Integrated phased array antenna

• US 7,391,372 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Brewer, Peter D., Lynch, Jonathan J., Hunter, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Trinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu; Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US10/862,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/850, 343/852, 343776-778, 343/771
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73267 Layer and HDI connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/20 Structure, shape, material or disposition of high density interconnect preforms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• 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: H01L 2924/12032 Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• 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

An integrated communication device having a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material with two substantially parallel surfaces, an antenna element disposed on one of the surfaces, a ground layer of substantially electrically conductive material disposed on the other surface and having an opening formed therethrough opposite from the antenna element, and a transceiver device mounted to the ground layer to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through the opening.

Claims

1. A phased array antenna device, comprising:

a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material having two substantially parallel surfaces;

a plurality of antenna elements disposed on one of the surfaces;

a ground layer of substantially electrically conductive material disposed on the other surface and having an opening formed therethrough opposite from each antenna element; and

a plurality of transceiver devices mounted to the ground layer to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through the openings.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each transceiver device is mounted to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through a respective one of the openings.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein each transceiver device comprises a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the substrate layer is formed of material selected from the group of materials comprising Aluminum Nitride and Sapphire.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein each antenna element is a patch antenna.

6. A method, comprising:

forming a plurality of openings through a ground layer of substantially electrically conductive material;

disposing the ground layer onto a first surface of a substrate layer of substantially electrically nonconductive material;

disposing a plurality of antenna elements onto a second surface of the substrate layer substantially opposite from the first surface, one antenna element over each opening of the ground layer and

mounting a plurality of transceiver devices to the ground layer, each transceiver device mounted overlying a respective one of the plurality of openings to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic energy through the respective opening.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the transceiver devices comprises a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the substrate layer is formed of material selected from the group of materials comprising Aluminum Nitride and Sapphire.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one antenna element is a patch antenna.