CA2128454A1 - Microstrip array antenna - Google Patents
Microstrip array antennaInfo
- Publication number
- CA2128454A1 CA2128454A1 CA002128454A CA2128454A CA2128454A1 CA 2128454 A1 CA2128454 A1 CA 2128454A1 CA 002128454 A CA002128454 A CA 002128454A CA 2128454 A CA2128454 A CA 2128454A CA 2128454 A1 CA2128454 A1 CA 2128454A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- layer
- array
- metallic
- microstrip
- fed
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract 6
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000003989 dielectric material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004026 adhesive bonding Methods 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
- H01Q19/005—Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
- H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
- H01Q21/061—Two dimensional planar arrays
- H01Q21/065—Patch antenna array
Landscapes
- Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
- Waveguide Aerials (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A microstrip array antenna consists of a multilayer structure and a carrier structure to which the multilayer structure and a connector are secured. A first layer of the antenna comprises a microstrip feed network. A second layer defines a periodically-punched ground metallic plane.
A third layer has an array of radiating metal elements, some of which are not fed. The unfed array elements form one or more sides of the array.
A microstrip array antenna consists of a multilayer structure and a carrier structure to which the multilayer structure and a connector are secured. A first layer of the antenna comprises a microstrip feed network. A second layer defines a periodically-punched ground metallic plane.
A third layer has an array of radiating metal elements, some of which are not fed. The unfed array elements form one or more sides of the array.
Description
2128~
"MICROSTRIP ARRAY ANTENNA"
The present invention relates to devices for microwave telecommunication systemsand more particularly it concerns a microstrip array antenna.
Microstrip array antennas are microwave directive ant~nnas, which can be advantageously used as antennas in telecomrnunication networks both for point-to-S point and point-to-multipoint links, for services such as speech, data, video, and in the mobile radio network for base stations and for intercoImect;on between the base stations themselves.
They are provided to be used for the radio links of the national telephone seIvice in frequency bands around 19, 28 and 38 GHz, where the required bandwidths are of 10 about 2 OEIz.
These antennas are also specially suitable for use in the urban areas thanks to their planar structure enabling very reduced volurnes and weights to be obtained. Their small thickness, just a few centimeters, makes them easy to camouflage and they can therefore be mounted without altering the characteristics of the structure where they 15 are placed and this lets the specially critical environmental constraints in urban area to be overcome.
Moreover, manufacturing costs are much lower than those of an equivalent reflector antenna.
The main purpose in desiglung microstrip array antennas is to obtain radiating 2 0 characteristics which can be compared with those of reflector anteMas having the same dirnensions. More particularly, the most critical ~equirements are the reduction of the side lobes, the gain for the required bandwidth, the symme~y of the main lobe in lE and H-planes and the reduction of return losses.
High gains are obtained by means of anays made up of many radiating elements, 25 even a t~housand, fed by a proper microstrip network, the task of which is to equally share the power arnong all the elements.
A rnicrostrip array antenna has been described in the paper "Wideband Aperture-coupled Microstrip Patch Array for Satellite TV Recep~on", by F. Rostan and alii, published in the Proceedings of the Eighth International (:onference on "Antennas and 30 Propagation", 30 March-2 April 1993, Edinburgh, UK. This antenna, designed for direct TV recepdon from satellite, was built in two experimental versions, one made up of an 8x8 element array and the other made up of a 16x16 element alTay.
Measurements carried out on the second version of 16x16 elements, show a reflection coefflcient lower than -20 dB only for a 3% bandwidth and a non perfectly synDnetrical 35 radiadon lobe in E and H-planes. These perforrnances are admissible for the reception ~. i ~ . ,: , . , ~. ....................... . ~ -,' ' ' ' , ': ' ' , ' " ,' ' . ~ ' ~ : .' ` ' :
"' ' :
2 2 1 2 8 ~
of TV programrnes, but they are not sufficient for telecommunication antennas.
A remedy to these drawbacks is the microstrip array antenna object of the present invention, which shows a symmetrical radiation pattern in lE and H-planes, -20 dB
5 return losses for a usable bandwidth equal to approximately 7% of central requency and secondary lobes at 9Q reduced to -60 dB as compared to the main lobe. These are performances similar to those of current reflector antennas.
The special purpose of the present invention is a micrDstrip array antenna as 10 described in the characterizing part of claim 1.
These and other characteristics of the present invention will be made clearer by the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, given by way of nonlimiting example, and by the annexed drawings in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the structure of an array antenna made up of 16x16 radiating elements;
- Figure 2 is a section of the feed network;
Figure 3 is a diagram showing return loss trend as a function of frequency;
- Figure 4 shows radiation pattern section in H-plane;
2 5 - Figure S shows radiation pattern section in E-plane.
