.

16. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of radiating fractal slot antenna elements comprises a plurality of unit cells coupled together in a continuous pattern, each unit cell coupled to an adjacent unit cell to form a radiating antenna element.

17. The fractal cross slot broad band antenna array as in claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of radiating fractal slot antennas comprises four radiating arms coupled together in a crossed slot configuration.

18. An antenna element for a fractal slot antenna, comprising:

a unit cell comprising a plurality of slot segments, each slot segment having one end coupled to an adjacent slot segment at an angle of less than 90 degrees; and

a plurality of unit cells coupled together in a continuous pattern, each unit cell coupled to an adjacent unit cell to form an antenna element for a fractal slot antenna.

19. The antenna element as in claim 18, wherein each unit cell comprises five slot segments.

20. The antenna element as in claim 18, further comprising a support surface having a copper cladding on one side thereof, the plurality of unit cells formed in the copper cladding of the support surface.

21. A fractal slot antenna, comprising:

a support surface;

a fractal slot antenna element formed on the support surface, the fractal slot antenna element comprising;

a unit cell comprising a plurality of slot segments, each slot segment having one end coupled to an adjacent slot segment at an angle of less than 90 degrees;

a plurality of unit cells coupled together in a continuous pattern, each unit cell coupled to an adjacent unit cell to form a fractal slot antenna element; and

a wave guide feed coupled to the fractal slot antenna element.

22. The fractal slot antenna as in claim 21, wherein the wave guide feed comprises a coplanar wave guide.

23. The fractal slot antenna as in claim 21, wherein the support surface comprises a curved supporting structure.

24. The fractal slot antenna as in claim 21, wherein a unit cell comprises five slot segments.

25. The fractal slot antenna as in claim 21, wherein the support surface comprise a copper cladding, and the plurality of unit cells are formed in the copper cladding.