Broadband multiple layer dielectric resonator antenna and method of making the same

• US 10,700,434 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rogers Corporation (Rogers Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rogers Corporation (Rogers Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pance, Kristi, Sprentall, Karl E., Williams, Shawn P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US16/680,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20200083609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/10 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• 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 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/422 comprising two or more layers of dielectric material H01Q1/425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/364 Creating multiple current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0492 circularly polarised

Abstract

A dielectric resonator antenna, DRA, includes: an electrically conductive ground structure; a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure comprising N volumes, N being an integer equal to or greater than 3, disposed to form sequential layered volumes V_i, i being an integer from 1 to N, wherein volume V₁ forms an innermost first volume, wherein a successive volume V_i+1 forms a layered shell disposed over and at least partially embedding volume V_i, wherein volume V_N at least partially embeds all volumes V₁ to V_N−1; wherein a portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N bifurcates at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V_N−1; wherein the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a first effective dielectric constant along a first geometrical path, and has a second effective dielectric constant along a second geometrical path that is lower than the first effective dielectric constant.

Claims

1. A dielectric resonator antenna, DRA, comprising:

an electrically conductive ground structure;

a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure comprising N volumes, N being an integer equal to or greater than 3, disposed to form successive and sequential layered volumes V_i, i being an integer from 1 to N, wherein volume V₁ forms an innermost first volume, wherein a successive volume V_i+1 forms a layered shell disposed over and at least partially embedding volume V_i, wherein volume V_N at least partially embeds all volumes V₁ to V<sub>N−

1</sub>;

wherein a portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N bifurcates at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V<sub>N−

1</sub> in a plane that is perpendicular to the ground structure;

wherein, as observed in a plan view of the DRA, the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a first effective dielectric constant along a first A-B geometrical path, and has a second effective dielectric constant along a second C-D geometrical path that is lower than the first effective dielectric constant; and

a signal feed electromagnetically coupled to one or more of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials.

2. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein the first A-B geometrical path is parallel to the portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N that bifurcates the at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V_N−

1.

3. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein the second C-D geometrical path is perpendicular to the portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N that bifurcates the at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V_N−

1.

4. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N that bifurcates the at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V_N−

1 only partially extends through volumes V₁ to V<sub>N−

1</sub>.

5. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the dielectric material of volume V_N that bifurcates the at least a portion of volumes V₁ to V_N−

1 extends through the entire cross section of volumes V₁ to V<sub>N−

1</sub>.

6. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein volumes V₁ to V_N−

1 have an ellipsoidal cross section as observed in a plan view of the DRA.

7. The DRA according to claim 6, wherein volumes V₁ to V_N−

1 are sideways shifted with respect to each other.

8. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein, as observed in a plan view of the DRA, volume V₁ has a circular cross section, and volume V₂ has a truncated circular cross section.

9. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein directly adjacent volumes of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials have different dielectric constant values that:

range from a first relative minimum value at volume V₁ to a relative maximum value at one of volumes V₂ to V<sub>N−

1</sub>, back to a second relative minimum value at volume V_N;

or

range from a first relative minimum value at volume V₁ to a relative maximum value at V_[N+1]/2, where N is an odd integer, back to a second relative minimum value at V_N.

10. The DRA according to claim 1, further comprising an electrically conductive fence disposed around the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials and in electrical contact with and forming part of the ground structure.

11. The DRA according to claim 10 wherein the electrically conductive fence has a height that does not exceed the height of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials.

12. The DRA according to claim 10, wherein:

the fence has a non-uniform shape that provides at least one alignment feature; and

the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a complementary shape that complements the non-uniform shape and the at least one alignment feature of the fence, such that the fence and the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials have a defined alignment relative to each other via the at least one alignment feature.

13. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive ground structure comprises one or more openings.

14. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials have different dielectric constants with respect to each other.

15. The DRA according to claim 1, wherein N is greater than 3.