In Figure 1, 1 indicates the carrier structure made up of a metallic box, e.g. aluminium, provided with a bottom wall, normally having a square shape, and four side walls to which the antenna planar structure can be secured by means of screws. This latter is 30 thus kept at an optimum distance from the metallic bottom, e.g. 1.25~, where ~ is central band wavelength. The function of the carrier struc~ure is to improve the antenna front-to-back ratio and to shield the feed network besides allowing to place theconnector CO on a side wall and the anchorage units on bottom wall.
"MICROSTRIP ARRAY ANTENNA"
The present invention relates to devices for microwave telecommunication systemsand more particularly it concerns a microstrip array antenna.
Microstrip array antennas are microwave directive ant~nnas, which can be advantageously used as antennas in telecomrnunication networks both for point-to-S point and point-to-multipoint links, for services such as speech, data, video, and in the mobile radio network for base stations and for intercoImect;on between the base stations themselves.
They are provided to be used for the radio links of the national telephone seIvice in frequency bands around 19, 28 and 38 GHz, where the required bandwidths are of 10 about 2 OEIz.
These antennas are also specially suitable for use in the urban areas thanks to their planar structure enabling very reduced volurnes and weights to be obtained. Their small thickness, just a few centimeters, makes them easy to camouflage and they can therefore be mounted without altering the characteristics of the structure where they 15 are placed and this lets the specially critical environmental constraints in urban area to be overcome.
Moreover, manufacturing costs are much lower than those of an equivalent reflector antenna.
The main purpose in desiglung microstrip array antennas is to obtain radiating 2 0 characteristics which can be compared with those of reflector anteMas having the same dirnensions. More particularly, the most critical ~equirements are the reduction of the side lobes, the gain for the required bandwidth, the symme~y of the main lobe in lE and H-planes and the reduction of return losses.
High gains are obtained by means of anays made up of many radiating elements, 25 even a t~housand, fed by a proper microstrip network, the task of which is to equally share the power arnong all the elements.
A rnicrostrip array antenna has been described in the paper "Wideband Aperture-coupled Microstrip Patch Array for Satellite TV Recep~on", by F. Rostan and alii, published in the Proceedings of the Eighth International (:onference on "Antennas and 30 Propagation", 30 March-2 April 1993, Edinburgh, UK. This antenna, designed for direct TV recepdon from satellite, was built in two experimental versions, one made up of an 8x8 element array and the other made up of a 16x16 element alTay.
Measurements carried out on the second version of 16x16 elements, show a reflection coefflcient lower than -20 dB only for a 3% bandwidth and a non perfectly synDnetrical 35 radiadon lobe in E and H-planes. These perforrnances are admissible for the reception ~. i ~ . ,: , . , ~. ....................... . ~ -,' ' ' ' , ': ' ' , ' " ,' ' . ~ ' ~ : .' ` ' :
"' ' :
2 2 1 2 8 ~
of TV programrnes, but they are not sufficient for telecommunication antennas.
A remedy to these drawbacks is the microstrip array antenna object of the present invention, which shows a symmetrical radiation pattern in lE and H-planes, -20 dB
5 return losses for a usable bandwidth equal to approximately 7% of central requency and secondary lobes at 9Q reduced to -60 dB as compared to the main lobe. These are performances similar to those of current reflector antennas.
The special purpose of the present invention is a micrDstrip array antenna as 10 described in the characterizing part of claim 1.
These and other characteristics of the present invention will be made clearer by the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, given by way of nonlimiting example, and by the annexed drawings in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the structure of an array antenna made up of 16x16 radiating elements;
- Figure 2 is a section of the feed network;
Figure 3 is a diagram showing return loss trend as a function of frequency;
- Figure 4 shows radiation pattern section in H-plane;
2 5 - Figure S shows radiation pattern section in E-plane.
In Figure 1, 1 indicates the carrier structure made up of a metallic box, e.g. aluminium, provided with a bottom wall, normally having a square shape, and four side walls to which the antenna planar structure can be secured by means of screws. This latter is 30 thus kept at an optimum distance from the metallic bottom, e.g. 1.25~, where ~ is central band wavelength. The function of the carrier struc~ure is to improve the antenna front-to-back ratio and to shield the feed network besides allowing to place theconnector CO on a side wall and the anchorage units on bottom wall.
3 5 Layer 2 is a sheet made up of a dielectric material with a dielectric constant ~=2.2, on which the feed network is photoetched according to the printed circuit technique.
This network is obtained by the periodical repetition of successive 3dB power splitters, ending in 16x16 matching and coupling circuits to the radiating elements. These ., . ~, ~ " . ~ , . . . .
21284~'1 circuits will be better described later.
