Antenna module having reduced size, high gain, and increased power efficiency

• US 8,395,552 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metamagnetics, Inc., Northeastern University
• Original Assignee: Metamagnetics, Inc., Northeastern University
• Inventors: Geiler, Anton L., Vittoria, Carmine, Harris, Vincent G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US13/301,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/767, 343/770, 343/787
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/008 said selective devices having Sievenpipers' mushroom elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00

Abstract

A broadband integrated circulator antenna (BICA) module for receiving and transmitting signals with high efficiency and high gain. The BICA can have a bandwidth of over 70% of a radar band and can operate in frequencies from UHF to S-band and above. The BICA has a stack configuration that includes a low profile antenna, a reflecting layer or a metamaterial substrate layer, and a circulator. The circulator is placed proximal to antenna, which greatly reduces the size of the BICA. The circulator can be a stripline Y-junction ferrite circulator and the antenna can be a coaxial center fed bow-tie antenna. The reflecting layer or metamaterial substrate layer can comprise electronic bandgap metamaterial and a high permeability ferrite substrate. The high permeability ferrite substrate can be cobalt substituted Z-type barium hexaferrite.

Claims

1. An antenna module configured to operate at a center frequency and formed of a plurality of layers, the antenna module comprising:

a first layer having an antenna formed by at least one radiating aperture;

a second layer having a ferrite circulator; and

a third layer of reflecting material positioned between the first layer and the second layer, the third layer configured to reflect energy in phase with incident waves;

wherein the first, second, and third layers are positioned substantially parallel to each other in a stack configuration; and

wherein the combination of the antenna, reflecting material, and ferrite circulator, form a broadband integrated circulator antenna (BICA) as a single component.

2. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the antenna and the ferrite circulator are situated less than one quarter of a wavelength at the center frequency away from each other.

3. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the antenna and the ferrite circulator are situated no more than one twentieth of a wavelength at the center frequency away from each other.

4. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the antenna and the ferrite circulator are situated about one one-hundredth of a wavelength at the center frequency away from each other.

5. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the ferrite circulator is a ferrite stripline circulator.

6. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the reflecting material is a metamaterial selected from the group consisting of electronic bandgap (EBG) metamaterial, a metamaterial comprising a dielectric substrate, or metamaterial comprising a magnetic substrate.

7. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the reflecting material comprises a high permeability ferrite substrate.

8. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the reflecting material comprises cobalt substituted Z-type barium hexaferrite.

9. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the reflecting material comprises a high permeability ferrite substrate having a frequency range of about 10 MHz up to about 4 GHz.

10. The antenna module of claim 1, wherein the value of the input impedances of the circulator and the antenna match and are configured to optimize the bandwidth at operational frequencies.