Pseudo-conductor antennas

• US 8,847,840 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Inventors: Diaz, Rodolfo E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh
• Application Number:
  US13/407,694
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 343/793, 343/795, 343/741, 343/742, 343/866, 343/867
• US Class Current: 343/793
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/364 using a particular conducting material, e.g. superconductor
• 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

Techniques, devices and systems use pseudo-conductor materials as antennas to receive or radiate electromagnetic energy for communications and other applications. Methods of configuring an antenna can include, in some implementations, selecting a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property, wherein the electromagnetic constitutive property comprises a real part of the electromagnetic constitutive property that is greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property; and forming the pseudo-conductor material into an antenna shape configured, upon being excited, to radiate emissions that satisfy a predefined antenna performance, such that the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna shape weakly guides an electromagnetic wave on the pseudo-conductor material using a leaky mode that is below cutoff to establish a field structure to radiate the emissions from the pseudo-conductor material that satisfy the antenna performance.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an antenna, comprising:

selecting a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property having a real part greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property; and

forming the pseudo-conductor material into an antenna to be directly on an electrically conducting surface without an insulator between the pseudo-conductor material and the electrically conducting surface, upon being excited, to radiate emissions that satisfy a predefined antenna performance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna weakly guides an electromagnetic wave on the pseudo-conductor material using a leaky mode that is below cutoff to establish a field structure to radiate the emissions from the pseudo-conductor material that satisfy the antenna performance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the pseudo-conductor material comprises selecting the pseudo-conductor material where the electromagnetic constitutive property includes permeability, such that a real part of the permeability is greater than an imaginary part of the permeability and such that the relative permeability is greater than the relative permittivity of the material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the pseudo-conductor material comprises selecting the pseudo-conductor material where the electromagnetic constitutive property includes permittivity, such that a real part of the permittivity is greater than an imaginary part of the permittivity and such that the relative permittivity is greater than the relative permeability of the material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna such that the formed pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured to provide wave propagation in a TE01, transverse electric, mode below cut-off.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the formed pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured to provide the wave propagation in the TE01 mode and establish a longitudinal and radial magnetic field with a circulating electric field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the forming pseudo-conductor material comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material in the antenna such that the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured, upon being excited, to establish an electromagnetic field outside the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna dominated by the radial magnetic field and the circulating electric field.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna having one or more discontinuities such that at least some of the emissions radiate off at the one or more discontinuities.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna such that the formed pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured, upon being excited, to provide wave propagation in a TM01, transverse magnetic, mode below cut-off.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the formed pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured to provide the wave propagation in the TM01 mode and establish a longitudinal and radial electric field with a circulating magnetic field.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming the pseudo-conductor material comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material in the antenna such that the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna is configured, upon being excited, to establish an electromagnetic field outside the pseudo-conductor material formed in the antenna dominated by the radial electric field and the circulating magnetic field.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material in the antenna adjacent an electrically conductive plane such that the electrically conductive plane is configured in cooperation with the pseudo-conductive material in the antenna such that image currents are excited in the electrically conductive plane in response to the formed pseudo-conductive material being excited, where the image currents enhance the emissions from the pseudo-conductive material in meeting the antenna performance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material in the antenna comprises positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material conformal to the electrically conductive plane.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material in the antenna comprises positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material conformal to the electrically conductive plane and directly on the electrically conductive plane.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designing an initial antenna where the initial antenna comprises two substantially identical halves;

wherein the forming the pseudo-conductor material comprises forming the pseudo-conductor material into the antenna where the antenna is one half of the two substantially identical halves of the initial antenna design; and

positioning the formed pseudo-conductive material in the antenna adjacent an electrically conductive surface, where image currents are excited in the electrically conductive surface in cooperation with the pseudo-conductive material in the antenna and in response to the formed pseudo-conductive material being excited such that the image currents in the electrically conductive surface enhance radiation from the pseudo-conductive material in meeting the antenna performance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pseudo-conductive material in the antenna is a conformal antenna positioned conformal to the electrically conductive surface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pseudo-conductive material in the antenna is a conformal antenna positioned conformal to the electrically conductive surface by embedding it in a channel or indentation.

18. An antenna device, comprising:

a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property which has a real part of the electromagnetic constitutive property greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property, the pseudo-conductor material configured to weakly guide displacement currents on the pseudo-conductor material to radiate or receive electromagnetic energy; and

an antenna circuit coupled to the pseudo-conductor material and configured to excite the pseudo-conductor material to radiate the electromagnetic energy or to receive the electromagnetic energy received by the pseudo-conductor material.

19. The antenna device of claim 18, comprising:

an electrically conductive plane electromagnetically coupled to the antenna circuit and the pseudo-conductor material as part of the antenna device, wherein the pseudo-conductive material is positioned conformal to the electrically conductive plane.

20. The antenna device of claim 19, wherein the pseudo-conductor material is positioned directly on the electrically conductive plane.

21. The antenna device of claim 18, wherein the pseudo-conductor material includes a first pseudo-conductor material piece and a second, separate pseudo-conductor material piece, and

wherein the antenna device includes:

first and second metal wires that are separate from each other and positioned relative to each other to form a dipole antenna,

wherein the first pseudo-conductor material piece is connected to a distal end of the first metal wire and the second pseudo-conductor material piece is connected to a distal end of the second metal wire in a configuration that the first and second pseudo-conductor material pieces form radiating or receiving elements of the dipole antenna.

22. The antenna device of claim 18, comprising:

an electrically conductive plane to which the pseudo-conductor material is directly engaged, and

wherein the electrically conductive plane is configured to include a well in which the pseudo-conductor material is located.

23. An antenna device, comprising:

a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property which has a real part of the electromagnetic constitutive property greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property, the pseudo-conductor material configured to weakly guide displacement currents on the pseudo-conductor material to radiate or receive electromagnetic energy;

an antenna circuit coupled to the pseudo-conductor material and configured to excite the pseudo-conductor material to radiate the electromagnetic energy or to receive the electromagnetic energy received by the pseudo-conductor material;

an electrically conductive plane to which the pseudo-conductor material is directly engaged; and

an electrically conductive loop having a first end connected to the electrically conductive plane at a location on a first side of the pseudo-conductor material without being in contact with the pseudo-conductor material, a loop section that passes over the pseudo-conductor material without being in contact with the pseudo-conductor material and a second end that is located on a second side of the pseudo-conductor material opposing the first side and is connected to the antenna circuit,

wherein the antenna circuit includes a coaxial cable that is connected to the second end of the electrically conductive loop.

24. The antenna device of claim 23, comprising:

a first antenna terminating element connected to the electrically conductive plane and located at a first position over the pseudo-conductor material; and

a second antenna terminating element connected to the electrically conductive plane and located at a second position over the pseudo-conductor material, wherein the first and second antenna terminating elements are on two opposite sides of the electrically conductive loop.

25. The antenna device of claim 24, wherein:

each of the first and second antenna terminating elements includes an electrically conductive loop having a first end connected to the electrically conductive plane at a location on a first side of the pseudo-conductor material without being in contact with the pseudo-conductor material, a loop section that passes over the pseudo-conductor material without being in contact with the pseudo-conductor material and a second end that is located on a second side of the pseudo-conductor material opposing the first side and is connected to a termination element connected to the electrically conductive plane.

26. The antenna device of claim 25, wherein the termination element is a capacitive element.

27. The antenna device of claim 25, wherein the termination element is a split ring resonator.

28. The antenna device of claim 24, wherein:

the pseudo-conductor material is elongated to form a pseudo-conductor dipole antenna, and

the electrically conductive loop is located at a central position of the pseudo-conductor material.

29. The antenna device of claim 28, wherein:

the pseudo-conductor material includes a main elongated section relative to which the electrically conductive loop is located at a central position of the main elongated portion, and two elongated end sections formed at two distal ends of the main elongated section.

