Antenna and method of making antenna part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024332806-A1
Application number	US-202318193141-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2023
Priority date	Mar 30, 2023
Publication date	Oct 3, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements each respectively operable as a radiator of electromagnetic waves and a decoupler arrangement configured to prevent or reduce mutual coupling of the plurality of antenna elements when one or more of the plurality of antenna elements are operated as radiator.

First claim

1 . An antenna comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements each respectively operable as a radiator of electromagnetic waves; and a decoupler arrangement configured to prevent or reduce mutual coupling of the plurality of antenna elements when one or more of the plurality of antenna elements are operated as radiator.

2 . The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements have substantially the same construction.

3 . The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are each respectively configured to operate as a radiator of generally circularly-polarized electromagnetic waves.

4 . The antenna of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are each respectively configured to operate as a radiator of generally circularly-polarized electromagnetic waves of the same sense.

5 . The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise a first dielectric resonator element and a second dielectric resonator element.

6 . The antenna of claim 5 , wherein the first dielectric resonator element and the second dielectric resonator element each comprises a generally cuboidal or generally cubic body.

7 . The antenna of claim 6 , wherein the generally cuboidal or generally cubic body comprises a cuboidal or cubic portion and a corresponding chamfered cuboidal or cubic portion.

8 . The antenna of claim 7 , wherein the corresponding chamfered cuboidal or cubic portion comprises opposed chamfered edges each having a respective chamfer angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

9 . The antenna of claim 5 , wherein in plan view a center of the first dielectric resonator element and a center of the second dielectric resonator element are separated by less than 0.4λ 0 or about 0.3λ 0 , where λ 0 is wavelength in air at a center frequency of operation frequency band of the antenna.

10 . The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the decoupler arrangement comprises a dielectric member receiving or covering at least part of each of the plurality of antenna elements.

11 . The antenna of claim 10 , wherein the dielectric member comprises a body and one or more holes formed in the body and receiving at least part of each of the plurality of antenna elements.

12 . The antenna of claim 10 ,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements each has a first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant; and wherein the dielectric member has a second dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant less than the first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant.

13 . The antenna of claim 1 , further comprising a polarizer arrangement operably coupled with the plurality of antenna elements and configured to affect polarization of electromagnetic waves provided by one or more of the plurality of antenna elements when one or more of the plurality of antenna elements are operated as radiator.

14 . The antenna of claim 13 , wherein the polarizer arrangement is at least partly integrated with the decoupler arrangement such that the polarizer arrangement may be operable as part of the decoupler arrangement.

15 . The antenna of claim 13 , wherein the polarizer arrangement and the decoupler arrangement are integrally formed.

16 . The antenna of claim 13 ,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements are each respectively configured to operate as a radiator of generally circularly-polarized electromagnetic waves; and wherein the polarizer arrangement is a circular polarization polarizer arrangement configured to facilitate or enhance circular polarization of electromagnetic waves provided by one or more of the plurality of antenna elements.

17 . The antenna of claim 16 , wherein the polarizer arrangement comprises a plurality of dielectric slabs that are spaced apart and arranged generally in parallel with a polarizer arrangement axis.

18 . The antenna of claim 17 ,
wherein the decoupler arrangement comprises a dielectric member receiving or covering at least part of each of the plurality of antenna elements; wherein the dielectric member extends along a generally horizontal axis; and wherein the polarizer arrangement axis and the generally horizontal axis are arranged at an angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

19 . The antenna of claim 13 ,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements each has a first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant; wherein the decoupler arrangement has a second dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant less than the first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant; and wherein the polarizer arrangement has a third dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant less than the second dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant.

20 . The antenna of claim 17 ,
wherein the plurality of antenna elements each has a first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant; and wherein the plurality of dielectric slabs each has a second dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant less than the first dielectric constant or effective dielectric constant.

21 . The antenna of claim 17 , further comprising:
a substrate with a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and a ground plane arranged on the first side of the substrate; wherein the plurality of antenna elements, the decoupler arrangement, and the polarizer arrangement are arranged on or above the ground plane.

22 . The antenna of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of feeds each configured for a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements.

23 . The antenna of claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of feeds comprises a slot feed mechanism.

24 . The antenna of claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of feeds respectively comprises:
a slot arranged on the ground plane and on which a respective one of the plurality of antenna elements is placed; a feedline circuit arranged on the second side of the substrate and operably coupled with the slot; and a port operably coupled with the feedline circuit.

25 . The antenna of claim 24 , wherein the slot comprises a generally cross-shaped slot.

26 . The antenna of claim 25 ,
wherein the generally cross-shaped slot comprises a longer generally rectangular slot portion and a shorter generally rectangular slot portion that are arranged generally perpendicularly; and wherein the longer generally rectangular slot portion elongates along a long axis that is generally perpendicular to the polarizer arrangement axis.

27 . The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured to operate at X-band.

28 . A method of making a part for an antenna, comprising:
additively manufacturing a plurality of antenna elements each respectively operable as a radiator of electromagnetic waves; and additively manufacturing a decoupler arrangement such that the decoupler arrangement is configured to prevent or reduce mutual coupling of the plurality of antenna elements when one or more of the plurality of antenna elements are operated as radiator; wherein the part for the antenna comprises the plurality of antenna elements and the decoupler arrangement.

29 . A method of claim 28 , wherein the additive manufacturing of the plurality of antenna elements and the additive manufacturing of the decoupler arrangement are performed at least partly substantially sim

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Leung Kwok Wa
• Yang Chen

Classifications

• H01Q21/28

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q1/521 Primary

  reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas · CPC title

• H01Q9/0485 Primary

  Dielectric resonator antennas · CPC title

• H01Q15/24

  Polarising devices; Polarisation filters  (H01Q15/12, H01Q15/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/523

  between antennas of an array · CPC title