Wave antenna lens system

• US 7,119,755 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Harvey, Robin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US10/824,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 343/753, 343/754, 343/785, 343/786, 343/909, 343/911.L, 343/911.R, 333/21.R, 333/248
• US Class Current: 343/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0018 Space- fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0031 Parallel-plate fed arrays; Lens-fed arrays multibeam arrays H01Q25/008

Abstract

An array of dielectric wave antennas is disclosed. Each wave antenna has a central dielectric portion and two dielectric tapered portions, disposed on opposite sides of the central dielectric portion. The array is deployed in a lens shape and allows variation of the phase delay of an incident electromagnetic wave when passing through the array.

Claims

1. A wave antenna system comprising a plurality of spaced apart wave antennas, each wave antenna comprising:

a central dielectric portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a first dielectric taper portion having a first dielectric taper portion proximal side connected with the first side of the central dielectric portion and a first dielectric taper portion distal side; and

a second dielectric taper portion having a second dielectric taper portion proximal side connected with the second side of the central dielectric portion and a second dielectric taper portion distal side,

wherein the system further comprises a plane supporting the plurality of wave antennas,

wherein the plane has a first plane side and a second plane side and the wave antennas are inserted in the plane, the first dielectric taper portion located above the first plane side, and the second dielectric taper portion located below the second plane side, and

wherein the wave antennas are disposed in an array configuration, the array configuration having a peripheral share formed by distal portions of the first and second dielectric taper portions, the peripheral shape being lens-shaped.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave antennas are inserted in the plane perpendicularly to the plane.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave antennas are disposed in a substantially hexagonal configuration.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral shape is chosen from a group consisting of a double convex lens, a double concave lens, a plano-convex lens, and a plano-concave lens.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one between the first dielectric taper portion and the second dielectric taper portion is bendable.

6. An array of wave antennas, each wave antenna comprising:

a central dielectric portion, acting as a waveguide, having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a first dielectric taper portion connected with the first side of the central dielectric portion; and

a second dielectric taper portion connected with the second side of the central dielectric portion,

wherein the central dielectric portions have a length, said length being variable among individual wave antennas, the array exhibiting a lens-shaped periphery by virtue of said variable length.

7. The array of claim 6, wherein the first and second dielectric taper portions have a length, the length of the first and second dielectric taper portions being the same along the array.

8. The array of claim 6, wherein at least one between the first taper portion and the second taper portion is bendable.

9. A wave antenna system comprising a plurality of spaced apart wave antennas, each wave antenna comprising:

a central dielectric portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a first dielectric taper portion having a first dielectric taper portion proximal side connected with the first side of the central dielectric portion and a first dielectric taper portion distal side, the first dielectric taper portion proximal side having a first dielectric taper proximal width, the first dielectric taper portion distal side having a first dielectric taper distal width, the first dielectric taper proximal width being greater than the first dielectric taper distal width; and

a second dielectric taper portion having a second dielectric taper portion proximal side connected with the second side of the central dielectric portion and a second dielectric taper portion distal side, the second dielectric taper portion proximal side having a second dielectric taper proximal width, the second dielectric taper portion distal side having a second dielectric taper distal width, the second dielectric taper proximal width being greater than the second dielectric taper distal width,

wherein the central dielectric portions have a length, said length being variable among individual wave antennas, the array exhibiting a lens-shaped periphery by virtue of said variable length.