Differential and single ended elliptical antennas

• US 20050280582A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Chandrakasan, Anantha, Powell, Johnna Dawn
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

An antenna element includes a radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape disposed on a first surface of a substrate. A dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape is disposed about the radiating antenna element to space the radiating antenna element from a ground plane. The clearance region is shaped such that a portion of the radiating element in which an antenna feed is disposed is proximate the ground plane. The antenna can also be provided having an elliptically shaped tuning region disposed within the radiating antenna element. The antenna is suitable for use in single-ended or differential ultra wide band (UWB) transmitting and/or receiving systems.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces;

a ground plane disposed on the first surface of said substrate;

a radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape disposed on a first surface of said substrate;

a dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape disposed about the radiating antenna element to space the radiating antenna element from said ground plane.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the clearance region is provided having an elliptical shape and a major axis of the clearance region is aligned with a major axis of the radiating antenna element.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein:

the radiating antenna element is provided as a feed; and

the minor axis of the clearance region is offset from the minor axis of the radiating antenna element such that a portion of the radiating antenna element in which the feed is disposed is proximate the ground plane.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the clearance region is provided having a truncated elliptical shape.

5. The antenna of claim 4, further comprising a tuning structure coupled to the radiating element.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein said tuning structure is provided having an elliptical shape and a major axis of said tuning structure is disposed at a right angle to the major axis of said radiating antenna element.

7. The antenna of claim 6 further comprising an integrated circuit coupled to the feed of said radiating element.

8. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the radiating antenna element is a first radiating antenna element and said dielectric clearance region is a first dielectric clearance region and the antenna further comprises:

a second radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape and disposed on the first surface of said substrate proximate said first radiating antenna element with a major axis of said second radiating antenna element aligned with the major axis of said first radiating antenna element;

a second dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape disposed about the second radiating antenna element to space the second radiating antenna element from said ground.

9. The antenna of claim 8, wherein said second clearance region is provided having an elliptical shape and a major axis of said second clearance region is aligned with the major axis of said second radiating antenna element.

10. The antenna of claim 8 wherein:

said second radiating antenna element is provided having a feed; and

the minor axis of said second clearance region is offset from the minor axis of said second radiating antenna element such that a portion of said radiating antenna element in which the feed is disposed is proximate the ground plane.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the said second clearance region is provided having a truncated elliptical shape.

12. The antenna of claim 11, further comprising a second tuning structure coupled to said second radiating element.

13. The antenna of claim 12, wherein said second tuning structure is provided having an elliptical shape and a major axis of said second tuning structure is disposed at a right angle to the major axis of said second radiating antenna element.

14. The antenna of claim 13 wherein the feed of said second radiating antenna element is coupled to said integrated circuit.

15. A single-ended elliptical antenna (SEA) for use in ultra wide band (UWB) transmitting and/or single-ended receiving systems comprises:

a substrate

a radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape disposed on a first surface of the substrate;

a dielectric tuning structure having an elliptical shape disposed within the radiating antenna element with a major axis of the dielectric tuning structure disposed at a right angle to a major axis of the radiating antenna element.

16. The antenna of claim 16 further comprising:

a ground plane disposed on the first surface of said substrate;

a dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape disposed about said radiating antenna element to space said radiating antenna element from said ground plane.

17. The antenna of claim 16, wherein said clearance region is provided having an elliptical shape and a major axis of the clearance region is aligned with a major axis of said radiating antenna element.

18. The antenna of claim 17 wherein:

said radiating antenna element is provided having a feed; and

the minor axis of said clearance region is offset from the minor axis of said radiating antenna element such that a portion of said radiating antenna element in which the feed is disposed is proximate said ground plane.

19. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the clearance region is provided having a truncated elliptical shape.

20. A differential antenna (DEA) for use in an ultra wide band (UWB) system, the differential antenna comprising:

a substrate

a first radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape disposed on a first surface of the substrate;

a second radiating antenna element having an elliptical shape disposed on a first surface of the substrate proximate said first radiating antenna element with a major axis of said second radiating antenna element aligned with a major axis of said first radiating antenna element;

a first dielectric tuning structure having an elliptical shape disposed within said first radiating antenna element with a major axis of said first dielectric tuning structure disposed at a right angle to a major axis of said first radiating antenna element; and

a second dielectric tuning structure having an elliptical shape disposed within said second radiating antenna element with a major axis of said second dielectric tuning structure disposed at a right angle to a major axis of said second radiating antenna element.

21. The antenna of claim 20 further comprising:

a ground plane disposed on the first surface of said substrate;

a first dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape disposed about said first radiating antenna element to space said first radiating antenna element from said ground plane; and

a second dielectric clearance region having an elliptical shape disposed about said second radiating antenna element to space said second radiating antenna element from said ground plane.

22. The antenna of claim 21, wherein a major axis of each of said first and second clearance region is aligned with a respective one of the major axis of said first and second radiating antenna elements.

23. The antenna of claim 22 wherein:

each of said first and second radiating antenna elements is provided having a feed; and

the minor axis of each of said first and second clearance regions is offset from the minor axis of each of said first and second radiating antenna elements such that a portion of said first and second radiating antenna elements in which the respective feeds are disposed are proximate said ground plane.

24. The antenna of claim 23, wherein the clearance region is provided having a truncated elliptical shape.

25. The antenna of claim 24, further comprising an integrated circuit coupled to each of said first and second feed circuits.