Sub-millimeter and infrared reflectarray

• US 7,623,071 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Lail, Brian, Boreman, Glenn, Ginn, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Chuc
• Application Number:
  US11/609,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/795, 343/872, 343/873, 343/896, 343/787
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays

Abstract

An integrated sub-millimeter and infrared reflectarray includes a reflective surface, a dielectric layer disposed on the reflective surface, and a subwavelength element array and a subwavelength element array electromagnetically coupled to the reflective surface. The subwavelength element array includes (i) electrically conductive subwavelength elements on the dielectric layer, (ii) wherein the dielectric layer comprises a plurality of dielectric subwavelength elements, or (iii) the dielectric layer includes a plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements. The array includes at least one of a plurality of substantially different inter-element spacings and a plurality of substantially different dimensions for the elements.

Claims

1. An integrated sub-millimeter and infrared reflectarray, comprising:

a reflective surface;

a dielectric layer disposed on said reflective surface, and

a subwavelength element array electromagnetically coupled to said reflective surface, said subwavelength element array comprising at least one of;

(i) a plurality of electrically conductive subwavelength elements on said dielectric layer,

(ii) said dielectric layer comprising a plurality of dielectric subwavelength elements, and

(iii) said dielectric layer comprising a plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements,

wherein said subwavelength element array in (i), (ii) and (iii) includes at least one of a plurality of substantially different microscale inter-element spacings and a plurality of substantially different microscale dimensions for said plurality of elements,

wherein an operating frequency band provided by said reflectarray is in a range between 1 THz and 500 THz.

2. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said array comprises said (i) plurality of electrically conductive subwavelength elements on said dielectric layer.

3. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said element array includes said plurality of substantially different microscale inter-element spacings.

4. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements comprise voids in said dielectric layer.

5. The reflectarray of claim 4, wherein said plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements comprise a dielectric material having a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant material comprising said dielectric layer.

6. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said array comprises ii) said dielectric layer comprising a plurality of dielectric subwavelength elements.

7. The reflectarray of claim 1, where said plurality of subwavelength elements have a length and width dimensions both from 1 to 10 microns.

8. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer comprises ZrO₂ or BCB.

9. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said subwavelength element array comprises said (i) plurality of electrically conductive subwavelength elements on said dielectric layer, said (i) plurality of electrically conductive subwavelength elements comprising hundreds of thousands, millions, or billions of said electrically conductive subwavelength elements.

10. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said subwavelength element array comprises said (ii) dielectric layer comprising a plurality of dielectric subwavelength elements, said (ii) plurality of dielectric subwavelength elements comprising hundreds of thousands, millions, or billions of said dielectric subwavelength elements.

11. The reflectarray of claim 1, wherein said subwavelength element array comprises said (iii) dielectric layer comprising a plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements, said (iii) plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength elements comprising hundreds of thousands, millions, or billions of said embedded dielectric subwavelength elements.

12. An integrated sub-millimeter and infrared reflectarray, comprising:

a reflective surface;

a dielectric layer disposed on said reflective surface, and

a subwavelength element array electromagnetically coupled to said reflective surface, said subwavelength element array comprising at least one of;

(i) a plurality of electrically conductive subwavelength fixed thickness elements on said dielectric layer;

(ii) said dielectric layer comprising a plurality of dielectric subwavelength fixed thickness elements, and

(iii) said dielectric layer comprising a plurality of embedded dielectric subwavelength fixed thickness elements,

wherein said subwavelength element array in (i), (ii) and (iii) includes at least one of a plurality of substantially different microscale inter-element spacings and a plurality of substantially different microscale dimensions for said plurality of element;

wherein an operating frequency band provided by said reflectarray is in range 1 THz and 500 THz.