Microstrip antenna elements and arrays comprising a shaped nanotube fabric layer and integrated two terminal nanotube select devices

• US 8,937,575 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nantero Incorporated
• Inventors: Ward, Jonathan W., Smith, Robert F., Segal, Brent M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US12/533,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/846, 343/848, 343/897, 977/950
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

A nanotube based microstrip antenna element is provided along with arrays of same. The nanotube based microstrip antenna element comprises a dielectric substrate layer sandwiched between a ground plane layer and a conductive nanotube layer, the conductive nanotube layer shaped to form a radiating structure. In more advanced embodiments, the nanotube based microstrip antenna element further includes an integrated two terminal nanotube switch device such as to provide a selectability function to such microstrip antenna elements and reconfigurable arrays of same. Anisotropic nanotube fabric layers are also used to provide substantially transparent microstrip antenna structures which can be deposited over display screens and the like.

Claims

1. An antenna element comprising:

a ground plane layer;

a dielectric substrate layer deposited over said ground plane layer;

at least two electrode elements deposited over said dielectric substrate layer;

a patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer deposited over said dielectric substrate layer, said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer comprising a shaped radiating structure and a transmission line element; and

wherein said transmission line element overlies two electrode elements to form a two-terminal nanotube switch, said two-terminal nanotube switch comprising a nanotube fabric element that is adjustable among at least two non-volatile resistive states responsive to an electrical stimulus applied to said two electrode elements;

wherein said two-terminal nanotube switch comprises an integrated switching element that provides an embedded selectability function to said antenna element;

wherein said integrated switching element, said transmission line element, and said radiating structure are formed within a single contiguous material layer.

2. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is comprised of carbon nanotubes.

3. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially flexible.

4. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially transparent.

5. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially non-planer.

6. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein said shaped radiating structure is vertically oriented.

7. The antenna element of claim 1 wherein said two-terminal nanotube switch is used to couple and decouple said radiating structure from at least a portion of said transmission line element.

8. An antenna array comprising:

a ground plane layer;

a dielectric substrate layer deposited over said ground plane layer;

at least two electrode elements deposited over said dielectric substrate layer;

a patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer deposited over said dielectric substrate layer, said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer comprising a plurality of shaped radiating structures and a plurality of transmission line elements; and

wherein at least one of said plurality of transmission line elements overlies at least two electrode elements to form at least one two-terminal nanotube switch, said at least one nanotube select device comprising a nanotube fabric element that is adjustable among at least two non-volatile resistive states responsive to an electrical stimulus applied to said at least two electrode elements;

wherein said at least one two-terminal nanotube switch comprises an integrated switching element that provides an embedded selectability function to said antenna element; and

wherein said integrated switching element, said plurality of transmission line elements, and said plurality of shaped radiating structure are formed within a single contiguous material layer.

9. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is comprised of carbon nanotubes.

10. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially flexible.

11. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially transparent.

12. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least one of said ground plane layer, said dielectric substrate layer, and said patterned non-woven nanotube fabric layer is substantially non-planer.

13. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least two of said plurality of transmission line elements are electrically coupled.

14. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein said plurality of shaped radiating structures are all substantially the same shape.

15. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least two of said plurality of shaped radiating structures are different shapes.

16. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein at least one of said plurality of shaped radiating structures is vertically oriented.

17. The antenna array of claim 8 wherein said at least one two-terminal nanotube switch is used to couple and decouple at least one of said plurality of radiating structures from at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of transmission line elements.