Method for integrating a "network" antenna into a different electromagnetic medium, and associated antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022085515-A1
Application number	US-201917418237-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An array antenna (A) in a medium (M) comprises a plurality of radiating elements (ER T ) ensuring the transition between the antenna and the medium, the reflectivity of each element depending on a parameter, the reflectivity of a first element being close to that of the medium, the reflectivity of a last element being close to that of the antenna, the reflectivity parameter of the elements varying from one element to the next. A method comprises calculation of a path equal to the sum of the variations of the reflectivity from one element to the next element, optimization of the variation of the reflectivity parameter so that equivalent radar cross-section of the antenna is the lowest possible or the antenna best observes the radiation objectives, determination of the different elements as a function of said parameter, and simulation of the overall reflectivity and/or of the radiation of the antenna.

First claim

1 . A method for incorporating an array antenna (A) in a medium (M), said antenna comprising a plurality of radiating elements (ER T ) ensuring the transition between the antenna and the medium, the reflectivity of each radiating element depending on at least one parameter, the reflectivity being represented by a complex number, the reflectivity of a first element being equal or close to that of the antenna, the reflectivity of a last radiating element being equal or close to that of the medium, the reflectivity parameter of the radiating elements included between this first radiating element and this last radiating element varying from one radiating element to the next, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:
Step 1 : calculation of a path represented in the complex plane and equal to the sum of the variations of the reflectivity from one radiating element to the next radiating element; Step 2 : optimization of the variation of the reflectivity parameter so that the equivalent radar cross-section of the antenna is the lowest possible or that at least one of the characteristics of the radiation of the antenna is reached; Step 3 : determination of the different radiating elements as a function of said parameter; Step 4 : simulation of the overall reflectivity and/or of the radiation of the antenna.

2 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the rate of variation of the parameter is minimal between the first element and the next element, minimal between the last element and the preceding element and maximal between the two elements farthest away from the first element and from the last element.

3 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the reflectivity coefficient is a complex number comprising a real part and an imaginary part and in that the variation of the reflectivity between two radiating elements is equal to the modulus of the variations of the real and imaginary parts of the reflectivity of said radiating elements.

4 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the radiating elements being organized in an array, the parameter is the pitch of the array in one direction of the space or two directions of the space.

5 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the radiating element being metallic, the parameter is a geometrical parameter of the radiating elements so that the radiating elements have different metallic surfaces.

6 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the parameter is a geometrical parameter of the radiating elements so that the radiating elements have different resistive surfaces.

7 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the parameter is a physical characteristic of a substrate constituting the radiating elements.

8 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the parameter is a physical characteristic of a superstrate constituting the radiating elements.

9 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 7 , characterized in that the physical characteristic is the relative permittivity of said substrate or of said superstrate.

10 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 7 , characterized in that the physical characteristic is the permeability of said substrate or of said superstrate.

11 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising a plurality of sheets of metallic patterns, the parameter is the quantity or the arrangement of said sheets present in the radiating elements.

12 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising a plurality of sheets of resistive patterns, the parameter is the quantity or the arrangement of said sheets present in the radiating elements.

13 . The method for incorporating an antenna as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising metamaterials, the parameter is the quantity of metamaterials present in the radiating elements.

14 . An array antenna intended to be incorporated in a medium, said antenna comprising a plurality of radiating elements ensuring the transition between the antenna and the medium, the reflectivity of each radiating element depending on at least one parameter, the reflectivity being represented by a complex number, the reflectivity of a first element being equal or close to that of the antenna, the reflectivity of a last radiating element being equal or close to that of the medium, characterized in that the reflectivity parameter of the radiating elements included between this first radiating element and this last radiating element varies from one radiating element to the next, the rate of variation of the parameter being minimal between the first element and the next element, minimal between the last element and the preceding element and maximal between the two elements furthest away from the first element and from the last element.

15 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that the parameter is the pitch of the array in one direction of the space or in two directions of the space.

16 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that, the radiating elements being metallic, the parameter is a geometrical parameter of the radiating elements so that the radiating elements have different metallic surfaces.

17 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that the parameter is a geometrical parameter of the radiating elements so that the radiating elements have different resistive surfaces.

18 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that the parameter is a physical characteristic of a substrate constituting the radiating elements.

19 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that the parameter is a physical characteristic of a superstrate constituting the radiating elements.

20 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 18 , characterized in that the physical characteristic is the permittivity of said substrate or of said superstrate.

21 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 18 , characterized in that the physical characteristic is the permeability of said substrate or of said superstrate.

22 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising a plurality of sheets of metallic patterns, the parameter is the quantity or the arrangement of said sheets present in the radiating elements.

23 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising a plurality of sheets of resistance patterns, the parameter is the quantity or the arrangement of said sheets present in the radiating elements.

24 . The array antenna as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that, the radiating elements comprising metamaterials, the parameter is the quantity of metamaterials present in the radiating elements.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Glise Adrien
• Le Roy-Naneix Isabelle
• Varault Stefan
• Pillet Grégoire
• Renard Christian

Classifications

• H01Q19/021

  Means for reducing undesirable effects · CPC title

• H01Q15/0046

  Theoretical analysis and design methods of such selective devices · CPC title

• H01Q1/528

  reducing the re-radiation of a support structure (in a parabolic reflector antenna H01Q19/023) · CPC title

• H01Q21/08

  the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)} · CPC title

• H01Q1/40 Primary

  Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material · CPC title