Surface scattering antennas

• US 9,450,310 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• 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: Bily, Adam, Boardman, Anna K., Hannigan, Russell J., Hunt, John, Kundtz, Nathan, Nash, David R., Stevenson, Ryan Allan, Sullivan, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LINDGREN BALTZEL, ANDREA J
• Application Number:
  US13/317,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 343/772
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/28 comprising elements constituting electric discontinuities and spaced in direction of wave propagation, e.g. dielectric elements or conductive elements forming artificial dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0006 Devices acting selectively as reflecting surface, as diffracting or as refracting device, e.g. frequency filtering or angular spatial filtering devices H01Q15/12, H01Q15/22, H01Q15/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/10 comprising three-dimensional array of impedance discontinuities, e.g. holes in conductive surfaces or conductive discs forming artificial dielectric
• 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

Abstract

Surface scattering antennas provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure. In some approaches, the scattering elements are complementary metamaterial elements. In some approaches, the scattering elements are made adjustable by disposing an electrically adjustable material, such as a liquid crystal, in proximity to the scattering elements. Methods and systems provide control and adjustment of surface scattering antennas for various applications.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a waveguide; and

a plurality of individually dynamically adjustable scattering elements distributed along the waveguide with inter-element spacings substantially less than a free-space wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the antenna, where the plurality of individually dynamically adjustable scattering elements have a plurality of adjustable individual electromagnetic responses to a guided wave mode of the waveguide, and the plurality of adjustable individual electromagnetic responses provide a dynamically adjustable radiation field of the antenna;

wherein the waveguide includes a conducting surface and the plurality of scattering elements corresponds to a plurality of apertures within the conducting surface;

wherein each one of the plurality of scattering elements corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of apertures;

wherein the plurality of scattering elements includes a respective plurality of conducting islands that are electrically disconnected from the conducting surface, and the antenna further comprises a plurality of bias voltage lines configured to provide respective bias voltages between the conducting surface and the respective plurality of conducting islands.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the plurality of individually dynamically adjustable scattering elements is a plurality of substantially identical scattering elements.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adjustable individual electromagnetic responses provides an effective medium response for the guided wave mode of the waveguide.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adjustable individual electromagnetic responses is a plurality of magnetic dipole radiation fields.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is a microwave frequency.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the inter-element spacing is less than one-fourth of the free space wavelength.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the inter-element spacing is less than one-fifth of the free space wavelength.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the waveguide includes a substantially one-dimensional waveguide.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the waveguide includes a plurality of substantially one-dimensional waveguides composing a substantially two-dimensional antenna area.

10. The antenna of claim 8, wherein the substantially one-dimensional waveguide includes a closed waveguide.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the closed waveguide includes a rectangular waveguide.

12. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the conducting surface is an upper surface of the closed waveguide.

13. The antenna of claim 10, wherein the conducting surface is positioned above an upper surface of the closed waveguide, and the upper surface includes a plurality of irises adjacent to the plurality of apertures within the conducting surface.

14. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the waveguide includes a substantially two-dimensional waveguide.

15. The antenna of claim 14, wherein the substantially two-dimensional waveguide includes a parallel-plate waveguide.

16. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the conducting surface is an upper surface of the parallel-plate waveguide.

17. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically adjustable material disposed at least partially within respective vicinities of the plurality of apertures.

18. The antenna of claim 17, wherein the electrically adjustable material is a liquid crystal material.