Surface scattering antennas with lumped elements
First Claim
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1. A multi-layer assembly, comprising:
- a waveguide;
a plurality of antenna elements coupled to the waveguide; and
a plurality of surface-mount components positioned on an upper surface of the multi-layer assembly and configured to adjust radiation characteristics of the antenna elements;
wherein the waveguide is a substrate-integrated waveguide;
wherein the substrate-integrated waveguide includes a dielectric substrate defining an interior of the waveguide, a first conducting surface above the substrate defining a ceiling of the waveguide, a second conducting surface below the substrate defining a floor of the waveguide, and one or more colonnades of vias between the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface defining the walls of the waveguide;
wherein the dielectric substrate is a first printed circuit board laminate, the first conducting surface is a portion of a first metal cladding on an upper side of the first printed circuit board laminate, and the second conducting surface is a portion of second metal cladding on a lower side of the first printed circuit board laminate;
wherein the plurality of antenna elements is a plurality of unit cells each containing one or more patches of a third metal cladding on an upper side of a second printed circuit board laminate, and the second printed circuit board laminate is adhered to the upper side of the first printed circuit board laminate;
wherein the first metal cladding includes, for each of the plurality of unit cells, an aperture positioned under the one or more patches of the third metal cladding; and
wherein a lower side of the second printed circuit board laminate has a fourth metal cladding that includes, for each of the plurality of unit cells, an aperture coinciding with the aperture in the first metal cladding.
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Abstract
Surface scattering antennas with lumped elements provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure. In some approaches, the surface scattering antenna is a multi-layer printed circuit board assembly, and the lumped elements are surface-mount components placed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board assembly. In some approaches, the scattering elements are adjusted by adjusting bias voltages for the lumped elements. In some approaches, the lumped elements include diodes or transistors.
149 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A multi-layer assembly, comprising:
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a waveguide; a plurality of antenna elements coupled to the waveguide; and a plurality of surface-mount components positioned on an upper surface of the multi-layer assembly and configured to adjust radiation characteristics of the antenna elements; wherein the waveguide is a substrate-integrated waveguide; wherein the substrate-integrated waveguide includes a dielectric substrate defining an interior of the waveguide, a first conducting surface above the substrate defining a ceiling of the waveguide, a second conducting surface below the substrate defining a floor of the waveguide, and one or more colonnades of vias between the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface defining the walls of the waveguide; wherein the dielectric substrate is a first printed circuit board laminate, the first conducting surface is a portion of a first metal cladding on an upper side of the first printed circuit board laminate, and the second conducting surface is a portion of second metal cladding on a lower side of the first printed circuit board laminate; wherein the plurality of antenna elements is a plurality of unit cells each containing one or more patches of a third metal cladding on an upper side of a second printed circuit board laminate, and the second printed circuit board laminate is adhered to the upper side of the first printed circuit board laminate; wherein the first metal cladding includes, for each of the plurality of unit cells, an aperture positioned under the one or more patches of the third metal cladding; and wherein a lower side of the second printed circuit board laminate has a fourth metal cladding that includes, for each of the plurality of unit cells, an aperture coinciding with the aperture in the first metal cladding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification