Curved surface scattering antennas

• US 10,446,903 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Black, Eric J., Chen, Pai-Yen, Deutsch, Brian Mark, Driscoll, Tom, Ebadi, Siamak, Hunt, John Desmond, Katko, Alexander Remley, Landy, Nathan Ingle, Machado, Melroy, Perque, Jr., Milton, Smith, David R., Urzhumov, Yaroslav A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jegede, Bamidele A
• Application Number:
  US14/711,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20150318620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 343772
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1264 Adjusting different parts or elements of an aerial unit
• 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 11/04 with parts bent, folded, shaped, screened or electrically loaded to obtain desired phase relation of radiation from selected sections of the antenna H01Q11/06 – H01Q11/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Surface scattering antennas on curved manifolds provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a waveguide configured to propagate a guided wave along a curved manifold; and

a plurality of adjustable subwavelength radiators positioned along the curved manifold and coupled to the waveguide;

wherein the adjustable subwavelength radiators are configured to define a holographic function on the curved manifold;

wherein the guided wave has a propagation direction, and the subwavelength radiators have inter-element spacings along the propagation direction substantially less than a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna; and

wherein each of the plurality of subwavelength radiators includes an adjustable surface mount component connected to a surface of the curved circuit board.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the curved manifold corresponds to a curved circuit board that supports the waveguide.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the curved circuit board is a semirigid PCB that has been bent to conform to the curved manifold.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the semirigid PCB is a microwave laminate PCB.

5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the microwave laminate PCB is a PTFE laminate PCB.

6. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the curved circuit board is a flexible PCB.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the flexible PCB is a polyimide laminate PCB.

8. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the flexible PCB is a liquid crystal polymer laminate PCB.

9. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the waveguide is a substrate-integrated waveguide.

10. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the waveguide is a stripline or microstrip waveguide.

11. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each surface mount component is connected to the surface of the curved circuit board with an elastomeric conductive compound.

12. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each surface mount component is connected to the surface of the curved circuit board with flexible contacts.

13. A method of making a curved antenna, comprising:

identifying a desired curvature for the curved antenna;

obtaining a circuit board that includes a waveguide and a plurality of adjustable subwavelength radiators coupled to the waveguide; and

bending the circuit board to conform to the desired curvature;

wherein the adjustable subwavelength radiators are configured to define a holographic function for the desired curvature;

wherein the waveguide has a propagation direction, and the adjustable subwavelength radiators have inter-element spacings along the propagation direction substantially less than a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna; and

wherein the obtaining of the circuit board includes, prior to the bending;

selectively applying solder paste to an upper surface of the circuit board; and

placing a plurality of adjustable surface mount components on the circuit board to form connections via the selectively applied solder paste, the plurality of adjustable surface mount components corresponding to the plurality of adjustable subwavelength radiators.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selectively applying of the solder paste is an applying of the solder paste with a solder screen.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the placing of the plurality of surface mount components is a placing with a pick-and-place machine.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the obtained circuit board is a circuit board with unbaked solder paste, and the method further comprises:

after the bending, baking the obtained circuit board in a solder reflow oven.

17. A curved antenna fabricated by a method that includes:

identifying a desired curvature for the curved antenna;

obtaining a circuit board that includes a waveguide and a plurality of adjustable subwavelength radiators coupled to the waveguide; and

bending the circuit board to conform to the desired curvature;

wherein the adjustable subwavelength radiators are configured to define a holographic function for the desired curvature;

wherein the waveguide has a propagation direction, and the adjustable subwavelength radiators have inter-element spacings along the propagation direction substantially less than a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna; and

wherein the obtaining of the circuit board includes, prior to the bending;

selectively applying solder paste to an upper surface of the circuit board; and

placing a plurality of surface mount components on the circuit board to form connections via the selectively applied solder paste, the plurality of surface mount components corresponding to the plurality of adjustable subwavelength radiators.

18. The curved antenna of claim 17, wherein the selectively applying of the solder paste is an applying of the solder paste with a solder screen.

19. The curved antenna of claim 17, wherein the placing of the plurality of surface mount components is a placing with a pick-and-place machine.

20. The curved antenna of claim 17, wherein the obtained circuit board is a circuit board with unbaked solder paste, and the method further comprises:

after the bending, baking the obtained circuit board in a solder reflow oven.