Compact dual-band resonator using anisotropic metamaterial

• US 7,952,526 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Lee, Cheng-Jung, Itoh, Tatsuo, Leong, Kevin M. K. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US11/844,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/754, 343/749, 343/846, 343/909
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 15/008 said selective devices having Sievenpipers' mushroom elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

A dual-band resonator with compact size, such as a resonant type dual-band antenna, which uses an anisotropic metamaterial is described. The artificial anisotropic medium is implemented by employing a composite right/left-handed transmission line. The dispersion relation and the antenna physical size only depend on the composition of the unit cell and the number of cells used. By engineering the characteristics of the unit cells to be different in two orthogonal directions, the corresponding propagation constants can be controlled, thus enabling dual-band antenna resonances. In addition, the antenna dimensions can be markedly minimized by maximally reducing the unit cell size. A dual-band antenna is also described which is designed for operation at frequencies for PCS/Bluetooth applications, and which has a physical size of 1/18λ₀× 1/18λ₀× 1/19λ₀, where λ₀ is the free space wavelength at 2.37 GHz.

Claims

1. A dual-band anisotropic metamaterial resonant apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart microstrip composite right/left handed (CRLH) unit cells arranged in an array;

said array having first and second orthogonal directions;

at least two of said unit cells cascaded in the first direction; and

at least two of said unit cells cascaded in the second direction;

said array having different β

'"'"'s in orthogonal propagation directions to achieve dual-band resonance.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein physical size of said array is the same in said first and second directions.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a microstrip feedline coupled to said array;

said feedline positioned off-center in relation to center of said array;

said feedline configured to excite said array in two modes along the first and second directions at the same time.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said feedline is configured to excite the array in two LH modes.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said array comprises a 2×

2 array of CRLH unit cells.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a microstrip capacitor;

said microstrip capacitor positioned to increase capacitive coupling between at least two adjacent unit cells in said first direction but not between adjacent unit cells in said second direction.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said microstrip capacitor comprises a metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a component of a wireless communications device.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said component comprises an antenna.

10. An anisotropic metamaterial dual-band resonant apparatus, comprising:

a first dielectric substrate layer, said first substrate layer having a surface;

a metallized backplane layer;

a second dielectric substrate layer between said first substrate layer and said backplane layer; and

a plurality of spaced-apart microstrip composite right/left handed (CRLH) unit cells formed of metallized patches arranged in an array on the surface of said first substrate layer, each said patch having an electrical connection to said backplane layer through said second substrate layer;

said array having first and second orthogonal directions;

at least two of said unit cells cascaded in the first direction;

at least two of said unit cells cascaded in the second direction;

said array having different β

'"'"'s in orthogonal propagation directions to achieve dual-band resonance.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein physical size of said array is the same in said first and second directions.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a microstrip feedline coupled to said array;

said feedline positioned off-center in relation to center of said array;

said feedline configured to excite said array in two modes along the first and second directions at the same time.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said feedline is configured to excite the array in two LH modes.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said array comprises a 2×

2 array of CRLH unit cells.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a microstrip capacitor;

said capacitor positioned between said first and second substrate layers;

said capacitor overlapping at least two adjacent unit cells to provide additional capacitive coupling between said unit cells in said first direction but not between adjacent unit cells in said second direction.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said microstrip capacitor comprises a metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said apparatus is a component of a wireless communications device.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said component comprises an antenna.

19. A dual-band anisotropic metamaterial resonant apparatus, comprising:

a 2×

2 array of spaced-apart microstrip unit cells;

said array having first and second orthogonal propagation directions;

said array having different β

'"'"'s in said orthogonal propagation directions to achieve dual-band resonance.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein physical size of said array is the same in said first and second directions.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a microstrip feedline coupled to said array;

said feedline positioned off-center in relation to center of said array;

said feedline configured to excite said array in two modes along the first and second propagation directions at the same time.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said feedline is configured to excite the array in two n=−

1 modes.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a first microstrip capacitor;

said first microstrip capacitor positioned to increase capacitive coupling between a first two of said unit cells in said first propagation direction but not between adjacent unit cells in said second propagation direction; and

a second microstrip capacitor;

said second microstrip capacitor positioned to increase capacitive coupling between a second two of said unit cells in said first propagation direction but not between adjacent unit cells in said second propagation direction.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein said microstrip capacitors comprises a metal-insulator-metal capacitors.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said apparatus is a component of a wireless communications device.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said component comprises an antenna.

27. A micro-miniature dual-band resonant device, comprising:

an anisotropic metamaterial having at least two-dimensions in an x-y plane;

a pair of composite right/left handed transmission lines (CRLH-TL'"'"'s) implemented within the same spaces of the anisotropic metamaterial but with different frequency responses in different directions within the anisotropic metamaterial; and

a feed to the CRLH-TL'"'"'s providing for a first frequency of operation and a second frequency of operation with respective ones of CRLH-TL'"'"'s in said dual-band resonant device.

