Low-profile conformal antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11233310-B2
Application number	US-201815882819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2018
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A low-profile conformal antenna (“LPCA”) is disclosed. The LPCA includes a plurality of dielectric layers forming a dielectric structure. The plurality of dielectric layers includes a top dielectric layer that includes a top surface. The LPCA further includes an inner conductor, a patch antenna element (“PAE”), and an antenna slot. The inner conductor is formed within the dielectric structure, the PAE is formed on the top surface of the top dielectric layer, and the antenna slot is within the PAE. The LPCA is configured to support a transverse electromagnetic (“TEM”) signal within the dielectric structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A low-profile conformal antenna (“LPCA”) comprising:
a plurality of dielectric layers forming a dielectric structure, wherein a first dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers includes a first surface, wherein a second dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers has a second surface opposite the first surface;
a conductive layer formed on the second surface;
an inner conductor formed between the first surface and the second surface, the inner conductor disposed between a third dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers and a fourth dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers, wherein the inner conductor is configured to have a first polarity and wherein the conductive layer is configured to have a second polarity different than the first polarity;
a patch antenna element (“PAE”) formed on the first surface and having an antenna slot, wherein the PAE includes a conductor, and wherein the inner conductor is configured to receive a transverse electromagnetic (“TEM”) signal for transmission by the PAE; and
a second PAE formed on the first surface and having a second antenna slot, wherein the second PAE includes a second conductor, and wherein the inner conductor is contiguous between the PAE and second PAE.

2. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein the inner conductor has a width along a first axis of a plane, the width less than a diameter of the PAE, wherein the inner conductor has a length along a second axis of a plane, the length greater than the diameter of the PAE, and wherein the plane is parallel with the first surface.

3. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein the PAE is circular and has a radius, wherein the antenna slot has a slot length, and wherein the radius of the PAE and slot length are predetermined to optimize a radiated signal of the PAE with the antenna slot at a predetermined operating frequency.

4. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein the antenna slot is non-parallel with a major axis of the inner conductor.

5. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein each dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers includes a dielectric laminate material.

6. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric structure has a stack-up height, wherein the dielectric structure has a width, wherein the inner conductor is located in a middle dielectric layer within the dielectric structure that is approximately at a center position that is equal to approximately half of the stack-up height, and wherein the inner conductor has an inner conductor center that is located within the dielectric structure, wherein the inner conductor center is approximately at a second center position equal to approximately half of the width of the dielectric structure.

7. The LPCA of claim 1 , wherein each dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers includes a dielectric laminate material, and wherein the inner conductor includes a stripline or microstrip conductor.

8. The LPCA of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inner conductor,
a power divider electrically connected to an input port, to the inner conductor, and to the second inner conductor.

9. The LPCA of claim 8 , further comprising: a third PAE on the first surface with a third antenna slot, wherein the third PAE and the third antenna slot are located on the first surface above the second inner conductor.

10. The LPCA of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth PAE on the first surface with a fourth antenna slot, wherein the fourth PAE and the fourth antenna slot are located on the first surface above the second inner conductor, and wherein the inner conductor and second inner conductor include a stripline or microstrip conductor.

11. The LPCA of claim 1 , further comprising an input port including the inner conductor and the conductive layer.

12. The LPCA of claim 11 , wherein the inner conductor is configured to receive a first voltage associated with the TEM signal, wherein the bottom conductive layer is configured to receive a second voltage associated with the TEM signal, and wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

13. A method for fabricating a low-profile conformal antenna (“LPCA”) utilizing a lamination process, the method comprising:
patterning a first conductive layer on a bottom surface of a first dielectric layer having a top surface and the bottom surface to produce a ground plane;
patterning a second conductive layer on a top surface of a second dielectric layer having the top surface and a bottom surface to produce an inner conductor;
laminating the bottom surface of the second dielectric layer to the top surface of the first dielectric layer;
patterning a third conductive layer on a top surface of a third dielectric layer having the top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the third conductive layer forms a patch antenna element (“PAE”) with an antenna slot, wherein the third conductive layer forms a second PAE having a second antenna slot;
laminating the bottom surface of the third dielectric layer to a top surface of a fourth dielectric layer, wherein the fourth dielectric layer has a bottom surface; and
laminating the bottom surface of the fourth dielectric layer to the top surface of the second dielectric layer to produce a composite laminated structure, wherein the inner conductor is contiguous between the PAE and the second PAE.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer include conductive metals.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer is formed by a subtractive method of electroplated or rolled metals that includes wet etching, milling, or laser ablation or by an additive method of printed inks or deposited thin-films.

16. An LPCA produced by the method of claim 13 .

17. The LPCA of claim 16 , wherein the antenna slot is non-parallel with a major axis of the inner conductor.

18. A method for fabricating a low-profile conformal antenna (“LPCA”) utilizing a three-dimensional (“3-D”) additive printing process, the method comprising:
printing a first conductive layer having a top surface and a first width;
printing a first dielectric layer on the top surface of the first conductive layer, wherein the first dielectric layer has a top surface;
printing a second dielectric layer on the top surface of the first dielectric layer, wherein the second dielectric layer has a top surface;
printing a second conductive layer on the top surface of the second dielectric layer, wherein the second conductive layer has a top surface and a second width, and wherein the second width is less than the first width;
printing a third dielectric layer on the top surface of the second conductive layer and on the top surface on the second dielectric layer, wherein the third dielectric layer has a top surface;
printing a fourth dielectric layer on the top surface of the third dielectric layer, wherein the fourth dielectric layer has a top surface; and
printing a third conductive layer on the top surface of the fourth dielectric layer, wherein the third conductive layer forms a patch antenna element (“PAE”), wherein the third conductive layer has a top surface and a third width,
wherein the third width is less than the first width,
wherein the third conductive layer includes an antenna slot within the third conductive layer that exposes the top surface of the fourth dielectric layer through the third conductive layer,
wherein the third conductive layer forms a secon

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Rogers John E
• Williams John D

Classifications

• H01Q1/38 Primary

  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 title

• H01Q13/106

  Microstrip slot antennas (patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407) · CPC title

• H01Q1/28

  Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons · CPC title

• H01Q1/36

  Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q9/0407

  Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40) · CPC title