Spoke dielectric lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11385384-B2
Application number	US-202015930402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2020
Priority date	May 12, 2020
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

A dielectric lens is disclosed comprising a center portion that extends along a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of spoke portions that are attached to the center portion and extend to a spherical perimeter region in a radial direction from the center portion. The plurality of spoke portions includes at least a first monolithic spoke portion extending from the center portion to the spherical perimeter region and the center portion and the plurality of spoke portions define a plurality of cavity regions among the plurality of spoke portions. The center portion, the cylinder, the plurality of spoke portions, and the plurality of cavity regions are included in a gradient index (GRIN) dielectric lens having a plurality of relative permittivities that are based on a radial distance from the center portion.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A dielectric lens comprising:
a center portion that extends along a cylinder having a central axis; and
a plurality of spoke portions that are attached to the center portion and extend to a spherical perimeter region in a radial direction from the center portion,
wherein the plurality of spoke portions includes at least a first monolithic spoke portion extending from the center portion to the spherical perimeter region,
wherein the center portion and the plurality of spoke portions define a plurality of cavity regions among the plurality of spoke portions,
wherein the center portion, the cylinder, the plurality of spoke portions, and the plurality of cavity regions are included in a gradient index (GRIN) lens having a plurality of relative permittivities that are based on a radial distance from the center portion,
wherein each spoke portion of the plurality of spoke portions is constructed of a material that includes a width, a height (z), and a length along a radius (r) extending from the center portion,
wherein the dielectric lens is a Luneburg lens or a Maxwell fisheye lens,
wherein for the Luneburg lens, the width is equal to a numerical expression defined as

2
⁢
π
⁢

r
⁡

(

z
2

+

r
2

-

R
max
2

)

N
⁢

R
max
2

⁡

(

ɛ
rel

-
1

)

,

wherein for the Maxwell fisheye lens, the width is equal to a numerical expression defined as

2
⁢
π
⁢

r
⁡

(

z
4

+

2
⁢

z
2

⁡

(

r
2

+

R
max
2

)

+

r
4

+

2
⁢

r
2

⁢

R
max
2

-

(

ɛ
rel

-
1

)

⁢

R
max
2

)

N
⁡

(

ɛ
rel

-
1

)

⁢

(

z
2

+

r
2

-

R
max
2

)

2

,

wherein R max is equal to an outer radius of the GRIN lens at the spherical perimeter region, N is equal to a number of spoke portions in the plurality of spoke portions, and ε rel is a relative permittivity of the plurality of relative permittivities,
wherein the height z is equal to a component length of r from the center portion projected along the central axis, and
wherein N is related to a frequency associated with the GRIN lens.

2. The dielectric lens of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric lens is the Luneburg lens.

3. The dielectric lens of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of relative permittivities include a continuous range of relative permittivities.

4. The dielectric lens of claim 1 ,
wherein the first monolithic spoke portion has a first width at a first distance from the center portion and a second width at a second distance from the center portion,
wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and
wherein the first width is different than the second width.

5. The dielectric lens of claim 4 ,
wherein the second width is greater than the first width, and
wherein the at least first monolithic spoke portion of the plurality of s

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Diehl Colin Anthony Minor
• Thacker Corey Mckinney

Classifications

• H01Q15/08

  formed of solid dielectric material · CPC title

• G02B2003/0093

  characterised by the shape · CPC title

• H01Q15/10

  comprising three-dimensional [3D] array of impedance discontinuities, e.g. holes in conductive surfaces or conductive discs forming artificial dielectric · CPC title

• G02B3/0087 Primary

  with index gradient · CPC title