Lens antenna systems and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12080946-B2
Application number	US-202217721898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2022
Priority date	Apr 16, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

An electromagnetic antenna includes a channel configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation, a first and second feed disposed next to each other inside the channel at a first end thereof, the first and second feed being configured to radiate electromagnetic waves into the channel, an aperture lens disposed inside the channel near a second end thereof opposite to the first end, the aperture lens being configured to output collimated beams, a first focal lens disposed inside the channel adjacent to an outlet of the first feed, the first focal lens being configured to squint a beam radiated from the first feed toward a center of the aperture lens, and a second focal lens disposed inside the channel adjacent to an outlet of the second feed, the second focal lens being configured to squint a beam radiated from the second feed toward the center of the aperture lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:
a channel configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation;
a first and second feed disposed next to each other inside the channel at a first end thereof, the first and second feed being configured to radiate electromagnetic waves into the channel;
an aperture lens disposed inside the channel near a second end thereof opposite to the first end, the aperture lens being configured to output collimated beams;
a first focal lens disposed inside the channel adjacent to an outlet of the first feed, the first focal lens being configured to squint a beam radiated from the first feed toward a center of the aperture lens; and
a second focal lens disposed inside the channel adjacent to an outlet of the second feed, the second focal lens being configured to squint a beam radiated from the second feed toward the center of the aperture lens.

2. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 1 , wherein the channel is formed by two parallel plates.

3. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 2 , wherein the two parallel plates are spaced apart by less than 1λ, where λ is a wavelength of a signal provided to the first and second feed.

4. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 3 , wherein the channel has one or more bends between the first focal lens and the aperture lens.

5. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more bends is 90°.

6. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 3 , wherein the channel is wider at the first end than in a middle section.

7. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 3 , wherein channel has a flared outlet at the second end.

8. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 1 , wherein the aperture lens has a surface curvature and a gradient-index (GRIN) profile.

9. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:
a channel formed by two parallel plates and configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation;
a first feed disposed inside the channel at a first end thereof, the first feed being configured to radiate electromagnetic waves into the channel;
an aperture lens disposed inside the channel near a second end thereof opposite to the first end; and
a focal lens disposed inside the channel at a predetermined location between the first feed and the aperture lens, the focal lens being configured to squint a beam radiated from the first feed toward a center of the aperture lens,
wherein the aperture lens outputs collimated beams.

10. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 9 , wherein the two parallel plates are spaced apart by less than 1λ, where λ is a wavelength of a signal provided to the feed.

11. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 10 , wherein the channel has one or more bends between the focal lens and the aperture lens.

12. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more bends is 90°.

13. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 10 , wherein the channel is narrower at the predetermined location than at the first end.

14. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 10 , wherein channel has a flared outlet at the second end.

15. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 9 , wherein the aperture lens has a surface curvature and a gradient-index (GRIN) profile.

16. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of feeds including the first feed forming a feed array disposed at the first end of the channel.

17. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:
two parallel plates spaced apart by a predetermined distance less than 1λ wherein λ is a wavelength of a radiation by the electromagnetic antenna, the two parallel plates forming a channel serving as a waveguide for the electromagnetic radiation and producing a two-dimensional radiation pattern;
a first feed disposed inside the channel at a first end thereof, the first feed being configured to radiate electromagnetic waves into the channel;
a lens disposed inside the channel at a predetermined location between the first feed and a second end of the channel.

18. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 17 , wherein the channel is narrower at the predetermined location than at the first end.

19. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 17 , wherein channel has a flared outlet at the second end.

20. The electromagnetic antenna of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of feeds including the first feed forming a feed array at the first end of the channel.

Assignees

• Univ Notre Dame Du Lac

Inventors

• Chisum Jonathan
• Garcia Nicolas

Classifications

• H01Q13/02

  Waveguide horns · CPC title

• H01Q19/062 Primary

  for focusing · CPC title