Layer 3 is made up of a ground metallic plane, periodicaUy punched by 16x16 rectangular slots, long ~J4, wide between ~J10 and ~20 and spaced by A~2 in both the 5 orthogonal directions. The metallic plane extends beyond the outermost rows and the outermost columns by a length equal to at least 2~ measured from the symmetry centre of the external slots.
Layer 4 is a sheet made up of a dielectric material with a dielectric constant ~=2.2, 10 on which an array of square resonant metaDic elements is photoetched. They form a 20x20 element array, the central part of which, made up of 16x16 elements, is fed by the feed network through the slots of layer 3. -The elements belonging to the remaining 2 external rows are intentionaDy not fed.
15 For this reason, to these remaining rows there are neither slots in the layer below northe matching and coupling circuits in the layer caIrying the feed network.
The antenna is made operating by securing the multilayer structure, obtained by glueing the layers 2, 3 and 4 wi~h one another to side walls of carrier structure 1 by 2 0 means of screws inserted along the edges of the layers themselves and connecting ,he connector CO to feed network.
The presence of the non-fed elements allows obtaining the mentioned perfoqmancesand more particularly to obtain a return loss of -20 dB for a usable bandwidth equal to 25 approximately 7% of the central frequency, while the usable bandwidth is only 3%
without the non-fed elements.
The antenna can be made to offer a wider band, equal to 10% of central frequencyat a -25d}?, return loss level, by overlapping to multilayer structure another layer 3 0 containing a radiating metaDic element array similar to that already present on layer 4 (Figure 1).
Figure 2 shows two rnatching and coupling circuits connected to a 3 dP, power splitter, indicated with DP. Each circuit is made up of a section of transmission line LT, 35 which carries the signal up to the centre of rectangular slot ~, made in the overstanding layer 3, and a matching stub ST.
Figure 3 shows the arnplitude AMP of the return loss in the 18 GHz band bc,th for t ' ' ` ' 212~4~
the antenna with non-fed elements, indicated as OL, and for an antenna without non-fed elements, indicated as NF, realized according to known technique for measurement purposes. In the first case the -20 dB band is of 1.2 GHz, and in the second case is only of 0.5 GHz.
Figure 4 shows the radiation pattern section in the H-plane and Figure 5 shows the radiation pattern section in E-plane. A good symmetry is evident in both planes.
It is clear that what described has been given only by way o:F non lirniting example.
10 Variations and modifications are possible without going out of the scope of ~he claims.
For example there can be only one row or more than two rows of elements non fed externally to the array of fed elements and rows themselves may not oe completed.
Furthermore, in case of a non-square antenna, non-fed elements would be located along one or more perimeters around the array of the fed elements and the metallic 15 plane 3 (Figure 1~ would extend below these non-fed elements.
, . . .
,: '. , :
This network is obtained by the periodical repetition of successive 3dB power splitters, ending in 16x16 matching and coupling circuits to the radiating elements. These ., . ~, ~ " . ~ , . . . .
21284~'1 circuits will be better described later.
Layer 3 is made up of a ground metallic plane, periodicaUy punched by 16x16 rectangular slots, long ~J4, wide between ~J10 and ~20 and spaced by A~2 in both the 5 orthogonal directions. The metallic plane extends beyond the outermost rows and the outermost columns by a length equal to at least 2~ measured from the symmetry centre of the external slots.
Layer 4 is a sheet made up of a dielectric material with a dielectric constant ~=2.2, 10 on which an array of square resonant metaDic elements is photoetched. They form a 20x20 element array, the central part of which, made up of 16x16 elements, is fed by the feed network through the slots of layer 3. -The elements belonging to the remaining 2 external rows are intentionaDy not fed.
15 For this reason, to these remaining rows there are neither slots in the layer below northe matching and coupling circuits in the layer caIrying the feed network.
The antenna is made operating by securing the multilayer structure, obtained by glueing the layers 2, 3 and 4 wi~h one another to side walls of carrier structure 1 by 2 0 means of screws inserted along the edges of the layers themselves and connecting ,he connector CO to feed network.
The presence of the non-fed elements allows obtaining the mentioned perfoqmancesand more particularly to obtain a return loss of -20 dB for a usable bandwidth equal to 25 approximately 7% of the central frequency, while the usable bandwidth is only 3%
without the non-fed elements.
The antenna can be made to offer a wider band, equal to 10% of central frequencyat a -25d}?, return loss level, by overlapping to multilayer structure another layer 3 0 containing a radiating metaDic element array similar to that already present on layer 4 (Figure 1).
Figure 2 shows two rnatching and coupling circuits connected to a 3 dP, power splitter, indicated with DP. Each circuit is made up of a section of transmission line LT, 35 which carries the signal up to the centre of rectangular slot ~, made in the overstanding layer 3, and a matching stub ST.
