SUB-NYQUIST COMPLEX-HOLOGRAPHIC APERTURE ANTENNA CONFIGURED TO DEFINE SELECTABLE, ARBITRARY COMPLEX ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

• US 20150171516A1
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chen, Pai-Yen, Driscoll, Tom, Ebadi, Siamak, Hunt, John Desmond, Landy, Nathan Ingle, Machado, Melroy, Perque, Milton Jr., Smith, David R., Urzhumov, Yaroslav A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,236,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/002 said selective devices being reconfigurable or tunable, e.g. using switches or diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/148 with means for varying the reflecting properties H01Q15/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/067 using a hologram
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

Described embodiments include an antenna, method, and an apparatus. The antenna includes a sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture configured to define at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on a surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π/a).

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture configured to define at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on a surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π

over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π

/a).

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a sub-Nyquist transmission complex-holographic aperture.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a sub-Nyquist reflective complex-holographic aperture.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a sub-Nyquist amplitude and phase modulation holographic aperture.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements distributed on the surface, each electromagnetic wave scattering element having a respective electronically controllable electromagnetic response to an incident radiofrequency electromagnetic wave, and the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements are electronically controllable in combination to define the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π

/a) includes the inverse of a center-to-center spacing distance between at least two individual electromagnetic scattering elements of the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements.

7. The antenna of claim 5, further comprising at least two electromagnetic wave conducting structures respectively coupled to at least two individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements of the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements.

8. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves include an incident wave guide-propagated electromagnetic waves.

9. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves include incident conductor-propagated electromagnetic waves.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the surface is a second surface of a generally planar structure, the planar structure including a first surface configured to receive incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves, the sub-Nyquist complex holographic aperture configured to coherently reconstruct the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves responsive to a definition on the second surface of a selected one of the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, and the second surface configured to transmit the coherent reconstruction of the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the transmitted coherent reconstruction of the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves includes free space propagating radiofrequency electromagnetic waves.

12. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the transmitted coherent reconstruction of the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves includes waveguide-propagating radiofrequency electromagnetic waves.

13. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the transmitted coherent reconstruction of the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves includes conductor-propagating radiofrequency electromagnetic waves.

14. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the generally planar surface includes a generally planar surface curved in one or more directions.

15. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the generally planar surface includes a generally planar structure having a first surface and second surface spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first surface.

16. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements distributed on the surface, each electromagnetic wave scattering element having a respective electronically controllable electromagnetic response to an incident radiofrequency electromagnetic wave, and the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements are electronically controllable in combination to define the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface.

17. The antenna of claim 16, wherein the plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements are embedded within, located on, or located within an evanescent proximity of the surface.

18. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a first sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture and a second sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture configured in combination to define at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π

over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π

/a).

19. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the first sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture and the second sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture are configured to be encountered in series by incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves.

20. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the first sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture is further configured to control an amplitude of electromagnetic radiofrequency waves radiated in response to an arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the surface, and the second sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture is further configured to control a phase of electromagnetic radiofrequency waves radiated in response to an arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the surface.

21. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the first sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a plurality of individual electromagnetic wave scattering elements distributed on the surface, and the second sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a plurality of liquid crystal phase control elements distributed on the surface.

22. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each radiofrequency electromagnetic field respectively describes a near-field radiative radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern.

23. The antenna of claim 22, wherein each near-field radiative radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern is respectively configured to transmit radiofrequency electromagnetic power to a target device.

24. The antenna of claim 22, wherein each near-field radiative radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern respectively describes a quasi-Gaussian electromagnetic beam having a radiative near-field distribution configured to transmit radiofrequency electromagnetic power to a target device.

25. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each radiofrequency electromagnetic field describes a near-field reactive radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern.

26. The antenna of claim 25, wherein each near-field reactive radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern respectively describes a reactive near-field sub-wavelength radiofrequency electromagnetic field pattern having a predominantly magneto-inductive nature.

27. The antenna of claim 25, wherein each near-field reactive radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation pattern is respectively configured to transfer radiofrequency electromagnetic power to a target device.

28. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture and the surface are configured to transmit coherent radiofrequency electromagnetic waves into free space, the transmitted radiofrequency electromagnetic waves coherently reconstructed by the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture from received incident waves and have a radiation pattern defined by a selected one of the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

29. A method comprising:

receiving incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves;

defining a selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field on a surface using a sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture configured to define at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π

over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π

/a), the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field selected from at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; and

transmitting radiofrequency electromagnetic waves coherently reconstructed from the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves by the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the surface.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein each electromagnetic field respectively describes a radiative near-field electromagnetic radiation pattern.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein each electromagnetic field respectively describes a reactive near-field electromagnetic radiation pattern.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture includes a metamaterial sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

selecting the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field from the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

defining another selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field on the surface using the sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture, the other arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field selected from the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; and

transmitting additional radiofrequency electromagnetic waves coherently reconstructed from the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves by the other selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the surface.

35. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves;

means for defining a selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field on a surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π

over the aperture element spacing (k_apt=2π

/a), the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field selected from at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; and

means for transmitting radiofrequency electromagnetic waves coherently reconstructed from the incident radiofrequency electromagnetic waves by the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the surface.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

means for selecting the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field from the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.

37. A method comprising:

receiving radiofrequency electromagnetic waves at a first surface of a generally planar structure having the first surface and a second surface;

defining a selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field on the second surface using a sub-Nyquist complex-holographic aperture configured to define at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the second surface with tangential wavenumbers up to 2π

over the aperture spacing (k_apt=2π

/a), the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field selected from the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; and

transmitting from the second surface radiofrequency electromagnetic waves coherently reconstructed from the received radiofrequency electromagnetic waves by the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field defined on the second surface.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

selecting the arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field from the at least two selectable, arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields.