Active dielectric resonator antenna

• US 8,144,059 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• 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: Lynch, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US10/848,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,870 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/719, 343/789, 343/767, 343/911.R, 324/338
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

A dielectric resonator antenna that has active components on a selected surface. Also a feed element in the form of a slot may be formed on the surface to efficiently generate the proper resonance mode within the bulk of the dielectric resonator antenna. The entire dielectric resonator antenna may be flip-chip mounted onto a suitable microwave substrate.

Claims

1. An active dielectric resonator antenna comprising:

a dielectric resonator antenna comprising a dielectric body having dimensions for providing a resonant mode at a desired frequency;

at least one active circuit component mounted on a selected surface of the dielectric body; and

an antenna feed element formed on the selected surface of the dielectric body;

wherein the at least one active component is monolithically integrated with the antenna on the selected surface.

2. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna feed element, in a transmitting mode, generates the proper resonance mode within the dielectric body of the dielectric resonator antenna or, in a receiving mode, receives the signal from the dielectric resonator antenna, said antenna feed element being co-located on the same surface as the at least one active circuit component.

3. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the dielectric resonator antenna is configured as a flip-chip device having a bottom surface and the at least one active circuit component is on the bottom surface.

4. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least one active circuit component includes an amplifier.

5. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 4 wherein the antenna feed element is a slot formed in a metallization film.

6. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least one active circuit component includes a frequency multiplier.

7. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 6 wherein the antenna feed element is a slot formed in a metallization film.

8. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna feed element is a slot formed in a metallization film.

9. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the dielectric resonator antenna is operable in a frequency of at least 75 GHz.

10. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the selected surface of the dielectric body is an exterior surface of the dielectric body.

11. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 1 wherein the selected surface of the dielectric body is an exterior surface of the dielectric body.

12. An active dielectric resonator antenna comprising:

a dielectric resonator antenna comprising a dielectric body having dimensions for providing a resonant mode at a desired frequency;

an antenna formed on a selected surface of the dielectric body; and

at least one active component monolithically integrated with the antenna and mounted on the selected surface.

13. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12, wherein:

the active dielectric resonator antenna is configured as a flip-chip device having a bottom surface; and

the selected surface is the bottom surface.

14. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12, wherein:

the antenna, in a transmitting mode, generates the proper resonance mode within the dielectric body, or in a receiving mode receives the signal from the dielectric body, said antenna being co-located on the selected surface with the at least one active circuit component.

15. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12, wherein the antenna is a slot formed in a metallization film.

16. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one active circuit component includes an amplifier.

17. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12 wherein the dielectric resonator antenna is operable in a frequency of at least 750 Hz.

18. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one active circuit component includes a frequency multiplier.

19. An active dielectric resonator antenna, comprising:

a dielectric resonator antenna comprising a dielectric body having an exterior surface and having dimensions for providing a resonant mode at a desired frequency;

at least one active circuit component mounted on the exterior surface of the dielectric body; and

a slot antenna formed on the exterior surface of the dielectric body;

wherein the at least one active circuit component and the slot antenna are monolithically integrated.

20. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, wherein the active dielectric resonator antenna is configured as a flip-chip device.

21. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, further comprising:

an antenna feed element that, in a transmitting mode, generates the proper resonance mode within the dielectric body, or that in a receiving mode receives the signal from the dielectric body, said antenna feed element being co-located on the exterior surface with the at least one active circuit component.

22. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, wherein the slot antenna is a slot formed in a metallization film.

23. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, wherein:

the at least one active circuit component includes an amplifier.

24. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, wherein the dielectric resonator antenna is operable in a frequency of at least 75 GHz.

25. The active dielectric resonator antenna of claim 19, wherein:

the at least one active circuit component includes a frequency multiplier.