28. A device as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

an array of individual constituent periodic structures disposed in the anisotropic metamaterial that together implement the CRLH-TL'"'"'s.

29. A device as recited in claim 28, further comprising:

a unit cell structure having a metal plate with a via connecting said metal plate at its center to an underlying backplane, and disposed within each of the individual constituent periodic structures, and having an equivalent circuit in which a T-bandpass circuit includes a shunt L-C circuit implemented by said via connection and underlying backplane, and series L-C circuits across each direction implemented by said metal plates and gaps them.

30. A device as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor disposed between adjacent ones of the unit cells structures in one direction only, wherein such directional asymmetry imparts correspondingly different frequency responses to each of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s.

31. A device as recited in claim 27, wherein said device is a component of a wireless communications device.

32. A device as recited in claim 31, wherein said component comprises an antenna.

33. A method of micro-miniaturization of a dual-band resonant device, comprising:

micro-miniaturizing said device by implementing it with composite right/left handed transmission lines (CRLH-TL'"'"'s) each having different frequency responses; and

imparting a multi-band functionality to said device by implementing a plurality of said CRLH-TL'"'"'s to lie in different directions within an anisotropic metamaterial.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, further comprising:

constructing said anisotropic metamaterials and CRLH-TL'"'"'s to use individual constituent periodic structures in a square array.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising:

placing metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors between adjacent ones of individual constituent periodic structures in one of the x- and y-directions only, to impart an asymmetry that produces a frequency response difference between orthogonal ones of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s and therein enables said dual-band functionality.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein said device is a component of a wireless communications device.

37. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein said component comprises an antenna.

38. A portable wireless device, comprising:

a micro-miniature dual-band antenna for simultaneous operation at different first and second frequencies;

a first frequency wireless transmitter or receiver coupled to the antenna for interoperation with a first-frequency wireless service; and

a second frequency wireless transmitter or receiver coupled to the antenna for interoperation with a second-frequency wireless service;

wherein all such components are completely disposed within a single said portable wireless device.

39. A portable wireless device of claim 38, wherein said antenna further comprises:

an anisotropic metamaterial having two-dimensions in the x- and y-directions;

a pair of composite right/left handed transmission lines (CRLH-TL'"'"'s) implemented within the same spaces of the anisotropic metamaterial but with different frequency responses in the x- and y-directions of the anisotropic metamaterial;

a first feedline coupled to one of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s in said x-direction providing for a first frequency of operation; and

a second feedline to the other one of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s in said y-direction providing for a second frequency of operation in said dual-band antenna;

wherein said first and second feedlines are separate feedlines or are the same feedlines.

40. A portable wireless device as recited in claim 39, further comprising:

an array of individual constituent periodic structures disposed in the anisotropic metamaterial that together implement the CRLH-TL'"'"'s.

41. A portable wireless device as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

a unit cell structure having a metal plate with a via connecting said metal plate at its center to an underlying backplane, and disposed within each of the individual constituent periodic structures, and having an equivalent circuit in which a T-bandpass circuit includes a shunt L-C circuit implemented by said via stem connection and underlying backplane, and series L-C circuits across each x- and y-direction implemented by said square metal plates and gaps between them.

42. A portable wireless device as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor disposed between adjacent ones of the unit cell structures in one of the x- and y-directions only, wherein such directional asymmetry imparts correspondingly different frequency responses to each of the pair of CRLH-TL'"'"'s.

43. A portable wireless device, comprising:

a micro-miniature dual-band antenna for simultaneous operation at different first and second frequencies;

a first frequency wireless transmitter or receiver coupled to the antenna for interoperation with a first-frequency wireless service; and

a second frequency wireless transmitter or receiver coupled to the antenna for interoperation with a second-frequency wireless service;

wherein said antenna further comprises;

an anisotropic metamaterial having two-dimensions in the x- and y-directions;

a pair of composite right/left handed transmission lines (CRLH-TL'"'"'s) implemented within the same spaces of the anisotropic metamaterial but with different frequency responses in the x- and y-directions of the anisotropic metamaterial;

a first feedline coupled to one of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s in said x-direction providing for a first frequency of operation;

a second feedline to the other one of the CRLH-TL'"'"'s in said y-direction providing for a second frequency of operation in said dual-band antenna;

wherein said first and second feedlines are separate feedlines or are the same feedlines;

an array of individual constituent periodic structures disposed in the anisotropic metamaterial that together implement the CRLH-TL'"'"'s;

a unit cell structure having a metal plate with a via connecting said metal plate at its center to an underlying backplane, and disposed within each of the individual constituent periodic structures, and having an equivalent circuit in which a T-bandpass circuit includes a shunt L-C circuit implemented by said via stem connection and underlying backplane, and series L-C circuits across each x- and y-direction implemented by said square metal plates and gaps between them; and

a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor disposed between adjacent ones of the unit cell structures in one of the x- and y-directions only, wherein such directional asymmetry imparts correspondingly different frequency responses to each of the pair of CRLH-TL'"'"'s;

wherein all such components are completely disposed within a single said portable wireless device.