30. The antenna device of claim 23, wherein:

the pseudo-conductor material includes a main elongated section relative to which the electrically conductive loop is located at a central position of the main elongated portion, and periodic extensions of different extension lengths formed along the main elongated section and symmetrically located on two sides of the electrically conductive loop.

31. An antenna device, comprising:

a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property which has a real part of the electromagnetic constitutive property greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property, the pseudo-conductor material configured to weakly guide displacement currents on the pseudo-conductor material to radiate or receive electromagnetic energy;

an antenna circuit coupled to the pseudo-conductor material and configured to excite the pseudo-conductor material to radiate the electromagnetic energy or to receive the electromagnetic energy received by the pseudo-conductor material;

an electrically conductive plane to which the pseudo-conductor material is directly engaged; and

an electrically conductive microstrip formed over the pseudo-conductor material and configured to have two terminals that are coupled to the antenna circuit,

wherein the pseudo-conductor material includes an elongated section that crosses the electrically conductive microstrip and is located between the electrically conductive microstrip and the electrically conductive plane, and

wherein the electrically conductive plane, the pseudo-conductor material and the electrically conductive microstrip form the antenna to radiate or receive the electromagnetic energy.

32. The antenna device of claim 31, wherein:

the elongated section that crosses the electrically conductive microstrip includes a first pseudo-conductor material section and a second, separate pseudo-conductor material section that are spaced from each other to form a gap underneath the electrically conductive microstrip, and

the antenna device includes a dielectric fin structure formed in the gap between the first and second pseudo-conductor material sections and between the electrically conductive microstrip and the electrically conductive plane.

33. The antenna device of claim 32, wherein:

the dielectric fin structure has a tapered edge.

34. The antenna device of claim 32, wherein:

ends of the first and second pseudo-conductor material sections that face each other are tapered.

35. An antenna device, comprising:

a pseudo-conductor material having an electromagnetic constitutive property which has a real part of the electromagnetic constitutive property greater than a corresponding imaginary part of the electromagnetic constitutive property, the pseudo-conductor material configured to weakly guide displacement currents on the pseudo-conductor material to radiate or receive electromagnetic energy; and

an antenna circuit coupled to the pseudo-conductor material and configured to excite the pseudo-conductor material to radiate the electromagnetic energy or to receive the electromagnetic energy received by the pseudo-conductor material,

wherein;

the pseudo-conductor material is shaped as a pseudo-conductor loop that is configured to enclose a conductive or a dielectric or a lossy dielectric object and is coupled to the antenna circuit; and

the pseudo-conductor loop is structured to operate with the conductive or the dielectric or the lossy dielectric object to radiate the electromagnetic energy from the antenna circuit or to receive the electromagnetic energy and to direct the received electromagnetic energy to the antenna circuit.

36. The antenna device of claim 35, comprising:

an electrically conductive loop engaged to inner side of the pseudo-conductor loop to provide an electrically conductive interface between the conductive or the dielectric or the lossy dielectric object and the pseudo-conductor loop.

37. An antenna device, comprising:

a pseudo-conductor material that is not electrically conductive and exhibits either (1) a material permeability having a real part greater than a corresponding imaginary part and a relative permeability greater than a relative permittivity, or (2) a material permittivity having a real part greater than a corresponding imaginary part and having the relative permittivity greater than the relative permeability;

an electrical conductor positioned relative to the pseudo-conductor material to electromagnetically coupled to the pseudo-conductor material; and

an antenna circuit coupled to the pseudo-conductor material and the electrical conductor to supply a signal of electromagnetic energy to (1) excite one or more weakly guided electromagnetic modes in the pseudo-conductor material to cause radiation of the weakly guided electromagnetic energy or (2) receive electromagnetic energy that is received by the antenna circuit.

38. The antenna device of claim 37, wherein the electrical conductor is a conductor plane, wherein the pseudo-conductive material is positioned conformal to the conductor plane.

39. The antenna device of claim 37, wherein the electrical conductor is a conductor plane, wherein the pseudo-conductive material is directly in contact with the conductor plane.