Figure 3 shows the arnplitude AMP of the return loss in the 18 GHz band bc,th for t ' ' ` ' 212~4~
the antenna with non-fed elements, indicated as OL, and for an antenna without non-fed elements, indicated as NF, realized according to known technique for measurement purposes. In the first case the -20 dB band is of 1.2 GHz, and in the second case is only of 0.5 GHz.
Figure 4 shows the radiation pattern section in the H-plane and Figure 5 shows the radiation pattern section in E-plane. A good symmetry is evident in both planes.
It is clear that what described has been given only by way o:F non lirniting example.
10 Variations and modifications are possible without going out of the scope of ~he claims.
For example there can be only one row or more than two rows of elements non fed externally to the array of fed elements and rows themselves may not oe completed.
Furthermore, in case of a non-square antenna, non-fed elements would be located along one or more perimeters around the array of the fed elements and the metallic 15 plane 3 (Figure 1~ would extend below these non-fed elements.
, . . .
,: '. , :
Claims (2)
1. A microstrip array antenna comprising:
a first layer defined by a dielectric sheet on which a microstrip feed network is formed, the network having an array of successive 3dB power splitters ending in matching and coupling circuits;
a second layer defined by a ground metallic plane with an array of rectangular slots;
a third layer defined by a dielectric sheet on which an array of radiating metallic elements is formed, the array being resonant at wavelength .lambda. and being fed by the feed network on the first layer through the slots on the second layer; and, a carrier structure defined by a metallic box having a bottom wall and side walls, the first, second and third layers being secured to the carrier structure, a connector connecting the feed network also being secured to the car-rier structure;
whereby the third layer also has non-fed resonant metallic elements located around one or more sides of the array of radiating metallic elements, and whereby the metallic plane of the second layer extends below the non-fed resonant metallic elements.
a first layer defined by a dielectric sheet on which a microstrip feed network is formed, the network having an array of successive 3dB power splitters ending in matching and coupling circuits;
a second layer defined by a ground metallic plane with an array of rectangular slots;
a third layer defined by a dielectric sheet on which an array of radiating metallic elements is formed, the array being resonant at wavelength .lambda. and being fed by the feed network on the first layer through the slots on the second layer; and, a carrier structure defined by a metallic box having a bottom wall and side walls, the first, second and third layers being secured to the carrier structure, a connector connecting the feed network also being secured to the car-rier structure;
whereby the third layer also has non-fed resonant metallic elements located around one or more sides of the array of radiating metallic elements, and whereby the metallic plane of the second layer extends below the non-fed resonant metallic elements.
2. A microstrip array antenna as in claim 1, and compri-sing an additional layer positioned on the third layer, the additional layer having an array of radiating metallic ele-ments similar to the array of the third layer.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITTO93A000543 | 1993-07-21 | ||
| ITTO930543A IT1260934B (en) | 1993-07-21 | 1993-07-21 | MICRO-STRIP TABLE ANTENNA |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2128454A1 true CA2128454A1 (en) | 1995-01-22 |
Family
ID=11411636
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002128454A Abandoned CA2128454A1 (en) | 1993-07-21 | 1994-07-20 | Microstrip array antenna |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0635899A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH0766626A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU6342994A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2128454A1 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1260934B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19523694A1 (en) * | 1995-06-29 | 1997-01-02 | Fuba Automotive Gmbh | Planar antenna, esp. for frequencies in GHz region |
| CN103236582A (en) * | 2013-04-18 | 2013-08-07 | 山东国威卫星通信有限公司 | Circular polarization panel antenna of patch-loaded special-shaped radiation unit |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB8803451D0 (en) * | 1988-02-15 | 1988-03-16 | British Telecomm | Antenna |
| JPH01297905A (en) * | 1988-05-26 | 1989-12-01 | Matsushita Electric Works Ltd | Plane antenna |
| JPH0362604A (en) * | 1989-07-31 | 1991-03-18 | Nec Corp | Plane antenna |
| JPH03101507A (en) * | 1989-09-14 | 1991-04-26 | Yagi Antenna Co Ltd | Planer antenna |
| JP3128317B2 (en) * | 1992-04-10 | 2001-01-29 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Scroll compressor |
-
1993
- 1993-07-21 IT ITTO930543A patent/IT1260934B/en active IP Right Grant
-
1994
- 1994-05-30 AU AU63429/94A patent/AU6342994A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1994-07-08 JP JP6179800A patent/JPH0766626A/en active Pending
- 1994-07-20 CA CA002128454A patent/CA2128454A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1994-07-20 EP EP94111319A patent/EP0635899A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH0766626A (en) | 1995-03-10 |
| AU6342994A (en) | 1995-02-02 |
| ITTO930543A1 (en) | 1995-01-21 |
| EP0635899A1 (en) | 1995-01-25 |
| ITTO930543A0 (en) | 1993-07-21 |
| IT1260934B (en) | 1996-04-29 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |