Transmission/reception element for switching radiation frequency

• US 8,952,856 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Akiba, Akira, Ikeda, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Purvis, Sue A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JAE K
• Application Number:
  US12/929,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 343/749, 343/700.MS, 343/723, 343/909, 343/853, 343/702
• US Class Current: 343/749
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/127 Strip line switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/00 Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements

Abstract

A transmission/reception element includes: a plurality of metal layers each disposed with space from another; and a switch for controlling electrical coupling between the metal layers. The switch includes a contact-point group including a plurality of contact-point pairs each disposed in parallel between each two of the metal layers, and a drive section mechanically driving the contact-point group for state change of each of the contact-point pairs between in-contact and no-contact.

Claims

1. A transmission/reception element comprising:

a plurality of metal layers disposed on a substrate and spaced apart from each other;

a switch configured to control electrical coupling between the plurality of metal layers, wherein the switch comprises a contact-point group including a plurality of contact-point pairs each arranged along a movable member disposed in a cavity formed between a pair of the plurality of metal layers; and

a drive section coupled to the contact-point group via the movable member and configured to mechanically drive the contact-point group in order to switch a state of each of the plurality of contact-point pairs between in-contact and no-contact,

wherein the movable member is coupled to one end of the drive section and configured to slide in a direction along which the contact-point pairs are arranged,

wherein the movable member is provided with a plurality of bars at another end,

wherein the contact-point pairs are each provided with a fixed contact point provided on each of the plurality of the metal layers, and a movable contact point provided to each of the plurality of bars of the movable member,

wherein a wall surface of the cavity is shaped with one or more concavities and one or more convexities to match a shape of the movable member.

2. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the drive section is positioned to be electrically insulated from the contact-point group.

3. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the drive section is disposed at a region in a plane that is shared with the contact-point group, and outside a region where the plurality of metal layers are disposed.

4. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the movable member and the plurality of bars are covered by a metal film in a region corresponding to the contact-point group.

5. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal layers and the contact-point group are provided on one side of a dielectric layer, and the other side of the dielectric layer functions as a grounded antenna.

6. The transmission/reception element according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of metal layers is made of a thin film.

7. The transmission/reception element according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of the metal layers is in a rectangular shape in planar view, wherein each of the plurality of metal layers are disposed along a feeding direction with sides of the plurality of metal layers opposing each other, and wherein the contact-point group is provided between the opposing sides.

8. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the drive section collectively drives the contact-point pairs in the contact-point group.

9. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein the drive section includes a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) actuator.

10. The transmission/reception element according to claim 9, wherein the MEMS actuator is an electrostatic MEMS actuator operated by lateral driving.

11. The transmission/reception element according to claim 10, wherein the movable member that is coupled to one end of the drive section, wherein the MEMS actuator comprises a fixed electrode and a moving electrode, wherein the moving electrode slides along an operation axis same as that of the movable member.

12. The transmission/reception element according to claim 11, wherein the fixed electrode is fixed to the substrate.

13. The transmission/reception element according to claim 1, wherein a frequency of electromagnetic waves radiated from the transmission/reception element depends on a width of one or more of the plurality of metal layers.

14. The transmission/reception element according to claim 13, wherein an operation of switching the state of each the plurality of contact-point pairs corresponds to a change in the frequency of the electromagnetic waves radiated.